Overview
The Transportation Technology Tournament (TTT) is an annual event hosted jointly by the National Operations Center of Excellence (NOCoE) and the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) that connects student teams with public agencies to solve real-world transportation problems utilizing ITS and Transportation Systems & Operations (TSMO) solutions. Former projects feature exciting solutions that include video detection, machine vision, Artificial Intelligence (AI), machine learning, digital twins, and more. TTT Finalist teams are invited to the ITE Annual Meeting to present their submission to judges – all expenses paid!
How It Works
- Teams of 4-6 students register
- Teams receive a problem to solve from an agency
- Teams participate in virtual trainings on ITS, TSMO, and topic areas relating to the challenge problem
- Teams work with the agency and their academic mentor to develop and submit a Solution Document (a light ConOps)
- The review panel selects TTT finalists
- Finalists meet with industry mentors and present at the ITE Annual Meeting
- The Tournament winner is announced at the ITE Annual Meeting Event
Challenge Problems
Challenge problems are developed with a transportation agency who can provide a real-world problem for students to find a solution to. This problem statement template provides examples on how to get started. If you're looking to connect with an agency to work on a World Cup specific project, please email Sean Laffey.
Benefits of Participating
- Students– The Tournament provides students with opportunities to expand teamwork, problem solving, communications, and presentation skills; gain real-world experience working with ITS professionals; gain national recognition for work; network with ITS professionals; and attend the ITE Annual Meeting.
- Agencies– The Tournament provides agencies with the opportunity to get one of their transportation problems solved by a group of brilliant students. Additionally, the agencies act as mentors for the students, helping to develop the future transportation workforce.
- Mentors– Mentors will meet with the students virtually throughout the tournament and in-person at ITE. The mentors have an opportunity to help to develop the future transportation workforce.
In December 2024, NOCoE hosted a webinar providing a detailed overview of the 2025 Transportation Technology Tournament, including what student and industry participants can expect.
2025 TTT Winner
The winner of the 2025 Transportation Technology Tournament (TTT) is the team from University of Michigan. In their winning solution, Michigan addressed mobility and congestion challenges presented by the 2026 NFL Draft in downtown Pittsburgh, where existing multimodal assets are underutilized and information is fragmented for travelers.
The 2026 Transportation Technology Tournament Final will take place at the ITE Annual Meeting in Detriot. If you have any questions, please contact Adam Hopps with the National Operations Center of Excellence.