SPTC is the USDOT 2023 Region 6 University Transportation Center, and The University of Oklahoma is a partner of IBT/ABC-UTC at FIU.
Who We Are
The Southern Plains Transportation Center (SPTC) is a consortium of 11 academic institutions dedicated to providing solutions for extreme weather-related transportation challenges across the region. Representing every state in the region, each member institution has demonstrated expertise in addressing weather-related infrastructure issues, leveraging their connections with state departments of transportation, private stakeholders, and other partners.
SPTC also has access to key facilities such as the National Weather Center, NOAA's National Severe Storms Laboratory, Radar Innovations Laboratory, and the Oklahoma Mesonet. With these resources, partnerships, and talent, the Center is uniquely qualified to respond to weather extremes and will support transportation research that will help increase the longevity and resilience of transportation infrastructure.
About the Consortium
The SPTC is a U.S. Department of Transportation Region 6 Regional University Transportation Center. The Center was established in 2013 based on an award from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology (OST-R) to conduct a multidisciplinary program of transportation research, education, and technology transfer.
The eleven consortium members consist of:
The University of Oklahoma, Norman | Consortium Lead
University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso
University of New Mexico, Albuquerque
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Texas Southern University, Houston
Texas A&M University Transportation Institute, College Station
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater
Navajo Technical University, Crownpoint
Louisiana Tech University, Ruston
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge
El Paso Community College, El Paso
Upcoming Events
TRB Webinar: Data Governance in State DOTs—Insights and Practitioner Perspectives
May 8, 2026EU Transportation Research Arena
May 18-21, 2026ACRP Insight Event: Exploring the Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Airport Industry
May 19-20, 2026TRB Symposium on Aviation Innovation and Research
June 8-11, 202665th Annual Workshop on Transportation Law
July 12, 2026🔥FIU 2026 World Bridge Engineering Conference
December 1-2, 2026🔥1st Annual Symposium on Next-Gen Transportation Infrastructure Solutions
December 1-2, 2026*
*This event will be held at the FIU 2026 World Bridge Engineering ConferenceTRB Annual Meeting
January 10-14, 2027
Announcements
SPTC, along with the FIU ABC-IBT UTC, the USDOT, and other UTC partners will be holding the UTC Infrastructure Consortium First Annual Symposium on Next-Generation Transportation Infrastructure Solutions in conjunction with the 2026 World Bridge Engineering Conference. The events will be held simultaneously in Miami, Florida December 1-2, 2026. More information is coming!
SPTC is excited to partner with Dr. Dong Zhang on the Autonomous Cargo Carriers for Enhanced Logistics in Rural and Tribal Areas (ACCEL-RT) project, with SPTC Director Musharraf Zaman serving as co-principal investigator. You can read more about this project here.
SPTC’s video about their partnership with ODOT. Featured image is their sign against a pebbled wall. Since filming, Tara Cullum has received a promotion to Director of Administration at the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.