Infrastructure and Transportation

RAND research addresses the challenges of developing, managing, and protecting energy, transportation, water, communications, and other critical infrastructure throughout the world.

Research conducted by: RAND Infrastructure, Safety, and Environment; RAND Europe; Transportation, Space, and Technology Program; RAND Gulf States Policy Institute; RAND-Qatar Policy Institute

Featured at RAND

Alternate Ways to Fund U.S. Transportation System

Congress should take the opportunity provided by the pending reauthorization of the federal transportation bill to consider new ways to fund the U.S. transportation system, shifting from indirect fees such as fuel taxes to ones that charge drivers directly for the miles they travel.

All Items (954)

REPORT

Reducing Attrition in Selected Air Force Training Pipelines — Feb 2, 2012

The Air Force has a continuing interest in reducing high attrition and training-block failure (washback) rates, as both increase training and recruiting costs. This report describes research into these issues for nine career fields.

REPORT

Reconsidering California Transport Policies: Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions in an Uncertain Future — Jan 20, 2012

Applies robust decision methods to evaluate California's transportation policies that considers multiple views of the future, and identifies strategies that consistently reduce emissions at acceptable costs regardless of future conditions.

REPORT

Spotlight on 2011 — Jan 19, 2012

RAND Europe's annual report, Spotlight 2011, focuses on selected present and past RAND Europe signature research. With 2012 being our 20th anniversary year, the report features some of our most recent work while reflecting on how RAND Europe has developed and remained relevant over the last two decades. It also highlights selected research and corporate activity in 2011.

REPORT

Tracking Public Sentiment in Iran After the Contested 2009 Election with Twitter — Jan 17, 2012

Social media was used in the 2009 protests to organize and communicate under government censorship. An anaylsis of more than 2.5 million tweets discussing the Iran election holds promise for such policy uses as assessing public opinion and forecasting events such as large-scale protests.

REPORT

Measuring Consumer Preferences for Postal Services in Europe — Jan 16, 2012

Different market segments have varying postal service needs, according to RAND Europe research conducted for the European Commission. All consumers value parcel services, reliability, and low levels of loss, but big businesses value letter services more than small or medium businesses or the public.

PERIODICAL

RAND Review: Vol. 35, No. 3, Winter 2011-2012 — Jan 13, 2012

Stories discuss world demographic trends, Afghan peace prospects, U.S. health care spending, California prisoner reentry, Latin American inequalities, global health, veterans' mental health, highway investments, teacher bonuses, and charter schools.

REPORT

Sydney Strategic Model Population Synthesiser, 2006 Base — Jan 13, 2012

This report documents work to update the Population Synthesiser component of the Sydney Strategic Model (STM). The Population Synthesiser generates forecasts of the future Sydney population by spatial area and socio-economic segment.

COMMENTARY

Narrowing the Economic Achievement Gap: The Role of Housing — Jan 11, 2012

The results from Montgomery County demonstrate that an integrative housing policy can be an effective form of school policy for disadvantaged children, writes Heather Schwartz.

REPORT

How Will Migration Impact UK Transport and Congestion? — Jan 10, 2012

The UK Migration Advisory Committee asked RAND Europe to examine how migration is likely to impact transport networks and congestion. The resulting research is one of the first studies using UK data to provide an empirical evidence base about migrants' travel behavior and impacts.

REPORT

Threats Without Threateners? Exploring Intersections of Threats to the Global Commons and National Security — Jan 10, 2012

Climate change, water scarcity, and pandemics are examined for their national security implications and impacts on the global commons. This paper describes four clusters of policy approaches for these complex, interconnected issues and uses suggestive examples to build the case for policy evolution away from fixing problems and toward innovative alternatives, such as anti-fragile systems, that actually benefit from change and uncertainty.

REPORT

The Characteristics of Cyberspace Pose Challenges to Those Who Seek to Defend It — Dec 22, 2011

It has become clear that Stuxnet-like worms pose a serious threat even to critical U.S. infrastructure and computer systems that are not connected to the Internet. However, defending against such attacks involves complex technological and legal issues.

RESEARCH BRIEF

Australia's Domestic Submarine Design Capabilities: Options for the Future Submarine — Dec 22, 2011

To design a new naval submarine domestically, Australia's industry and Government will need about 1,000 skilled draftsmen and engineers. Cultivating this workforce could take 15-20 years; partnering with foreign designers could expedite the process.

REPORT

Australia Has Considerable Expertise in Submarine Design, but Gaps Still Exist — Dec 15, 2011

The Royal Australian Navy intends to acquire 12 new submarines to replace its Collins-class vessels. RAND assessed the domestic engineering and design skills that Australian industry and government will need to design the new submarine, identified the skills they currently possess, and evaluated how to fill any gaps between the two.

RESEARCH BRIEF

What Should Be Stocked in War Reserve? A New Method for Allocating Resources — Dec 15, 2011

Describes the methodology used to develop resource allocation and forward positioning recommendations for the sustainment stock portion of Army pre-positioned stocks, given a specific scenario and budget.

REPORT

Is al Qaeda's Internet Strategy Working? — Dec 6, 2011

The immediate risks posed by al Qaeda's online campaign do not justify attempting to impose controls that could be costly to enforce and produce unintended consequences. However, the situation warrants continued monitoring for signals of new dangers.

REPORT

The impact of information and communication technologies in the Middle East and North Africa — Nov 30, 2011

This report explores the impact of information and communication technologies in the Middle East and North Africa region. It provides a series of analyses and inputs to the World Bank that intended to help frame their thinking about ICT use in MENA.

COMMENTARY

Save Money — Hire Police — Nov 22, 2011

The high cost of crime to society suggests that adding police officers may give large cities a sizable return on their investments, write Greg Ridgeway and Paul Heaton.

REPORT

Characterizing the U.S. Industrial Base for Coal-Powered Electricity — Oct 27, 2011

Coal-fired electricity generating units (EGUs) provide about 46 percent of the electricity generated in the U.S., yet most of the existing coal-fired electricity fleet is 25–45 years old. Can the industry maintain the capability to design, construct, and operate coal-fired EGUs within reasonable cost, schedule, performance, environmental, and quality expectations?

MULTIMEDIA

California's Water Challenges — Oct 25, 2011

David Groves discusses an innovative approach to dealing with the many challenges that may contribute to sustainable and affordable solutions of long term water supplies in California.

REPORT

The Challenge of Violent Drug-Trafficking Organizations — Oct 25, 2011

Violent drug-trafficking organizations in Mexico produce, transship, and deliver into the U.S. tens of billions of dollars worth of narcotics annually. A Delphi exercise offers an assessment of the security situation in Mexico through the lens of existing research on urban unrest, historical insurgencies, and defense-sector reform.

My RAND ?

Saved Items

Recommended