Research and Innovative Technology Administration
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | February 22, 2005 |
| Dissolved | 2015 |
| Jurisdiction | United States Government |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. |
| Agency executive |
|
| Parent agency | U.S. Department of Transportation |
| Website | Research and Innovative Technology Administration Website |
The Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) was a unit of the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT). It was created in 2005 to advance transportation science, technology, and analysis, as well as improve the coordination of transportation research within the department and throughout the transportation community.
RITA performed four basic functions:
- Coordinated the USDOT's research and education programs
- Shared advanced technologies with the transportation system
- Offered transportation statistics and analysis for decision-making
- Supported national efforts to improve education and training in transportation-related fields
RITA had over 750 employees in Washington, DC, at the Volpe Center (Cambridge, Massachusetts), and at the Transportation Safety Institute (Oklahoma City, OK).
RITA was dissolved by section 6012 of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act of 2015 and its functions were transferred to the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology.