Scholarships / Bourses d'études

Scholarships

In 1988, CTRF established a Scholarship Fund to encourage university students to pursue graduate studies leading to careers in transportation. The program supports students across Canada who are contributing to research and advancing knowledge in the transportation sector.

Program Overview

  • CTRF typically awards 4 to 6 scholarships each year
  • Individual awards range from $4,000 to $6,000
  • The program is supported by contributions from external organizations and individuals

Impact

Since its inception, CTRF has supported a broad network of students and institutions:

  • More than 215 students supported
  • Representation from over 25 Canadian universities
  • More than $500,000 awarded since inception

Why Apply

The program provides:

  • Financial support for graduate studies
  • Recognition within the transportation research community
  • Connection to a national network of professionals and researchers

How to Apply

Information on eligibility, deadlines, and application requirements is available below. CTRF encourages students to apply and submit work in either English or French.

Details on how to apply for the 2027 - 2028 Scholarship Program will be available here in fall 2026. 

Bourses d’études

En 1988, le CTRF a créé un fonds de bourses pour encourager les étudiants universitaires à poursuivre des études supérieures menant à des carrières dans le domaine du transport. Le programme soutient les étudiants à travers le Canada qui contribuent à la recherche et font progresser les connaissances dans le secteur des transports.

Aperçu du programme

  • Le CTRF attribue généralement 4 à 6 bourses chaque année
  • Les montants individuels varient de 4 000 à 6 000 $
  • Le programme est soutenu par des contributions d’organisations et de particuliers externes

Impact

Depuis sa création, le CTRF a soutenu un large réseau d’étudiants et d’institutions :

  • Plus de 215 étudiants soutenus
  • Représentation de plus de 25 universités canadiennes
  • Plus de 500 000 $ attribués depuis sa création

Pourquoi postuler
Le programme offre:

  • Un soutien financier pour les études supérieures
  • Une reconnaissance au sein de la communauté de la recherche en transport
  • Une connexion à un réseau national de professionnels et de chercheurs

Comment postuler

Les détails pour postuler au programme de bourses 2027-2028 seront disponibles ici à l’automne 2026.

Scholarship Recipients

2026-2027 Scholarship Recipients

Thank you to Transport Canada for their generous sponsorship of four scholarships for the 2026-2027 academic year.

 

Frédéric Cournoyer, University of Toronto  

Assessment of opportunities and barriers to accessibility-based urban planning. Accessibility, the ease of reaching destinations, has become an increasingly important concept in transportation research, since it represents what people seek when using transportation systems.  Unlike mobility, which focuses strictly on the ability to travel, accessibility-based planning integrates the planning of transport networks with land use systems. Despite growing academic interest, accessibility integration into the planning practice remains scarce. Barriers include limited technical expertise, financial constraints, and institutional silos.  

This research project aims to bridge the gap between research and practice by supporting the implementation of accessibility-based planning in Montreal. It has two research objectives: (1) examine how accessibility is currently integrated into land-use and transportation plans across different planning levels, and (2) develop a methodology for integrating accessibility into project planning. The first phase involves the analysis of 40 strategic planning documents from 10 of Canada’s most populous cities. 

This study assesses how accessibility is reflected in planning objectives, indicators, and projects, while comparing results between types of organizations (e.g., transit agencies, municipalities) and governance levels (e.g., metropolitan, municipal). The second phase focuses on developing and testing an action research methodology in collaboration with three Montreal boroughs. The research team completes three participatory workshops with planners to identify local transport goals, select relevant accessibility indicators, and evaluate scenarios (e.g., cycling infrastructure improvements, new public transit infrastructure). Accessibility indicators are then used to compare the impacts of these scenarios across different populations and neighborhoods. The project provides planners with tools to support more sustainable, equitable, and evidence-based transportation decisions.

 

Don Pubudu Kapurubandarage, University of Calgary

Probabilistic Nature of Drivers' Behaviour in Pedestrian Interactions with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).  Pedestrian fatalities remain a critical road safety concern in the world, yet driver behaviour in pedestrian interactions, particularly when assisted by Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), remains understudied. This doctoral research tries to address this gap by examining how drivers respond to pedestrian alert systems features during pedestrian interactions and how awareness and acceptance of these technologies influence their safe use.

Despite the growing availability of ADAS features such as automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance, and pedestrian alert systems, many Canadian drivers remain unaware of these capabilities. Conventional technology acceptance models also fall short in capturing the behavioural and cognitive dimensions of ADAS adoption. To address this, the study proposes a novel ADAS-specific technology acceptance model integrating behavioural theories, human factors, and established technology acceptance frameworks.

The research is structured across three phases. The first assesses driver awareness of ten ADAS features through an Alberta-wide survey, with findings presented at international conferences. The second phase examines driver acceptance through large-scale survey data, informing the proposed acceptance model. The third phase conducts driving simulator experiments at the University of Calgary, validated through on-road tests, capturing real-time driver behaviour with and without ADAS. Advanced analytical methods, including Hidden Markov Models, Structural Equation Modelling, and logistic regression, reveal probabilistic behavioural patterns. The outcomes provide practical value for policymakers, vehicle manufacturers, and public educators, ultimately contributing to a safer, more inclusive transportation system.

 

Seyed Mostafa Saneii, University of Toronto

Development of an integrated framework to accelerate electrification of Canada’s freight corridors.  Road freight is essential to Canada’s economy but is also a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for nearly one-third of transportation-related emissions. Electrifying long-haul trucking offers significant environmental benefits, yet widespread adoption remains constrained by the lack of reliable charging infrastructure and uncertainty surrounding future demand and technology development. Existing planning approaches often adapt passenger vehicle models to freight applications, overlooking the unique operational requirements of commercial trucking and creating barriers for both infrastructure investors and fleet operators.

This research develops an integrated framework to accelerate the electrification of Canada’s freight corridors by addressing both infrastructure planning and operational coordination. The first objective focuses on resilient corridor planning under uncertainty. Using adaptive optimization, the project identifies the minimum-cost combination of stationary charging stations and catenary electrification needed to ensure reliable freight movement. The framework accounts for uncertainty in demand, technology evolution, and spatial travel patterns, while incorporating contingency measures to maintain service even when individual facilities fail. The result is a phased investment roadmap that guides infrastructure deployment over time.

The second objective develops a reservation-based charging mechanism for network operators. The proposed system allocates charging access based on carriers’ routes, departure times, and mandatory rest requirements, minimizing delays while respecting grid capacity constraints. Fairness measures prevent large fleets from monopolizing charging resources and ensure equitable access across operators.

Demonstrated on the Québec–Windsor freight corridor, Canada’s busiest trade route, the research will provide decision-support tools that improve infrastructure investment, operational efficiency, and equity. The outcomes will support Canada’s transition toward a resilient, competitive, and sustainable zero-emission freight transportation system.

 

Yi Xiong, McMaster University

Low-Carbon Regional Logistics Planning and Optimization for Sustainable Transportation Systems in Canada.  Canada wants to establish low-carbon transportation regions to cut emissions, but in much of the country charging and refueling infrastructure remains sparse. Many suburban and rural areas cannot yet support sustainable freight, creating a difficult tension: how can governments designate low-carbon regions without cutting off the delivery services these communities depend on? Conventional truck-based last-mile delivery is often financially unsustainable in these constrained regions, and operators have few viable ways to reach dispersed customers.

This research centers on WePick, an innovative service model that integrates parcel lockers directly onto city buses to assist last-mile delivery. Rather than expanding truck fleets or building new depots, WePick repurposes existing transit assets such as buses, routes, and mobility hubs, so that parcels ride alongside passengers and are collected at locker-equipped stops. The central challenge is doing this without compromising passenger service, since lockers occupy limited onboard space, pickups arrive at uncertain times, and parcel flows must fit fixed schedules and stops.

The research analyzes how such a freight-on-transit system can deliver efficiently under these constraints, enabling emissions reduction, improved accessibility, and lower delivery costs without major capital investment. It directly advances Transport Canada's sustainability priorities.