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U.S. Transportation Research at a Crossroads

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  • Karner, Alex
  • Rowangould, Dana
  • Barajas, Jesus

Abstract

Science in the United States has become increasingly politicized, with a wave of recent federal grant terminations and censorship of equity and climate-related work. U.S. transportation research has not been immune. The Transportation Research Board (TRB), a stalwart of U.S. transportation research, has canceled research contracts, undertaken a dramatic internal restructuring, and appears poised to censor research presented at its marquee annual meeting. These shifts are significant in part because TRB espouses the values of scientific objectivity, independence, and integrity. Accordingly, TRB has historically funded work identified as needed by the broader research community and has been a home for the free and open exchange of ideas at its conferences, meetings, and events. We argue that TRB's recent actions suggest that it is no longer able to act with scientific integrity. In this commentary, we provide a brief history of TRB and its objectives, discuss its recent actions, and propose paths forward for researchers and practitioners interested in pursuing equity, justice, and climate change-oriented work.

Suggested Citation

  • Karner, Alex & Rowangould, Dana & Barajas, Jesus, 2025. "U.S. Transportation Research at a Crossroads," OSF Preprints 53dsk_v1, Center for Open Science.
    • Handle: RePEc:osf:osfxxx:53dsk_v1
    DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/53dsk_v1
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kate Lowe, 2021. "Undone science, funding, and positionality in transportation research," Transport Reviews, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(2), pages 192-209, March.
    2. Peter D Blair, 2016. "The evolving role of the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine in providing science and technology policy advice to the US government," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 2(1), pages 1-7, December.
    3. Jeff Tollefson & Dan Garisto & Max Kozlov & Alexandra Witze, 2025. "Trump proposes unprecedented budget cuts to US science," Nature, Nature, vol. 641(8063), pages 565-566, May.
    4. Jeff Tollefson & Dan Garisto, 2025. "Turmoil at US science academy as Trump cuts force layoffs," Nature, Nature, vol. 643(8071), pages 309-310, July.
    5. repec:pal:palcom:v:2016:y:2016:i:palcomms201630:p:16030- is not listed on IDEAS
    6. João Conde, 2025. "How to de-Americanize global science," Nature, Nature, vol. 643(8072), pages 609-609, July.
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