UGPTI

The Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute is a research, education, and outreach center at North Dakota State University.

[UGPTI @ugpti]

If you haven't had a chance to check them out, the presentations from the 2026 National Tribal Road Maintenance Symposium held May 5-7 in Rapid City, SD are online. More than 220 Tribal transportation directors, supervisors, planners, office staff, equipment operators, project managers and others from 21 states attended. The event provided support for Tribal staff to learn about the BIA Road Maintenance Program and related federal standards and requirements. Tribal programs also shared experiences on improving road maintenance practices and advancing tribal transportation infrastructure and safety.

https://t.co/lVzkz84Hft

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Monthly reports for the North Dakota Grain Industry Data (Grain Trax) page were updated on June 24, 2026.

U.S. durum production is around 37 million bushels annually. North Dakota is a leader in the U.S. wheat industry, ranking second among states in total wheat production and first in production of hard red spring wheat.

https://t.co/ZdCFeXZoV4

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Can artificial intelligence reveal hidden rail-crossing safety risks that traditional analyses miss?
https://t.co/FMhHaHtLak

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What does analyzing 51 years of U.S. railroad crossing incidents reveal about where safety resources should go next?

https://t.co/S5hYub73xZ

[UGPTI @ugpti]

State Judicial Outreach Liaison Newsletter: Toxicology is an important topic, not often covered in judicial education. It’s more like an elective, buried deep in the course catalog. An elective that we all should take but often miss because we are busy taking the required courses, like procedure, torts, contracts and evidence. But wait, toxicology is evidence! This quarterly issue narrows down the topic to what judges and court personnel should know about toxicology. Also, inside this issue of the newsletter are the most recent 2026 North Dakota crash statistics along with the usual case law and resource/training sections.

https://t.co/JI4OlftljJ

[UGPTI @ugpti]

Join Our Team!! The Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute is seeking an IT Project Manager/Intern Instructor in its Department of Transportation Support Center. The successful candidate will be involved in a wide range of IT related transportation issues and will work with a team of computer science students and engineers to develop and maintain web based applications, databases, and services for transportation agencies at the state and local level of government. Exceptional communication, organizational and technical skills are essential. This is a full-time benefited position. Specific responsibilities include: 1) Manage the DOT Support Center information technology function and teach/instruct student interns; 2) Provide mission critical network support and IT services for the DOT Support Center and Advanced Traffic Analysis Center; 3) Software development and support. A B.S. in computer science and 2 years of professional background in transportation or related application development, database administration, and server administration.
https://t.co/y3VWXGjF5o

[UGPTI @ugpti]

Farm and Road Safety Experts Urge Truck and Trailer Operators to Secure Their Load: Farm equipment roadway crashes most often occur with tractors, planters, combines and other large machinery. Farm trucks and trailers, given their size, weight and speed, are also at risk. Safety experts advise ensuring trucks and trailers are in good operating condition, clearly marked with required lighting and loaded securely.

https://t.co/nzGP7XteeS

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Gaining a More Complete Picture of North Dakota Freight Transportation: Freight transportation is a critical link in the ND economy, but data on freight transportation are scattered and incomplete. UGPTI researchers are working to remedy that.

https://t.co/Frwy7x8FX5

[UGPTI @ugpti]

NDLTAP Helps Agencies Maintain Gravel Roads to Improve Safety and Cut Costs: In the past two years, NDLTAP held 27 training events across the state, where 364 participants learned about gravel quality, motor grader operator training, pulling gravel shoulders, and dust control.

https://t.co/lvzoHGhYaY

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Data collection wraps up for local road and bridge needs study - Researchers are nearing the end of data collection and analysis for the latest version of a statewide local road and bridge investment needs study. A draft of the study final report will be issued this summer.

https://t.co/uih3RrnH2m

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During the week of June 1-7, 2025, trained observers visited 320 sites across 16 counties to collect seat belt use observations for drivers and right front-seat passengers in vehicles with gross vehicle weights up to 10,000 lbs. North Dakota’s seat belt use study provides statistically reliable data from a field survey of driver and right front-seat passenger seat belt use.

https://t.co/F9MjSUg45T

[UGPTI @ugpti]

Is the future of statewide delivery by drones already here?

https://t.co/a50br6fvES

[UGPTI @ugpti]

At the 2026 Eastern CMV Safety Summit, Brenda Lantz provided an overview of the NDSU-UGPTI Commercial Vehicle Safety Center’s core activities, current research initiatives, and strategic contributions to improving commercial motor vehicle (CMV) safety nationwide. She highlighted the series of FMCSA-supported Western CMV Safety Summits focused on emerging CMV safety priorities, as well as key research initiatives including exploring autonomous truck deployments in rural and northern regions, quantifying the benefits of creating new truck parking spaces, and the development of a confidential interview protocol for the FMCSA Crash Causal Factors Program.

https://t.co/zLZvAfOLyk

[UGPTI @ugpti]

The December 2025 North Dakota Dry Bean Stock Report is now online.

https://t.co/tSK3cRu8oL

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Annual Awards Nomination Form Available

Do you know someone who's contribution to the transportation industry has put North Dakota and the region on the fast track? Do you know someone who has been a leader, a builder, a facilitator, a planner, or a visionary working on behalf of transportation? Please introduce them to us. That individual may deserve one of the Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute's annual awards. Nominations are due by May 1, 2026.

https://t.co/LqjWj2GkMC

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Central Dakota 2025 Base Travel Demand Model Development and Calibration – The model, developed for the Central Dakota Metropolitan Planning Organization (Minot, Surrey and Burlington) incorporated new data, reflects current real-world travel patterns and integrates advancements in transportation modeling techniques to allow accurate forecasts of traffic demand.

https://t.co/u10ZuuYZta

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Innovative Use of Existing Infrastructure Expands Minot’s Traffic Data Network to 19 Intersections

This project, spanning the year 2025, added 17 City intersections, increasing the total number of data-reporting locations to 19. Similar to the North Dakota DOT-sponsored pilot project, this phase of traffic data collection and reporting leveraged existing infrastructure, eliminating the need to purchase or maintain additional traffic data collection devices. The previously underutilized capabilities of existing transportation infrastructure, combined with UGPTI’s cross-cutting expertise and innovative approach, have made it possible to collect traffic data 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, and 365 days per year.

https://t.co/zH27wLDMVC

[UGPTI @ugpti]

National Tribal Road Maintenance Symposium Set for May 5-7
The event will be held in Box Elder, SD, just outside of Rapid City, and will focus on advancing the skills of Tribal leaders, transportation administrators, managers, equipment operators, maintenance crews and others. Experts will share experience and knowledge on improving road maintenance practices and advancing Tribal transportation infrastructure and safety.

https://t.co/uDItq2y7V4

[UGPTI @ugpti]

The ND Local Technical Assistance Program (NDLTAP) recently launched a “Safety Warrior” art contest designed to teach fourth and fifth graders about roadway safety. The program is a joint effort of NDLTAP, the Western Dakota Energy Association, and North Dakota Vision Zero.

https://t.co/N8yDVDM6O7