The U.S.-based Transportation Research Board (TRB) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (National Academies) has formed a cooperative understanding with the Colombia-based Sociedad Panamericana de Investigación en Transporte y Logística (Pan-American Society of Transportation Research, PANAMSTR).

“Each organization recognizes potential benefits for coordinating exchanges of information on completed and active research projects and improving the flow of information between transportation experts in the United States, Latin-America, and other countries,” said Neil Pedersen, TRB’s executive director.

TRB’s and PANAMSTR’s missions to promote innovation and progress in transportation through research in an objective and interdisciplinary setting and encourage public and private sector implementation of the research are similar.

“PANAMSTR looks forward to a productive cooperative relationship with TRB,” said José Holguín-Veras, PANAMSTR’s president. “We have agreed to work to achieve two objectives over a two-year period.”

The first objective is for PANAMSTR to designate PANAMSTR members who are also members or friends of TRB committees to serve as liaisons between TRB committees and corresponding PANAMSTR committees and promote participation by Latin American professionals in TRB committee activities. Acknowledging the significant work that is being done in committees of both organizations that is beneficial to the other organization, structuring a network of experts who can foster and facilitate greater synergies for information-sharing and cooperation is essential to achieving additional objectives in cooperation.

The second objective is for both organizations to promote the other organization’s major events and announcements in their respective newsletters and other media formats and, as appropriate, have experts participate in the other organization’s events.

Once these objectives have been met, a more detailed action plan will be developed as part of a longer-term relationship.

TRB has developed formal relationships with a number of diverse and international organizations, including:

• Chinese Overseas Transportation Association (COTA)
• China Highway and Transportation Society (CHTS)
• Council of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO)
• European Conference of Transport Research Institutes (ECTRI)
• International Road Federation-Geneva
• Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America)
• Women’s Transportation Seminar International (WTS)
• World Road Association (PIARC)
• International Transport Forum (ITF)

As part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, the Transportation Research Board provides leadership in transportation improvements and innovation through trusted, timely, impartial, and evidence-based information exchange, research, and advice regarding all modes of transportation.

Contact:
Paul Mackie, Director of Communications
Transportation Research Board
202-334-2378, pmackie@nas.edu