Free On-the-Job Research Available to MTS Employees

By Brent Boyd, Manager of Service Quality – MTS Rail

Ever had an issue at work and couldn’t figure out how to solve it? Well, most likely another transit agency has experienced something similar, and potential guidance can be found for free from the Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP).

TCRP is part of the National Academy Sciences (NAS) and is a joint partnership between the Federal Transit Administration, the American Public Transportation Association, and the Transportation Research Board.

You might see the word “research” and think it’s just something for academics, planners, and upper management. But there are relevant reports for virtually all MTS departments and all levels of the organization. TCRP produces reports and case studies on best practices in vehicle maintenance, operations, station design, human resources policies, legal issues, security, and almost any other aspect of transit. For instance, recent reports have focused on:

• Addressing difficult customer situations
• Successful practices and training initiatives to reduce bus accidents
• Legal issues concerning transit agency use of electronic customer data
• Multiagency electronic fare systems
• Improving rail safety on platforms and at intersections

For access to these reports and many others (more than 230 in total), please visit: tcrponline.org.

Additionally, TCRP provides opportunities for staff to contribute to research by submitting problem statements, serving on project panels, or serving as a TCRP ambassador. For instance, MTS CEO Paul Jablonski is currently the chair of the TCRP Oversight and Project Selection committee, and I participate in the TCRP ambassador program and serve on a committee for a project that is analyzing the changing demographics and markets for public transportation.

Please feel free to ask me about TCRP publications or how to get involved.