The Kansas University Transportation Center (KUTC) is a multidisciplinary research
unit of the University of Kansas devoted to transportation research, technical
assistance, and the dissemination of information. The organization was formed
in 1977 to provide an institutional focus for multi-disciplinary work in the
field of transportation. KUTC is committed to finding solutions for the unique
transportation problems of Kansas and the region.
KUTC, as a state-supported university unit, has been given several functional
goals that are designed to allow KUTC to provide the best possible service to
the State of Kansas and its citizens. The goals are:
The KU Transportation Center's activities have been funded internally, by the federal government and by state and local units of government. The primary research areas have been public transportation in low population density areas; traffic engineering; regional science; environmental science; highway safety; transportation planning; the impact of transportation investments upon urban, regional, and rural growth and decline; microcomputer technologies in transportation; and intelligent transportation systems.
Technology transfer is an integral component of the philosophy of service at the KU Transportation Center. The ability of the Transportation Center to find solutions to Kansas transportation problems has been dependent on maintaining effective communications with local communities for identifying regional transportation problems, disseminating technical information, encouraging new technology implementation, and validating research findings. The strong tie to local communities always has been an emphasis at the Transportation Center.
The Transportation Center has full computer capability and a full-range transportation software library. The Transportation Center maintains an extensive transportation library which includes books, government documents, tansportation-related newsletters and major journals.