What Transportation Resource Associates does

Transportation Resource Associates (TRA, Inc.) is a private professional consulting firm headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, founded in 1990 by President and CEO Kenneth Korach. The firm provides safety, security, operations, maintenance, and regulatory compliance consulting to the public transportation industry. TRA's clients include state departments of transportation and State Safety Oversight Agencies, public transit operators (rail, light rail, bus, commuter rail, automated people movers), the Federal Transit Administration, airport and port authorities, and industry associations such as the American Public Transportation Association. The firm actively serves clients in 21 U.S. states and the District of Columbia and reports work with every major North American transit agency.

TRA's service portfolio is organized into six practice lines — Transportation Safety Services, Operations and Maintenance Consulting, Security and Emergency Preparedness, Regulatory Analyses, Transportation Management Consulting, and Mobile Network Strategy — supported by specialized offerings including State Safety Oversight consulting, Safety Management Systems (SMS) and Public Transportation Agency Safety Plans (PTASPs), the proprietary Threat, Risk, and Security Evaluation (TRASE) framework, cybersecurity evaluation and testing, training and exercise programs, resiliency planning, autonomous vehicle safety advisory, and a Data Practice Group focused on risk-based inspection analytics. The firm's core technical differentiation is codified regulatory expertise spanning FTA requirements, MAP-21 compliance, and 49 CFR Parts 659, 673, and 674, combined with deep operational consulting delivered by practitioners who typically hold 25-40 years of transit industry experience, including prior leadership roles at agencies such as SunRail, Greater Cleveland RTA, St. Louis Metro, Toronto Transit Commission, and the New Jersey State Police.

The business model is a project-based, professional services engagement model. Revenue is generated through consulting contracts secured primarily via direct relationships, RFP responses, and demonstrated track record with state DOTs and transit agencies. Pricing is quote-driven and tailored to engagement scope; TRA does not disclose public pricing. The firm operates without external institutional investment, is privately held by its principals, and is led by four Principals alongside a broader team of Senior Directors, project managers, and analysts. Notable long-tenured client relationships include a 20+ year engagement with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation on the Rail Transit Safety Review Program and contributions to 22 original APTA operating practices standards.

Name

Transportation Resource Associates

Legal name

TRA, Inc.

Website

https://traonline.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Transportation Resource Associates (TRA) is a Philadelphia-based consulting firm providing safety, security, operations, maintenance, and regulatory compliance services to public transit agencies, state DOTs, and the FTA across North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Transportation Safety and Security Consulting

NAICS

Other Support Activities for Transportation (48899), Regulation and Administration of Transportation Programs (92612), Support Activities for Rail Transportation (4882)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Transportation & Traffic Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Transit Agencies (Bus, Rail, Metro, Paratransit) (BPAIALAB), Enforcement & Back-Office Violations Processing (Citations, Adjudication, Collections) (TLAJAKAI)

Keywords

• Transit safety consulting
• Public transportation consulting
• State safety oversight
• Transportation security services
• Transit operations consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Consulting Services: Professional consulting services provided to transit and transportation agencies for safety, security, operations, maintenance, and regulatory compliance. Services are delivered through project-based engagements with government and private sector clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Transportation Resource Associates provides project-based consulting services to public transit agencies, state departments of transportation, and State Safety Oversight Agencies across North America, covering operations, maintenance, safety, and security. Core engagements include State Safety Oversight program management, Safety Management Systems and PTASP implementation, regulatory compliance audits, and risk-based inspection programs. The firm delivers these services directly to client organizations, with no third-party resellers or intermediary channels.

Product overview

Transportation Resource Associates (TRA) is a consulting firm offering a portfolio of interconnected professional services to the transit and transportation industries. The core offerings include six main service lines: Transportation Safety Services, Operations & Maintenance Consulting, Security & Emergency Preparedness, Regulatory Analyses, Transportation Management Consulting, and Mobile Network Strategy. These services are delivered through specialized sub-products and modules such as Rail State Safety Oversight, Safety Management Systems (SMS) and PTASPs, Threat/Risk/Security Evaluation (TRASE), Cybersecurity Evaluation and Testing, Training, Drills and Exercise Programs, Resiliency Planning, Risk and Threat Assessments, Transportation Safety Certification Consulting, Emergency Plan Development, Autonomous Vehicle Safety, and a Data Practice Group. The services are designed to work together, with foundational offerings like Safety Management Systems supporting regulatory compliance, and security assessments informing emergency preparedness planning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Transportation Safety Services
• Operations & Maintenance Consulting
• Security & Emergency Preparedness
• Regulatory Analyses
• Transportation Management Consulting
• Mobile Network Strategy

Quantifiable outcome

• Served clients in 21 states and the District of Columbia
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• HDR Inc. Engineering firm with a substantial transit and rail consulting group offering safety, security, and operations services comparable to TRA's core offerings.
• Parsons Corporation: Engineering and defense firm with a transit safety, security, and systems practice that pursues similar FTA, state DOT, and rail transit agency engagements as TRA.
• Jacobs Engineering: Global consulting and engineering firm with transit safety, rail operations, and cybersecurity practices that overlap with TRA's service portfolio.
• AECOM: Major global infrastructure firm with a transit safety and rail systems practice that competes with TRA on SSO, safety certification, and rail operations support for large transit authorities.
• Kimley-Horn: Engineering consultancy with a transit planning and operations practice that overlaps with TRA on safety assessments, planning, and operational consulting for transit agencies.
• Booz Allen Hamilton: Consulting firm with a transit and critical infrastructure safety/security practice that competes with TRA on cybersecurity, emergency preparedness, and federal transit engagements.
• Mott MacDonald: International engineering consultancy with a North American transit practice offering rail safety, operations, and security advisory services overlapping with TRA.
• ICF International: Consulting firm with a transportation practice covering safety, regulatory, and program management services for transit and DOT clients — overlapping with TRA's regulatory and SMS work.
• WSP USA: Global engineering consultancy with a large U.S. transit and rail practice that offers safety oversight, SMS, and operational consulting to transit agencies — directly competing for the same FTA-related SSO work TRA pursues.

Direct peers

• STV Inc. Transportation-focused engineering and architectural firm with a deep rail and transit safety/operations practice; competes directly with TRA for SSO and rail safety consulting work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tra_inc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCkGXtBNEYA4oU_aj83PNb4Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/TransportationResourceAssociates
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/transportation-resource-associates-inc-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Transportation Resource Associates