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    <title>Transport Research International Documentation (TRID)</title>
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    <language>en-us</language>
    <copyright>Copyright © 2026. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.</copyright>
    <docs>http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss</docs>
    <managingEditor>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</managingEditor>
    <webMaster>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</webMaster>
    <image>
      <title>Transport Research International Documentation (TRID)</title>
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      <link>https://trid.trb.org/</link>
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      <title>Topic mining and evolution analysis of civil aircraft operational risk factors: A novel domain-adapted BERTopic framework</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2681999</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Topic mining and evolution analysis of civil aircraft operational risk factors are essential for advancing proactive risk awareness capabilities. Given the complex operational scenarios and specialized safety text data, existing studies face challenges of insufficient domain adaptability, hindering accurate safety hazard troubleshooting. To address these issues, this paper proposes a domain-adapted BERTopic (DA-BERTopic) framework for mining and analyzing risk topics. First, a domain-adaptive topic embedding model is developed to enhance the risk semantic representation capability of general pre-trained models. Second, an enhanced topic dimensionality reduction method incorporating downstream task objectives is proposed to improve the model's scenario adaptability and generalization. Subsequently, an adjustable topic extraction algorithm is designed to strengthen core risk topic representation. Finally, based on the mined topics, key safety hazard troubleshooting points are identified, and risk evolution analysis is conducted. Using the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) datasets, the proposed approach is evaluated against state-of-the-art baselines. The results demonstrate that the proposed framework significantly outperforms existing methods, achieving topic coherence (Cₙₚₘᵢ) scores of 0.999 and 0.992 on the two datasets, respectively, alongside high topic diversity. This improvement demonstrates the method’s potential to provide more accurate and actionable insights for safety decision-making.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 17 Jun 2026 16:13:02 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2681999</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Evaluation of Mitigation Strategies for High-Severity Derailments with Hazardous Materials</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2628304</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The transportation of hazardous materials (HAZMAT) by rail is a safe mode of transport and events with high-severity and/or high consequences from HAZMAT releases are rare. However, when high-profile events occur, they result in significant public pressure to modify the existing transportation practice and strengthen regulations to improve safety. The most recent example is the derailment on February 3, 2023, in East Palestine, Ohio that resulted in both a significant release HAZMAT and fires. As a result of the derailment, and subsequent National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Railroad Administration investigations, there is a renewed interest in evaluating and improving the safety of transporting HAZMAT in tank cars. The past regulatory responses to safety concerns for HAZMAT transport in railroad tank car safety have focused primarily on the tank car design and developed requirements for strengthening the tank shell. However, regulations that upgrade the tank structure are disruptive to the industry and expensive since it requires the replacement of a significant portion of the tank car fleet. This study investigates alternative mitigation strategies for high-severity railroad events involving HAZMAT transported in tank cars. In particular, the effects of the derailment speed on the release probability and consequences for tank car punctures are investigated. In addition, the effects of modifying the loading conditions to increase the outage volume (vapor space above the lading) are evaluated as a less costly alternative to increasing the tank car thickness to achieve an equivalent reduction in HAZMAT releases.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 24 Nov 2025 15:07:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2628304</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Cognitive Biases in Commercial Aviation: Empirical Review of Accident Reports</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2480155</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Cognitive biases in commercial aviation can coax pilots into disregarding established protocols or overlooking potential hazards, a concern that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has acknowledged. However, the concrete impact of these biases on aviation operations has not been adequately quantified; empirical evidence remains limited. Recognizing this research gap, our study seeks to provide a comprehensive analysis of cognitive biases within commercial aviation. We conducted a review of National Transportation Safety Board flight incident reports for air carriers across the United States, from 2014 to 2024. We also conducted an expert interview with an instructor who is an experienced pilot to ascertain current training material and its adequacy in addressing cognitive biases. Our analysis revealed cognitive biases not identified by the FAA (e.g., overconfidence) and training material gaps. Our research lays the groundwork for improved training protocols and the potential for a more nuanced understanding of pilot behavior and safety.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 06 Feb 2025 10:49:29 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2480155</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Cabin Safety Information: Passenger Baggage Retrieval During Aircraft Emergency Evacuations</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2499113</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project was requested by AIR-600 to partially develop a response to National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommendation A-18-9. This project reviewed published literature on the topic of passengers taking baggage during an evacuation. It includes reports from federal agencies for instances of passengers taking baggage during evacuations and self-reported passenger opinions concerning videos of passengers taking baggage during evacuations. This project also included a review of computer modeling literature to analyze the potential impact of baggage retrieval on evacuation times. This project included contract support for a computer-modeled evacuation study that included passengers taking baggage. The results of the modeling study are included in this report. This modeling study showed that there are many factors influencing how much impact passenger baggage retrieval may have on an airplane evacuation; however, consistent with previous recommendations, the modeling study shows that, generally, passenger retrieval of baggage slows down an evacuation. Limitations and recommendations for future modeling projects are discussed in the attached modeling study.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 31 Jan 2025 11:42:24 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2499113</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Human Factor Risks in Driving Automation Crashes</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2407586</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Driving automation systems are capable of continuously performing part or all of the dynamic driving task. Driving automation is intended to reduce the probability and severity of traffic crashes by minimizing manual operation. However, inadequate automation systems (including advanced driver assistance systems mounted on Level 2 vehicles and automated driving systems mounted on Level 3 or higher levels vehicles) and inappropriate human-automation interaction will threaten road safety. This study analyzed the factors of crashes related to driving automation from the perspective of human factor risks. The authors summarized the crashes and categorized the probable causes mentioned in six accident reports from National Transportation Safety Board. The authors extracted common causal factors related to human drivers, including inappropriate using ways of driving automation, human distraction or disengagement, and complacency (overreliance) on vehicle automation. Finally, the authors discussed the relationship between the extracted common causes and previous insights in the driving automation domain, such as the rationality of complacency as a causal factor, and provided potential countermeasures.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 31 Dec 2024 09:04:28 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2407586</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Simulations of Large School Bus Crashes</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1787371</link>
      <description><![CDATA[School bus travel is one of the safest forms of transportation, yet each year an average of nine school bus occupants are fatally injured in school bus crashes. Although much has been done to improve the safety of school buses over the years, more research may reflect new ways to better protect school bus occupants. Current school bus occupant protection is based on a concept called compartmentalization, meaning that the seats are closely spaced together, high backed, well padded, and are designed to absorb energy during a crash. Although this design works well in frontal impacts, compartmentalization may not protect occupants as well in side impacts and rollovers. The purpose of this paper is to describe the large school bus crash simulations performed by the National Transportation Safety Board and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in an effort to address safety issues concerning occupant protection in non-frontal collisions and also to compile accurate crash data to evaluate future occupant crash protection systems.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 05 Dec 2024 13:20:22 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1787371</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Effect of Long-Term Inactivity on Railcar Bearings – Year 1</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2449427</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The performance of railroad bearings that sit idle in railyards, large industrial plants, or shipping ports has not been previously explored. Some of the bearings, with documented periods of inactivity exceeding 18 months, have been associated with major derailments. The aforementioned has led to concerns in whether the inactive periods contributed to early failure, possibly through degradation of the grease properties brought on by moisture intake or grease separation leading to uneven protection of the metal components. The work conducted in collaboration with CSX Transportation and MxV Rail, and in consultation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), aims to answer the question of whether long-term inactivity has significant effect on bearing performance and service life, and whether these are tied to changes in the lubricant. The performed work consisted of (a) identification of installed bearings on cars that have not moved for periods of three months or longer, (b) removal of the bearings with minimum disruption to the lubricant, (c) pre-test inspection of the still-assembled bearings, (d) installation and service life testing on a laboratory test rig, with continuous performance monitoring of temperature rise, vibration spectra, and power consumption, (e) post-test inspection including disassembly, teardown, and visual inspection of all bearing components, and (f) analysis of the grease composition with specific focus on loss of oxidation inhibitors and evidence of lubricant separation.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 20 Nov 2024 13:08:58 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2449427</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Information Resources of the National Transportation Safety Board [video]</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2437670</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This Transportation Librarians Roundtable features speakers from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Dr. Bella Dinh-Zarr provides an overview of the NTSB and its mission to investigate transportation accidents and make recommendations to prevent accidents. Jeffrey Marcus demonstrates how to search the NTSB website to find resources including reports, recommendations, and safety alerts.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 21 Oct 2024 17:00:50 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2437670</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Analysis of Critical Gusset Plates in the Collapsed I-35W Bridge</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2235515</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Investigation led by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) suggests that inadequate design of gusset plates played a key role in the collapse of the I-35W Bridge in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The particular gusset plate connection was at a panel point designated as U10. Further understanding of the behavior of the U10 gusset plates is essential. In the present study, the U10 gusset plates were analyzed using detailed nonlinear finite element models. The forces delivered to panel point U10 were reproduced using available information of the bridge. These forces were, in turn, used to calculate possible stress and strain states of the U10 gusset plates. The results indicate that substantial portions of the U10 gusset plates were yielded at the time of collapse. Weight increase due to deck reconstruction, staged construction materials, and thermal effects, along with insufficient strength of the gusset plate, seem to be the main contributing factors to the substantial yielding. The results also suggest that the interaction of large compression and large shear should be addressed. This interaction is not well understood.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 24 Jun 2024 09:31:46 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2235515</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>HFACS Analysis of U.S. General Aviation Accidents Using Bayesian Network</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2353646</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Safety is one of the most important factors that affects the sustainable development of the aviation industry. With the increasing robustness of technologies, humans have played a progressively more important causal role in aviation accidents. This paper applies an HFACS-BN model (HFACS: Human Factors Analysis and Classification System; BN: Bayesian Network) to analyze the root causes of aviation accidents. General aviation (GA) accident reports were collected from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) accident database. The authors encoded the human factors of sample cases based on the HFACS framework and constructed a corresponding BN. From this work, parameter estimation associated with a conditional probability table (CPT) was conducted to determine prior probabilities of contributing factors, and a sensitivity test was conducted to determine the most significant factors. This study provides guidance to the federal government to facilitate risk management in order to reduce fatal general aviation accidents.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 15 May 2024 10:11:05 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2353646</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Application of text mining and coupling theory to depth cognition of aviation safety risk</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2343553</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Aviation accidents have attracted a lot of attention due to the fatalities and considerable property loss. The complexity underlying these accidents is often the result of multiple risk factors coupling together, thereby increasing the difficulty of risks identification and comprehensive controlling. It is necessary to enhance proactive safety management capabilities and aircraft operational reliability through deeply cognitive risk information. This paper explores the application of Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) model of text mining and coupling theory in two aviation safety datasets. The results of applying LDA topic modeling categorize risks across different datasets. Subsequently, the N-K model is employed to measure various coupling modes of risk factors, and the coupling effects between different risk factors were further analyzed. The results indicate that the two datasets identify different risk categories, and the coupling values of the risk factors usually increase with the number of factors. The results also reveal a higher degree of coupling among three risk factors: pilot manipulation, aircraft systems, and aircraft engines in the NTSB dataset. The proposed methodology shows significance in enhancing the accuracy of aviation risk analysis and the efficiency of accident prevention.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 15 Apr 2024 08:38:34 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2343553</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Ensuring Timely Pipeline Shutdowns in Emergencies: When to Install Rupture Mitigation Valves</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2339970</link>
      <description><![CDATA[As of April 2022, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) requires installation of rupture mitigation valves (RMVs) on newly constructed and replaced segments of hazardous liquid and gas transmission pipelines. This study assesses regulatory standards and criteria for deciding when automatic and remote-control shutoff valves (i.e., RMVs) should be installed on existing pipelines in high consequence areas. The report includes coverage of pipeline incidents, an overview of the regulatory framework, and criteria for making decisions for when to install valves on existing pipelines. Lastly, observations about the current regulatory direction and guidance are provided to pipeline operators for deciding when to install RMVs on existing pipelines and for inspectors to verify that all obligations for deliberate and informed decisions are being met. Conclusions based on this assessment are presented along with recommendations for strengthening the guidance provided and verification methods used for ensuring sound decisions.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 20 Feb 2024 14:55:20 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2339970</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>National Transportation Safety Board: Additional Actions Needed to Improve Management and Operations</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2229410</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) plays a vital role in advancing transportation safety by investigating and reporting on the probable cause of accidents and issuing safety recommendations. Despite growth and technological advancement in the transportation sector, NTSB’s staffing levels have remained about the same for the past 20 years, according to NTSB. Congress has expressed concerns about the timeliness of NTSB’s accident investigation reports, the quality of its accident investigation data, and whether the agency has sufficient staff to conduct its work. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) was asked to review NTSB’s management and operations. This report evaluates, among other things, NTSB’s (1) performance planning efforts; (2) efforts to improve its use of data in decision-making; and (3) recent workforce planning activities to identify skill gaps in its workforce. GAO analyzed NTSB reports, plans, procedures, and other documents related to the agency’s management and operations; compared NTSB’s efforts with relevant laws and guidance; reviewed NTSB investigation and contracting data; and interviewed agency officials. GAO is making six recommendations, including that NTSB ensure its future performance planning documents meet all statutory requirements; finalize a system that enables the agency to more effectively analyze and use labor cost data; and conduct a skill gap assessment. NTSB did not take a position on the recommendations but identified actions to address them.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 28 Aug 2023 08:41:58 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2229410</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Fatigue in NTSB investigations 2013–2019: Evidence of accidents and injuries</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2146054</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This study updates the prevalence of operator fatigue as a causative factor in accidents investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the associated injury severity in fatigue-related accidents. In total, 394 investigations were analyzed and 12% of them identified fatigue. The prevalence of fatigue varied among the transportation modes, ranging from 28% of aviation to 7% of marine. Most fatigue-related accidents (48%) occurred during late night or morning. Compared to non-fatigued operators, fatigued operators were more involved in severe or fatal injuries (odds ratio [OR] 2.30; 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.66, 2.95]) and injuries to non-operators (OR 3.32; 95% CI [2.70, 3.95]). Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) was identified as a probable cause, contributing cause or finding in 15% of fatigue-related accidents, and in 85.7% of these accidents the operator met OSA screening criteria. Thus, opportunities remain for preventing fatigue-related accidents, including through more systematic operator screening for OSA.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 22 Jun 2023 10:10:12 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2146054</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>FTA Standards Development Program: Review of Specifications and Guidelines for Rail Tunnel Repair and Rehabilitation</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2071690</link>
      <description><![CDATA[After the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) L’Enfant Station rail accident in 2015, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued two recommendations—1) Recommendation R-16-01: Issue regulatory standards for tunnel infrastructure inspection, maintenance, and repair, incorporating applicable industry consensus standards into those standards, and 2) Recommendation R-16-02: Issue regulatory safety standards for emergency egress in tunnel environments. To effectively respond to NTSB’s recommendations, this report was prepared to assist the transit industry in developing standards and/or recommended practices to address Recommendation R-16-02 – tunnel repairs and rehabilitation and includes a condition-based rating system for tunnels as a tool for evaluation for rehabilitation and guidelines for a tunnel inventory database.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 15 Dec 2022 14:15:15 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2071690</guid>
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