The field of transportation is diverse and complex. It involves all sectors of society and required skills from a variety of disciplines to address its challenges. The Center for Transportation Studies addresses these challenges through multidisciplinary research, education, and outreach programs.
CTS was created in 1987 to address the need for closer cooperation between University faculty and state and federal departments of transportation, and to strengthen the University's role in transportation research and education. Originally a part of the Institute of Technology, CTS is now an independent University center reporting to the Office for System Academic Administration.
The Center's work is in keeping with the University of Minnesota's land-grant mission—research and discovery; teaching and learning; and outreach and public service.
In the years since it was established, the Center's capabilities have steadily expanded with the addition of new components like the federally funded Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute and the statewide Local Technical Assistance Program. CTS leaders have continued to work closely with University administrators and faculty, bringing diverse academic fields together to tackle complex transportation issues.
Today, CTS is a nationally prominent center that attracts more than $22 million annually for research, education, and outreach programs. The Center works with more than 75 faculty from 25 different departments in seven colleges—a spectrum of disciplines including engineering, planning, economics, public policy, computer science, human factors, and environmental studies. Funding sources include numerous federal, state, local, and private-sector sponsors.
Throughout its history, the Center has served as a resource and facilitator, helping talented University researchers develop new knowledge about transportation and then helping share that knowledge with professionals and policymakers. Ultimately, this knowledge improves transportation decision making—meaning better and safer transportation systems, smarter investments, and a higher quality of life for Minnesota and the nation.
The pages in this section provide additional information about the Center's organization, operations, and guiding principles, as well as the people who make CTS work, and the Center's relationships with University research organizations and faculty.