TRB Basics

There are many activities within the Transportation Research Board (TRB) umbrella. ACP-70 is one of many standing committees found within the TRB structure. This page highlights some of the basic information about TRB, what it means to be a committee member, and how to interpret the ACP70 designation.

The National Academies is a private non-profit organization, chartered by Congress to advise government. It is governed by members of NAS, NAE, IOM. It is administered and staffed by the National Research Council and

TRB is one of the six major divisions of the National Academies. As a reference, see the National Academies organizational structure below.

TRB Mission

• • Managing Research

  • Delivering Policy Analysis and Advice

  • Providing Tools for Researchers and Practitioners

  • Bringing the Transportation Community Together

HOW IS TRB FUNDED?

PURPOSE OF TRB COMMITTEES

• • Identify research needs

  • Encourage needed research

  • Sponsor sessions, conferences, and/or meetings

  • Develop technical material to advance the profession

  • Disseminate information

KEY ELEMENTS OF A COMMITTEE

• • Typically and up to 25 members included

  • Membership rotation can occur on an every 3 year basis

  • Membership Diversity is encouraged

  • Typically 4 Young Members (35 years of age or younger)

  • Typically 5 International Members

  • Each committee has a “friends” list and the people on that list play a critical role in all of the committee activities. The friends list is a source of new members during rotation.

WHAT TOPICS DO TRB STAFF AND COMMITTEES COVER AND WHY?

• • TRB is a dynamic, inclusive organization

  • TRB spans most transportation topics and wide range of research and outreach activities

  • Participating in TRB activities can make a major contribution to your career

  • TRB staff and volunteers are ready to answer questions, suggest ways to get involved, and to welcome you

TRB COMMITTEE MEMBER'S ROLE

• • Review papers

  • Maintain Committee's Research Problem Statements

  • Help organize annual meeting sessions

  • Help organize summer conferences or meetings

  • Work on a committee projects

  • Communication Coordinator (Newsletter, website, and other media)

  • Make a presentation or preside at a session of the annual meeting or a specialty conference

KEY TRB ANNUAL DATES

• • January (early to mid) - TRB Annual Meeting in Washington DC

  • Early spring - Committee rotation completed (every 3 years)

  • Mid Spring - Call For Papers for next year's Annual Meeting

  • Late Spring - Emeritus member nomination

  • Early Summer - Begin planning sessions for next year's Annual Meeting 22

  • August 1 - Deadline for submission of papers for the Annual Meeting

  • September 15 - Deadline for reviewers to complete paper reviews

  • October 1 - Deadline for all details of all sessions

  • Late Fall - begin work on Triennial Strategic Plan (every 3 years)

  • Late Fall – Committee chairs are reappointed or new chairs are appointed (every 3 years)

WHAT DOES THE COMMITTEE NUMBER ACP70 MEAN?

Each committee has a title and a committee code. The TRB structure includes 5 different Divisions. ACP70 falls within the Technical Activities Division that has a code of "A".

Below shows a graphic that illustrates how the ABJ35 code can be decoded or easily understood.

There are several groups within each division. The Technical Activities Division and ACP70 falls within the Studies and Special Programs Group (C) that includes Policy Studies, Synthesis Programs, Information services (TRID and others), and Innovations Deserving Exploratory Analysis (IDEA) Programs.

TRB TECHNICAL ACTIVITIES DIVISION STAFF