In 1909, Beijing Railway Management School, the predecessor of Beijing Jiaotong University, started a Railway Management Class which can be considered as the establishment of Traffic and Transportation School. In the purpose of “training talents in railway management”, the Class delivered first batch of talents for the initial period of Chinese railway transportation, and was the cradle of the country’s modern traffic and transportation education.
In 1921, three branches in Beijing, Shanghai, and Tangshan were combined and named National Transportation University. Then Beijing branch was named National Transportation University Beijing School, with Railway Transportation Management Department.
In 1928, Students’ internship at railway stations was established. The concept of “Learn and Practice” was clear.
In 1934, Transportation Museum was expanded, taking the lead in traffic and transportation professional lab teaching.
From 1938 to 1946, the university ran classes successively in Xiangtan and Xiang’Xiang of Hunan province, Pingyue of Guizhou, and Chongqing during War of Resistance against Japan.
In 1950, with reference to the teaching plan of Soviet Union and their way of cultivating professional talents in railway transportation, the school increased engineer training courses. The name of the department was changed from Railway Transportation Management Department to Railway Transportation Engineering Department.
In 1951, Rail Exhibition Museum, the first traffic and transportation lab majored in teaching since the founding of new China was established, with present name “Transportation Equipment Teaching Lab”. Railway Transportation Engineering Department was divided into Railway Operation Department and Railway Business Department.
In 1954, the school started cultivating first batch of post-graduates according to the teaching plan of Soviet Union railway operation.
In 1956, the name of Railway Operation Department was changed to Railway Transportation Department. According to the requirements of the Ministry of Railway college development, Railway Transportation Department supported Tangshan Railway School (now Southwest Jiaotong University), Changsha Railway School (now Central South University Railway Campus), Lanzhou Railway School (now Lanzhou Jiaotong University) re-structuring or establishing their own railway transportation departments, with some teachers sent to above mentioned schools.
In 1956, established Freight Transport Conditions Lab, and started research and teaching in refrigerated transport, large freight transport and dangerous goods transportation etc.
In 1972, according to the agreement of State Aid Plan for Tazara railway, agreed to accept foreign students from Tazara to help them cultivate talents in railway transportation management.
In 1977, after the resumption of university entrance examination, the school thoroughly modified professional teaching plan, newly increased engineering mathematics and computer science into syllabus.
In 1981, State Council Academic Degrees Committee approved the master’s degree conferral right to Transportation Management Engineering Major, making it one of the first batch of master’s degree awarding spots in China.
In 1985, the name of the Railway Transportation Department was changed to Transportation Management Engineering Department. Besides, Comprehensive transportation major for undergraduates was established. System Analysis Major was approved master degree conferral right.
In 1986, State Council Academic Degree Committee approved doctor degree conferral right to Transportation Management Engineering Major, making it one of the first batch of doctor degree awarding spots in China.
In 1987, Transportation Management Engineering Discipline was evaluated as one of National Key Disciplines through the evaluation of State Council Academic Degree Committee and National Education Committee.
In 1993, Transportation Management Engineering Major was approved to have postdoctoral research station.
In 1996, Transportation Management Engineering Department, Management Science Research Institution (established 1982), Pragmatic System analysis Research Institution (established 1985), Transportation System Simulation Center (established 1987), and Automatic System Research Institution (established 1992) etc. constituted Traffic and Transportation School.
In 1997, System Engineering Major was approved for doctoral degree conferral right.
In 1998, according to the new undergraduate major catalogue of Education Ministry, 2 undergraduate majors were adjusted: Traffic Transportation and Traffic Engineering.
In 1999, “Traffic Transportation System Simulation” Ministry of Railway Open Lab was established. System Analysis and Integration Major was approved for master degree conferral right.
In 2001, Traffic and Transportation Planning and Management Discipline (original Transportation Management Engineering Discipline) again was evaluated as one of the 3 National Key Disciplines in this field. In the same year, E-commerce undergraduate major was established.
In 2002, Traffic and Transportation School was restructured, including Transportation Management Engineering Department, Traffic Engineering Department, Traffic Information Management Engineering Department, System Engineering and Control Research Institution, System Science Research Institution and “Traffic Transportation System Simulation” Ministry of Railway Open Lab.
In 2003, Traffic and Transportation talents cultivation mode was applied to both Traffic and Transportation major and Transportation Engineering major for undergraduates. There would be professional platform courses. Four directions were set up: Railway Transportation, Urban Rail Traffic, Transportation Logistics, and Road Traffic. This new mode of talents cultivation led the revolution of Traffic Transportation undergraduate majors in the new century. System Analysis and Integration was approved of doctor degree conferral right.
In 2004, in National Discipline Evaluation, Traffic Transportation Planning and Management ranked the first place, as well as the System Science.
In 2005, System Science, which was the first class discipline, was approved of doctoral degree conferral right.
In 2006, “Rail Traffic Control and Security National Key Lab” taking “Traffic Transportation Smart Technology and System Lab” as one of foundations, was approved by Ministry of Science and Technology, and our School was one of two construction institutions. “Train Scheduling and Control Theory and Method” research team led by Professor Gao Ziyou was chosen into the innovative team of Ministry of Education. Our School initiated first “973”Project in the field of Traffic as the chief unit. Academic dissertation of Doctor Sun Huijun who was under the instruction of Professor Gao Ziyou was chosen into “National Excellent Doctorate Thesis” (first one from Traffic Transportation Planning and Management Major).
In 2007, Traffic Transportation Planning and Management was evaluated as National Key Discipline for the third time. Traffic and Transportation Major passed the Engineering Education Professional Certification and was approved as National Special Major.
In 2008, Traffic Transportation Engineering ranked No.3, and System Science ranked No.1 in National Discipline Evaluation. “Urban Traffic Complex System Theory and Technology Key Lab of Ministry of Education” was approved. “System Analysis and Integration” was classified as Second-class Key Discipline of Beijing. In the same year, Urban Rail Traffic Department was founded.
In 2009, Traffic Engineering Major was approved as National Special Major. Traffic and Transportation Lab was approved as National Teaching Demonstration Center.
In 2010, Traffic Transportation Major was listed into “Outstanding Engineer Training Program” of Education Ministry. “Intellectual Transportation Engineering” was added to one of the Traffic and Transportation Major.
In 2011, “Urban Traffic Flow Temporal and Spatial Distribution Rule and Numerical Calculation Based on Behavior” was awarded National Nature Science Second Prize with Professor Gao Ziyou as first accomplisher. Based on the need of Traffic Transportation (Transportation Logistics), Logistics Engineering major for undergraduates was established.
In 2012, in National Discipline Evaluation, Traffic and Transportation Engineering ranked No.3, System Science ranked No.1 and Security Science and Engineering ranked No.8. Traffic Transportation, Traffic Engineering passed Engineering Education Professional Certification. Our School participated in the construction of “Rail Traffic Security Collaborative Innovation Center” (2011 plan) which was jointly initiated by our University and South West Jiaotong University. System Science was awarded as First-class Key Discipline of Beijing. Traffic Engineering Major was listed into “Outstanding Engineer Training Program” of Education Ministry. Logistics Engineering Department was established.
In 2014, Traffic Transportation National Virtual Simulation Experiment Center was approved.
In 2015, “High-speed Railway Transport of Passengers Scheduling and Service” was added to Traffic and Transportation Major.