DOT Releases Transportation Statistics Annual Report 1997

Contact DOT 146-97 Carolee Bush Media 202-366-6946 Wendell Fletcher Technical 202-366-0818

Tuesday, September 23, 1997 -- U.S. Secretary of Transportation Rodney E. Slater today announced the release of Transportation Statistics Annual Report 1997, the fourth annual comprehensive assessment of the nation’s transportation system and the state of transportation statistics by the department’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS).

This year’s report also has a thematic section focusing on mobility and access issues.

"This report is an important information resource about the state of the U.S. transportation system," Slater said. "The in-depth discussion of mobility and access provides invaluable insights about the many ways transportation affects our lifestyles and economic well-being."

Part I of the report covers all aspects of the transportation system, including its physical characteristics and condition, economic measures of its importance, safety trends, energy use, and environmental impacts. The discussion of the state of transportation statistics identifies key information needs that could improve understanding of transportation system performance.

The theme section in Part II provides a framework for applying mobility and access concepts in transportation. It discusses trends in personal mobility and access over the past 25 years and the factors that influence these trends. From the business perspective, special attention is given to commodity movements for major industrial sectors. Part II also examines information technologies and their implications for access and mobility. In addition, the report examines global trends in passenger mobility and freight activity, where possible comparing trends in other countries with those in the United States.

Dr. T. R. Lakshmanan, BTS Director, said, "Mobility and access are at the heart of the transportation system’s performance from the standpoint of people and businesses. Mobility is measured by movement on the transportation system, while access reflects the ability of people to reach locations of opportunities quickly, safely, and reliably."

The report, mandated by the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991, has been sent to the President and all members of Congress. It is available in both printed and electronic forms. Printed copies may be requested by calling (202) 366-DATA; by faxing (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, DC 20590. The electronic version of the report is available on the Bureau’s Internet site at http://www.bts.gov.