National Cooperative Rail Research Program (NCRRP)

PRIIA authorized, in Section 306, establishment of a National Cooperative Rail Research Program (NCRRP), which will be administered by the Transportation Research Board (TRB) of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), in accordance with the Memorandum of Agreement (previously discussed with NAS). Specific research projects will be selected by an advisory board (the NCRRP Oversight Committee (ROC), composed of representatives of State transportation agencies; transportation and environmental economists, scientist, and engineers; and Amtrak, the Alaska Railroad, freight railroads, transit operating agencies, railway labor organizations, and environmental organizations. NCRRP studies will be managed by TRB, an operating division of NAS, using procedures designed to ensure that the research is objective and productive. The studies will be conducted by NAS sub-grantees.