As part of the U.S. Department of Transportation effort to develop a national transportation policy, the Transportation Research Board (TRB) was asked to evaluate the current and anticipated state of transportation data and to recommend improvements to the information resources that are essential to support informed, rational decision making in transportation. In Phase 1 of this effort, forums and workshops were held to provide an opportunity for discussion of issues related to transportation data needs, collection, and use. Phase 1 also included the preparation of resource papers on data needs, resources, and issues for surface passenger transportation, freight transportation, passenger air transportation, recreational travel and tourism, scenic byways, and safety. Two separate resource papers were also commissioned: one on institutional challenges regarding information for transportation decision making and one on the impact of emerging information technology on data collection and availability. All papers except the one on air passenger transportation were presented at the 1990 TRB Annual Meeting. This Transportation Research Record contains the papers prepared for Phase 1. Highlights of each are provided in this overview. The Record also includes a summary of data gaps and issues for all modes of transportation that was prepared by an AASHTO special task force.
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