Delegates from the Center for Transportation Research (CTR) recently returned from a trip to Ankara, Türkiye during the week of Sept. 7, 2026. The trip focused on expanding international collaboration and advancing joint transportation research partnerships. During the visit, CTR team members Kevin Heaslip, Marcella Kaplan and Sean Lawrie met with leadership across five major […]
The Center for Transportation Research (CTR) represented the University of Tennessee at the North American Travel Monitoring Exhibition and Conference (NaTMEC), hosting an interactive exhibit booth and delivering six podium presentations highlighting cutting-edge transportation research. The conference provided a valuable platform for CTR researchers, faculty, and students to connect directly with state departments of transportation, […]
Ever wonder why shipping costs keep rising while downtown traffic gets progressively worse? The answer often lies in a hidden urban challenge: disorganized freight systems and land-use sprawl. When warehouses, fulfillment hubs, and retail destinations are spread out without clear spatial coordination, delivery vehicles spend more time idling in traffic, burning fuel, and traveling longer […]
At the Center for Transportation Research (CTR), our team studies Tennessee’s mobility network and helps shape its long-term future. Through our close partnership with the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), several of CTR’s long-range research specialists work directly alongside state planners to analyze trends, model future demands, and develop strategic infrastructure frameworks. Right now, TDOT […]
Toulouse, France | July 6–10, 2026 CTR-affiliated attendees at the 2026 World Conference on Transport Research in Toulouse, France included Marcella Kaplan, Katherine Asmussen, Candace Brakewood, and Oriana Calderon, who were joined by Aryana Soliz from the Department of Sociology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Remote Work & Social Outings Katherine Asmussen presented on […]
The Center for Transportation Research (CTR) is proud to welcome Associate Professor Oleksandr Bondarenko to Knoxville for the month of July. Visiting from the Ukraine’s #1 technical university, the Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, Bondarenko is engaging with UT researchers to share knowledge and cultivate long-term international research partnerships. During a presentation to UT researchers […]
Students and teachers got a hands-on look at emerging transportation technologies this week through the Advanced Mobility Innovation Lab, a program designed to inspire future careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The University of Tennessee Center for Transportation Research hosted the final day of its three-day teacher camp at Johnson University. The event brought […]
The 2026 Southeast Annual Symposium on Freight and Mobility, organized by the Center for Regional and Rural Connected Communities (CR2C2) and CTR, showcased the critical work being done at the intersection of rural necessity and global resilience. From April 14-16, researchers from various organizations gathered to move beyond theory and toward actionable deployment. While the […]
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has been selected to participate in the prestigious EcoCAR Innovation Challenge from Fall 2026 through Spring 2030. Led by faculty advisors Dr. Subhadeep Chakraborty – a CTR affiliated faculty member, Dr. Pingen Chen, and Dr. Hairong Qi, a collaborative UT student team will engineer next-generation, energy-efficient, and intelligent mobility solutions. […]
On average, car crashes cause more than 40,000 deaths per year in the United States. Technologies like seat belts, advanced airbags, and automated braking systems have improved car driver and passenger safety, but pedestrian deaths due to crashes have actually increased by 48% over the last decade, reaching about 7,500 fatalities in 2022. Transportation researchers […]
Katherine Asmussen, research assistant professor with UT-ORII’s Transportation Convergent Research Initiative and the Center for Transportation Research, has received an award for her project, “Consumer Acceptance of Automated Vehicles: Evidence from a Newly Deployed U.S. Survey and Stated-Preference Experiment”. This research aims to provide evidence-based insights to help cities and agencies prepare for the integration […]
Tesla has already disrupted the global market through its innovative electric vehicles. However, a bigger question remains: Is Tesla poised to change not just what we drive, but how automobiles are made?The Center for Social Theory, in collaboration with the Center for Transportation Research (CTR), invites you to a deep dive into “Teslism” and the […]
This Spring, the 2026 Data Competition for an Efficient Transportation Design was held at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, bringing together students to develop data-driven solutions to improve transportation safety in rural communities. The competition was organized by the Center for Regional and Rural Connected Communities (CR2C2) and made possible through the contribution of Honda, […]
We are proud to celebrate CTR undergraduate research assistant Samuel Barbour for being awarded the prestigious Goldwater Scholarship for the 2026-2027 academic year. Selected from a pool of nearly 1,500 nominees nationwide, Samuel is recognized for his exceptional promise in STEM research and his dedication to the future of civil engineering. Goldwater Scholarship Awardees each […]
A private-public partnership powered by AI is seeking to make Knoxville’s streets safer. The AI TechX Consortium at the University of Tennessee, Cubic Corp., and the City of Knoxville have partnered to improve road safety in Knoxville and beyond. They are applying artificial intelligence (AI) research to make streets safer for drivers, pedestrians, and all […]
Mohammad Razaur Rahman Shaon, Research Assistant Professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville Center for Transportation Research (CTR), has been awarded an Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration High Priority Program – Commercial Motor Vehicle (HP-CMV) project for “Data-Driven CMV Enforcement Optimization and Driver Education in High-Risk Tennessee Corridors.” With this award, the project will deliver […]
Anahita Khojandi has built her research career around a guiding belief: Artificial intelligence should empower people—not replace them. A professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering and Heath Endowed Faculty Fellow in Business and Engineering, Khojandi designs decision-making systems that operate under uncertainty and support human users in high-impact real-world environments. In settings […]
To ensure TTAP’s programs and resources continue to align with transportation professional’s needs, we invite you to take a few minutes to complete the 2026 TTAP Needs Assessment Survey. Your feedback on topics of interest, training priorities, and communication preferences will directly inform our training calendar and outreach efforts for the year ahead. The survey […]
CTR Director Dr. Kevin Heaslip spoke to a reporter at WBIR Channel 10 News about the current and future rising population in Knoxville, Tennessee. While some residents are concerned about what this means for traffic, Dr. Heaslip remains optimistic as he states that “The influx of people to East Tennessee and Tennessee as a whole […]
Few could have predicted how quickly facemasks and hand sanitizer would go flying off the shelves when the Covid-19 pandemic gripped the world in 2020. The items had not been a regular part of society’s daily life, and supply chains were not prepared to respond to the need in such a short amount of time. […]
Nine projects led by faculty at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, will receive the first round of funding from AI TechX, a new initiative created by UT to empower Tennessee communities and industry partners to adopt AI technologies that enable high-quality job creation. To fulfill this mission, AI TechX focuses on advancing AI research and […]
Standardized Emergency Response Information for Electric-Powered Vehicles Vehicle manufacturers submit emergency response guides and rescue sheets to NHTSA for covered electric-powered passenger cars, multipurpose passenger vehicles, trucks and buses. This provides first and second responders access to information regarding the safe handling of battery-, hybrid-, and fuel cell electric vehicles in emergencies and for towing […]
More than 90% of paved roads in the U.S. are made of asphalt, which is constructed with nonrenewable materials such as petroleum. One way to make paving more sustainable is to recycle old pavement. When roads break down and need repaving, transportation agencies can recycle their old pavement into a reusable material called reclaimed asphalt […]
In Knox County, there are 91 traffic signals. The city of Knoxville has 400. Memphis has about 1,400 and New York has around 14,000. Each of those signals requires a trained professional to keep it working properly. “Imagine the number of people you need just to maintain all that infrastructure, right? And they need to […]
During Independence Day weekend, the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO), a division ofthe Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, will join Tennessee Highway Patrol and local lawenforcement for “Safe on Seventy,” a campaign to increase traffic enforcement across U.S. Highway 70statewide. U.S. Highway 70 stretches from West to East Tennessee spanning 500 miles across […]
This May, the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) awarded a total of $1 million to two research teams blending academic and industry expertise within the University of Tennessee System. The award will be split evenly between grant recipient teams from UT Knoxville and UT Chattanooga, which are working to improve natural disaster […]
Wiring harnesses are essential for controlling the electrical components of an automobile and transmitting power to every part of the vehicle. The bundled sets of wires and cables are responsible for airbags, ABS brakes, climate control, and the engine. Their assembly is one of the most labor-intensive and complex aspects of manufacturing. Being able to […]
There are 91 traffic signals in Knox County with more on the way. Have you ever wondered how those lights know when to change and who makes sure they work? In part, it’s up to Assistant Traffic Engineer Grady Owen, who was trained by CTR’s Tennessee Transportation Assistance Program. “Every person and everything to get […]
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) announced that $1 million will be awarded to two collaborative teams through the Transportation Network Growth Opportunity (TNGO) initiative. Today’s announcement marks the fifth and sixth of eight total recipients, receiving grants through the second round of TNGO funding. TNGO, which has received a […]
Matthew Davis and Allison Rewalt were both honored at the 34th annual University Transportation Centers (UTC) Program’s Outstanding Student of the Year Awards ceremony in January in Washington D.C. Davis, a doctoral graduate student in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, was named Outstanding Student of the Year by the Center for Regional and Rural Connected […]
The longstanding partnership between the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and Volkswagen Group of America continues to model the value of industry working with a world-class research institution to drive the future of mobility through innovation. Volkswagen established a physical presence in Knoxville in early 2020 when the company opened its first innovation hub in North […]
Engagement Opportunities in IEEE and Associated Career Advancement: A Perspective This seminar explored engagement opportunities provided by IEEE and discussed how active participation can accelerate career advancement. IEEE is recognized worldwide for its commitment to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity, fostering innovation and excellence in various fields. Its global network supports professional growth, […]
We are excited to announce that we have just launched a significant update to the TTAP website (https://ttap.utk.edu). In addition to a new look and mobile-friendly design, the website includes new content and improved navigation. • TTAP’s Course Calendar is now featured in the site’s top-level menu, making it easier to find the training you need.• […]
On November 13th, Professor Alphonse Nkurunziza, Director of African Centre of Excellence in Transport and Logistics at the College of Science and Technology of the University of Rwanda, gave a seminar to students and faculty of the Future Mobility Cluster. His presentation was on the topic of “Transport Planning based on the Principles of Justice […]
For over 30 years, the University of Tennessee’s Center for Transportation Research (CTR) has been a leader in providing specialized education and training to the railroad industry. With a strong commitment to safety, innovation, and industry best practices, CTR offers a wide range of courses designed to equip professionals with the knowledge and skills needed […]
“We could have made a 600-mile Model S 12 months ago,” he said in a post on X at the time. Musk added that the extra battery mass would have made overall vehicle performance worse. The post was shared in a Sustainability by Numbers article. But schematics and patent details from South Korea have been making headlines as a […]
The University of Tennessee Center for Transportation Research (CTR) was well represented in Washington D.C. this January at the 2025 Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Meeting. CTR faculty, staff, and student researchers shared their ongoing projects with likeminded individuals from all across the United States. This yearly event brings together thousands of transportation professionals from […]
Technology has made receiving items at home easier than ever. If you need laundry detergent from the store, you can have it delivered instantaneously. If you see a pair of shoes you want to wear this week, they can arrive within two days. If you don’t feel like cooking one night, you can order a […]
Congratulations to University of Tennessee, Knoxville students and CTR Graduate Research Assistants Saurav Parajuli and Allison Rewalt, who have been accepted to the 2025 Lifesavers Traffic Safety Scholar Program as Traffic Safety Scholars (TSS) and will attend the Lifesavers Conference on Roadway Safety on March 9-11 in Long Beach, California. They are pursuing undergraduate or graduate degrees in Civil Engineering […]
On April 2-3 of 2025, the Center for Transportation Research joined others from the University of Tennessee System at the third annual Smart Mobility Conference in Nashville, TN. Representatives from academia, industry, and government convened to discuss research and technology advances around transportation in Tennessee. Expert panels presented new technology designed to better understand traffic patterns and find […]
You might presume that making it harder and more costly to return stuff could drive some shoppers away. Our research shows that the concern is valid and explains why. It also shows how communicating return policy changes directly with customers can help prevent or reduce backlash against retailers. Americans returned products worth an estimated US$890 […]
Tennessee Vans is a financially sustainable social business enterprise under the UT Center for Transportation Research that provides vehicles (15 Passenger, Minivan, Crossover, & Sedan) to nonprofit organizations. As a social business enterprise, Tennessee Vans addresses problems of human mobility, specifically the needs of the transportation disadvantaged. The program has been in existence since 1990 as a vehicle […]
Vladyslav Panchenko’s students at Ukrainian State University of Railway Transport can’t attend in school in person because of the ongoing war with Russia. For a period of time, they weren’t allowed to leave the country for educational opportunities because of a travel ban. That is what made Panchenko’s recent visit to the University of Tennessee […]
The U.S. National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines) program announced that 71 teams spanning nearly every state and territory in the nation are advancing to the next stage of the second-ever competition. The program is charting a new frontier for American innovation pursuant to the bipartisan “CHIPS and Science Act of 2022.” The […]
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, supply chain management faculty recently underscored its leadership in the transportation sector by helping to organize the Airport Ground Transportation Association (AGTA) Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah, from Sept. 29 to Oct. 2, 2024. Clinical assistant professor Jeff Trombly, a founding member of the Global Supply Chain Institute’s Transportation and Logistics […]
The major selling point of electric vehicles has been their ability to reduce emissions while saving money through lower fuel costs. A potential impediment to this eco-friendly model of transportation is the shelf life of its power source. EV batteries can no longer be used to drive electric vehicles when their charge capacity declines to […]
The Tickle College of Engineering continues to rank among the top third of colleges across the nation, according to the US News & World Report’s Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs released on Tuesday. TCE ranks 37th among public colleges, sixth among Southeastern Conference institutions and 66th overall among all colleges. Additionally, the computer science program within […]
Robotic vehicles can optimize the flow of traffic in cities even when mixed in with vehicles driven by humans, thereby improving traffic efficiency, safety and energy consumption, my colleagues and I found. Robot vehicles are no longer a sci-fi concept: Cities around the world have been testing autonomous robotaxis since 2016. With the increasing presence of robot vehicles in […]
The Institute for Future Mobility (FMI) has hired researchers to fill four of six cluster positions. The four researchers will form a collaborative community cluster led by Professor Kevin Heaslip, the Center for Transportation Research Director. Professor Heaslip: “These new hires will complement the faculty who are already part of the University of Tennessee Knoxville […]
Engineering groups from the University of Tennessee received two of the seven grants awarded by the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) through the Transportation Network Growth Opportunity (TNGO) initiative. The Center for Transportation Research’s project, Building Platform for Development of Automotive Cybersecurity Testing received a $500,000 grant. The University of Tennessee Space […]
At our second Cocke County High School event of the year, WBIR Channel 10 filmed CTR’s teen driver safety program in action, and aired the story on August 22nd. During the event, the WBIR reporter interviewed a student, who shared the following after riding our seatbelt convincer (a 5-7 mile per hour crash simulator): “It’s […]
Summertime is when drivers hit the roads in droves. Families and friends are ticking off destinations from their bucket lists. The National Highway Safety Administration offers summer driving safety tips to keep travelers focused for long and short trips. One caution to be aware of is distracted driving.Distracted driving is estimated to occur every 31 […]
In May of 2024, Carol Hatmaker officially retired from CTR. Carol has graciously agreed to work part-time during the next several months to aid new Business Manager Tammy Johnson with the transition. Those who have worked with Carol during her 23-year career with CTR have seen the contributions and sacrifices that Carol has made over […]
Three Mid-Roof 15-passenger Transits and a Chevy Equinox were delivered through the TN Vans Program. The Chevy Equinox went to the TN Children’s Home location in Knoxville and will allow staff to travel to their other TN Children’s Home locations across the state. One Mid-Roof Transit was delivered to TN Be Trew in Memphis. Be […]
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, remains a top school for graduate engineering programs, according to U.S. News & World Report’s Best Graduate Schools 2024 rankings, released June 18. U.S. News published a partial list of graduate school rankings on April 9 that included high rankings for UT in business, law, nursing and social work. The 2024 Best Engineering […]
TTAP is excited to announce that it will offer the Road Safety Champion Program (RSCP). Starting in July 2024, maintenance, construction, planning, and engineering professionals can embark on this journey from the comfort of their homes or offices. TTAP Director Matt Cate explains, “The Road Safety Champion Program will allow transportation professionals to do much […]
The Tennessee Transportation Assistance Program (TTAP) offers training courses and workshops to engineers, planners, designers, technicians, and other transportationpersonnel. While all the courses and workshops offered by TTAP are valuable resources for personal and professional development, a select few of these opportunities can lead to the Tennessee Academy of Transportation Engineering (TATE) certification. This certification, […]
Transportation electrification is Tennessee’s future. Major automotive manufacturers are pivoting toward electric vehicles (EVs), battery suppliers are opening or ramping up operations in the Southeast — now seen as the nation’s “battery belt” — and Tennesseans are benefitting from high-paying green jobs. Put simply, electrification offers endless opportunities for economic and community development in our […]
As you drive to the beach this summer, you may find yourself playing road trip games based on the license plates around you. How many states’ plates do you see? How many different animals can you find? Can you find a plate in every color of the rainbow? Can you write an algorithm that recognizes, […]
Sazzadul Saykat and Caleb Napper each grab a side of the large mixing bowl filled with concrete and carry it across the lab floor to pour into a funnel. As the concrete mix gradually seeps into the center of a circle drawn on the ground, the graduate students measure the rate of the flow and […]
CGTN’s Asieh Namdar speaks to Kevin Heaslip, Director of the Center for Transportation Research, about the ship losing power and issuing a mayday before crash. Watch the video here
The 2024 TRB Annual Meeting took place from January 7–11. Transportation administrators, practitioners, policy makers, and researchers all came to DC to participate in more than 600 workshops, lectern sessions, committee sessions, and poster sessions. There were also more than 200 exhibitors who joined in on the event. The following UT CEE faculty and students […]
Following the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore, Kevin Heaslip, director for the Center for Transportation Research, spoke with NBC News’ Joe Fryer about why the bridge collapsed and how the cargo ship brought down the massive structure. Watch the video here
In February of 2022, as the country was still recovering from the supply chain shocks of the Covid-19 pandemic, California Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Toks Omishakin as the state’s fourth Secretary of Transportation. That May, Omishakin helped strike down a decades-old plan to widen the 710 Freeway, one of the country’s busiest freight corridors—and defended […]
Kevin Bai, associate professor in the Min H. Kao Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS), shares a principle-investigator role in a collaboration with the ABB Group’s US Research Center to develop an integrated, compact drive inverter and motor for electric vehicles that would reduce both the size and cost of electric drive trains. Bai’s proposed […]
Alberta wants EV owners to pull their own weight when it comes to paying for road maintenance – but battery-electric passenger vehicles, while considerably heavier than their gas-powered counterparts, are far from the heaviest vehicles on the road, experts said. “For pavement, the biggest cause of damage is large transport trucks,” Kevin Heaslip, director of […]
TTAP hosted the 2024 meeting of the National Local and Tribal Technical Assistance Program Association (NLTAPA) Southeast Region from April 8th through the 11th in Chattanooga, Tennessee. This annual meeting brought together staff members from the region’s nine LTAP centers (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, and Tennessee) to share […]
E-bikes have captured widespread attention across the U.S., and for good reason. They are the most energy-efficient way to move from place to place, providing exercise in the process, and offer enough assistance while pedaling uphill or into headwinds to make them usable for many types of riders. Greenhouse gas emissions from e-bikes are much […]
A new study has highlighted a concerning safety issue. As the vehicles on the roadways in the United States have gotten heavier, the guardrails are not functioning as well when there is a crash. NBC News’ Kathy Park has more on what researchers found. Watch the video here.
Day one of the event is in the books after presentations and “asks” from several speakers. Now, the hard work begins. Deb Crawford clearly outlined the opportunities and challenges that a group of more than 100 partners is trying to address under the auspices of the TEAM TN umbrella. Speaking Tuesday morning at the start […]
UT graduate students Ashley Hightower and Grace Whitehouse both received prestigious Eisenhower fellowship grants to help fund their research in the transportation field. Hightower received the maximum amount awarded. Read the full article here
Tennessee currently supports 40 percent of the EV manufacturing jobs and investments in the southeast, but ranks 41st in the country for industrial R&D. As transportation evolves, and the focus on car travel shifts from the combustion engine to the electric battery, Tennessee is already a key player in the world of manufacturing. Ford, GM, […]
Tennessee is poised to become the next great hub of American innovation. Home to one of the most prominent national labs, multiple top-tier research universities, a growing workforce and enviable geography, the Volunteer State is positioned to drive innovation that will change the world. At the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, we are ready to help […]
Traffic is a nightmare no matter where you go and now Tennessee lawmakers want to help alleviate some of the stress that comes with commuting. A bill called the Transportation Modernization Act passed the state senate and is now headed to the House. The bill includes “choice lanes” which are lanes designed to reduce traffic […]
Electric vehicles, now the choice for the environmentally minded, could be become the standard for everyone if Tennessee succeeds in an ambitious goal to engineer fast-charging alternatives to fossil fuel-burning vehicles that spew 27% of America’s greenhouse gases. The University of Tennessee at Knoxville is at the helm of a statewide coalition leveraging expertise in […]
Batteries make EVs heavier than gas-powered vehiclesCivil and environmental engineering professor Kevin Heaslip, director of the University of Tennessee’s Center for Transportation Research, said EVs often weigh 30% more than gas-powered vehicles. The main reason is the weight of their batteries, which can add hundreds of pounds or more. Experts said EVs’ additional weight has […]
For Nashvillians who don’t have a car or don’t want to drive to an event, rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft are popular options. But just a decade ago, these options didn’t exist. Taxis were the best option back then, and are still around. But one of these systems is regulated by the city, and […]
Federal investigators renewed their recommendation that major freight railroads equip every locomotive with the kind of autonomous sensors that could have caught the track flaws that caused a fatal 2021 Amtrak derailment in northern Montana. But installing the sensors on the tens of thousands of locomotives in the fleet could be cost prohibitive, and it’s […]
Twelve days after a portion of Interstate 95 collapsed in north Philadelphia during a truck fire, officials opened a temporary six-lane roadway to serve motorists while a permanent overpass is rebuilt. This was a major success after the June 11, 2023, disaster was predicted to snarl traffic for months. U.S. cities often face similar challenges […]
Knox County, home to some of the most congested roads in Tennessee, has traffic and infrastructure issues that will take a generation to solve. “You can choose any high schooler, and they would be a senior citizen by the time we address just the current projects on the list,” said state Sen. Becky Duncan Massey, […]
“I think the state of Tennessee has been really proactive in the promotion of electric vehicles and one of the reasons for that is, first of all, I think our ecosystem between UT and Oak Ridge National Lab that we have here in East Tennessee,” said Kevin Heaslip, the director of the Center for Transportation […]
Longer-lasting batteries and lighter-weight vehicles. Wireless charging stations and sustainable materials. More efficient supply chains and more effective public policy. UT researchers are at the forefront of the technology and societal forces that are revolutionizing transportation here in the United States and around the world. By bringing together the university’s deep bench of expertise, the […]
Stanford University’s annual list of the top 2% of scientists cited by other researchers around the world was recently released, and this year’s version includes 183 faculty members from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, including the UT Institute of Agriculture. The database includes almost 205,000 scientists, engineers and mathematicians worldwide whose work has been most […]
The U.S. Department of Transportation (US DOT) has announced that the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, will lead a multi-institutional University Transportation Center (UTC) designed to improve the mobility of people and goods across the country.
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is committing $50 million over the next five years to recruit 44 top-tier research faculty members across multiple disciplines to address some of the most pressing and complex challenges of our time. It is the largest faculty hiring initiative in recent UT history.
