Notice2026-00455
Transportation Research and Development Strategic Plan; Request for Information
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
January 13, 2026
Issuing agencies
Transportation Department
Abstract
49 U.S.C. 6503 requires that the Secretary of Transportation develop a 5-year transportation research and development strategic plan to guide future Federal transportation research and development activities. The statute states that the strategic plan shall describe how the plan furthers the primary purpose of the transportation research and development program. The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology (OST-R) invites the public and transportation system stakeholders to provide comments to inform the development of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT or Department) Research, Development, and Technology (RD&T) Strategic Plan for fiscal years (FY) 2026-2030. We welcome the views of the transportation research community on the Department's research vision, strategic goals, and priorities, and how our research programs can advance the transportation system of the present and future.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 8 (Tuesday, January 13, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 8 (Tuesday, January 13, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1373-1374]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-00455]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
[Docket No.: DOT-OST-2025-2085]
Transportation Research and Development Strategic Plan; Request
for Information
AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology
(OST-R), U.S. Department of Transportation.
ACTION: Request for Information (RFI).
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SUMMARY: 49 U.S.C. 6503 requires that the Secretary of Transportation
develop a 5-year transportation research and development strategic plan
to guide future Federal transportation research and development
activities. The statute states that the strategic plan shall describe
how the plan furthers the primary purpose of the transportation
research and development program. The Office of the Assistant Secretary
for Research and Technology (OST-R) invites the public and
transportation system stakeholders to provide comments to inform the
development of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT or
Department) Research, Development, and Technology (RD&T) Strategic Plan
for fiscal years (FY) 2026-2030. We welcome the views of the
transportation research community on the Department's research vision,
strategic goals, and priorities, and how our research programs can
advance the transportation system of the present and future.
DATES: Comments are due by February 12, 2026. DOT will consider
comments filed after this date to the extent practicable.
ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted by email or U.S. mail.
Respondents are encouraged to submit comments electronically to ensure
timely receipt. Please include your name, title, organization, postal
address, telephone number, and email address.
<bullet> Electronic Submission: Go to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>.
Search by using the docket number (provided above). Follow the
instructions for sending comments.
<bullet> Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3e4c5a4a4e525f507e5a514a10595148"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="73011707031f121d33171c075d141c05">[email protected]</span></a>. Include the docket number in the
subject line of the message. Please include the full body of your
comments in the text of the electronic message and as an attachment.
<bullet> Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket
Operations, West Building 5th Floor, Room W58-213, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
<bullet> Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name
and docket numbers.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gina Filosa, U.S. DOT Volpe Center,
617-494-3452, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7e0c1a0a0e121f103e1a110a50191108"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="73011707031f121d33171c075d141c05">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background: 49 U.S.C. Chapter 65 outlines the following primary
purposes of transportation research:
<bullet> Improving mobility of people and goods
<bullet> Reducing congestion
<bullet> Promoting safety
<bullet> Improving the durability and extending the life of
transportation infrastructure
<bullet> Preserving the environment
<bullet> Preserving the existing transportation system
<bullet> Reducing transportation cybersecurity risks
In addition to the outlined primary transportation research
purposes, the Department's Strategic Plan also guides the Department's
research priorities, objectives, and strategies.
To align its research strategy and programs with the Department's
goals, the DOT is developing a new RD&T Strategic Plan for FY 2026-
2030. OST-R invites the public to provide comments to inform the
development of the 5-year strategic plan for transportation RD&T.
Comments should regard appropriate RD&T activities to meet the purposes
and considerations listed above and/or emerging RD&T challenges,
opportunities, and priorities that DOT RD&T should address over the
next five years. In particular, comments may respond to any or all of
the following questions:
1. How should DOT prioritize and invest in research activities over
the next five years? Over the next 25 years?
2. What types of research activities should DOT undertake to meet
its strategic goals?
3. What key social, demographic, economic, technological, and/or
other trends influence transportation today and into the future?
4. What emerging challenges or opportunities or knowledge gaps in
transportation warrant additional DOT RD&T activities or investments?
5. How can DOT best lead and coordinate its RD&T activities with
Federal, State, local, tribal and territorial governments, the private
sector, non-profit institutions, and international partners?
6. How can DOT best use its research portfolio to develop national
standards that can drive interoperability across the multimodal
transportation system?
7. What activities should DOT adopt to facilitate deployment of DOT
research results into the U.S. transportation system?
[[Page 1374]]
8. Is there anything else you want to share or say regarding DOT's
research portfolio and activities?
Signed in Washington, DC, on January 8, 2026.
Michael A. Halem,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology.
[FR Doc. 2026-00455 Filed 1-12-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-9X-P
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