Chapter 5
Global Connectivity
Global Connectivity Strategic Goal
Facilitate an international transportation system that promotes economic growth and development.
Outcomes
- Reduced barriers to trade in transportation goods and services.
- Safer, more efficient, and cost-effective movement of passengers and cargo throughout international and domestic transportation systems, including U.S. ports of entry, modal, and intermodal supply chains.
- Sustained international leadership in promoting U.S. transportation policies.
- Enhanced competitiveness of U.S. transport providers and manufacturers in the global marketplace.
- Harmonized and standardized regulatory and facilitation requirements in the international arena.
- Expanded opportunities for all businesses in the transportation sector, especially small, women-owned,
and disadvantaged businesses.
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Our transportation system is our lifeline to economic growth, freer trade, and
greater cultural exchange. America’s continued economic prosperity depends on a
strong and interconnected global transportation system. Toward this end, the
Department will continue to liberalize aviation markets worldwide, expand the
capacity and efficiency of our freight transportation system, improve intermodal
linkages, and ensure efficient trade movements across borders. The following RD&T
strategy represents the primary research topic in support of Global Connectivity:
Conduct and support research leading to harmonized international
standards, improved cross-border collaboration, and global leadership for
U.S. transportation providers. Supports all outcomes.
The following sections summarize the research areas and primary RD&T activities
for advancing this strategy. Appendix C shows anticipated funding levels for FY
2006 through 2010.
Harmonize Transportation Standards And Support Leadership For U.S. Transportation Providers
Global
Connectivity
- Harmonize
Standards and
Support
Leadership for
U.S. Transportation
Providers
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Critical outcomes for the Department’s global connectivity goal are reduced barriers
to trade in transportation goods and services, enhanced competitiveness of U.S.
transportation providers and manufacturers, and harmonized and standardized
international regulatory and facilitation requirements. Research in two primary
areas will contribute to these outcomes and support the global connectivity RD&T
strategy: international standards and coordination, and transportation industry
development.
International Standards and Coordination
To achieve the global connectivity goal and outcomes, the Department incorporates
support for harmonized international standards and decisionmaking, particularly
with regard to transportation safety and environmental issues, within a number of
RD&T activities. The primary RD&T programs that will support this area are
described below. Program milestones are shown in Table 5-1.
FAA
Airport Technology Research. Supports the development of pavement design standards
that airports throughout the world need to accommodate new large aircraft. The
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) will use data from FAA’s National
Pavement Test Facility to develop pavement standards for aircraft weighing in
excess of a million pounds. This program will also support Safety RD&T Strategies
1 and 3 and Reduced Congestion RD&T Strategy 2.
Environment and Energy. Develops, applies, and disseminates knowledge and tools
in support of harmonized emissions- and noise-related certification standards,
operational procedures, and abatement technology. Through this program, FAA will
continue to represent the United States on the ICAO Committee on Aviation
Environmental Protection, which establishes and assesses the adequacy of international
standards for aircraft noise and engine exhaust emissions. This program will
also support Environmental RD&T Strategy 1.
Fire Research and Safety. Develops technologies, procedures, test methods, and criteria
to prevent accidents caused by hidden in-flight fires and fuel tank explosions.
The program will support international standards and cooperation in several areas,
including fuel tank protection, fire and smoke detectors, halon replacement, lithium
battery fire hazards, and improved material fire tests. This program will also support
Safety RD&T Strategies 1, 2, and 3.
FHWA
Surface Transportation Environment and Planning Cooperative Research Program
(Planning and Environment). Focuses on improving understanding of the complex
relationship between surface transportation and the environment. In this research
area, the program will focus on improving surface transportation decisionmaking
and coordination across borders. This program will also support Safety RD&T
Strategy 1; Reduced Congestion RD&T Strategies 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6; and
Environmental RD&T Strategies 1 and 2.
FTA
Identify Practices and Technologies to Control Capital and Operating Costs (Improve
Capital and Operating Efficiencies). Supports efforts to develop voluntary standards
for public transportation. This program will also support Reduced Congestion
RD&T Strategy 4.
NHTSA
International Coordination of Research. Supports agency efforts toward future
harmonized test devices and procedures development. (This activity will be funded
through other NHTSA RD&T programs.)
OST
Navigation and Spectrum Policy. Supports the formulation of positioning, navigation,
and spectrum policy and the civilian management and use of the Global
Positioning System. This effort will examine potential applications of international
space-based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) systems and augmentations.
This program will also support Safety RD&T Strategy 1 and Reduced Congestion
RD&T Strategies 3 and 4.
PHMSA
Hazardous Materials Safety R&D. Provides the foundation for PHMSA’s hazardous
material regulatory, enforcement, and emergency response actions. The program
will conduct studies to support regulatory changes and provide the basis for adaptation
of international standards. This program will also support Safety RD&T
Strategy 1, Environmental RD&T Strategy 1, and Security RD&T Strategy 2.
Transportation Industry Development
Programs in this research area promote the export of U.S. transportation goods and
services and international technology transfer. The following RD&T programs will
support this area. Program milestones are in Table 5-2.
FHWA
International Highway Transportation Outreach Program. Informs the U.S. highway
community of technological innovations in foreign countries and promotes U.S.
highway transportation expertise, goods, and services. This program, which supports
all DOT strategic goals, will undertake activities to leverage international
research and test global best practices and technological developments for adaptation
and use in the United States, and will also conduct technology transfer and
technical assistance activities to promote U.S. standards and industry, with special
focus on key emerging markets and other areas of priority for U.S. foreign policy.
FTA
Improve the Capacity of the Transit Industry and Workforce (Improve Capital and
Operating Efficiencies). Conducts research to advance the U.S. transit industry. The
program will conduct technology transfer activities with foreign countries; support
trade missions, market research, and other trade-related activities; and continue
training and information diffusion programs in Latin America and Africa to develop
U.S. transit exports. This program will also support Reduced Congestion RD&T
Strategy 6.
OST
Aviation and International Policy. Conducts policy research to support DOT’s role in
promoting the U.S. aviation industry. Among other efforts, the program will develop
a methodology for quantifying the economic impacts of air transportation;
examine the operating and competitive structures of the air cargo industry; analyze
changes in airline labor contracts and their impact on industry cost structures;
define the requirements for and develop the aviation data modernization system;
and continue the Office of the Secretary’s Project on the Future of the Airline
Industry. This program will also support Reduced Congestion RD&T Strategies
4 and 5.
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