DOT Releases 1995 Transportation Statistics Annual Report

Contact DOT 213-95 Carolee Bush 202-366-6946

Tuesday, December 12, 1995 -- Secretary of Transportation Federico Pe¤a today announced the release of the 1995 Transportation Statistics Annual Report. The report is the second annual summary of the state of the transportation system and its consequences from the department's Bureau of Transportation Statistics, headed by Dr. T. R. Lakshmanan.

"Our transportation network is the backbone of our economy. Transportation demand accounted for $688 billion or 11 percent of America's gross domestic product in 1993," Secretary Pe¤a said."

The report, based on the latest data available, includes a thematic section on "The Economic Performance of Transportation," which discusses the trends in productivity of transportation services and the underlying factors, and the contribution that highway investments made to the overall performance of the American economy.
It shows:

• Households in 1993 on average spent $5,453 for transportation, representing nearly 18 percent of household expenditures.
• In 1992, all levels of government comprising the public sector expended $113 billion for transportation and 70 percent of those expenditures were covered by user charges.

Dr. Lakshmanan, the Bureau's first director, stated, "Transportation is a major factor in America's economic productivity and to our international competitiveness. In fact, a clear majority of studies both in the U.S. and elsewhere in Europe and Asia conclude that highway capital investment makes a positive contribution to total economic output."

Dr. Lakshmanan explained that the report provides information on some of the unintended consequences of transportation, noting the progress that has been made in mitigating some problems. "Most people do not know that if transportation fatality rates remained at 1972 levels, twice as many lives would have been lost in transportation accidents in 1992. Similarly, at 1972 rates, the transportation sector would have produced several times as much pollution and 15 percent more CO2 emissions in 1992."

The report, mandated by the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991, has been sent to the President and all members of Congress. The report is available in paper form, as well as electronically via the Bureau's Internet node at: http://www.bts.gov

Printed copies may be requested by calling (202) 366-DATA, by facsimile at (202) 366-3640, or by writing to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, U.S. Department of Transportation, Room 3430, 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20590.