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IMMEDIATE Lynda South 804-786-2715

CO-005 Jan. 27, 2004

Transportation Commissioner Helps Lead Nation’s Premier Transportation Research Organization

WASHINGTON, DC - Virginia’s Transportation Commissioner Philip Shucet has been appointed to the Transportation Research Board’s (TRB) Executive Committee. TRB is an arm of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering. He is among 25 members including eight chief executive officers of state Departments of Transportation who will lead the nation’s premier transportation research organization.

“We’re very excited to have Philip Shucet on the TRB Executive Committee,” said TRB Executive Director Robert Skinner. “He brings a depth and breadth of transportation experience in the public and private sectors.”

TRB’s mission is to promote innovation and progress in transportation through research. In an objective and interdisciplinary setting, the TRB facilitates the sharing of information on transportation practice and policy, and provides expert advice on transportation worldwide.

A strong advocate of transportation research, Shucet said his role on the TRB Executive Committee also would benefit Virginia’s transportation research program by giving him an opportunity, first-hand, to engage other executives and national leaders on research matters. Researchers from Virginia have, for many years, worked very closely with TRB through its research institution, The Virginia Transportation Research Council by serving on TRB technical committees, publishing papers, and leading national research efforts.

Shucet said that he is also excited because of the stimulating environment that the Executive Committee provides and the free and open exchange of ideas it affords. He intends to use this experience to focus more on transportation research in Virginia and to take advantage of opportunities he sees to build a stronger research program through leveraging relationships that already exist with the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech. and George Mason University.