We inform transportation decision making through research, building the capacity of the transportation workforce, supporting the education of transportation professionals, and engaging students in research. 

The Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University (PSU) is an interdisciplinary center that elevates the voices and expertise of a wide range of backgrounds to provide transportation insight for vibrant communities. We support collaborative research and education programs for our faculty, partners, community members, and students. 

TREC is home to the U.S. DOT funded National Institute for Transportation and Communities (NITC), the Initiative for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovation (IBPI), PORTAL, BikePed Portal, and other transportation grants and programs. We produce impactful research for transportation decision makers, expand the diversity and capacity of the workforce, and engage students and professionals through education and participation in research. Learn more about our transportation research and education programs.

Annual Report

For more details about TREC's research and education programs, see the 2022 TREC Annual Report.

Our History at Portland State University

As Oregon's only urban public global research university, Portland State University offers tremendous opportunity to nearly 28,000 students from all backgrounds. Our mission to "Let Knowledge Serve the City" reflects our dedication to finding creative, sustainable solutions to local and global problems. In 1966, Dr. Walter H. Kramer founded the first transportation studies center in the Department of Marketing. After decades of investment in PSU's transportation studies, our faculty and staff expertise earned PSU a USDOT-funded a regional university transportation center (UTC) from 2006 - 2014. We have successfully competed for more federal grants and currently lead the National Institute for Transportation and Communities program– one of seven national university transportation centers. Our center and staff have grown far beyond the initial UTC grants, and now encompass a wide variety of programs.