Critical Issues in Transportation for 2024 and Beyond calls for reassessing the role of transportation in addressing major societal challenges and the research that informs the choices that society will need to make in 2024 and coming years.

Editions have been published on a 2- to 5-year cycle since 1976. This publication reflects the collective judgment of the members of the Executive Committee regarding issues of priority concern at the time of publication. Critical issues are defined as those that have a significant impact on achieving societal goals across all modes. These issues are unresolved matters of debate or concern or are important and difficult problems or questions that can be informed by research and addressed through innovation and public policy.

For this edition of Critical Issues in Transportation, the Transportation Research Board's Executive Committee chose to focus on five vitally important societal goals to meet these major challenges facing society：

1. Mitigating and responding to climate change

2. Promoting equity and inclusion

3. Increasing road safety

4. Advancing public health

5. Building and sustaining a strong, competitive economy 

All five goals contribute to the ultimate goal of a thriving society.