PUBLIC LAW 105-178-^JUNE 9, 1998 112 STAT. 441 SEC. 5110. UNIVERSITY TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH. (a) IN GENERAL. — Subchapter I of chapter 55 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
- § 5505. University transportation research
"(a) REGIONAL CENTERS.— The Secretary of Transportation shall make grants to nonprofit institutions of higher learning to establish and operate 1 university transportation center in each of the 10 United States Government regions that comprise the Standard Federal Regional Boundary System. "(b) OTHER CENTERS. —The Secretary shall make grants to nonprofit institutions of higher learning to establish and operate university transportation centers, in addition to the centers receiving grants under subsection (a), to address transportation management and research and development matters, with special attention to increasing the number of highly skilled individuals entering the field of transportation. "(c) SELECTION OF GRANT RECIPIENTS. — "(1) APPLICATIONS.—In order to be eligible to receive a grant under this section, a nonprofit institution of higher learning shall submit to the Secretary an application that is in such form and contains such information as the Secretary may require. "(2) SELECTION CRITERIA. —Except as otherwise provided by this section, the Secretary shall select each recipient of a grant under this section through a competitive process on the basis of the following: "(A) For regional centers, the location of the center within the Federal region to be served. "(B) The demonstrated research and extension resources available to the recipient to carry out this section. "(C) The capability of the recipient to provide leadership in making national and regional contributions to the solution of immediate and long-range transportation problems. "(D) The recipient's establishment of a surface transportation program encompassing several modes of transportation. "(E) The recipient's demonstrated commitment of at least $200,000 in regularly budgeted institutional amounts each year to support ongoing transportation research and education programs. "(F) The recipient's demonstrated ability to disseminate results of transportation research and education programs through a statewide or regionwide continuing education program. "(G) The strategic plan the recipient proposes to carry out under the grant. "(d) OBJECTIVES.—Each university transportation center receiving a grant under this section shall conduct the following programs and activities: "(1) Basic and applied research, the products of which are judged by peers or other experts in the field to advance the body of knowledge in transportation. "(2) An education program that includes multidisciplinary course work and participation in research.
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