The University of Toledo University Transportation Center

Strategic Plan

University Transportation Center: Tier II
at the University of Toledo (UT – UTC)  

U.S. Department of Transportation
Research and Innovative Technology Administration

Strategic Plan

August 7, 2006
Revised Plan November 16, 2006

University of Toledo (Lead Institution) - Toledo Ohio
Bowling Green State University – Bowling Green, Ohio
Wayne State University – Detroit, Michigan

STRATEGIC PLAN: TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Program Overview

A. Glossary
B. Center Theme

C. Center Director’s Summary

II. Program Activities

A. Research Selection
B. Research Performance
C. Education
D. Human Resources
E. Diversity
F. Technology Transfer

III. Management Approach

A. Institutional Resources
B. Center Director
C. Center Faulty and Staff
D. Multiparty Arrangements
E. Matching Funds

IV. Budget Details

A. Format
B. Grant Year
C. Salaries
D. Scholarships
E. Equipment
F. Foreign Travel
G. Other Direct Costs
H. Facilities and Administrative (Indirect) Cost

Appendix A – Baseline Measures for the University of Toledo University Transportation Center

SECTION I – PROGRAM OVERVIEW

A. Glossary

BGSU

Bowling Green State University – Bowling Green, Ohio

DOT

Department of Transportation (referring to state DOTs)

FHWA 

Federal Highway Administration

GIS

Geographic Information System

GLMRI

Great Lakes Maritime Research Institute

ICHCA

International Cargo Handling and Coordination Association

MDOT

Michigan Department of Transportation

MIOH 

Michigan Ohio

MPO

Metropolitan Planning Organization

MRUTC

Midwest Regional University Transportation Center

ODOD

Ohio Department of Development 

ODOT

Ohio Department of Transportation

PI 

Principal Investigator

RITA

Research and Innovative Technology Administration

TRB

Transportation Research Board 

UDM

University of Detroit Mercy

US 

United States

USDOT

United States Department of Transportation

UT 

 The University of Toledo

UT-UTC

University of Toledo University Transportation Center

UT-ITI 

University of Toledo Intermodal Transportation Institute

UWM

University of Wisconsin at Madison

WSU

Wayne State University – Detroit, Michigan 

B. Center Theme

The theme of this Center is Transportation for Economic Security and Development: Alternate Energy, Infrastructure Utilization, and Supply Chains. Safe, secure, and efficient transportation systems are essential to the economic viability, quality of life, and strength of our nation. If the U.S. economy is to reach new heights, the transportation system must be capable of moving people and goods safely, quickly, and efficiently. This Center focuses on three critical elements in the transportation system: alternate energy for transportation, infrastructure utilization, and supply chain management. See Figure 1. 

The External Advisory Board for the UT-UTC wants to continue work in these three areas (alternate energy, infrastructure utilization, and supply chains). There is synergy between infrastructure utilization and supply chain management. One of the major problems in getting supply chains to work well is to streamline the flow of goods from suppliers to manufacturers and from manufacturers to wholesalers and retailers, and one of the largest obstacles in doing this is bottlenecks. So the application of information systems and transportation technology, as well as the development of intermodal solutions, are ways to improve infrastructure utilization and increase supply chain efficiency. The area of alternate energy is critical to transportation, and the University of Toledo is committed to alternate energy. In addition to our efforts as part of the UTC, there are significant efforts currently underway in the department of physics and the college of engineering. UT currently has substantial support for alternate energy from the state of Ohio.     

Continuing dependence on high-cost, non-renewable fossil fuels imported from politically unstable regions of the world is a clear threat to the future development, security, and effective use of the transportation network in the U.S. This threat must be addressed by developing and distributing renewable, homegrown, low-polluting energy sources to support transportation. Second, the growing demand for transportation is stretching current infrastructure to, and in many cases beyond, its capacity. Strategies and tactics must be developed to increase the utilization of existing transportation infrastructure if the U.S. economy is to grow. Third, the emergence of supply chains and sophisticated distribution systems are placing new demands on the transportation network. Understanding the role of transportation in this new paradigm and adapting the transportation systems to meet those needs for suppliers, manufacturers, and customers is fundamentally important for economic growth and development.

Transportation systems consume a substantial portion of the energy used in the U.S. With the current high cost of energy and growing dependence on foreign sources, it is essential for the security and efficiency of transportation to develop alternate, low cost sources of energy and to distribute them throughout the transportation network. The design and development of hybrid vehicles that can use these fuels effectively is a critical issue for an economy dependent on an efficient, fast, and secure transportation system. As renewable bio-fuels and hydrogen-based fuels are implemented, it is essential that alternative methods are developed to generate sufficient revenue to support, maintain, and improve the transportation network. The deployment of these fuels and vehicles will generate the need for infrastructure modification, so that safe and economical fuel distribution systems are created. These efforts will spawn new, integrative, academic programs in science, engineering, and business that educate professionals for private industry, the public sector, and academia.

Figure 1: Overview of University of Toledo UT-UTC

UT-UTC theme
By 2020, the amount of freight moving across the various modes of transportation is expected to increase by 80 percent. A comparable increase in transportation infrastructure is not a viable option because it is capital-intensive and requires the commitment of valuable land that could be used for agriculture, recreation, and economic development. To respond effectively, ideas and methods are needed that (1) increase the utilization of existing assets through the application of information technology and innovative management practices and (2) identify innovative solutions to bottlenecks in the transportation system. Through information gathering, data mining, analysis, and   assessment, it is possible to improve the management and planning that lead to increased infrastructure utilization and availability. For example, properly organizing and timing repairs keep costs low, reduce worker exposure, minimize congestion and delays, enhance safety, and optimize utilization. New computerized systems and algorithms allow very large datasets to be collected and analyzed to recognize current and anticipate problems in the transportation system. Integration of information technology and transportation asset management will generate new research opportunities and lead to the creation of curriculum and educational programs that emphasize these ideas.

Toimprove U.S. competitiveness in global markets, it is essential that manufacturers deliver a quality product at a reasonable cost and at the right time. One hundred years ago, industrial researchers optimized the interface between workers and their machines leading to substantial productivity gains. In the past four decades, firms have focused on eliminating waste and increasing efficiency by optimizing layout and material flow inside the factory’s walls – the just-in-time and lean manufacturing approaches. The next step in this progression involves looking outside the walls of the factory to examine the activities that link suppliers to manufacturers and manufacturers to customers. Careful analysis of our transportation systems will improve these links by working with manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors to increase productivity and support mass customization of products, to enhance our competitive position in the global economy, and to expand job opportunities. The efforts of the UTC will focus on the transportation, logistics, and distribution aspects of the supply chain as well as intermodal connectivity and system-wide efficiency. This multidisciplinary approach, integrating information technology and management practice with transportation, will provide new opportunities for educational programs in transportation and supply chain management.

C. Center Director's Summary

Relationship of the UT-ITI to the UT-UTC
UT’s Intermodal Transportation Institute (UT-ITI), which began in January of 2000, is an interdisciplinary research and education center that focuses on developing technology-enabled intermodal transportation systems and supply chains that promote economic development and quality of life. The ITI is closely linked to the community through outreach and partnership, and it supports the local, regional, national, and international communities through research, education, and economic development. The ITI reports directly to the Office of Research which is part of the Office of the Provost, and is supported by the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business Administration, Engineering, and Law. This structure facilitates interdisciplinary programs and projects. Early in the development of the ITI, the Executive Committee, which is an external advisory board, identified the securing of a USDOT UTC as one of its specific goals. Since that time, the UT-ITI has worked to meet this expectation as well as the others establish by the Executive Committee. The outcome has been two UTCs: a consortium at the University of Detroit Mercy in which UT and three other universities participate and a second UTC led by UT. The Director of the UT-ITI is also the Director of the UT-UTC and is heavily involved in the design, planning and execution of the UTC at UDM. This allows the close coordination of activities so that redundancies are eliminated and resources are wisely and effectively used. It also facilities the development of synergistic projects that blend the capabilities and resources across all three entities – the UT-ITI, the UTC at UDM, and the UTC at UT. It is expected that some projects will be the sole responsibility of one entity while others are jointly completed by two or even three entities. It also requires that the tracking and reporting of projects for these three entities are carefully done. This will be the responsibility of the Assistant Directors of the UTC at UDM and the UTC at UT. The UT-ITI, which has developed close ties with key public and private sector partners, provides the UTCs with access to important partners that provide relevant ideas, advice on project creation and evaluation, and cost share.

The UT-ITI at UT has developed a strong alliance with public and private sector organizations in the region to identify critical transportation related problems that inhibit, as well as opportunities that spawn, economic development. The executive committee is composed of the following members.

Heinz Bulmahn -Vice Provost for Research and Dean of the Graduate College,
Bowling Green State University 

Frank Calzonetti -Vice Provost for Research & Professor of Geography,
The University of Toledo 

David Dysard - Vice President of Transportation,
Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments  

Robert Feldstein – Consultant,
Business Consultant Services 

James Hartung - President/CEO,
Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority  

Christopher Kaiser  - Manager,
TKS Logistics/Thyssen, Inc. 

Thomas Kovacik  - President,
Kovacik Consulting 

W.Michael Ligibel - Planning & Programs Administrator, District 2,
Ohio Department of Transportation 

Edwin Nagle - President/CEO,
Nagle Companies, Inc. 

Anthony Reams – President,
Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments 

Phillip Rudloph, Jr. - New Business Development,
The Rudolph/Libbe Companies 

Brian Schwartz - Director of Public Affairs,
Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority 

Lee Springer - Director, International Business Development,
Regional Growth Partnership 

Mark Vonderembse - Director, Intermodal Transportation Institute,
The University of Toledo 

This partnership was essential in defining the theme for the UT-UTC and in successfully securing its designation. It is not easy to describe the significance of this partnership and the critical role it will play in the development of the UT-UTC. These partners will play an active and pivotal role in both identifying and selecting projects and programs adopted by this UTC. It is expected that this close working relationship will lead to a very effective use of resources, matching funds that are greater than the minimum requirement, and very successful projects that facilitate economic development.

Tocomplement its capabilities and to leverage the resources available to the UT-UTC, a consortium has been formed with Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio (BGSU) and Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan (WSU) to focus on Transportation for Economic Security and Development: Alternate Energy, Infrastructure Utilization, and Supply Chains. These are critical transportation issues that substantially impact the ability of the US to compete in an increasingly competitive global marketplace. Future economic growth and development in this country are closely linked to the capability of the US to move goods and people rapidly and efficiently while avoiding negative environmental impact to the greatest extent possible. There is a strong and consistent link between investment in transportation and economic advancement in the US and in other countries.

Vision

The vision of the UT-UTC is to develop technology-enabled intermodal transportation systems and supply chains that promote economic development and quality of life. It will provide research, education and training, and planning and technical assistance in developing and maintaining technology enabled, efficient, secure, and environmentally sound transportation systems, supply chains, and logistic processes. It will emphasize technology transfer to stimulate economic growth and vitality. The UTC will facilitate the application and integration of public and private sector ideas, foster cooperation among the academic partners, and educate current and future leads who have diverse backgrounds and innovative perspectives. This UTC will work with other organizations and institutions to create, pool, and disseminate knowledge that is critical to the long-term success of the US economy. The UTC will provide benefits to state DOTs, departments of development, and transportation planning agencies. To ensure this, stakeholders will be involved in advisory groups, which will help to focus efforts and achieve success as defined by customers and not by researchers.

This vision is based on the notion that excellence in research, education, and technology transfer depends on problem statements that are designed with broad stakeholder participation. An external Advisory Board and Executive Committee will play an important role in defining and selecting projects. In addition, relationships with other centers and institutes will be increased and enhanced to leverage program resource\

Partnership with other UTCs, Research Centers, and Institutes

Success will be enhanced by reaching out to other UTCs that have similar missions  as well as to existing transportation related centers and institutes. Following are some existing relationships that will be expanded and strengthened as this UTC moves forward. In addition, there are likely to be additional relationships established as the UT-UTC develops specific projects and programs.

Prior to receiving a UTC designation, UT developed a strong working relationship with the MRUTC, which is the USDOT Region 5 UTC that is located at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Beginning in January of 2003, UT worked with UWM and the University of Illinois-Chicago to secure funding from state DOTs in the Upper Midwest to complete Phases I and II of a regional freight study. UT was responsible for estimating transportation system capacity across all modes of transportation and for designing and developing a GIS database to store all of the data collected by the study. UT and ITI have been invited to continue this working relationship with UWM as a partner in UWM’s recently announced National UTC that focuses on Freight Transportation.  

Since October of 2005, UT has affiliated with the Great Lakes Maritime Research Institute (GLMRI), which is housed at the University of Minnesota-Duluth and the University of Wisconsin-Superior. GLMRI focuses on maritime freight research and education involving the Great Lakes including opportunities to expand shipping to relieve highway and rail congestion, lower costs, and reduce emissions. UT is currently involved in two projects with GLMRI: one examines the economic advantages of expanding the Detroit-Windsor ferry crossing between the US and Canada and the second collects data and prepares a GIS database of current freight movement in and around the Great Lakes. The river crossing between Detroit and Windsor was identified as one of the two most significant congestion choke points based on the Upper Midwest Freight study. The transportation information in the Great Lakes Maritime Database will be used to identify opportunities to employ short sea shipping to move freight between states and with Canada. Short sea shipping is widely used in Europe and Canada, and the transfer of this technology to the US will be an important priority for the UT-UTC.

UT is working with ICHCA International Limited to create a global network of universities such as the Australian Maritime College and the Singapore Polytechnic Institute to do research, education, and technology transfer in the areas of transportation, logistics, and global supply chain management. ICHCA is an international organization with headquarters in London. Its membership includes more than 900 transportation professional from 80 countries. ICHCA has asked UT to establish an International Research and Education Panel that would help ICHCA determine the needs of industry, inventory and assess the capabilities of universities around the world, and bring to bear the appropriate capabilities to address needs in research, education, and technology transfer. Global supply chain management involves efforts to source and move parts with speed and efficiency without regard for boundaries or jurisdictions. This involves all modes of transport so that system-wide efficiency and performance are achieved. This work began in October 2004. Further developments are likely to become an important part of the UT-UTC.

UTand its university partners, BGSU and WSU, are also members of another UTC, the Michigan-Ohio (MIOH) UTC, which is lead by the University of Detroit Mercy and includes Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. MIOH UTC has a similar theme and focus to the UT-UTC. Joint funding of a Masters program in supply chain management is currently being developed. The five universities are working closely together to develop strategic plans for each UTC that coordinate activities, leverage resources, and avoid redundancies. This close working relationship is expected to continue over the life of the UTCs and will lead to joint projects between the UTCs. 

Specific mechanisms are in place to ensure that the UT-UTC and MIOH activities in research, education, and human resources are coordinated. The Director of the UT-UTC is a member of the Operating Committee at MIOH, and the Vice President for Research Development at UT, who directly supervises the Director of the UT-UTC, is a member of the Executive Committee of MIOH. In addition, three faculty members at UT are involved in the MIOH interest groups. These individuals provide for close collaboration between the two UTC

Sustainability

Strong partnerships with public and private sector organizations, universities, local governments, state agencies, USDOT, FHWA, and others are the foundation for building a long lasting Center that can make significant contributions after the grant has terminated. Sustainability can only be achieved when the universities understand the value proposition among the key stakeholders and develop systems and processes to make sure that the Center’s program and projects deliver the outcomes that create that value, thereby encouraging future investments from the partners. The value proposition is established by encouraging external partners to participate in defining the vision, the mission, and the goals and objectives of the UTC. In this way, the external partners direct efforts toward outcomes that they value. Next, these external partners actively participate in the creation of specific program and project ideas. The director identifies faculty at the various universities who have the needed expertise, and they work together to develop the detailed project including budgets and specific outcomes. These proposals are reviewed through a merit based peer review process. Reviewers may be selected from national and international universities. Final approval will be made by the external partners. This process, which is described in greater detail later in the strategic plan, will be used by the UT-UTC.

When this is done effectively, private sector partners, local public sector partners and governments, and state agencies will see value in what is created and will fund the Center. It is important to establish early successes to capture their attention so they remain committed to the efforts of the Center.

Achieving sustainability is facilitated by the critical nature of the themes that our partners have selected for the UT-UTC. Alternate energy for transportation is a substantial and continuing problem that requires a long-term solution. Over time, the prospects for explosive economic growth in this field are enormous with many opportunities for research, education, and technology transfer. Growth in freight and people movement is placing great demands on our transportation infrastructure, and this is likely to continue for many years. Intermodal connectivity, technology applications, and choke point identification and resolution are important elements in a comprehensive solution. Supply chain speed and efficiency are vital to the competitive success of the US economy in our globally competitive environment. The UT-UTC has the right theme and focus areas to attract long-term support.

When a UTC is based on programs and projects defined and selected by stakeholders, technology transfer opportunities are enhanced. The private sector and public sector partners understand the value of the technology, become committed to its successful implementation, and will work to achieve success. The more successes that are achieved, the greater are the opportunities for future support.

SECTION II – PROGRAM ACTIVITIES

A. Research Selection

Research Selection Goal: an objective process for selecting and reviewing research that balances multiple objectives of the program.
1. Baseline Measures
See Baseline Measures 1 and 2 in Appendix A.

2. Research Selection Program Outcomes

In developing a research selection process, the Center is committed to strong and meaningful participation of public and private sector organizations that will ensure that projects lead to economic development either directly or indirectly. State agencies and the USDOT will have a role so that research projects are aligned with state and federal needs. In this way, research projects will reflect the priorities of the states and the priorities expressed in the USDOT Strategic Plan, its Research, Development and Technology Plan and the Federal Transit Administration’s Strategic Research Plan. The universities will be involved so that the projects selected are consistent with their respective missions. The process will also include a strong peer-reviewed component to ensure that the research projects selected are rigorously designed and executed. Combining these stakeholders helps to ensure that funds will be spent to enhance the connectivity and efficiency of the transportation system and to improve economic vitality.

Research conducted by the Center will focus on its theme which is Transportation for Economic Security and Development and includes three focus areas: alternate energy, infrastructure utilization, and supply chains. A Policy Committee and a Technical Oversight Committee will be formed to define projects, work with the Director to recruit faculty who will develop detailed proposals, select projects, and allocate funds. The value in this operating process, which is different from the traditional “Request for Proposal” approach, is that the projects that are developed and selected are targeted to needs identified by relevant private and public sector organizations as well as state and federal agencies. Also, they are integrated and have synergy, which is critical in having an impact on economic development.

3. Planned Activities

The following major activities will take place to achieve the research program outcomes identified earlier. The process will include the needs of public and private sector organizations that are responsible for and use the transportation network, state agencies, USDOT, the universities, and the Center Director and staff.

The structure of the Center for research selection will include a Policy Committee, Technical Oversight Committee, and Center Director and staff.

  • Policy Committee: With the assistance of the Center Director and staff, this Committee will define and scope the projects that the Center will undertake so they satisfy the goals of the Center and are within its theme. In this endeavor the Committee will seek input from public and private sector organizations, transportation and economic development experts at the local, state, and national level, and nationally and internationally known experts at universities, public agencies, and private organizations. Once these project areas have been defined, the Policy Committee will work with the Center Director and staff as well as the Technical Oversight Committee to recruit faculty from the affiliated universities who will develop the detailed proposals including the budget requests. The Technical Oversight Committee, which is described later in this section, will evaluate the proposals and make recommendations to the Policy Committee regarding feasibility, technical rigor, and budget adequacy. The Technical Oversight Committee may engage outside reviewers to evaluate proposals when the proposals are outside the expertise of the members. The Policy Committee will select the projects to be completed and allocate funds to those projects.  The Assistant Director of the Center will have the general oversight of the project budgets; the Office of Grants Accounting will be responsible for any audit functions.

The Policy Committee will consist of a Chairperson; UTC staff or faculty and administrators from the universities; three to five members from private sector organizations that are carriers and shippers; three to five members from public agencies and government that engage in transportation-related activities such as port authorities and MPOs; academic research officers from at least one university; representatives of state agencies such as DOTs and economic planning and development agencies  The name of someone from the US DOT to be included in the UT-UTC Policy Committee has been requested and it is anticipated a name and contact information are forthcoming. The Chairperson, who will be other than the Director, will be selected by this group.

  • Technical Oversight Committee: The primary role of this committee is to advise the Policy Committee as to the technical feasibility and adequacy of budget for the projects. Its role will be strictly advisory.

The Technical Oversight Committee will consist of the Center Director and a faculty representative from each university for each one of the three focus areas: alternate energy, infrastructure utilization, and supply chains. In cases where universities have limited interest and/or expertise in one of the areas, they can chose not to appoint someone to the committee in that focus area.

  • Director and Staff: The Center will have a Director that is appointed by the University of Toledo, an Assistant Director and secretary.

The Director will work with the Policy Committee and Technical Oversight Committee to develop and improve the strategic plan; meet with regional, national, and international transportation users and providers to identify essential problems; and work with the Policy Committee and the Technical Oversight Committee to create and implement successful projects. The Assistant Director will assist the Director in executing his/her tasks, act as the Director’s designee, maintain the Center’s web site and other communication efforts, and be responsible for all reporting activities. The secretary will provide administrative and clerical support.

4. Required Activities

The Center’s process for evaluating and selecting research projects will include public and private sector transportation organizations such as shippers, carriers, MPOs, port authorities, state agencies, USDOT, and faculty. The selection criteria reflect the theme of the Center (Transportation for Economic Security and Development: Alternate Energy, Infrastructure Utilization, and Supply Chains) and are supportive of the national strategy for transportation. The selection criteria will be clearly stated and will focus in the following areas:
  • The impact on economic development and job creation
  • Enhancement of the international competitiveness of commercial enterprises that depend on transportation speed and efficiency such as automotive and distribution  
  • Improvement of global connectivity so freight can move quickly and efficiently throughout the expanding international supply chains
  • Reduction of dependence on foreign sources of energy that power transportation
  • Increase in transportation energy efficiency
  • Reduction of emissions from transportation especially greenhouse gas emissions
  • Development of new technologies that increase the capacity of existing transportation infrastructure, reduce congestion and roadway damage, and increase safety
  • Elimination or dramatic reduction of transportation bottlenecks that limit system capacity and efficiency
  • Dissemination of knowledge and transfer technology through a well defined plan  

These criteria are consistent with the DOT mission as stated in the “[United States] Department of Transportation Strategic Plan 2003-2008” and the USDOT “Research, Development, and Technology Plan.” This mission is to, “Develop and administer policies and programs that contribute to providing fast, safe, efficient, and convenient transportation at the lowest costs consistent with the national objectives of general welfare, economic growth and stability, the national security, and the efficient use and conservation of the resources of the United States.” Section 1 of the USDOT Strategic Plan and Section 3.0 of the Research, Development and Technology Plan discuss safety, mobility, global connectivity, environmental stewardship, and security as critical elements for the future of transportation.  

These criteria also fit very well with the areas of needs as defined by USDOT in “Highway Research and Technology: The Need for Greater Investment,” which was prepared by the National Highway Research and Technology Partnership. The areas identified are (1) safety, (2) infrastructural renewal, (3) operations and mobility, (4) policy, analysis, and system monitoring, and (5) planning and environment. The theme of this Center touches all five areas with particular emphasis on infrastructural renewal, mobility, policy analysis and planning, and environmental impacts of using cleaner fuels.

While this Center tends to focus on the movement of freight, several of the criteria are important for and consistent with the National Research and Technology Program of the Federal Transit Authority. The development and use of alternate energy is clearly transferable between people and freight movement. There may be opportunities for technology transfer in either direction. Activities, such as new technologies, that improve the efficiency of city streets and rail lines or shift freight movements to other modes such as water have positive impacts on the speed and efficiency of transit movements.

5. Recommended Activities

Advanced Research The Center is very much interested in the development of ideas and technologies that involve and draw on basic research. The development and use of plug-in electric and hydraulic hybrid vehicles has the potential to dramatically reduce our dependence on foreign sources of oil for powering cars, buses, trucks, and locomotives. New ways of moving freight between suppliers and manufacturers in urban areas can greatly reduce congestion and damage to city streets, improve safety, cut pollutants, and slash transportation costs for suppliers and manufacturers. These technologies involve basic research that can generate effective long term solutions. 

Congestion Chokepoints Congestion is often caused by chokepoints that limit the movement of cars and trucks on the highway or train movements on railroads. Also, locks are often the choke points for barge traffic, and congestion at airports often limits the efficient movement of air freight.  UT has worked with other universities and state DOTs to identify these points of congestion and to develop remedies. This is a high priority item that is clearly listed in the criteria for project selection

6. Performance Indicator

The universities in this consortium have the capabilities to report the number of transportation research projects selected for funding under this UTC. These can be broken out into basic, advanced, and applied research, quite easily. The total budget, including UTC grant funds and cost share, can be provided. Progress reports and final reports will be available annually based on the reports submitted by the participating universities as well as data collected by the UTC staff. The Assistant Director will be responsible for this activity. 

B. Research Performance

Research Performance Goal: an ongoing program of basic and applied research, the products of which are judged by peers or other experts in the field to advance the body of knowledge in transportation.

1. Baseline Measure

See Baseline Measures 3 and 4 in Appendix A.

2. Research Performance Program Outcome

The Center will conduct high quality basic, advanced, and applied research that:
  • Matches the theme for the Center– Transportation for Economic Security and Development: Alternate Energy, Infrastructure Utilization, and Supply Chains
  • Meets the needs of the Center’s stakeholders – private sector organizations that are transportation providers and users, public agencies and government that engage in transportation-related activities such as port authorities and MPOs, state agencies such as DOTs, economic planning and development agencies, and USDOT
  • Contributes to economic development and jobs while reducing congestion, increasing security, enhancing safety, and improving efficiency
  • Passes an external, merit-based revie
3. Planned Activities
A procedure will be established that ensures that research projects are progressing as expected. It will have the following elements:Periodic Reports with Feedback:
  • Each PI will be required to prepare quarterly reports on progress that will be submitted to the Technical Oversight Committee which will review progress, prepare feedback for the PI, and report to the Center Director and the Policy Committee. Upon review and approval of the Policy Committee and the Center Director the feedback report will be sent to the PI.
  • Budget and Matching Funds: The Center Director and the staff will monitor each research project’s budget to evaluate progress and the funds expended. At the first sign that insufficient progress is being made or that spending is inconsistent with progress, the Center Director and staff will contact the PI to investigate the problem. The Assistant Director will monitor matching funds to make sure they are keeping pace. If the match amount falls seriously behind the federal expenditures, immediate efforts will be made to remedy the imbalance.
  • Final Report Review: Two months prior to the project’s end date, the PI will be required to submit a draft final report for review by the Technical Oversight Committee, the Center Director, and the Policy Committee. In cases where a quarterly report is due within a period that is forty-five days before or anytime after the two-month review, the quarterly report will be suspended. The draft final report will be sent out for peer review to faculty at another university in the consortium or another UTC and to the Technical Oversight Committee.
  • No-Cost Extension: Each project is allowed one no-cost extension for up to six months if approved by the Director.
  • Final Report: After receiving the comments of the reviewers, the PI will revise the project and the draft report accordingly and produce a final report within two months of receiving the feedback. The report will be placed on the UT-UTC web site and distributed to stakeholders and clearinghouses, specifically USDOT and appropriate state DOTs.
  • Project Termination: With authorization of the Policy Committee, the Center Director can discontinue or significantly reduce funding for projects that are unable to meet their match requirement or are not making significant progress.

4. Performance Indicator

It is essential that the results from the research studies supported by the UT-UTC are transferred to transportation faculty, researchers, and practitioners through technical reports, proceedings papers, peer reviewed journal publications, technical presentations at academic and professional meetings, and seminars and workshops. The potential to disseminate project results along with a specific plan to accomplish this activity will be one of the criteria used to evaluate and select research projects. Updates on the status of these efforts will be part of the quarterly and final review. After the project is completed, PIs will be responsible for reporting how this information and technology were transferred. The Assistant Director will follow up with each PI six, twelve, and eighteen months after the project is complete to make sure that these activities are being accomplished. PIs who do not provide this information or are unable to generate successful research reports, publications, and presentations at academic and professional meetings will not be eligible for future UTC funding. The Assistant Director will be responsible for this activity and will work with the participating universities to collect and report these data.

C. Education

Education Goal: a multidisciplinary program of course work and experiential learning that reinforces the transportation theme of the Center. 

1. Baseline Measure

See Baseline Measures 5 and 6 in Appendix A.
2. Education Program Outcomes
It is the mission of the Center is to provide quality education that is consistent with the research program of the UT-UTC and to develop the skills needed by current and future transportation professionals. The Center will focus on programs encompassing a broad area that includes transportation planning and construction programs. These are often found in civil engineering departments, GIS and related geographic and demographic programs which are found in Geography and Planning Departments, and supply chain management and transportation which are usually part of Colleges of Business Administration. Core programs in these areas are currently available at the participating universities. It is the goal of the Center to expand these programs so that the number of graduates grow, that there is an increase in the diversity of the graduation pools so they are representative of the population, that the programs are strengthened so that graduates are armed with cutting edge knowledge and technology, and that emerging disciplines are established. The Center will work with key stakeholders – private sector, public sector, and governmental – to make sure that their needs are met.

The Center will reach out to other UTCs and universities both in the United States and abroad that have compatible interests to jointly develop and offer undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs that meet the needs of transportation professionals. A global marketplace is providing opportunities to work with universities outside of North America to take advantage of their expertise and resources to build a comprehensive set of programs with reasonable investment and operating costs.

3. Planned Activities
These activities are predicated on meeting with stakeholders to assess the educational needs of the transportation community. There are a wide variety of activities that are currently being planned including:

  • Developing relevant course work for a Ph.D. in Alternate Energy, which is currently in the initial stages of design, that has a component on transportation energy opportunities
  • Developing relevant transportation related course work for an interdisciplinary   Ph.D. program that involves geography and social sciences that focuses on the application of GIS and brings together geographers, economists, and sociologists
  • Developing and implementing an M.S. and Ph.D. in Global Supply Chain Management that will be offered internationally, possibly by a consortium of universities.
  • Creating new courses for existing majors in engineering, geography and planning, and business that bring leading edge technology and ideas to future transportation leaders
  • Offering development grants to faculty members who want to develop  transportation modules that can be used in other courses, the purpose of which is to bring critical transportation issues to the attention of professionals who are outside of the field of transportation thus improving overall understanding and appreciation of transportation issues
  • Supporting the development and encouraging the use of distance learning courses[as1]  for the delivery of Masters and supply chain management courses to expand the geographic market enabling more students from a larger area to take the courses. 

3.a Required Activities

3.a.1 Multidisciplinary Course Work and Student Participation in Research

The theme for this UTC indicates that both research and education are interdisciplinary in nature. Infrastructure utilization involves transportation planning from civil engineering, GIS from geography and planning, economic analysis from business and economics, and land use from law. Alternate energy research often involves chemical engineers, physicists, and chemists to address technical and environmental issues and business experts and economists to understand and evaluate the costs, benefits and methods for successful commercialization. Supply chain management involves procurement specialists, inventory managers, information system specialists, production managers, and transportation managers to move goods quickly and efficiently from suppliers to manufacturers and from manufacturers to final customers. To successfully implement the focus areas for this UTC, it is necessary to provide interdisciplinary course work for students. The opportunities are substantial such as developing entrepreneurship courses for engineers and business managers and integrating GIS concepts from geography and planning with transportation planning approaches in civil engineering. In addition, these focus areas provide ample opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students to participate in research.

3.a.2 Support for National Programs in Highway, Transit, and Technology

This UTC’s educational programs will support the national strategy for surface transportation research as identified in “Highway Research and Technology: Greater Need for Investment” as reported by the National Highway Research and Technology Partnership. The Center’s focus areas, alternate energy, infrastructure utilization, and supply chains, are consistent with the areas identified in this report: (1) safety, (2) infrastructural renewal, (3) operations and mobility, (4) policy, analysis, and system monitoring (5) planning and environment. Educational programs will address all five areas with particular emphasis on infrastructure renewal, mobility, policy analysis and planning, and environmental impacts of using cleaner fuels.

The educational mission and focus are consistent with the DOT Mission as stated in the Department of Transportation Strategic Plan 2003-2008 and the USDOT “Research, Development, and Technology Plan.” By having its educational programs focus on alternate energy, infrastructure utilization, and supply chains, the Center will help to enhance mobility, safety, and efficiency. It will seek to develop secure and economical sources of energy for the transportation infrastructure, and it will strive for economic growth and vitality. These issues are critical to both the movement of freight and the movement of people.

This Center will also support the national research, development, and technology priorities of USDOT and its operating administrations.

3.a.3 Outstanding Student of the Year

Each year after meeting the eligibility requirements, an outstanding student will be selected by the UT-UTC. The Outstanding Student of the Year will receive $1,000 and the cost to attend an award ceremony at the winter meeting of TRB in Washington, DC.
4. Performance Indicators
The universities in this consortium have the capabilities to report the number of courses offered at the graduate and undergraduate level that are part of the transportation curriculum and the number of students participating in undergraduate and graduate related research projects. The Colleges of Engineering, Departments of Geography and Planning, and the Colleges of Business Administration at the various universities will provide information on enrollment in the different courses. Their respective Offices of Research will provide information on the number of undergraduate and graduate students who are involved in transportation-related research projects. These offices are willing to work with the Assistant Director to provide the needed information. Reports will be available annually based on reports submitted by participating universities as well as data collected by UTC staff. The Assistant Director will be responsible for this activity. 

D. Human Resources
Human Resources Goal: an increased number of students, faculty, and staff who are attracted to and substantially involved in the undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs of the Center.

1. Baseline Measure

See Baseline Measures 7, 8 and 9 in Appendix A.
2. Human Resource Program Outcomes
The desired outcomes for the Center are to increase the number of students, faculty, and staff that are involved in undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs that are transportation-related. These outcomes (student, faculty, and staff) require different activities, which will be described in the next section. Undergraduate students are attracted by finding challenging and interesting projects, scholarship support, opportunities for internships and co-operative education, and the prospect of good jobs. Graduate students are seeking faculty with a strong and relevant research agenda and active grants and contracts, so that stipends and assistantships are available. Faculty want a university that values and supports transportation programs, research support (laboratories and equipment), and a critical mass of activities that can provide synergistic benefits to his/her research. Staff members seek interesting and challenging work that provides opportunity for advancement. The Center will also strive to involve practicing professionals in research and educational programs to not only gather their insights, but to improve the knowledge and understanding of current transportation problems.

The Center will work toward the expansion of programs (research and education) at the universities, which will act as a catalyst to attract students and faculty and provide the resources to hire and retain high quality staff.  The development of educational modules to be provided to high school and middle school students which explain the subject matter and job opportunities in the field of transportation will also be entertained as possible recruiting tools.

3. Planned Activities
  • Expanding enrollment by 20 percent over the life of the project for undergraduate programs in supply chain management at participating universities, making sure the programs have sufficient coverage of the global nature of supply chain management.
  • Expanding enrollment to a core group of 15 to 20 students in a recently created masters program in alternate energy.
  • Expanding by 20 percent over the life of the project internship and co-operative educational programs that provide learning experiences for undergraduate and graduate students.
To increase the number of students in transportation programs, the Center will work to expand internship and co-operative educational opportunities, increase transportation research funding, and increase stipend amounts. The Center will work with the placement office to expand graduate and undergraduate placement opportunities. The Center will broaden the scope of transportation research projects that involve undergraduate and graduate students to attract more students and actively recruit and involve students through presentations, Center web site material, and a Center newsletter. The Center will provide support in the form of guest speakers for student groups to increase access to transportation leaders and to provide students with an understanding of the importance of transportation.

The Center will work with the administrations at the various schools to increase the support for research and educational programs related to transportation. The universities can provide seed funding to support new research initiatives, strive to improve funding  for transportation related projects through state and private sector support and actively recruit and involve faculty through presentations, memoranda, and one-on-one conversations at professional meetings. Internal awareness will be increased through department, college, and campus publications.

4. Performance Indicators
The universities in this consortium have the capabilities to report the number of advanced degree programs that are currently being offered and that are transportation related, the numbers of masters and doctoral students seeking advanced degrees, and the number of students who receive degrees through these transportation related advance degrees. Each university has a graduate school that is responsible for this activity. They are willing to work with the Assistant Director to provide the needed information. Reports will be available annually based on the reports submitted by the participating universities as well as data collected by UTC staff. The Assistant Director will be responsible for this activity. 

E. Diversity
Diversity Goal: students, faculty, and staff who reflect the growing diversity of the US workforce and are substantially involved in the undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs of the Center.
1. Baseline Measures
Not required for diversity, per RITA
2. Diversity Program Outcomes
The desired outcome is to increase the number of minorities who are participating in transportation programs as well as increase the percentage of those participants who are minorities. In this way, minority participation will increase at a faster rate than majority participation. This applies to students who are admitted to the program, faculty who teach and do research, and staff who support research and teaching activities. 
3. Planned Activities
  • The Affirmative Action Offices and the Diversity Affairs Office at the various universities will become involved in the careful monitoring of hiring processes that bring new faculty and staff to the universities.
  • Human Resource Offices will work with the Center to make sure that information on open faculty and staff positions are clearly and effectively communicated through media that reaches qualified minority candidates
  • The Office of the Provost will be approached to offer additional compensation for well qualified minority Ph.D. and Masters candidates who are minorities. There is  precedence for this type of activity.
  • When qualified minority undergraduate students are identified, they will be assigned faculty mentors who can help in the program, show them the path to graduate education, build their confidence in their ability to achieve, and provide them with an understanding of the importance of graduate level work leading to faculty, research, and important staff level positions.
  • Additional scholarship funds will be identified to support undergraduate minority candidates.
  • Community colleges in Ohio and Michigan will be approached to help identify promising students who are interested in careers in transportation.
4. Performance Indicators
Although there are no baseline requirements to guide the selection of performance indicators,  each university will employ its affirmative action office and its registrar to provide longitudinal data on enrollment broken down by program and minority designation. These will become the data for supporting the claim that diversity is being enhanced. The Assistant Director will be responsible for this activity. 

F. Technology Transfer

Technology Transfer Goal: availability of research results to potential users in a form that can be directly implemented, utilized or otherwise applied

1. Baseline Measures

See Baseline Measures 10 and 11 in Appendix A.
2. Technology Transfer Program Outcomes
To achieve technology transfer it is essential that the following program outcomes are achieved.
  • Research projects are selected that are relevant to private sector organizations. This increases the odds that relevant research outcomes will be achieved, which in turn increases the probability of commercial success.
  • Knowledge is shared quickly and easily between the researcher and the potential developer.
  • Continuing education efforts are on-going as described in the planned activities section below to facilitate a flow of activities.
  • Assistance such as market planning, operations, and capital formation will be provided through the University’s newly instituted business incubator program to the entrepreneur who will accept the financial risk of commercialization. 
3. Planned Activities
Through the following efforts, the Center will have activities in place to enable efficient and effective transfer of research results to end users.  
  • Working with the International Cargo Handling and Coordination Association (ICHCA) to develop transportation programs, seminars, and workshops that focus on the needs of transportation professionals
  • Working with stakeholders to define and recommend continuing education programs and courses
  • Develop workshops, seminars, symposia, distance learning classes, and other methods of disseminating knowledge directly to practitioners. This activity will bring new ideas to inventors and developers quickly. Outcomes from these activities including report and concept papers will be available on the Center’s web site that is described under section 3.a.1.
  • Maintain an electronic library of research publications for the UT-UTC as well as related publications by other UTCs and research entities.
  • Establish working relationships with small business institutes, entrepreneurship programs, and incubator projects as needed to help commercialize technology developed by the UTC. These resources already exist, but it is necessary to develop relationships with them to accelerate technology transfer. This will include access to people with skills in developing business plans and raising venture capital.
  • Integrate entrepreneurship, marketing, supply chain design and management, and other relevant business course work into the curriculum of engineers and scientists.
  • Work with local government and state agencies, especially regional and state departments of development to coordinate the efforts of the UTC with existing programs in economic development.  

These efforts are encouraged and facilitated by the UT-UTC vision statement that focuses on economic development and a process for defining and selecting the UTC’s programs and projects that use public and private sector organizations. In this way, technology transfer is woven into the design of the UTC rather than added on.

3.a Required Activities

3.a.1 Internet Home Page 

The UT-UTC will provide a home page with all appropriate materials including but not limited to key center personnel, research project descriptions, Center newsletters, status reports, research reports, and annual reports.
3.a.2 Meeting Participation and Expert Advice
The UT-UTC Director, staff, and faculty are not only willing but look forward to opportunities to meet with other UTCs to discuss interactions and/or USDOT and FHWA experts to exchange ideas as well as to provide advice on technical and educational topics. 
4. Performance Indicators
Information on Center performance will be updated annually based on reports submitted by participating universities, public and private sector partners as appropriate, and UT-UTC director, assistant director, staff, and responsible faculty. At a minimum, the information provided will include Performance Indicators 10 and 11 set forth in Exhibit A of the UT-UTC reporting requirement.

SECTION III – MANAGEMENT APPROACH
A. Institutional Resources
The Center is a consortium that is led by the University of Toledo with its partners, Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio and Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. The consortium allows for a pooling of institutional resources that allow for a concentrated effort in addressing the critical problems facing our transportation system in the areas of alternate energy, infrastructure utilization, and supply chains. In this way, more can be accomplished in the areas of research, education, and technology transfer than working independently. These universities possess strong faculty and research facilities, have diverse, interdisciplinary educational programs, and ample numbers of graduate students to make a positive difference in the transportation area. Following is an overview of each university.

A.1. The University of Toledo

The University of Toledo (UT) is a Carnegie Doctoral/Research-Extensive, state-supported university with an enrollment of approximately 19,200 undergraduate, graduate and professional students and more than 1,300 full-time and part-time faculty members. The University of Toledo, a student-centered public metropolitan research university, integrates learning, discovery and engagement, enabling students to achieve their highest potential in an environment that embraces and celebrates human diversity, respect for individuals and freedom of expression. The University strives for excellence in its service to all constituents, and commits itself to the intellectual, cultural and economic development of our community, state, nation and the world.

UToffers more than 250 programs of study in eight colleges: Arts & Sciences, Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Health and Human Services, Law, Pharmacy, and University College. UT awarded 3,029 undergraduate and 1,040 graduate and professional degrees during the 2004-2005 academic year, and it is listed in the most recent edition of the "100 Best Colleges for African-American Students."  July 1, 2006, UT merged with the Medical University of Ohio, which has approximately 2,000 students enrolled in the School of Medicine, and programs in nursing, allied health, and basic science. The combined institutions have more than $50 million in research funding.

InJanuary 2002, UT started the Intermodal Transportation Institute (UT-ITI). The UT-ITI is an interdisciplinary research, education, and outreach center. The vision for the ITI is to develop technology-enabled intermodal transportation systems and supply chains that promote economic development and quality of life. Its purpose is to work cooperatively with public and private sector partners in the fields of transportation, logistics, and supply chains to develop and implement ideas that increase safety, mobility, and access. The ITI actively seeks ways to work with its partners by providing research capabilities, educational programs, and planning and technical assistance. The ITI fosters collaborative efforts among faculty, staff, and students that contribute to learning and success, and it provides a convenient way for those outside UT to access University resources. The link between the University and the external community is an integral part of the ITI as demonstrated by the Advisory Board, which contains more than 40 representatives from outside UT.

The UT-ITI’s purpose is strongly linked to the mission, goals, and objectives of UT, which embrace learning, discovery, and engagement and which focus heavily on building relationships with external constituents. The ITI engages the community through outreach and partnership, and it supports the local, regional, national, and international communities through research, education, and economic development. The ITI is currently working with organizations to investigate new transportation-related concepts and technologies and to assess current infrastructure capacity across the Midwest. It offers the potential for sustained external funding, and it provides a vehicle to use resources from across the university in collaboration with government and private sector partners.

The UT-ITI reports directly to the Office of the Provost and is supported by the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business Administration, Engineering, and Law. This structure facilitates interdisciplinary programs and projects and simplifies outreach and engagement with the community. UT has programs in transportation engineering, geography and planning, and supply chain management at the undergraduate and graduate levels that prepare future transportation specialist and managers. These programs, both graduate and undergraduate, provide talent for research and education projects.

The University of Toledo has undergraduate programs in Transportation Planning in Civil Engineering, in GIS and Transportation in Geography and Planning, and in Supply Chain Management in the College of Business Administration. The Civil Engineering Department has Masters and Ph.D. degrees in Transportation Planning. The Geography and Planning Department offers a Masters degree in GIS and Transportation. The College of Business currently has a Masters degree and a Doctoral degree in Manufacturing Management that are likely to be revised to include offerings in Supply Chain Management. There is active and on-going research in transportation planning and infrastructure utilization, supply chain management, and alternate energy; there are related programs in fuel cell design and development as well as hydrogen generation.

A.2. Bowling Green State University

Bowling Green State University (BGSU) has a total enrollment of 20,300 students which includes 17,300 undergraduates.  In 20005, BGSU achieved record overall enrollment as well as a record number of students with ACT scores of at least 30.  With more than 200 undergraduate majors and programs, BGSU has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report for its first year programs and residential living/learning communities.  Integral to campus life are the core values: respect, cooperation, intellectual and spiritual growth, creative imaginings, and pride in a job well done.

BGSU offers an outstanding educational experience.  At BGSU, academic learning is paired with a campus wide commitment to values exploration which prepares graduates to be critical thinkers, skilled communicators, and ethical leaders in all areas of study.  This vision uniquely distinguishes BGSU as a public university with a unified purpose.

The Supply Chain Management specialization in the AACSB accredited College of Business Administration is nationally recognized as a top undergraduate program (U.S. News and World Report, 2004).   Seven full-time faculty members teach and do research in supply chain management.    Beginning in Fall 2006, Dr. Hokey Min will be joining the faculty as the James R. Good Chair in Global Supply Chain Strategy.  Dr. Min has developed an international reputation for his research in transportation and logistics.  He will be joining BGSU from the University of Louisville where he was the Executive Director of the Logistics and Distribution Institute at the University of Louisville.

In2000, the College of Business Administration established the Supply Chain Management Institute (SCMI); Dr. Amelia Carr is the Director.  The mission of the SCMI is to support excellence in supply chain education and practice by forging collaborative partnerships with supply chain professionals.  Currently there are 15 member companies in the SCMI:  BP, Bechtel Power Corporation, Bendix, Deere & Company, Eli Lilly, Emerson Climate Control, HP, GlaxoSmithKline, Honda of America Manufacturing, Lowes, Marathon, Nordson Corporation, Owens Corning, Parker Hannifin, and SAIC.

In1993, the College of Technology established the Electric Vehicle Institute with the mission to develop and promote advanced electric propulsion technology and transfer the technologies to appropriate corporations and public agencies for production and implementation.

The EVI approach capitalized on past involvements with NASA. The ultra-capacitor energy storage that was successful on the Ohio Hybrid Bus Project and the motor and drive that were developed for the Dynamic Load Simulator Project have been incorporated into a parallel hybrid system that supplements the diesel drive train during acceleration and braking. The hybrid-drive operates on an efficient combination of diesel fuel and electricity. Future models could operate on bio-fuel, eliminating petroleum from the equation. This Hybrid-System will contribute to domestic energy independence, energy diversity, and environmental quality improvements and provide the commercial user with a cost-effective solution. Because BGSU’s technology supplements traditional engine drive trains while reducing fuel requirements and lowering exhaust emissions, it offers a simple and economically viable solution that can be implemented in the near future. As future power sources, such as fuel cells and micro turbines, become cost effective, the BGSU technology can also be applied.

This project has produced two functioning vehicles, each of which features the Hybrid Booster Drive® (HBD) system. One vehicle is a step van, commonly used by parcel delivery services. The second is a medium size bus commonly used in shuttle service. These two vehicles will provide manufacturers and operators with an opportunity to examine first hand the HBD system. Although the medium duty truck and bus applications were the focus of this project, the HBD system is scalable to larger and smaller vehicles. Accomplishments include:

  1. The fuel economy during the drive cycle is increased by 28%.
  2. 71% of the available regenerative energy is recovered.
  3. The torque produced is sufficient for regenerative braking (REGEN) and for acceleration.
  4. The fixed gearing of the electric propulsion system (EPS) stops the vehicle in the required distance without service brakes.
A.3. Wayne State University
Wayne State University (WSU) is an urban university by location and mission, located in the heart of the City of Detroit. The mission of the University, supported by the taxpayers of Michigan, is to “discover, examine, transmit and apply knowledge that contributes to the positive development and well-being of individuals, organizations and society.” Through its research, teaching, and services, it endeavors to engage in a wide range of activities with the local communities.  WSU’s current enrollment of 30,000 students includes more than 12,000 graduate students.

The College of Engineering offers programs leading to the Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degrees in various branches of engineering.  The College has been offering graduate programs (both at the Master’s and Ph.D. level) in Transportation, housed in the department of Civil Engineering, for more than 30 years.  A full breadth of transportation courses including traffic operation, highway safety, highway design, planning and economics is offered through the Department.  Students have the option of taking courses in their minor cognate from various other departments including Urban Planning, Business, Industrial Engineering, Mathematics and others.  Graduates of WSU are employed in the transportation sector in various parts of the country including universities, state DOT’s, USDOT, TRB, local and county governments and private corporations.

Transportation research in the Department of Civil Engineering has been supported by various agencies including the USDOT, MDOT, National Research Council, Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning and others. The amount of research funding in transportation during the last five years exceeds $4 million. Faculty members regularly publish their work along with their graduate students in refereed journals including those of the American Society of Civil Engineering, Transportation Research Board and the Institute of Transportation Engineers.  They also actively participate in professional societies/committee activities, and present their research findings at national and international conferences. Research projects conducted under the transportation program encompass such diverse areas as traffic engineering and control, transit asset management, highway safety, transit planning and operations, transportation economics, transit privatization, use of advanced technology (ITS) and social/economical and environmental impact of transit. 

There are two other programs in the College of Engineering that are involved in Transportation.  These are Bio-Engineering focusing on automotive safety and the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) focusing on automotive engines and alternative fuels. The College also has a new graduate (Masters’ and Certificate) program in the area of Alternative Energy Technology (AET).  The program is not housed in any particular department, rather it is offered under the larger umbrella of the College and faculty members from all departments participate in various aspects of the program that include among other things:  curriculum development, course offerings, student mentoring, etc.

The College of Engineering at Wayne State University has been a participant of the UTC program in the past.  It was a part of the consortium of The Great Lakes Center for Truck and Transit Research (GLCTTR) at the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, the UTC in Region V during 1988-1999.  As part of this program, WSU conducted research on the structural and safety implications of seat belts in transit vehicles, ways to improve the operation of wheelchair lifts on transit buses, procedures to assess benefits and disbenefits of traffic signal preemption, performance assessment of transit agencies, and incorporation of IVHS (later named ITS) in transit research.  Many of these research projects were jointly supported by the Michigan Department of Transportation.  A total of four faculty members and a number of graduate students participated in the research program.  The above program resulted in a total of 15 journal publications (Transportation Research Record, American Society of Civil Engineers Transportation Engineering Journal).  Additionally, a large number of papers were presented in national and international conferences with papers published in conference proceedings.

Wayne State University also received funds from the Midwest Regional University Transportation Center (MRUTC), University of Wisconsin – Madison, established under the UTC program in Region V during 1999-2005.  The topic of research under this program was optimal resource allocation for transit vehicle fleet management; two faculty members and one graduate student participated in the project.  Two refereed journal papers (Transportation Research Record) were published, with two presentations made at the annual meeting of TRB.  Professor Snehamay Khasnabis of Civil Engineering, and currently the Associate Dean of Research, College of Engineering, served as the Principal Investigator for these projects funded through GLCTTR and MRUTC.

Wayne State University thus has a track record of participating in the UTC program since its inception in 1988 as evidenced by successful completion of the above projects, supporting graduate students, and dissemination of the results through journal publications and conference presentations.  Many of the students, on completion of their graduate work, are now employed in the transportation sector.  Wayne State University will be eagerly looking forward to the institutional relationship with The University of Toledo and Bowling Green State University through the new UT-UTC program.

B. Center Director
Dr. Mark Vonderembse will be the Director of the Center. He will be responsible for administering the Center’s programs, will coordinate activities among the consortium of universities, manage and control the Center’s budget, and ensure the effective use of Center resources. The Center Director is responsible for implementing the Center’s Strategic Plan and ensuring compliance with all other UTC Program requirements. The Director is ultimately responsible for assuring that:
  • Research, education, and technology transfer activities at the Center are being performed well
  • Activities are completed on time
  • Deliverables and reporting requirements are completed to a high standard
  • Problems and conflict are resolved
  • Planning for Center growth is conducted.

The Center hired an Assistant Director who began work in July, 2006.  The Assistant Director will help the Director administer the Center in fulfilling reporting requirements, developing communications via web links and newsletters, playing a major role in economic development, assisting with relationships with the regional MPOs and with the state DOTs, and other duties as identified by the Director. A secretary has been in place since January of 2006 to help the Director to formulate the Strategic Plan. This secretarial support will continue once the Center begins operations.

 

The Director will work with other centers and national transportation institutes and organizations as well as with public and private agencies to develop activities that increase student and faculty diversity. Finally, the Director will actively pursue new opportunities to expand the education, research and technology transfer initiatives. The Director will work closely with the Policy Committee and the Technical Oversight Committee to ensure that the views of stakeholders are well represented.

C. Center Faculty and Staff
Only the Director, Assistant Director, and the Secretary will spend 50% or more of their time on activities of the Center; it is anticipate that no staff will spend 50% or more of their time on Center business. Faculty will participate in the development of the strategic plan, and will be represented on the Policy Committee and the Technical Oversight Committee. They will participate in projects as PIs and Co-PIs, but it is not anticipated that this will consume 50% or more of their time. It is possible/likely that some projects will require staff and students to work on projects at this level, but that will not be known until projects are approved.

D. Multiparty Arrangements
UT has established a consortium or partnership arrangement with BGSU and WSU as well as public and private sector organizations and government agencies. With the combined expertise, the consortium allows the Center to address a variety of projects that are beneficial to a variety of stakeholders. By organizing this consortium, significant collaborative efforts can be undertaken, which will enhance the research, education, and technology transfer activities across all of the universities.  

The consortium will act as an integrated whole. Projects will not be assigned to consortium members, but will use the appropriate resources to meet the needs of the project without regard to university. As described earlier in the proposal, the Policy Committee will define the scope of the projects so they satisfy the goals of the Center and are within its theme. Once these project areas have been defined, the Policy Committee will work with the Center Director and staff as well as the Technical Committee to recruit faculty from the affiliated universities who will develop the detailed proposal including the budget request. The Technical Oversight Committee, which has representatives from all three universities, will evaluate the proposals and make recommendations to the Policy Committee regarding feasibility, technical rigor, and budget adequacy. The Technical Oversight Committee may engage outside reviewers to evaluate proposals when the proposals are outside of the expertise of the members. The Policy Committee will select the projects to be completed and allocate funds to those projects.

D.1. Resource Concentration at the Grantee University
It is expected that the lead university will be involved with at least one-half of the Center’s total budget. The lead university will be responsible for all of the administrative functions. It is difficult to identify what portions of the funds are allocated to the other universities because of the way projects are identified and teams are formed. In the first year budget, $100,000 has been designated to BGSU and WSU split equally between them.  This is an initial estimate of what is believed to be the amount they will need for their stand-alone projects. In future years, their shares will be dependent upon the projects selected and, it is assumed, they will be part of the larger teams made up of members from all three institutions. Budget amounts will be project driven rather than university driven.

E. Matching Funds
The Center will meet the one-to-one match required by the UTC Program. The sources of these founds are outlined here. These funds are annual estimates and include both cash and in-kind contributions. The funds from the state are expected to be both SPR dollars and state dollars. 

     Potential Contributor                                 Est Year 1 Amts         Est Year 2-4 Amts

Government Agencies (state)                               85,000                          100,000

Government Agencies (local)                                40,000                            50,000     

University of Toledo                                          150,000                          175,000

Other Schools                                                    75,000                           75,000

Private Sector Companies                                    85,000                          100,000

Total                                                                       $435,000                              500,000

Weanticipate funds will be received from the Ohio and Michigan DOTs as well as the Ohio Department of Development; the local port authorities and MPOs; the universities and private sector companies are also expected to contribute. It will ultimately be the PI’s responsibility to secure matching funds. Each consortium university will be responsible for matching funds for educational programs. Match must be delivered on a project by project basis so that ample matching funds are available.

E.1. Eligibility as Matching Funds
The Center will comply with all federal requirements for matching funds, as set forth in OMB Circular A-110.

E.2. Special Rule for UTC Program

The non-Federal share of the UT-UTC costs may include funds provided under section 503, 504(b) or 505 of title 23, United States Code.

SECTION IV – BUDGET DETAILS 

University Transportation Center (UT-UTC) Budget Plan

Name of Grantee: The University of Toledo    Grant Year: 7/1/2006 thru 6/30/2007

CATEGORIES

BUDGETED AMOUNT EXPLANATORY NOTES
Center Director Salary 53,455
Faculty Salaries 21,000 $14,000 UT; $7,000 BGSU & WSU
Administrative Staff Salaries 62,348
Other Staff Salaries 0
Student Salaries 221,100 For 8.5 graduate student time at UT; 2.5 at BGSU & WSU
Staff Benefits 64,056
Total Salaries and Benefits  421,958
Scholarships/Tuition 160,204 For all graduate students
Permanent Equipment 0
Expendable Property,
 Supplies, and Services
5,000
Domestic Travel 5,867 Includes pre-incurred expenses for travel to USDOT University Transportation Center meeting and Transportation Research Board meeting
Foreign Travel 6,000
Other Direct Costs (Specify) 0
Total Direct Costs 599,029
F&A (Indirect) Costs 263,573 Federal approved rate of 44%
TOTAL COSTS* 862,602
Federal Share 430,000 Appropriated amount
Matching Share (if applicable) 432,602

*Includes Federal and Matching Shares

 


A. Format
The budget is presented above in the format presented in Exhibit III of the “Instructions for Preparing a UTC Strategic Plan (3/06).”  Appendix B shows in detail the calculations for each budget line.

B. Grant Year
The first year of this UT-UTC grant will begin July 1, 2006 and end June 30, 2007 which is also the University of Toledo’s fiscal year. The first grant year also includes pre-incurred costs from January 1, 2006 through June 30, 2006. The pre-incurred costs and the first year costs are aggregated in the budget totals shown above, but are separated out in the detail.

C. Salaries
Total salaries are shown in the budget above for the director, faculty, administrative staff and graduate assistants.  They are broken down within each category and the computations for the amounts are shown in Appendix B.  In summary, the Director receives a stipend for his activities in the Center and effort plus release time from the University; the Assistant Director is a full time employee of the Center; the secretary is part-time up to 1000 hours; graduate assistants receive stipends for semesters in which they work for the Center; faculty are paid at their regular salary rate plus benefits for the time spent on Center projects. The Director, Assistant Director and Secretary are located at UT; faculty and graduate assistants who are doing project work will be located at their respective universities.
Budget Detail Calculations - Salaries

Center Director Salar

The Center Director is paid a stipend of $1000 per month plus 5% for effort and 16.67% for release time applied to his base salary of $163,611.  The stipend is included in the six months of  pre-incurred expenses but the salary is not. 

      Director      (6 * 1000) + (12 * 1000) + ((0.05 + 0.1667) * 163611) = $53,455    

Faculty Salaries
Faculty salaries in total are budgeted at $21,000 of which $14,000 is estimated at UT and $7,000 for BGSU and WSU.  Because the projects on which the faculty members will work will be chosen in the future, the amounts per individual are not known.
Administrative Staff Salaries
The assistant director’s salary of $43,000 will be fully paid at 100% time from the UT UTC grant. The secretary works 1000 hours per fiscal year or 48.08% time at a salary of $29,120.  In addition to Year 1 of this grant , the salaries are also covered for the period of January 1, 2006 through June 30, 2006 (six months) as pre-incurred expenses.  The assistant director started work in mid-July of Year 1; the secretary was employed for all six months.

            Asst Dir            $43,000 * (50/52) =                                      $41,346

            Secretary          ($14,001 * 6/12) + 14,001 =                          $21,002

            Total                                                                                 $62,348

Other Staff Salaries

There are no other staff salaries.
Student Salaries
Graduate students receive stipends of $7,650 per semester for fall and spring and $4,800 for summer semester.  Eleven graduate students at 100% time are budgeted with 8.5 estimated at UT and 2.5 at BGSU and WSU.

            11 * (7650 + 7650 + 4800) = $221,100  

Staff Benefits
The Director and faculty benefits are computed at 34.2% times salary; the benefits for the Assistant Director and Secretary are computed at 33.6%; graduate students have a fringe benefit rate of 1.9% times the stipend amount plus medical insurance of $240, $376 and $606 for summer, fall and spring/summer semesters for a yearly total of $1,222.

Director
Asst Dir  
Secretary
Faculty
Grad. Stud. 
  

$53,455 * 0.342 =  
$41,346 * 0.336 =  
$21,002 * 0.336 =
$21,000 * 0.342 = 
 $221,100 * 0.019 + (11 * 1222) =
Total Benefits  

$18,282
$13,892
$7,057
$7,182
$17,643
$64,056
D. Scholarships
Full tuition and the engineering fee are paid for the semesters in which the graduate students are working on UTC projects. Scholarship funding will comply with the limitations set forth in section III.5 of the “General Provisions of Grant Agreements for UTCs.” 

Budget Detail Calculations - Scholarships/Tuition

Each graduate student working on the grant will receive instructional fees equal to $4416 for the summer semester, $4858 each for fall and spring semester.  The engineering fee of $144 per semester has been included to cover any students who are in engineering. No general fees are paid with this grant.

      11 graduate students * ((4416 + 4858 + 4858) + (144+ 144+ 144)) = $160,204

E. Equipment
No permanent equipment is funded as part of this grant year.

F. Foreign Travel

Money for foreign travel is budgeted.  Written permission will be requested from RITA, per section III.4 of the General Provisions, prior to the initiation of any foreign travel for UTC related activities.

Anestimated $6,000 for foreign travel is budgeted for Year 1 of the grant to focus on work in developing global supply chains by understanding how they impact international transportation and transportation within the US.  This will require building relationships with international organizations and universities to facilitate their effective implementation.  Approval from RITA will be sought prior to any foreign travel

G. Other Direct Costs

There are no Other Direct Costs

H. Facilities & Administration (Indirect) Costs

The federal negotiated and approved indirect cost rate for facilities and administration of 44% for The University of Toledo is applied to the total direct costs. 

            $599,029 * 0.44 = $263,573

Other Budget Items

Expendable Property, Supplies, and Services
$5,000 has been budgeted for necessary supplies and expendable property used in the normal course of office support for the grant activities. 
Domestic Travel
Pre-incurred domestic travel expenses is budgeted at $2931: $1511 for travel, lodging and expenses at the Transportation Research Board Council of UTC meeting in Washington, DC, January 2006; $1420 for travel, lodging and expenses at the USDOT University Transportation Center meeting in Big Sky, Montana, June 2006.

Anadditional $2936 in estimated travel costs has been added for Year 1 of the grant.           
                      
 ($1511 + $1420) + $2936 = $5,867

Estimated Budgets for BGSU and WSU
The estimated budget amounts for BGSU and WSU are included in the budget categories for the total UT-UTC.  Break out amounts are stated in the Explanatory Notes next to the Budgeted Amounts.

APPENDIX A

BASELINE MEASURES FOR UNIVERSITY TRANSPORTATION CENTERS (UTCs

Report for the most recently completed academic year, 2005/2006 (July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2006) for the three institutions comprising the UT-UTC.

Research Selection

1.  Number of transportation research projects selected for funding.

            _______16_______

1a.  Number of those projects that you consider to be:  basic research ___3_____, advanced research ___1______, and applied research ______4_____.  Projects may be included in more than one category if applicable. 

2.  Total budgeted costs for the projects reported in 1 above.

            $__980,000____________

Research Performance

3.  Number of transportation research reports published.

            _______9________

4.  Number of transportation research papers presented at academic/professional meetings.

            _______16________

Education

5.  Number of courses offered that you consider to be part of a transportation curriculum.  Report courses shown in the university course catalog as being offered, whether or not they were conducted during the academic year being reported.

            Undergraduate: ______24________

            Graduate:         ______23________

6. Number of students participating in transportation research projects.  Count individual students (one student participating in two research projects counts as one student).

            Undergraduate: ______4_________

            Graduate:         _____20_________

Human Resources

7.  Number of advanced degree programs offered that you consider to be transportation-related.

            Master’s Level: ______4_________

            Doctoral Level: ______2_________

8.  Number of students enrolled in those transportation-related advanced degree programs.

            Master’s Level: ______25________

            Doctoral Level: _______8________

9.  Number of students who received degrees through those transportation-related advanced degree programs.

            Master’s Level: ______11_______

            Doctoral Level: _______4_______

Technology Transfer

10.  Number of transportation seminars, symposia, distance learning classes, etc. conducted for transportation professionals.

            _______9_________

11.  Number of transportation professionals participating in those events.

            ______169_______

 


Last Updated: 6/27/22