At the beginning of 2026, Communications in Transportation Research (COMMTR)—a peer-reviewed English journal co-sponsored by Tsinghua University and the China Intelligent Transportation Systems Association—fully transitioned back to SciOpen, the international digital publishing platform developed independently by Tsinghua University Press. This move marks a new chapter of independent operation for the journal. Beyond a platform upgrade, this return signifies the journal's commitment to its mission: deepening services for the global transportation academic community.
Launched in 2021, COMMTR is led by its Editor-in-Chief, Professor QU Xiaobo, a member of the Academia Europaea and a professor at Tsinghua University. The journal focuses on emerging transportation systems, aiming to publish high-quality original research and reviews while building a bridge for exchange and cooperation within the global transportation sector.
In just a few years, COMMTR has achieved significant milestones:
Indexed in over ten major domestic and international databases, including SCIE, SSCI, Scopus, Ei Compendex, and CSCD.
Recorded an Impact Factor of 14.5 (released in June 2025), ranking 1st among 62 journals in the JCR "Transportation" category.
Recognized as one of the "Most Internationally Influential Academic Journals in China" for two consecutive years.
Selected for the "China Journal Excellence Action Plan (English Category)" and the "Beijing High-Level International Science and Technology Journal Construction Project".
In 2025, it was ranked in Tier 1 (Top Journals) of the Engineering & Technology category by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Journal Ranking, and rated T1 in the high-quality journal classification for Highway Transportation.
The SciOpen platform is a comprehensive digital publishing ecosystem integrating production, multimedia distribution, international distribution, and in-depth data analytics. Since its launch in June 2022, it has supported advanced publishing workflows, including preprinting (with articles published within 24 hours of acceptance), enhanced publishing, and data publishing. In 2024, SciOpen introduced AI-powered cross-language tool for instant translation and interactive Q&A to boost scientific communication. The platform now hosts over 200 journals and 70,000 articles across various disciplines, serving researchers in more than 200 countries/regions, with total views exceeding 100 million in 2025.
Returning to an independent platform is a strategic step for COMMTR to build a more open, efficient, and equitable international academic exchange system. By leveraging SciOpen's end-to-end digital infrastructure, the journal will further increase publishing efficiency and strengthen its global reach, truly embodying its vision of being "Rooted in China, Serving the World."
Visit the journal at:
https://www.sciopen.com/journal/2097-5023
Submission link:
https://mc03.manuscriptcentral.com/commtr
Contact the editorial team at:
Key Highlights of the Journal
Database Indexing
SSCI & SCIE
Scopus & Ei Compendex
DOAJ
TRID (The TRIS and ITRD Database)
CAS Journal Ranking (Chinese Academy of Sciences): Tier 1 (Top Journal) in Engineering & Technology; Tier 1 in Transportation and Transportation Science & Technology.
CSTPCD (China Science and Technology Paper and Citation Database)
CSCD (Chinese Science Citation Database)
OAJI (Open Access Journal Index)
T1 Grade in High-quality Scientific Journals for Highway Transportation.
Q1 Rank in the World Journal Clout Index (WJCI) Report.
Major Projects & Grants
Selected for the China Journal Excellence Action Plan (Phase II) – English Tier Journal Project.
Selected for the 2024 Beijing High-level International Science and Technology Journal Construction Support Project – Journal Enhancement Category.
Selected for the 2022 China Journal Excellence Action Plan – High Starting Point New Journal Project.
Academic Influence
Impact Factor (JCR 2024, released June 2025): 14.5, ranking 1st out of 62 journals globally in the TRANSPORTATION category.
2024 CiteScore: 19.9 (a 31% year-on-year increase), placing the journal in the Top 5% (Q1) across three fields: Control and Systems Engineering, Decision Sciences (miscellaneous), and Transportation.
Recognized as one of the "Most Internationally Influential Academic Journals in China" for two consecutive years (2024–2025).
Internationalization
Global Reach: International papers account for 70% of total publications, attracting submissions from nearly all top-tier transportation research teams worldwide.
High Impact & Low Self-citation: Cited by authors from 72 countries/regions, primarily in top-tier journals like Transportation Research Part E. The self-citation rate is exceptionally low at 3.6%.
Global Readership: International downloads account for 89%, with the largest user base in the United States.
Elite Editorial Board: Comprises 55 experts from 20 countries, with 69% overseas representation, including 13 members of various National Academies.
Prestigious Author Base: Authors hail from world-leading institutions across 21 countries/regions, including MIT, Stanford, UC Berkeley, Duke, Tsinghua University, Zhejiang University, Southeast University, Beihang University, Tokyo University, NUS, HKU, and HKUST.
