The Committee on Transportation of Hazardous Materials has undergone a number of official designations over the years. It began in 1964 as the Committee on Hazardous Materials under the National Research Council’s Division of Chemistry and Chemical Technology. This early advisory committee was formed to address scientific and technical questions relating to the safe maritime transportation of hazardous materials at the request of the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard in December 1963. This first committee was chaired by Dr. Donald L. Katz of the University of Michigan. On May 7-9, 1969, a special ninety person task force met in Warrenton, Virginia, and experts from the Committee on Hazardous Materials and from the Highway Research Board discussed a new “systems” approach to hazardous materials transportation and made recommendations to the Department of Transportation for collaborative research across all modes. By the end of this meeting, an agreement was made to form a Committee on Transportation of Hazardous Materials under the Highway Research Board. In 1974 the Highway Research Board became the Transportation Research Board and the Committee on Transportation of Hazardous Materials was designated as A3C10 within the Traffic Safety and Maintenance Group. In 2000 the Committee moved to the Freight Systems Group and was designated A1B14 and then changed to AT040 and elevated a level with the complete overhaul of the TRB Committee structure effective January 1, 2004.
PAST LEADERSHIP:
Chair and Vice Chair History
2024-Present David Bierling (Chair)
Amy Parker (Vice Chair)
2022-2024 Erica Bickford (Chair)
David Bierling (Vice Chair)
2019-2022 David Willauer (Chair)
Erica Bickford (Vice Chair)
2013-2019 Richard Bornhorst (Chair)
David Willauer (Vice Chair)
2007-2013 Mark Lepofsky (Chair)
2012-2013 Richard Bornhorst (Vice Chair)
2002-2007 Dennis Ashworth (Chair)
1996-2002 John Allen (Chair)
1990-1996 Mark Abkowitz (Chair)
1987-1990 Edith Page (Chair)
1983-1987 Dennis Price (Chair)
1981-1983 Karsten Vieg (Chair)
1978-1981 William Brobst (Chair)
1976-1978 Anthony Schmieg (Chair)
1974-1976 Clyde Perry (Chair)
TRB Staff Liaison
2013-Present Scott Babcock and Rhonda Levinowsky
2013 Tom Palmerlee
2011-2012 Ann Purdue
2008-2010 Elaine King
1989-2007 Frank Lisle