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The Mack‑Blackwell Transportation Center (MBTC), a nationally recognized leader in multimodal transportation since its establishment as a U.S. DOT University Transportation Center in 1992, advances integrated research, education, and workforce development to strengthen and innovate the nation’s transportation systems.

As home to the U.S. DOT Tier 1 Maritime Transportation Research and Education Center (MarTREC), MBTC enhances economic competitiveness through research on resilient maritime and multimodal infrastructure, supply chain reliability, and disaster‑response planning for coastal and river‑valley communities.

The newly established National Science Foundation EPSCoR-funded Arkansas Smart Transportation Research Incubator through Data Engineering and Science (AR‑STRIDES) further expands MBTC’s leadership in next‑generation, data‑driven transportation and logistics innovation.

MBTC also houses the Center for Training Transportation Professionals (CTTP), which delivers essential technician training and certification to support high‑quality highway construction, materials testing, and workforce development across the region.

Through strong partnerships with government, industry, and community stakeholders, MBTC leverages Arkansas’s strategic road, rail, and river corridors to deliver impactful, real‑world transportation solutions.