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

In Case You Missed It: NY Times Column Urges a New Way Forward

David Leonhardt’s column in yesterday's New York Times makes a great case for a new way forward in transportation funding.

Leonhardt believes, as do I, that what’s needed to improve our transportation network isn’t just money.  We need results-driven decision making processes, and a funding system that doesn’t rely on political influence to get projects across the finish line:

“….the bigger problem has been an utter lack of seriousness in deciding how that money gets spent. And as long as we’re going to stimulate the economy by spending money on roads, bridges and the like, we may as well do it right…So if you talk to people who spend their lives studying infrastructure, you’ll hear two reactions to the attention that Mr. Obama, Nancy Pelosi and even some Republicans are now lavishing on the subject. The first is: Thank goodness. The second is: Please, please don’t just pour more money into the current system.”

Read the entire column here, and let me know your thoughts.

-Secretary Peters

Saluting Our Veterans

Tomorrow is Veterans Day, an important time to remember and honor those who have served our country so honorably.  Whether they made it home safely, were injured or made the ultimate sacrifice for this nation, every veteran deserves our praise, respect and thanks.

As the daughter and wife of Marine veterans, I also know what it’s like to worry about the safety of your loved ones.  The families and spouses of America’s heroes need our support, and I know we all thank them for giving their country a part of their family.

I also want to especially recognize the many veterans who choose to continue serving their country by working here at the Department and across government.  We have veterans serving in all modes and offices, and I am so very proud to work along side all of you.

Thank you, again, to all of America’s veterans for your service and sacrifice.

-Secretary Peters

Ensuring an Effective Transition

With the American people’s selection of Barack Obama as our next President, I want to reaffirm the Department’s commitment to ensuring a smooth and efficient transition from the current to the incoming Administration.  During President Bush’s call to President-Elect Obama Tuesday night, the President offered his complete cooperation with the transition—a pledge he reiterated at yesterday's Cabinet Meeting, and a commitment which I share.

America has an amazing system that allows for the kind of orderly and efficient transitions our government experiences every four years.  To guarantee effective and uninterrupted operations, the leadership at the Department of Transportation is eager to assist our successors as they arrive, and I am counting on every member of the DOT family to do their part in this effort.

President-Elect Obama’s transition team is being assembled, and when they arrive at the Department, they will move into prepared office space to begin their work, receive oral and written briefings on a variety of topics, and have access to SharePoint transition web site.  And to ensure all of their needs are met, I have appointed a Departmental Liaison to provide the team to the information they need to hit the ground running on January 20.

The new Administration has a challenging task ahead.  Over the next two and a half months, they must learn about the operations of this Department and the ongoing policy issues that we have been accustomed to dealing with on a daily basis.  Each and every one of us has a responsibility to make sure they succeed, and we must hand the next Administration the tools and knowledge that will allow them to provide the American people with a safe, efficient and reliable transportation network that is able to react and respond to the challenges of the 21st century.

President Bush has also made it clear this Administration will sprint to the finish.  Accordingly, we will keep working to make our roads, rails and skies safer, keep advocating for innovation and reform, and keep moving forward with important regulatory and policy matters.

I want to thank the entire Department for their support during my time as Secretary.  We’ll have plenty of opportunities to say goodbye over the next 75 days, but I cannot thank you enough for all you have done for the American people.  I truly believe we have the best team in the Administration.

-Secretary Peters