The Nebraska Transportation Center (NTC) is an umbrella organization that encourages multi-disciplinary transportation research across the University of Nebraska system. It has over 90 faculty affiliates and manages around $21 million in total funding and 160 projects. The NTC focuses on research related to safer and more efficient transportation and involves engineering, business, and science disciplines. It partners with both public sponsors like the USDOT and private industry partners. The NTC also supports education programs and houses an ITS lab in its new facility at the Whittier Building.

1. Overview of the
Nebraska Transportation Center
MATC Scholars Program
L. Rilett, Ph.D., P.E.
Thursday, October 29, 2015

2. Nebraska Transportation Center
 “Center” – North American perspective
 Typically research-focused
 Not degree related
 Multi-disciplinary
 Engineering (civil, mechanical, computer, …)
 Business
 Arts and Science (statistics, psychology, …)
 Soft-money (e.g. competitive)

3. Nebraska Transportation Center
• Motivation
 Umbrella organization for transportation
research at the University of Nebraska
 UNL, UNMC, UNO, and UNK
 Encourage multi-disciplinary research, increase
research funding, increase students
 Safer and more efficient transportation system

4. NTC Research Funding
• Currently Active
– 91 faculty affiliates
– ~160 Projects
– Total Funding
• ~$21 million
– Expenditures FY 2014
• ~ $7 million
• Students:
– 51 Graduate students
(funded)
– 49 Undergraduate

5. Research Sponsors: Public
• US Department of Transportation
– Federal Highway Administration
– Strategic Highway Research Program
– Research Innovation and Technology
Administration
– Federal Railway Administration
– Garrett A. Morgan Technology and
Transportation Education Program
• Environmental Protection Agency
• National Science Foundation
• Department of Defense

6. Research Sponsors: Private
• Motorsports Safety Technology
–NASCAR, IndyCar
• Valmont Industries
• Owens Corning
• Union Pacific
• Wavetronix

7. Industry Partnerships
• Nebraska Trucking Association
• Nebraska Logistics Council
• Crete Carrier
• Werner Enterprises
• Union Pacific
• Iteris
• Trinity Industries
• Future Force Nebraska
• Ingram Barge Lines

8. • Mid-America Transportation
Center (MATC) (Lead)
– U.S.D.O.T. Region 7
University Transportation
Center
– 1995-1992
– 2006-2017
• UTC for Railway Safety
(Partner)
– 2013-2017
US DOT University Transportation
Center Program

9. Space:
Whittier Building: New Home

10. Space:
Whittier Building: NTC Home
ITS Lab (2000 ft2)
3 test beds : railway,
arterial, highway
 Focus: Safety and
Operations

11. • Breadth and Depth of Transportation Research at NTC
– Transportation Systems and Logistics
– Structures
– Roadside Safety (Midwest Roadside Safety Facility)
– Geotechnical and Pavement
– Environmental and Water
– Economics
– Human Factors

12. Education

13. Garret Morgan After School
Program

14. MATC Intern Program

15. MATC Scholars Program

16. Lessons Learned
• Multi-faceted
• Multi-university
• Multi-college
• Private sector
• Public sector