The objective of this project is to explore to what extent transportation issues affect manufacturing in small urban, rural and tribal areas. These issues may be related to getting inputs (raw materials) into the manufacturing facilities, or transporting the finished goods (products) to their next step in the process.  This research will look at both business to business, and business to consumer manufacturing.

This research will primarily look at manufacturers in large, rural states in the western United States.  The Small Urban, Rural, and Tribal Center on Mobility (SURTCOM) will work with the Montana Manufacturing Extension Center (MMEC) at Montana State University and other manufacturing extension centers in peer states to help distribute surveys to manufacturers, and to help quantify to what extent transportation issues affect manufacturers.  It is anticipated that this exploratory research will lead to further research to focus on specific transportation -related manufacturing issues, and to identify potential solutions.