About

The California Resilient and Innovative Mobility Initiative (RIMI) is a cooperative research and policy engagement initiative led by the UC ITS. in partnership with the State of California, regional and local governments, non-governmental organizations, community-based organizations, and industry.

The COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing climate change, and worsening natural disasters are transforming our state and cities. Transportation will continue to play a critical role in the pandemic’s response and recovery, while also requiring thoughtful, evidence-based mitigation and preparedness strategies for future crises. California is well positioned to guide transportation innovations toward a more equitable, resilient, and environmentally sustainable future. But state, regional, and local leaders need the knowledge and tools to develop, test, evaluate, and scale resilience strategies to address both fast-evolving transportation challenges related to COVID-19 and longer-term stresses related to climate change. Formed in 2019, RIMI aims to maximize opportunities and minimize the threats of rapidly evolving mobility developments to meet the state’s mobility needs, prepare the state for future crises, and keep California at the global forefront of transportation innovation.

Mission

The mission of RIMI is to direct transportation and mobility innovations toward the public interest through a holistic, integrated, and societal-building approach that addresses technological, environmental, resilient, and socio-economic impacts. RIMI develops informed, empowered, and proactive governments to anticipate future crises and innovative mobility disruptions. RIMI aims to enhance California’s economic and research competitiveness across the globe and train and educate the next generation of transportation leaders for California and the world.

Goals

  • Meet COVID-19 response and recovery needs of California related to transportation through an expanded research, engagement, and communication program.
  • Develop long-term strategic research roadmaps for: Carbon Neutral Transportation, Public Transit and Shared Mobility, and Emerging Transportation Technology that will inform policy and investment decisions.
  • Integrate Equity and High-Road Jobs as cross-cutting themes throughout the research roadmaps for each pillar to ensure research  considers the socio-economic impacts of California’s transportation system on underserved populations that have historically had limited access to transportation and economic development. 
  • Connect faculty, researchers, and students with government, non-profits, community groups, and the private sector to ensure research is focused on the most pressing policy questions.
  • Act as a neutral convener and facilitator for information sharing and debate among stakeholders on topics within the three research pillars.  
  • Develop a research portfolio that supports governments to test emerging technology and mobility, allowing for experimentation, policy development, and transferable best practices.