Director of Transportation Institute, Endowed Professor of Supply Chain Management

College of Business and Economics
Department of Marketing and Supply Chain Management
Willie A. Deese College of Business and Economics, 1601 East Market Street, 402C Craig Hall E:

Research Centers

Research Grants 

  • Co-PI: “Thriving Communities Program (TCP): Complete Transit Oriented Neighborhoods Cohort.” U.S. Department of Transportation. June 2023 – May 2025. https://www.transportation.gov/grants/thriving-communities.
  • PI: “Modeling the Effects of Rail Noise Propagation on Pedestrian in North Carolina Railroad Environment” North Carolina Department of Transportation. 2022-2024. https://rip.trb.org/view/2003219.
  • PI: “Independent Evaluation of Aviation Manufacturer Job Protection Program,” Office of Secretary, USDOT, 2022.
  • https://www.transportation.gov/AMJP.
  • Associate Director: “Center of Excellence for Transportation Safety and Policy” North Carolina Department of Transportation, 2021- 2023. https://www.tsap.unc.edu/.
  • Associate Director: Center of Excellence for Mobility and Congestion” North Carolina Department of Transportation, 2021- 2023. https://sites.google.com/ncsu.edu/ncdot-coe-mobilitycongestion/home.
  • Academic Advisor: Rongfang (Rachel) Liu. PI: N. Horowitz. “Virtue Docking Bike Share for First and Last Mile Travel” National Science Foundation (NSF), I-Corp Site, September 2018 – May 2019.
  • PI: Rongfang (Rachel) Liu, Co-PIs: Hindy Schachter and C. Borcea. “Connecting Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Communities in North Jersey via Smart Technologies”. Leir Research Institute. Oct 2018 – May 2019.
  • PI: Rongfang (Rachel) Liu. “Improve Congestion Performance Measures via Conflating Public and Private Information Sources.” University Transportation Research Center (UTRC), Federal Highway Administration, US Department of Transportation, Budget: $193,377. Period: September 2016 – November 2017. 100%.
  • Co-PI:  Rongfang (Rachel) Liu. PI: Kean Ozbay, Rutgers University. “Handheld Devices on Rail for Fare Collection and Communication." Budget: $185,903. Funding Source: Federal Highway Administration, Duration: September 2013 – June 2014.
  • PI: Rongfang (Rachel) Liu. “Go Bus Impact and Analysis.” Budget: $274,145. Funding Source: Federal Highway Administration/ New Jersey Department of Transportation. Duration: June 2011 – December 2012.
  • Investigator: Rongfang (Rachel) Liu. Co-PIs: Janice Daniel and Hindy Schachter, NJIT. “Feasibility and Efficacy of Public and Private Partnership (PPP).” Budget: $359,000. Source: Federal Highway Administration/ New Jersey Department of Transportation. Duration: June 1, 2011 – May 31, 2014. 
  • PI: Rongfang (Rachel) Liu. "Development of a System Local Bus Database." Budget:  $150,000*. Funding Source: Federal Highway Administration/New Jersey Department of Transportation. Duration: June 2011 - June 2012. 
  • PI: “Railroad Crossing Safety”. Budget: $215,818. Funding Source: Federal Highway Administration/ New Jersey Department of Transportation. Duration: January 2009 – June 2010.
  • PI: “Hudson Bergen Light Rail Customer Impact and Retention Study”. Budget: $223,853. Funding Source: Federal Highway Administration/ New Jersey Department of Transportation. Duration: December 2007 – March 2009.
  • Investigator: “Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) A03-07: Guidebook for Measuring Performance Automated People Mover (APM) Systems at Airports”. Budget: $300,000. Funding Source: National Academy of Science (NAS) /Transportation Research Board (TRB). Duration: June 2007 – May 2009. Sub to Lea+Elliott.
  • Investigator: “Operation Analysis for a freight line connecting mine and port in Western Australia”. Budget: $200,000. Funding Source: Yailgarn Limited Inc. Duration: May –July 2007. Sub to PB, Inc.
  • PI: "Development of Weekend Travel Demand and Mode Split Models". Budget: $444,239. Funding Source: Federal Highway Administration/ New Jersey Department of Transportation. Duration: January 2006 – December 2009.
  • Investigator: "ITS Technologies for Integrated Rail Corridors". Budget: $249,500. Funding Source: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)/ United State Department of Transportation (USDOT). Duration: October 2005 – March 2007.
  • Investigator: "Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) A-27: Shared Use of Railroad Infrastructure with Non-FRA-Compliant Public Transit Rail Vehicles". Budget: $199,800. Funding Source: Transportation Research Board (TCRP) /American Public Transportation Association (APTA). Duration: November 2005 – March 2007.
  • Investigator: "Strategic Analysis of the Application of Self-Powered Rail Cars (SPRC) in New Jersey”. Funding Agency: New Jersey Transit Corporation. Budget: $120,000. Duration: July 2004 – June 2005.
  • Investigator: "Motorized Scooters/Go-Peds”. Funding Agency: New Jersey Department of Transportation. Budget: $65,000. Duration: August 6, 2004 – December 31, 2004.
  • PI: "Mobility Information Needs of Limited English Proficiency Travelers". Budget: $300,000. Funding Source: New Jersey Department of Transportation. Duration: January 2003 – January 2005.
  • PI: "Survey of Rail Passenger and Freight Interaction". Budget: $150,000. Funding Source: New Jersey Department of Transportation. Duration: January 2003 – March 2004.
  • Investigator: "Effectiveness of Certain Design Solutions on Reducing Vehicle Speeds". Budget: $159,000. Funding Source: New Jersey Department of Transportation. Duration: January 2003 – December 2004.
  • Investigator: "Freight Planning Support System for Northern New Jersey". Budget: $250,000. Funding Source: North Jersey Transportation Planning Agency. Duration: July 2002 – June 2003.
  • Investigator: "Effectiveness Evaluation of Bus Nobs In New Jersey". Funding Source: New Jersey Department of Transportation. Budget: $220.000. Duration: January 2002 – December 2003.
  • PI: "Future of Transportation Models, Newark, New Jersey". Budget: $40,000. Funding Source: New Jersey Institute of Technology. Duration: September 2001 – June 2003.
  • PI: "Operation Analysis and Cost Estimate for Baltimore-Washington Maglev Project, Baltimore, MD". Budget: $165,000. Funding Source: Mass Transit Administration, Maryland Department of Transportation. Duration: November 1999 - June 2001.
  • Co-PI: "Intermodal Network Simulation for California Rail Corridors, California". Budget: $350,000. Funding Source: Amtrak West.
  • PI: "Train Performance Simulation for New Haven Line Fleet Configuration, New Haven, Connecticut". Budget: $120,000. Funding Source: Connecticut Department of Transportation:
  • PI: "Terminal Simulation for Manhattan East Side Access (MESA), New York". Budget: $150,000. Funding Source: Long Island Rail Road.
  • Co-PI: "Transit Ridership Forecast for Long Island Transportation Plan 2000, New York". Budget $170,000, Total Project $3 Million. Funding Source: New York State Department of Transportation.
  • Co-PI: "Operation Research for Access to the Region’s Core (ARC), New York". Budget $970,000. Funding Source: Port Authority of New York-New Jersey.
  • Co-PI: "AMTRAK-Continental Airline’s Intermodal Connection", New Jersey. Budget $50,000. Funding Source: Amtrak-Continental Airline Consortium.
  • Technical Advisor: "Interstate 71 Corridor Major Investment Study, Cincinnati, Ohio". Funding Source: Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Planning Council.
  • PI: "Clermont County Development Strategy, Cincinnati, Ohio". Budget $85,000, Funding Source: Clermont County Chamber of Commerce
  • Researcher: "Federal Transit Administration Intermodal/Guideway Transit Policy Guidelines". Funding Source: Federal Transit Administration, Department of Transportation.
  • Researcher: "Statewide Five Year Transit Development Concept, Florida". Funding Source: Florida Department of Transportation.
  • PI: "Defining Intermodalism". Budget: $10,000. Funding Source: Martin Marietta Corporation