UTK leading Center for Freight Transportation for Efficient
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has been awarded a $2 million a year grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to lead a new and exciting venture: a multi-institutional University Transportation Center aimed at improving the mobility of people and goods across the country.
The Center for Freight Transportation for Efficient and Resilient Supply Chain will partner alongside these universities:
- Texas A&M University
- University of Illinois Chicago
- Oregon State University
- North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University
- California State University, Long Beach.
Supply Chain Innovations
The center will be led by Mingzhou Jin, John D. Tickle Professor in UT’s Tickle College of Engineering, who expressed excitement over the opportunity to work with other institutions to develop innovative technologies and solutions that maximize the capacity of existing roadway infrastructure and ensure the just-in-time delivery of goods that support America’s retail and manufacturing economy.
The goal is to enhance supply chain resiliency by addressing the challenges in freight transportation system design, planning, operations, and innovations in national and global supply chains through research, education, workforce development, and technology transfer activities.
UT’s Commitment to Future Mobility
The new center will be located in UT Knoxville’s Center for Transportation Research. The overarching goal of the facility will be to lead the way in new and transformational work paving the way for the future of the industry. Through support of both new technology advancements and the creation of a skilled workforce for Tennessee and the nation there is no doubt that this will have a monumental impact.
According to UT Vice Chancellor for Research Deb Crawford, the state of Tennessee already plays a critical role in the U.S. freight network, and UT is committed to amplifying the impact of its research outcomes by building research capacity.
Why Tennessee? Quick Facts!
- Tennessee is home to nearly 14K Distribution and Logistics establishments
- The second busiest cargo airport in the world is located in Memphis, TN
- 231K+ Tennesseans are employed in the Distribution and Logistics industry
- $4 Billion in capital investment from industry projects since 2017
Although the trucking and logistics industry has experienced its share of ups and downs in recent years, we’re seeing positive developments that largely suggest a much brighter future. Established universities, as well as institutions like Ivy Tech and New Castle Career Center, are making significant efforts to strengthen the industry’s foundation. For example, we recently featured the new CDL Scholarship program from Ivy Tech and New Castle Career Center. These efforts are likely to have a huge impact on the industry’s future.
If you made it to this part of the article, we’d just like to take a moment to thank you for taking the time to read it. Be safe out there and as always, If you’re in search of CDL A, B, or warehouse positions, check out our open positions. And if you need staffing solutions for commercial driving or industrial positions, be sure to explore our offerings.
