Welcome to the Fast Lane: The Official Blog of the U.S. Secretary of Transportation

National Maritime Day celebrated as Smithsonian opens new exhibit

Congratulations to the Smithsonian Institution's Museum of American History for their newest exhibit, "On the Water; Stories from Maritime America." And a big thank you to them for showcasing the essential role our waterways have played in helping to shape the United States over the last three centuries.

Click on the photo to view the exhibit's opening ceremony on You Tube.

What a great day they chose to open the exhibit, the 76th annual National Maritime Day. As museum director Brad Glass said at the opening ceremonies this morning, "The maritime influence on American history is one of the most compelling chapters in the national story."

And he's right. Our coastal and intra-coastal waterways are an abundant natural resource that has served us well. But nature only takes us so far.

The enterprising people who tamed those waters, built the ships to navigate them, and developed our ports into commercial centers all deserve credit. And, from the early sailing vessels to the advanced merchant carriers of today, the captains, pilots, engineers, and seamen who controlled these vessels have also contributed meaningfully to that national story.

As we approach Memorial Day weekend, we should also recall that, time and again, civilian merchant mariners and their Navy and Coast Guard counterparts have bravely defended our nation and put themselves in danger on the water to help others in need.

Thanks to all the merchant seamen who serve this nation so admirably, in peace time and war.

Willie Fort is working; the Recovery Act is working

At a National Press Club luncheon today, I described the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act as a program focused on results; it puts wages in people’s pockets; and it gives hope to struggling families and communities.  It is a lifeline for construction workers who have been especially hard hit by the downturn. 

 

You can view the speech courtesy of C-SPAN or read the text on our website.

I also spoke about Willie Fort.

Mr. Fort is a 32-year-old family man, with a wife and four young children. He's been doing construction work for about 12 years. Recently, he was about to get laid off from his current job near his home in central Mississippi. A layoff was not something he was used to dealing with. Then he learned about the $31 million highway project being built by Austin Bridge & Road just north of Shreveport, Louisiana. Mr. Fort put in for that job and was hired to oversee the concrete work. That is stimulus.

Now, this particular job is about four hours from home. But, Mr. Fort says it’s worth relocating temporarily, because this could mean two years of steady work. He'll return home every two weeks or so to visit his family.  It will be difficult, he knows, but it eases his concern about supporting his young family. Moreover, Mr. Fort says that, thanks to this job, he and his wife can move ahead with plans to buy a house back in Mississippi. That is stimulus.

This is what it’s all about. The thousands of men and women like Mr. Fort. The hundreds of companies like Austin Bridge & Road.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is working for Willie Fort; it's working for America.

Bicycling is only healthy when you ride safely

It's clear that bicycling is good for the environment...when it takes vehicles off the road. It's also clear that bicycling is good for your health...when you practice safety.

May is National Bike Safety Month. As this Administration works to develop environmentally-sound transportation options, making our streets more bike-friendly is high on the list. Our roads and communities must be built to allow people to get around safely outside of their cars, on bike or on foot.

But, as more people take to bicycling, that idea can only be sound when drivers and cyclists help each other share the roads safely.

 

Motorists should:

• Recognize that bicyclists have a right to ride on the roadway;
• Stay alert and keep distractions to a minimum;
• Make a complete visual check for bicyclists before entering or leaving a lane of traffic.

But, bicyclists have an obligation as well. They should:

• Ride on the roadway, rather than on sidewalks;
• Follow the same rules of the road as other vehicles;
• Wear a bicycle helmet every time you ride;
• Make yourself visible, day and night.

Please take the time to visit the content-rich Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center and the National Center for Safe Routes to School. Best practices for bicycle safety can also be found on the League of American Bicyclists and Bicycle Safe sites. The International Bicycle Fund has a great list of bike safety resources.

We all know about "defensive driving." But, bicyclists are vulnerable and exposed in a way that motorists simply are not. While we are working to improve conditions for bicyclists on the roadways, let's, please, remember the culture we've created over the last 100 years will not welcome bikes overnight. In the meantime, during National Bike Safety Month and throughout the year, I urge you to "bike defensively."

Concerted US policy to improve fuel economy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions

Today, President Obama is uniting federal and state governments, the auto industry, labor unions and the environmental community behind a program that will provide for the biggest leap in history to make automobiles more fuel efficient.

In announcing a new, more stringent approach to improve fuel economy and reduce greenhouse gas, the President remarked:

"Ending this dependence [on fossil fuels] will take time. It will take an incredible effort. It will take a historic investment in innovation. But, more than anything, it will take the willingness to look past our differences, to act in good faith, to refuse to continue the failures of the past, and to take on this challenge together for the benefit, not just of this generation, but of generations to come."

If you consider the coalition the President gathered to witness today's announcement, it seems clear he has secured the "willingness" he spoke of from disparate stakeholders.

The new regulations consolidate the varying policies of several different states as well as three different federal agencies--Dept. of Energy, Dept. of Transportation, and Environmental Protection Agency. This results in a clear and uniform national policy, ending the uncertainty and inconsistency automakers have previously faced.

The bottom line is clear: this program lessens our dependence on oil and is good for America and the planet. It will strengthen the country as a whole and serve as a meaningful down payment on our commitment to combat global warming.

Congratulations, Class of 2009!

You are ready to strike out on your own.

I want to talk about the values that will carry you–-and the nation--to an even brighter future. Old-fashioned, I know, but values that will help us all navigate this recession, strengthen our institutions, and find new ways to move America forward.

Honesty, integrity, humility, and above all, respect.

These are not empty words, but a way of life. Just how do we live this humility and respect?

• An ability to listen, to consider points of view that differ from your own. 
• A willingness to serve, whether a single community or an entire nation.
• A commitment to try to make progress on issues where both sides disagree, even if it doesn’t get you all the way to your goal.

These are values we have come dangerously close to abandoning when our society has deeply and angrily divided over issues. Yet I’m standing here in front of you today because these values work. If they didn't, I would not have been appointed as a Cabinet Secretary by a man who happens to be a Democrat while I am a lifelong Republican.

The President and I do not see eye-to-eye on every issue. So what? Good people disagree with each other. Have enough humility about your own position and enough respect for other people to consider their points-of-view. Engage. Be part of the debate. Search for solutions that work for all of us...

For audio of the complete speech at Monmouth College, please listen to the  MP3 file from WGIL.

For video of the complete speech at University of Illinois Law School, please visit YouTube.

NHTSA launches "Click It or Ticket" campaign to kick-off summer driving season

Beginning next week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will greet the summer driving season by popping up all over the Internet and on TV with new ads reminding drivers and passengers to buckle up.

Today, we debuted some of our new ads at George C. Marshall High School in Falls Church, Virginia. Why there? Simple. Young people often think they’re invincible. Yet, like everyone in a passenger vehicle, they’re at tremendous risk in the event of a crash. Those students are the next generation of drivers, and among the most vulnerable. That's why we are making an unprecedented effort to reach out to them. We need them to hear our safety message.

Summer offers a great opportunity to create new, happy memories. Memories of going to the beach with family, camping with friends, enjoying extra sunlight hours, heading out for a quick ice cream.

Whatever the destination, a study NHTSA released today makes it clear: buckling your seat belt each and every time you get in any vehicle can mean the difference between life and death or terrible injury.

The numbers may surprise you:

• Seat belts saved more than 15,000 lives in 2007.
• National seat belt use in 2008 was 83 percent. Nearly one of five Americans still fails to buckle up regularly.
• 1652 more lives could be saved and 22,372 serious injuries prevented every year if every state raised its seat belt use rate to at least 90 percent.
• More than half (2502) of the 4540 teens killed on the road in 2007 were not wearing their seat belts. 
• At night it gets worse; nearly two-thirds (65 percent) of the 16 to-20 year olds killed in nighttime crashes were unbelted.

 
Now if that doesn’t convince you to buckle up, then perhaps this will: From May 18th to May 31st, as part of the nationwide "Click It or Ticket" enforcement campaign, officers all over the country will be out day and night to crack down on drivers and passengers who don’t buckle up.

So, not only will you be putting your life in danger if you don’t buckle up – you’ll also risk getting a ticket. 

Snapping on your seat belt takes far less time than deciding what to punch up on your car’s MP-3 player. It takes less time than keying in an address on your car’s GPS system. Wearing a seat belt costs nothing, yet it’s the single most effective traffic safety device ever invented.

Please, buckle up. It’s fast. It’s easy. In many states, it's the law. And it saves lives. It just makes sense.

No ordinary seamen

When New York’s merchant mariners wake up in the morning, their primary goal is to shuttle ferry commuters safely and quickly. Or guide tons of freight to its destination. It's hard work, no question, often under very tough conditions. But, we don't expect to hear about it on the evening news.

Fire fighters, we expect them to be heroes. Deckhands, no.

The men and women who work New York's waterways were not required to respond to the icy waterborne evacuation of 155 passengers and crew aboard US Airways Flight 1549. But, they knew what the cold waters would inflict on the flight's survivors in only a few short minutes, and they chose to respond. And, in springing to action, they saved lives.

That’s exactly what's so extraordinary about New York's merchant mariners. They woke up on a cold January 15th morning, expecting an ordinary workday on the Hudson's frigid waters. Yet by the time they got to bed that night, we knew them as heroes.

So, this morning at an awards ceremony in New York, I was proud to honor the selfless efforts of these men and women, their bravery and their skill. Overlooking the site of the rescue, I presented the Merchant Marine Medal for Outstanding Achievement to: Scott Keon, M/V Lt. Michael P. Murphy; Captain Vincent Lombardi, New York Waterway; Captain Ed Werber, Circle Line; Robert Giordano, New York Water Taxi; Greg Hanchrow, Staten Island Ferry; Captain Kenneth Poesl, Ken’s Marine; and Glenn Miller, Miller’s Launch. The award recognizes individuals who have made extraordinarily valuable contributions to the merchant marine. In all, 72 civilian mariners who participated in the rescue of the passengers and crew from Flight 1549 will receive medals.

You know, this wasn’t the first time the merchant mariners of New York had risen to such a challenge. On September 11, 2001, commercial seamen helped evacuate half a million people from Manhattan. In 2003, they shuttled people trapped in the city's electrical blackout.

No one wants to see another emergency situation. Ever. But, should one occur, I know these seamen will rise to the challenge.

Philadelphia honors Pullman porters on National Train Day

On Saturday, May 9, "trainiacs" across America celebrated the 2nd annual National Train Day. I joined them in Philadelphia's 30th Street Station to honor the Pullman porters, the men who worked long hours providing personal service on America's railroads.

In the century spanning 1868-1968, the largely African-American Pullman porters became part of the national consciousness, emblematic of the passenger rail service that linked this country from coast to coast. The work, however, was less glorious in reality than it was in the popular imagination.

Perhaps not as familiar to Americans is the porters' role in the civil rights movement of the mid-20th century. They formed the first black labor union, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, in 1925. And, the union's leader, A. Phillip Randolph was an organizing force behind the March on Washington of 1963.

We gathered Saturday to pay tribute to the legacy of these men, forever a part of our railroad lore. It was an honor to meet them, now in their 80s and 90s: William Varnado, Frank Rollins, Belton Calmes, and Percy Lee. I congratulate them for their service and for their part in American history.

The National Train Day festivities around the country commemorated completion of the nation's first trans-continental rail line. On May 10, 1869, a golden spike was driven into a railroad tie in Promontory, Utah, joining the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railways.

The rest, as they say, may be history, but it's important history. The railroad is part of our national story, and it is difficult to imagine a nation as bustling and prosperous as the U.S. without the industry of the many thousands of good people who worked the rails. Whether we're talking about the labor of laying those ties and driving those spikes or about the service provided by the Pullman porters, the conductors, the engineers, or the brakemen, we would be a different nation without them.

Recovery Act puts people back to work in good-paying jobs

I was disappointed to read today that the Associated Press does not believe that the Recovery Act is doing a good job creating work for Americans who are unemployed.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

At the Department of Transportation, we’ve got $48 billion to rebuild roads, bridges, highways, airport runways, ports and transit projects. And we have already signed off on transportation projects in all 50 states. Just 12 weeks after President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act into law, we have approved 2,800 road projects and another 300 airport projects.

That’s over $10 billion out the door and countless Americans going back to work. By this summer, Americans won’t be able to drive down the street without seeing people working at good-paying jobs, thanks to this money.

Unfortunately, the AP’s analysis is misguided. Its reporters looked at 5,500 transportation projects from state lists and concluded that the transportation money is going to counties with low unemployment. But until the states make a request and the experts at the Department of Transportation certify that a project meets the criteria for Recovery dollars, those lists are not the final word.

Basically, their work amounts to nothing more than an academic exercise.

For people who are out of work and at risk of losing their jobs, this construction work is a godsend. Sadly, unemployed workers can be found all over our nation in these difficult economic times - even in counties that don’t have the highest unemployment rates.

Governmental boundaries are often arbitrary, and workers know that. People who work construction jobs often drive to wherever they can find work in a metropolitan area or region. Our idea is to drive down unemployment, period.

I told Brett Blackledge from the Associated Press about a recent trip I took to New Hampshire for a groundbreaking on highway 101. I shook hands with men and women who are going back to work thanks to the Recovery Act. One man told me that he drives all over New England for construction jobs. Another said he is the father of four children and was unemployed until this project began. Now that he has this job, he will be commuting from Wolfeboro.

Unfortunately, Brett didn’t think it was worth quoting me when I told him that the point of the program is to put people to work. And that’s something I’m proud of.

A legacy of service

Adm. Thomas Barrett leaves his position as Deputy Secretary of the Department of Transportation with my deepest gratitude for all the fine work he has done here. He leaves behind him a bar set impossibly high for those who follow.

First, Tom thrived in a 35-year Coast Guard career in which he attained the position of Vice Commandant.

Then, he took on the job of the first administrator of DOT’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. Tom undertook the difficult work of organizing a new federal agency with a critical safety mission. Under his tenure and since, PHMSA has effectively fulfilled its charge.

Finally, Tom agreed to remain in office as Dep-Sec during the transition between administrations. Because of his knowledge and wisdom we have made a quick start on economic recovery and other urgent priorities.

Of course, such a brief recap necessarily ignores the details that truly distinguish Tom's public service career.

And, that career is far from over; I wish Tom all the best as he becomes Deputy Federal Coordinator at the Office of the Federal Coordinator for Alaska Natural Gas Transportation Projects.

His service to the nation continues. We should all be grateful.

Rough roads report outlines economic solution to an expensive problem

Let's do the bad news first: "Driving on rough roads costs the average American motorist approximately $400 a year in extra vehicle operating costs.  Drivers living in urban areas with populations over 250,000 are paying upwards of $750 more annually because of accelerated vehicle deterioration, increased maintenance, additional fuel consumption, and tire wear caused by poor road conditions."

 

That's the conclusion of Rough Roads Ahead: Fix Them Now or Pay for It Later, a report released today by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and TRIP, a national transportation research group. The report further asserts that "one-third of the nation’s major highways, including Interstates, freeways and major roads, are in poor or mediocre condition.  Roads in urban areas, which carry 66 percent of the traffic, are in much worse shape." According to Kirk Steudle, Director of the Michigan DOT, “Rough roads lead to diminished safety, higher vehicle operating costs and more expensive road repairs. It costs $1 to keep a road in good shape for every $7 you would have to spend on reconstruction.”

Okay, but the silver lining here is that a dollar of road maintenance pays for itself several times in public benefits--in limiting the amount of reconstruction needed and in reducing wear and tear on everyone's vehicles. And, that's what we've been saying all along with the stimulus funds we've directed toward roadwork. Over and over, I've said the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) is creating jobs and paving the way for a robust 21st century movement of goods and people.

And the experts gathered for the release of today's report attest to that. According to TRIP's Frank Moretti, Director of Policy and Research, “The federal stimulus program is providing a helpful down payment towards repairing some of the nation’s rough roads.”

Still, ARRA is only a short-term measure. Soon, Congress will take up reauthorization of surface transportation for the next five years, and I hope our legislators consider this report's valuable conclusions as they deliberate. Said John Horsley, AASHTO Executive Director.  “We hope Congress will make it possible for the federal government to sustain its share of the increased investment needed to keep America’s roads in good condition.  If not, it will cost the American people billions more later.”

That would be bad news indeed.

Florida sides with safety, protects lives with primary seat belt law

"The most important function of government is to protect."

These are the words of Florida Governor Charlie Crist yesterday as he signed Florida's new primary seat belt law, and I could not agree with him more.

We at DOT are pleased that Florida has joined the 27 other states that have adopted primary seat belt laws to save lives on their highways. These measures allow authorities to ticket drivers for not buckling up even if the motorist has committed no other traffic violation.

Folks, this is a matter of public safety. It's simple; wearing your seat belt helps determine whether you or someone you love will ultimately walk away from a crash.

Primary seat belt laws like Florida's have a proven track record of increasing state seat belt use rates. In 2008, the average seat belt use rate in states with primary enforcement laws was 13 percentage points higher than in states with secondary enforcement laws. And this translates into lives and resources and grief saved. According to NHTSA, 270 more lives and $900 million are saved and 6,400 serious injuries per year are prevented for every percentage-point increase in safety belt use nationally.

NHTSA estimates that, with the passage of its primary belt law, Florida will save 124 lives, prevent 1,733 serious injuries, and save $408 million in associated costs each year.

Florida legislator Nan Rich, a co-sponsor of the bill, said,"for me it came back to one thing: Saving lives." Rich thanked families who had lost members in fatal car crashes for their efforts in toughening Florida's existing primary seat belt law, "so that other families wouldn't have to go through the pain of losing a loved one."

That is the kind of pain primary seat belt laws seek to prevent, and we thank the State of Florida for siding with safety.

DOT earns Mercatus Center performance reporting nod

Good news yesterday from George Mason University's Mercatus Center. Every year, the Center reviews deparment and agency performance and accountability reporting. For fiscal 2008, DOT has earned the third-place award in the Overall Performance Reporting category.

In their annual Scorecard, the judges note that only 3 points separated the top 3 overall reports. Congratulations to Labor and Veterans Affairs, the top 2 finishers.

According to Mercatus: Our scoring process evaluates (1) how transparently an agency discloses successes and failures, (2) how well an agency documents the tangible public benefits it claims, and (3) whether an agency demonstrates forward-looking leadership that uses annual performance information to devise strategies for improvement.

DOT earned top honors in 2008 for reporting on public benefits. What makes DOT public benefits reporting effective, the Scorecard says, "is that the great majority of the goals and objectives are stated as clear, measurable outcomes of obvious importance that the general public can readily understand and appreciate."

With $48 billion in stimulus money under our watch, the Mercatus acknowledgment is more important this year than ever. I hope DOT's clear reporting helps secure faith in our ability to manage these funds effectively and transparently.

A final noteworthy observation: DOT does not appear on the Scorecard's list (p. 36) of Too Many Acronyms (TMA).

Safety means making the right call before you dig

Ah, spring. Time for digging. Digging in the garden, digging in the yard, digging along the roadways.

But, as DOT's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) reminds us, it is NOT time for digging into pipelines and other undergound utlities.

Thanks to the stimulus funds this will be the busiest public works season in a while. Sidewalks and highways and bridges and gardens and lawns all involve excavation. So, now is a good time for everyone--road crews and the public alike--to remember that what you can't see can hurt you.

34% of all serious pipeline incidents between 1998 and 2008 were caused by excavation damage. One single call to 811 can eliminate that risk. One single call.

Please call 811 before you put your first shovel or backhoe into the ground.  811 connects you with your local utility companies who will mark the location of pipelines and other underground utilities.

Calling 811 is simple and can save you from causing an explosion. It can save your life, the life of a co-worker and the lives of our citizens.

New rollover protection measures demonstrate DOT's commitment to safety

Here's an unpleasant truth: vehicle rollover crashes can be horrific events. Thankfully, we have a new way of protecting passengers from harm should a rollover occur.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued tough, new roof standards that will significantly strengthen vehicle roof structures and improve rollover crash protection. The new regulation doubles the current roof strength requirement for light vehicles. Both the driver and passenger sides of the roof must be capable of withstanding a force equal to three times the vehicle's weight.

This new standard is part of an ongoing effort here at DOT to fulfill our number one goal: safety. Safety on our roadways. Safety on our railways. Safety on our waterways. And, safety in the airways.

In light of this goal, I have to say that although these new standards go a long way toward reducing deaths, the single most effective approach to passenger safety in a rollover crash is to buckle up. Safety belts are a passenger's best defense against the violent motion and possible ejection that commonly cause rollover injuries. No degree of safety standards, no number of regulations, can protect an unbuckled passenger from the chaos of a rollover crash.

It's that simple.

So, please take a look at our new rule at the NHTSA website, and please make sure you and your loved ones buckle up.