MISSION

WHY WE'RE UNIQUE

OUR TEAM

HISTORY AND
JOHN A. VOLPE

VISITING VOLPE

Why We're Unique

Innovative

For more than 30 years, the Volpe Center has served as a vital link between the transportation and technology communities. We assess the activities and needs of the transportation community, evaluate research and development activities in the technology community, and assist in the application and deployment of state-of-the-art transportation technologies and policies.

For example, the Spirit of Innovation in Transportation conference, which was held at the Volpe Center in June 1999, brought together nearly 400 leaders from the transportation and technology communities to consider integrated strategies for stimulating technological innovation in transportation. Conference attendees addressed issues critical to innovation, such as development of an educated and motivated workforce, a commitment to long-term research, and collaboration and partnership among government, industry, labor, education, and the research community. They also generated ideas for action to bring emerging technologies to bear on transportation problems.

Entrepreneurial

The Volpe Center's is fully client-funded. The U.S. Department of Transportation sponsors more than two-thirds of our work; other federal, state, and local governments, academia, industry, and foreign governments account for the remaining one-third of our annual $200 million budget. Our success depends on direct and productive relationships with our clients.

We are widely respected as an institution that satisfies our clients and gets the job done in an effective, efficient, and economical manner. We work closely with our clients to define objectives and the work necessary to accomplish those objectives, and then, as needed, we augment our federal staff with contractor support to put in place the exact expertise and knowledge required for the task.

Market-Driven

In addition to being a highly entrepreneurial organization, the Volpe Center is also market-driven, continually evolving to meet changing national priorities and client needs. Our value to our customers and to the nation arises from our ability to combine a broad understanding of the nature and working of transportation, extensive professional knowledge concerning the technologies and disciplines now used in transportation, and a full understanding of federal involvement, perspective, and objectives in transportation. Our reputation for quality work, objectivity, and customer responsiveness is absolutely central to our success and to the continued pride and enthusiasm of our staff.

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Research and Special Programs Administration