MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR
BRIAN SMITH
Director, Center for
Transportation Studies
University of Virginia
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The University of Virginia’s Center for Transportation Studies (CTS) has a distinguished history in
transportation education and research. Many of Virginia’s, as well as the nation’s, transportation leaders are
among our alumni. In addition, significant innovations in transportation that have made travel safer, more
efficient, and more sustainable can be attributed to pioneering research conducted at CTS.
Educating transportation professionals lies at the core of the CTS mission. Our graduate program attracts
outstanding students from all over the world. Students work directly with our highly-regarded faculty and
our partners at the Virginia Transportation Research Council. Our established track record has resulted in
a diverse, well-funded program, including graduate research assistantships, access to some of the finest
facilities in the nation, and regular attendance at leading conferences. As a result, you will find CTS graduates
teaching at top universities, in top management positions in state and federal government, and as leaders in
private transportation firms.
Our education mission also extends to actively supporting the lifelong learning needs of transportation
professionals. We offer a wide array of short courses throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia, through our
UVA Transportation Training Academy (TTA), which offers over 80 different workshops on transportationrelated topics targeted at Virginia state and local government agency employees at all levels. In addition,
we also offer annually the Transportation Project Management Institute (TPMI), a 2-week intensive residential
educational program, to hone the skills of mid-level transportation engineers.
CTS focuses on conducting high-quality, innovative research that leads to application, with particular
expertise in transportation operations, planning, connected/automated vehicles, safety, policy, public
transportation, freight, infrastructure, and sustainability. Our faculty and research staff are highly regarded
in their areas. We maintain a close relationship with our sponsors, such as the Virginia Department of
Transportation, US Department of Transportation, Transportation Research Board, and National Science
Foundation, to ensure that we are responsive to their needs.
Whether you are interested in pursuing an advanced degree, honing your skills with a short course, or
partnering with us in research, we are eager and open to working with you.
UVA CENTER FOR TRANSPORTATION STUDIES