REMARKS FOR
THE HONORABLE
NORMAN Y. MINETA
SECRETARY OF
TRANSPORTATION
National
Garrett Morgan Sustainable Transportation VIDEO Symposium
WASHINGTON,
D.C.
MAY 2, 2003
1 PM
Thank you, Dan, for that nice introduction, and thank you for giving me this opportunity to say a few words to our students today about the importance of transportation in our daily lives.
And to you students, let me just say that it’s been a few years since I sat in a classroom, but I think we all have at least one thing in common…. I’ll bet all of us take for granted the ways in which we move around in this world.
For example, how many of you gave a second thought to how you got to school today?
Did you take the bus? Did you drive in a car? Did you ride your bike? Think about how difficult it would have been for you to get to school, or back home, or to your favorite shopping mall, if we didn’t have safe and reliable forms of transportation.
And that’s what this symposium is all about – creating and maintaining a sustainable, and environmentally-friendly transportation system that meets all of our needs.
But that goal is becoming more challenging every day. Here’s why.
Three years ago, commuters in many of the nation’s largest urban areas spent more time stuck in traffic congestion than they did in 1982, before you were born!
In
fact, many of those motorists spend about forty hours a year stuck in traffic
jams, which is the equivalent of one whole workweek for your parents.
Traffic congestion costs your parents and other commuters, as well as
our nation’s economy, a lot of money, and a lot of wasted time and resources.
In 2000, that amounted to 3.6 billion hours of delay and 5.7 billion
gallons of gasoline wasted while cars idled in traffic.
To put these numbers into perspective, that’s like asking every driver
in America to pay an average of over $1,000 – and not receive anything in
return!
And the gasoline wasted would fill over half a million tanker trucks,
which if placed end to end, would stretch from New York, almost to California,
and back again!
If you think this problem doesn’t affect you, think again. Many of you will be getting your learner’s permits within the next several years, and I’m sure the last thing you want is to be stuck in traffic on your way to the party or the ball game!
It’s clear that we need to work hard to protect our environment and to move people and goods safely, securely and efficiently.
And that’s where you come in!
It’s not too soon to begin thinking about “what you want to be when you grow up,” as I’m sure you’ve been asked, and I would like you to give a little thought to a career in the field of transportation.
Transportation is a fascinating industry.
You could end up designing airplanes, or building bridges, or driving a bus, or you can have my job, working for the President and leading the entire Department of Transportation!
And you might be interested to know that entry-level salaries for college graduates pursuing careers in some fields of transportation average over $40,000 a year, with some people earning six-figure paychecks!
To learn more about careers in transportation, check out the Department’s Garrett Morgan website at education.dot.gov for more information about how you can prepare yourself for a rewarding career.
And always remember one thing…. when you do finally get to drive, please be sure to always buckle up and drive safely. Your family and your friends love you too much to see anything happen to you.
Thank you for listening, and I hope you enjoy the rest of the symposium!
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