Description
Millions of Americans have few or no transportation choices. The design of our cities, towns, suburbs, and neighborhoods, and investments in transportation infrastructure heavily influence peoples’ access to mobility choices. Decisions that federal, regional, state, local, and Tribal governments have made— including ones made decades ago—have shaped our current transportation landscape and as a result, in many parts of the United States driving a personal vehicle is the only mobility option. These decisions have also often caused disproportionate environmental and health impacts on low-income, minority, and underserved communities and deprived them of investments in accessible, affordable, low-carbon transportation options. Research and technology advancements are needed to address these longstanding mobility inequities. Bringing together progress in enabling technologies like telecommunications, data analysis, and clean energy with innovations in connectivity, business models, and service design creates new opportunities for people to get where they need to go, when they want to get there, safely and at a price they can afford. Research and development of such technologies can expand access and improve mobility for all Americans. Through this NOFO, U.S. DOT seeks to advance research and technologies that support the Department’s goal of expanding accessibility and mobility to underserved communities, including people with disabilities, older Americans, and rural and disadvantaged communities. Further, U.S. DOT is seeking proposals that will produce research results and tools that build on or complement existing data and systems such as those found on https://equity- data.dot.gov/.