This longitudinal study examines the response to, preparation for and impacts of extreme weather on public transit agencies in the United States. Originally funded by a generous grant from the US Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration, the study is designed to facilitate understanding of the increasing effects of climate change on public infrastructure and the complex decision-making context within which transit agencies operate. 

Specific research questions addressed in the study include:  What effects do extreme weather events have on transit agency infrastructure? Have extreme weather impacts increased over time? Why are some agencies affected more than others? What are public managers doing to respond to and plan for extreme weather? How have public transit agencies adapted to rising impacts of extreme weather over time? 

The results of our first two surveys, conducted in 2016 and 2019 are available below.  We have also conducted a third survey in 2023. Several journal articles have also been published using the data collected throughout the life of the project. We hope to continue to provide this valuable information to public agencies and policy makers in the future, and we thank all of the public managers who have donated their time to provide information for this project over the past eight years of this study.

Project outputs:

• Caldarulo, M., Pezo, I., Corely, E., Islam, S., & Welch, E.W. (2026). Organizational Memories of Extreme Events: Evidence from U.S. Public Transit Agencies, American Review of Public Administration, 56(1), 71-85.
• Islam, S., & Welch, E. W. (2024). Information Technology Systems as Both Contributor to Risk Perception and Adaptive Behavior: Public Transit Agency's Response to Extreme Weather Events. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 115, 105007.
• Yu, S. & Welch, E. W. (2024). Responding Strategically to Natural Hazards: The Role of Hazard Experience, Infrastructure Vulnerability, and Public Managers' Risk Perception in Agency Coordination with Stakeholders. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 67(11), 108-130.
• Caldarulo, M., & Welch, E. W. (2024). Organizational Risk Perception in Public Agencies: The Role of Contracting and Scientific and Professional Information. Public Management Review, 26(8), 2280-2305. 

• Zhang, F., & Welch, E. W. (2021). More Than Just Managerial Self-Efficacy: Conceptualizing and Predicting Top Managers' Means Efficacy About the Organization Under Extreme Events. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 37(1), 29-46.

   

• Miao, Q., Welch, E. W., & Sriraj, P. S. (2019). Extreme Weather, Public Transport Ridership and Moderating Effect of Bus Stop Shelters. Journal of Transport Geography, 74, 125-133.
• Miao, Q., Welch, E. W., Zhang, F., & Sriraj, P. S. (2018). What Drives Public Transit Organizations in the United States to Adapt to Extreme Weather Events? Journal of Environmental Management, 225, 252-260.
• Miao, Q., Feeney, M. K., Zhang, F., Welch, E. W., & Sriraj, P. S. (2018). Through the Storm: Transit Agency Management in Response to Climate Change. Transportation Research PartD: Transport and Environment, 63, 421-432.

• Zhang, F., Welch, E. W., & Miao, Q. (2018). Public Organization Adaptation to Extreme Events: Mediating Role of Risk Perception. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 28(3), 371-387.