An in-depth thesis is a key component of this degree. The doctoral program in transportation, firmly grounded in MIT's research program, has educated many distinguished faculty members at first-rate programs around the world, as well as researchers and consultants. Research involves all modes of transportation, including passenger and freight, and both the private and public sectors. Projects range from broad conceptual planning to focused operational analysis of specific systems and include both modest and large scale projects. These projects provide a wide range of research experiences for graduate students in the program and enable financial support to be provided to most students.
Current research involves one of the largest highway projects in the country.
The Big Dig, as it is called, is a 10-year construction project to depress Boston's central artery, build a third harbor tunnel, and upgrade connections to the Massachusetts Turnpike. MIT's Tren Urbano project conducts research, in collaboration with the University of Puerto Rico, to support the planning, design, construction, and management of a new rail transit system now underway in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The many other projects include risk assessment for rail systems in Japan, aircraft and crew routing and scheduling worldwide, dynamic traffic assignment methods, and regional strategic transportation planning. The transportation graduate program is supported through research by a number of organizations, including the Volpe National Transportation System Center, the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Transit Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Association of American Railroads Affiliated Laboratory, the Puerto Rico Highway and Transportation Authority, the East Japan Railway Company, United Airlines, and United Parcel Service.