Overview
The SMARTRANS programme was established in response to the Ministry of Transport and Communications' strategy for telecommunications and transport research and in accordance with the objective set out in Norway's National Transport Plan to promote a safe, efficient and environmentally sustainable transport system.
The primary objective of this programme is to s upport the development of more efficient and sustainable transport solutions.
The programme's secondary objectives are to:
- reduce distance and time costs for trade and industry;
- increase the use of sea and rail transport and multimodal transport;
- encourage the use of smarter transport solutions that promote safe, environmentally-friendly and efficient transport.
Project activities under the programme should seek to:
- significantly expand the knowledge base on goods transportation;
- increase awareness of alternative transport modes;
- draw attention to environmental impacts and place priority on solutions that offer both improved efficiency and environmental gains.
SMARTRANS is one of several research and innovation programmes in the Innovation division of the Research Council of Norway. The programme is run by a Programme Manager and a small administrative staff taking care of operational aspects. The Programme Board (programme committee), consisting of 7 external members from the transport industry and academia, is responsible for the programme strategy and the allocation of funding to projects.
Funding
Research conducted under the programme should be relevant to the target groups (transport providers, transport users, authorities, research and educational institutions) and should generate verifiable results.
Public funding by the Research Council of Norway under the programme normally amounts to 35% of the total cost of a project for projects headed by an industrial partner (User-driven innovation projects) and up to 80% of a project's total cost for projects headed by an academic partner (Knowledge-building project with user involvement).
Programme budget: approximately € 3 million per year of public funding. One to two research calls per year.