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Oprah's National "No Phone Zone" Day broadcast takes campaign against distracted driving to a whole new level

Today, The Oprah Winfrey Show declared a national "No Phone Zone" day and marked this event with a live broadcast from Chicago and viewing rallies around the nation in Los Angeles, Detroit, Atlanta, Boston, and Washington, DC.

I've seen a lot in my past 15 months as Secretary of Transportation, and we've gained incredible momentum on the issue of distracted driving. But having the support of Oprah's television show and the Gayle King radio show has taken this campaign to a whole new level.

They took the pledge! At the Newseum with Girl Scouts from the GSCNC
You can see more photos from No Phone Zone day at my Flickr site

Today at DC's Newseum, thousands of Oprah fans--many of them the young drivers I worry about most--waved "No phone zone" signs and shouted their support. With them on board, I know we can win this fight to change people's unsafe driving habits.

And that's exactly what I told Oprah and Gayle--distracted driving is a bad habit with serious consequences. We're in the habit of texting or talking on the phone while we drive, and many people still don't know how dangerous this is.

But the numbers don't lie. People are getting killed by this every day.

DC's Police Chief Cathy Lanier told Gayle today that distracted driving is killing 15 people every day. And loved ones will have to live with those losses forever.

Look, habits are hard to break, and we've got a tough road ahead to try to get people to put distractions away when they get in the driver's seat. But we know that if we can get people to keep their hands on the wheel, and their eyes and minds on the road, we can save lives.

Today at DC's Newseum, thousands of Oprah fans--many of them the young drivers I worry about most--waved "No phone zone" signs and shouted their support. With them on board, I know we can win this fight to change people's unsafe driving habits.

And that's exactly what I told Oprah and Gayle--distracted driving is a bad habit with serious consequences. We're in the habit of texting or talking on the phone while we drive, and many people still don't know how dangerous this is.

But the numbers don't lie. People are getting killed by this every day.

DC's Police Chief Cathy Lanier told Gayle today that distracted driving is killing 15 people every day. And loved ones will have to live with those losses forever.

Look, habits are hard to break, and we've got a tough road ahead to try to get people to put distractions away when they get in the driver's seat. But we know that if we can get people to keep their hands on the wheel, and their eyes and minds on the road, we can save lives.

Oprah's "No Phone Zone Day" gets America's attention

It's no secret that we've been working hard to combat distracted driving during the past eight months. Today, we go to the next level.

And there is no one who can help us do that like Oprah Winfrey.

I cannot thank Oprah enough for drawing America's attention to this issue. With the declaration of today as "National No Phone Zone Day," her special live broadcast today from Chicago, and the viewing rallies scheduled around the country, she lends her influence to the safety of our nation's roads.

And I also want to thank the many participating state DOTs--and the DC DOT--for signing on to the "No Phone Zone" Day campaign and supporting Oprah's efforts with their own.

Here is just a sampling of the kind of news Oprah has generated on behalf of this important mission:

USA Today: Oprah's 'No-Phone Zone Day': Be kind to fellow drivers (and yourself)

Consumer Reports: Oprah’s national "No Phone Zone Day"

Dallas Morning News: Oprah joins Grapevine woman's effort against distracted driving

Cumberland Times-News: SHA partnering with Oprah show to make vehicles no phone zones

CBS4: Ft. Collins Girl's Death Center Of Oprah Campaign

KCAU: Oprah Challenges Nation to Take the No Phone Zone Pledge

KIRO: Leave your phone at home for No Phone Zone Day

Mercury News : Oprah Winfrey joins phone campaign

Mlive.com: Granholm to sign texting law on Oprah show

So, please, tune into today's Oprah broadcast. You can find local viewing information here.

Arizona's Bethany Brown writes PSA; high school student a new champion in the fight against distracted driving

Three weeks ago, a college student driving her car in upstate New York rolled her vehicle and died. What was she doing? Sending a text message.

Imagine her parents, her friends--imagine their loss. The cost of distracted driving is devastating.

Presenting a scholarship check with Fraydun Manocherian of NRSF, Bethany, and Sandy Spavone of NOYS

Well, our efforts to promote safer roadways and end this deadly epidemic have gained a powerful new voice, Arizona high school sophomore Bethany Brown.  Bethany's anti-distraction public service video, "There are no RE-DO's in real life," was released today by the National Road Safety Foundation (NRSF).

You may recall that, in February, Bethany won the Drive to Life PSA contest sponsored by the National Organizations for Youth Safety and the NRSF. She saw an ad for the contest, did some research into the dangers of texting behind the wheel and wrote her "Re-do" script.

Bethany and Mom

"After I saw the ad," Bethany recalls, "I started noticing distracted driving a lot more. I saw my friends doing it. I saw drivers in other cars doing it. They're texting or talking on their cells, and they're, you know, swerving all over. And they think they're being perfectly safe!"

"So then I began to look into it," she says, " and I couldn't believe how many teen deaths are related to texting or being on a cell and driving. It was really eye-opening."

So Bethany learned what I've been saying all along: You can't text or talk on your cell and drive safely. You can't do it.

White House to Main Street tour stops in Quincy, Illinois

Yesterday, I had the honor of joining President Obama in Quincy, Illinois, as part of his "White House to Main Street" tour.

The President spoke to the crowd about his efforts to secure Wall Street reform and common sense financial policies that can prevent a few bad actors from putting our entire economy in jeopardy again.

I appreciate that the President feels such a strong commitment to talking directly to Americans about the challenges we're facing, and I'm glad we had the chance to do that in Quincy.

I went to Quincy to talk about the economic recovery that is gathering steam around the country and the progress we've made thanks to the President's stimulus initiatives. And I told everyone how hard President Obama and his entire team are working every day to put people back to work and get our economy moving again.

Thanks to the Recovery Act in particular, hundreds of communities across America are making economic gains. We are slowly--but surely--making our way out of the worst recession in a generation.

As economist Stephen Herzenberg wrote in the Philadelphia Inquirer, “Cut through all the numbers and this is what you find: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act saved us from plunging into a second Great Depression…The Recovery Act brought the economy back from the brink."

DOT airline passenger protections to take effect

Thanks to a new rule that takes effect tomorrow, DOT is protecting air travelers from lengthy tarmac delays.

Fast Lane readers may recall the nightmare suffered last summer by 47 people trapped aboard a crowded commuter jet with faulty lavatories for seven hours. All night long, they were just a stone's throw from the comfort and services of Minnesota's Rochester International Airport.

Well, there should be no doubt that airline passengers deserve to be treated fairly, and the rules that go into effect tomorrow are a good step toward ensuring that fair treatment.

Under the new rule, U.S. airlines operating domestic flights must allow passengers to deplane after a tarmac delay of three hours. The only exceptions allowed are for safety or security, or if air traffic control advises the pilot otherwise.

Carriers are also required to provide adequate food and drinking water within two hours of being delayed on the tarmac; they must also maintain operable lavatories and, if necessary, provide medical attention.

These provisions are just plain common sense. Airlines need to treat their customers like human beings.

North Carolina's Piedmont Triad: regional cooperation enhancing livability

Today, I addressed a Livable Communities Summit hosted by Piedmont Area Regional Transportation and the Piedmont Triad Partnership in North Carolina.

Now, when we developed our TIGER grant program last year, we encouraged regional partnerships. Because, as neighboring communities grow, their transportation needs and networks begin to intersect.

Faced with regional transportation challenges, smart communities form regional partnerships.

And the Piedmont area of North Carolina has a host of smart communities. With the cities of Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point at its core, Piedmont Area Regional Transportation helps manage transit, mitigate roadway congestion, and plan land use for a top-40 metropolitan region whose population is 1.5 million and growing.

Today's "Livable Communities Summit" is a great step toward even stronger regional integration. 

Allstate "X the TXT" campaign a terrific ally in the fight to end distracted driving

If you're a fan of our efforts to combat distracted driving, this is a pretty big week.

• Today, I was at Union Station here in Washington, DC, for an Allstate "X the Txt" rally with Jordin Sparks and Rep. Tim Bishop.
• On Thursday, we'll be joining NOYS to celebrate the release of their new teen-written PSA.
• And on Friday, I'll be appearing on the Washington, DC, segment of the Oprah Winfrey Show's "No Phone Zone" Day live broadcast.

With Jordin Sparks (rt) and her mom Jodi; the blue specks on the banner are thumbprints of those who pledged to "X the TXT"

I can't thank Jordin enough for lending her support to our fight for safer roadways. It's encouraging to see a young star using her fame to help other young people get this important message. If she can't help inspire America's youth to put down the phone and just drive, I don't know who can.

I also want to thank Allstate for the great work they do promoting all aspects of teen driving safety. I really liked what Allstate Vice President Bill Vainisi said today. First, he said that Allstate's mission is to protect people from life's uncertainties. I thought that was great because car crashes are the leading killer of our nation's youth, but this cause of death is completely preventable; it doesn't have to be one of life's uncertainties at all.

Then, he said, "We're putting a stake in the ground, drawing a line against this behavior," and my thumb-pledge on their banner means I'm with him wholeheartedly on that.

Now, Allstate's "Thumbs Up" Facebook page has tens of thousands of fans who have all pledged to "X the TXT."

This pledge may help curb the deadly epidemic of distracted driving because it's a promise to take responsibility for one's behavior behind the wheel. I hope Allstate's "TXTNG KLLS" thumb rings--I'm wearing one in the photo on the right as I add my thumbprint to the pledge banner--are a great reminder of that promise.

Accepting the responsibility that comes with a set of car keys means knowing the serious risk to others of reading even one short text message, and this leads to better common sense behind the wheel.

We need more of that common sense from drivers.

• We need the common sense to know that you can't text safely while driving--you can't do it.
• We need the common sense to know that you are not invincible.
• We need the common sense to know your own habits--if you can't resist the phone, don't just put it down; put it in the glove compartment or in the trunk.
• We need the common sense to know that text or call can wait until you're safely at your destination.

What we know about bike infrastructure: people want it

We know that 90 percent of the people are not going to be cycling to work or around town. But that opportunity and that kind of alternative is something people have said they want.

They said it in a recent study by Transportation For America. They said it last week in Tupelo and Hernando, Mississippi. They've been saying it in Portland, Oregon, for years. They're saying it in Washington, DC.

They said it after an interview I gave in the New York Times earlier this month. And New York bicyclists have said it loudly and clearly with their pedals, increasing their numbers by 28% in the last year alone according to a study by Transportation Alternatives.

And in response to an All Things Considered interview, NPR listeners have been saying it over and over on the NPR website. You can listen to the NPR piece below:

On Facebook, I sometimes have trouble seeing my own wall posts because bicycling fans have been so busy posting their support for DOT's bicycle-pedestrian initiative in such strong numbers.

Even Lance Armstrong, America's 7-time Tour de France winner, has added his voice to the mix, urging his 2+ million Twitter followers to listen to the NPR story about bike infrastructure in America. Thanks, Lance!
 

Why devote resources to a transportation mode that fewer than 10% of the nation is using? Well, bike infrastructure is relatively inexpensive--particularly if you compare it to, say, adding a lane to an existing roadway. Now, imagine if those people who do bike around chose instead to make all of their trips in single-occupancy vehicles. Our already congested roadways would be brought to a halt.

So, even for those folks who have no interest in bicycling, this relatively low investment actually pays dividends for those who still choose to drive. Everybody wins.

FAA guidance makes it clear: There is no room for distraction in the cockpit

Recent incidents have revealed that airline pilots are using personal electronic devices, including laptop computers and cell phones, in the cockpit. In one well-publicized instance, two Northwest pilots were using their laptops in flight and lost situational awareness; they flew 150 miles past their destination.

It doesn't take a safety expert to realize there is no room for distraction when your job is to get people safely to their destinations.

There's a lot going on in today's cockpit; adding laptops and cell phones only complicates the mix

Our Federal Aviation Administration already has what's known as the "Sterile Cockpit Rule," prohibiting pilots from engaging in any type of distracting behavior during critical phases of flight. Today, the FAA is distributing an "Information for Operators" (InFO) guidance that asks the airlines to address distraction through crew training programs. It also asks that airlines create a safety culture to control cockpit distractions.

Indianapolis school hosts Grandparents Day, Safe Routes to School mash-up

I cannot imagine a better way to begin Grandparents Day than by walking two of my grandkids, Ella and Henry, to school with my wife, Kathy. And to combine that with a schoolwide event at St. Thomas Aquinas School in Indianapolis celebrating Safe Routes to School is really a terrific bonus.

Ella, a 2nd grader, walked with my wife Kathy, my daughter Amy, her husband Kevin, and me. Henry, in kindergarten, rode along on his bike with training wheels. Together, we formed what is known in the Safe Routes community as a "walking school bus."

A walking school bus simply collects a small group of students with one or more adults on their walk to and from school. Typically, the students live near one another. Even if they already walk to school, the benefit of the walking school bus is that it provides a consistent, supervised system in which children can walk to school under the watchful eye of an adult.

I am so proud of Ella. When we arrived at school after our walk, we were met by several members of the press, and she handled herself like a champ with the media. I don't think Mayor Greg Ballard and Congressman Andre Carson, who joined our walk, got a word in between them. I've always said Ella's a force to be reckoned with.

Reporters JT and Hannah, with editor Emma; keep asking the tough questions, guys!

The toughest media we faced were the school reporters, J.T. Malone and Hannah Gardner, and their editor, Emma Strenski. I look forward to reading their work in the next edition of the school paper.

Meanwhile, other kids from the school joined the "bicycle train," sort of a walking school bus on wheels. And, since I can't be in two places at once--I really wanted to!--today's special bike train guest was a great Safe Routes partner, Andy Clarke, President of the League of American Bicyclists.

DOT bonding education program to help small businesses take it to the next level

As the economy recovers, it is very important to the Obama Administration that small businesses have every opportunity to compete for the transportation and construction contracts made possible by the Recovery Act and other DOT programs.

But everywhere we go, small businesses have voiced a common problem that limits their ability to compete: access to bonding.

Because access to bonding is a key obstacle small and disadvantaged businesses face, DOT has announced a series of workshops to help get these businesses bond-ready.

These workshops will be piloted by our Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) in Chicago, Dallas, and Atlanta in partnership with the Surety and Fidelity Association of America (SFAA).

Once a small business is bonded, it doesn't need to rely on a prime contractor. That is an important step toward growth and independent access to bigger and better contracts. Bonding opens the door for businesses to expand to another level.

But limited capital, lines of credit, equipment, personnel and character references are key factors in securing bonding. Because transportation and construction contracts are usually large, smaller businesses may not have the experience, capital or track record to compete for these contracts.

You can see how this obstacle can prevent a small business from ever breaking out. We want to help open things up.

Earth Day 2010 in the City of Big Shoulders

I am happy to celebrate this 40th Earth Day at a rally in Chicago with Mayor Daley and the Chicago Climate Action Plan. It's a clear spring day here in the Windy City, and it's a thrill to help honor this special day with tens of thousands of fellow Illinoisans.

A fine day to be in Chicago celebrating Earth Day 2010

I don't know if people outside Illinois are aware that Chicago has one of the country’s most progressive local plans to slow or reverse climate change. As the Climate Task Force has said, "When it comes to greening a city, Mayor Daley sets a high bar for mayors and governors across the nation."

Now, Chicago has long been known as the City of Big Shoulders, and it's no surprise to me that it would take upon itself so enthusiastically the important work of sustainability.

So, thank you, Mayor Daley and the Chicago Climate Action Plan team for the great work you've been doing. 

The CTA gets on board with a clean air hybrid bus

The rally at Daley Plaza was terrific. There were lots of booths where Chicago organizations and businesses displayed their climate change programs. A popular booth was "What's Your Climate Action?" where people shared their own personal steps to fight climate change.

I think my favorite part of the day was seeing the Earth Day Video Contest winners. The high school and college students who submitted videos for the contest obviously worked very hard on their projects, and the high level of competition was evident in the winning videos.

The winning entry in the high school competition was submitted by The Happiness Club, a group of kids from all over the Chicago area who encourage positive values and social change through original hip hop and pop music and dance. You can view their 90 seconds of high-energy music and dancing, "So Hot," below:

On Earth Day, reminders of DOT's role in reducing U.S. greenhouse gas emissions

Greetings and happy 40th Earth Day to everyone! 

Now, before we get carried away thinking about protecting our planet on this special day, let's please remember that we need to work toward sustaining the Earth every day.

And here at DOT, we are doing exactly that. From marine highways that promise to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from roadway congestion to new CAFE standards for better motor vehicle fuel-efficiency to the NextGen air traffic control system that promises to help lower aviation fuel consumption, sustainability is one of the watchwords of this agency.

Here is a brief survey of the activities your DOT is pursuing to help protect our planet.

Let's start with our agency-wide Transportation and Climate Change Clearinghouse, an excellent website that "includes information on greenhouse gas inventories, GHG emissions reduction strategies, potential impacts of climate change on transportation infrastructure, and approaches for integrating climate change considerations into transportation decision making."

Also, on this Earth Day, we have released a study, “Transportation’s Role in Reducing U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions,”  that analyzes the full range of strategies available to reduce transportation’s greenhouse gas emissions, from more efficient vehicle technologies to better ways of operating our transportation system.

For instance, hybrid vehicles could reduce emissions 26 – 54% for 2030 and beyond, and more direct and efficient airline operations could reduce aviation emissions 10% by 2025.  Livability initiatives also play a role, with improved public transportation, land use strategies, and greater opportunities for walking and biking bringing reductions of 5 to 17% by 2030.

Within our various operating agencies, there is even more good stuff going on.

DOT employees walk the walk, aid injured pedestrian with first-aid, 911 call

As much as we talk about how safety is our number one priority at DOT, there is no proof quite as dramatic as the two DOT employees who rescued a pedestrian last week after he was struck by a car while crossing an intersection.

Pat Oladeinde and Donna Sampson, DOT everyday heroes

The two DOT'ers, Donna Sampson of our Public Affairs office and Pat Oladeinde of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, were on their daily lunch-time health walk near our headquarters building. As they approached the intersection of 11th and M Streets SE, a man in the crosswalk was hit and tossed into the air by a car accelerating through the intersection.

Donna remembers thinking as she stood there, stunned by the scene unfolding, "Huh. I didn't know a person could fly that high. That can't be right."

And, in fact, it wasn't right at all. The man landed far up the hood of the vehicle with his elbow smashing the windshield.

"He was bleeding pretty badly from that arm," says Donna. "And even though he got right up, he was sort of standing there, dazed. He must have been in shock."

Pat grabbed a baby's t-shirt from the stroller of a woman standing next to them. She sat the man down and fashioned a crude tourniquet to staunch the bleeding from his arm. Meanwhile, Donna dialed 9-1-1.

"I've had CPR and other emergency training here at DOT," says Pat. "I knew right away the baby's t-shirt wasn't working and we needed something larger to wrap around that arm. The baby's mom offered a blanket, and that did the trick."

Nebraska, Kentucky ban texting behind the wheel; Oprah to broadcast live on No Phone Zone Day

We've got exciting news on the Distracted Driving front this morning.

First, as I Tweeted and posted on Facebook last week, two states have joined the growing list--23 and counting!--of those who have banned texting behind the wheel: Nebraska and Kentucky.
 

I want to thank the state legislators for passing those safety measures and Governors Dave Heineman (NE) and Steve Beshear (KY) for signing them into law. Welcome to the list, numbers 22 and 23!

I hope to hear the same great news from other states soon. In Michigan, a texting ban has just moved through the state legislature. And Georgia is not far behind.

Second, the Oprah Winfrey Show has set aside next Friday, April 30, as No Phone Zone Day, "a national day of awareness to end distracted driving."

Courtesy oprah.com

The day will feature a live broadcast of Oprah's show. But this episode of "Oprah" will not just take place in her Chicago studio; it will also offer live segments from five other locations around the country.

One of those locations is our nation's capital, Washington, DC, and I am really looking forward to being on that live broadcast from the Newseum with Gayle King. We will be joined by DC Police Chief Cathy Lanier and--one of my heroes in this campaign to make our roads safer--Focus Driven's Jennifer Smith.

This live No Phone Zone event will also be celebrated in Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles and Washington.

FHWA Administrator Victor Mendez kicks off National Work Zone Awareness Week in New York City

The 11th annual National Work Zone Awareness Week began on April 19 and runs through April 23. Each year, this week marks the unofficial opening of the road construction season. And, while road work means jobs, we at DOT want it to also mean extra caution as drivers pass through areas of road construction.

We want it to mean drivers who pay extra attention, who stop texting and talking on cell phones, and who proceed carefully through work zones.

Our Federal Highway Administrator, Victor Mendez, was in downtown New York to launch the week's awareness campaign with New York City's DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan and acting New York State DOT Commissioner Stanley Gee. Here is some of what he had to say:

This is one of the best times of the year.  The winter blizzards are behind us. The baseball season is underway. And men and women all across the country are putting their hardhats on and returning to work as the road construction season begins.

Today, we're calling America’s attention to the need to keep these men and women safe as they work on our roads and bridges.

Administrator Mendez with NYC DOT's Janette Sadik-Khan and New York road crew

Our work zone safety record continues to improve.  Work zone fatalities have fallen for six straight years to their lowest level since 1996.  They’re down more than 30 percent since 2000.

But too many families are still feeling the pain of work zone accidents.  Nationwide, 720 people died in work zone accidents in 2008.  And while that’s a 13% drop from the year before, it’s 720 too many.

Tupelo, Mississippi, on board for Complete Streets and DOT bicycle-pedestrian policy

If you've been reading about our recent bicycle and pedestrian policy, then you know this policy is not part of Ray LaHood's agenda, but part of America's agenda.

And no city demonstrates this as clearly as Tupelo, Mississippi.

On April 6, Tupelo's City Council unanimously passed an ordinance requiring that bike lanes and sidewalks be considered on all new city streets. And Mayor Jack Reed, Jr., quickly signed it.

“I’m proud," said Mayor Reed, "of our City Council’s unanimous support of this initiative."

On the very same day, the nearby city of Hernando, MS, passed a similar complete streets policy.

Both mayors have stated that these policies grew directly from what residents wanted.

As Tupelo Senior Planner  Renee Ray explains:

The “complete streets” policy will help ensure that the roads we build and repair are safe and convenient for all of the people who are using them. As we build out and redevelop our older commercial areas into walkable, mixed-use destinations, we will create a transportation network that fits the land use our residents want. Our goal is to make sure that we achieve the goals our residents have asked for.

Also on the same day, Mayor Reed--who seeks to make Tupelo the healthiest city in Mississippi--signed a Proclamation in "Support of US DOT's Pedestrian and Bicycle Policy Initiative."

Panama Canal: engineering achievement, economic engine, and just plain magnificent

When I was a junior high school teacher, I taught students about the Panama Canal. It is one of the true man-made wonders of the world, and I always wanted to see it firsthand.

Well, last week I got my wish, and it was one of the thrills of a lifetime.

Watching a ship pass through a lock with Canal Administrator Aleman (left) and US Ambassador to Panama Barbara Stephenson

Now, the Panama Canal is not just a historic engineering achievement; it is an economic engine. And the expansion of the Canal currently underway will be a real bonanza, not just for Panama, but for the world.

At a recent summit on ports in San Diego, I saw that everyone in the American maritime community is anticipating the 2014 opening of the expanded Panama Canal. They know how important the increased capacity will be to world trade, and they know that this increased capacity means greater activity for US ports.

So to see the progress of that expansion up close was really something.

FAA crew continues to support Haitian relief, rebuilding

This past weekend, I had the honor of visiting a Federal Aviation Administration team supporting Haiti's heroic redevelopment efforts.

It's been three months since a 7.0 magnitude earthquake devastated Haiti. While the emergency relief efforts may have subsided, and Haiti is no longer be front-page news in America, the Haitian people have a long road ahead.

I can't even begin to convey the scope of the work necessary. Rebuilding their infrastructure will take years.

So where we can, we must help.

That's why I am so proud of the crew I met in Haiti from the FAA. These men left their families behind shortly after the earthquake to install and man a portable air traffic control tower at Port Au Prince.

And three months later, they remain in-country, continuing to lend their critical expertise and assistance.

I want to thank the FAA team for showing me their quarters, a plywood structure next to the tower. I know the bunk beds the guys have been sleeping in are a far cry from their stateside homes, and I appreciate what they've given up to help keep supplies and rebuilding materials flying into Haiti.

Congress votes to compensate furloughed DOT employees

Last night, Congress voted to provide compensation to the nearly 2,000 DOT employees furloughed last month when the Highway Trust Fund extension was held up.

The provision was part of a larger bill Congress passed pushing back the deadline to file for extended unemployment benefits. I am thankful that President Obama quickly signed it into law.

Over the nearly 15 months that I have been Secretary of Transportation, I have seen nothing but dedicated, hardworking folks doing the work of the American people. It was unfortunate that they had to pay the price for a legislative impasse, and I was glad to see those who were furloughed return to work after only a short time.

Today, I am glad they have finally been made whole.

This is truly great news for DOT employees around the country. I thank Congress for doing the right thing and President Obama for signing the bill into law.

And I thank the faithful DOT employees whose commitment to ensuring Americans' safety and keeping critical programs moving remained strong.

Voices of the Recovery Act video series presents Trevor Eickhoff: "I'm walking proof"

Today I want to introduce you to Trevor Eickhoff, a 25-year-old project engineer with Archer Western Contractors. Thanks to the Recovery Act, he's working on the Woodall Rodgers Freeway Deck Park in Dallas, Texas.

Artist's rendering of completed Woodall Rodgers Freeway Deck Park

Last year, I went to Texas and toured three innovative transportation projects that promise to put Dallas squarely in the forefront of livability. One of those projects is the Woodall Rodgers Freeway Deck Park, a 5.2-acre multi-use green space that covers a main highway. The Park will also connect the city's Uptown, Downtown, and Arts Districts--parts of the city that are currently separated by the freeway--and promote bicycling and walking.

But what Trevor is most enthusiastic about is the construction employment The Park is generating thanks to the project's public-private financing and help from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act President Obama signed into law in 2009.

There it is. About the stimulus, Trevor says, "I'm walking proof of what it's doing. I'm 25 years old with a mortgage, and I'm still working."

And that's what it's all about.

April is National Safe Digging Month, an opportunity to educate about pipeline safety

With the arrival of spring, Americans are looking forward to getting outdoors and enjoying better weather. For many, that will mean gardening and landscaping around the house. But I have an important reminder for all the green thumbs out there: remember to call 811 before doing any digging.

Every year, we see tragic accidents when an underground pipeline or utility line is accidentally damaged.

That's why the U.S. Senate designated April as National Safe Digging Month.

As I wrote in a blog entry last month, America has a vital transportation system that remains virtually invisible to those of us who think only of roadways, airways, transitways, railways, and waterways: the network of 2.3 million miles of pipelines traversing this nation just beneath the surface.

Through the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, DOT works to ensure the safe, reliable, and environmentally sound operation of that pipeline system.

And, while our pipeline network is vital, it is also vulnerable to excavation activities--including regular garden digging--that may not only breach a line but also cause you serious injury or damage the environment.

Excavation damage is the number one cause of serious pipeline incidents. National Safe Digging Month offers a chance to educate Americans about the susceptibility of these pipelines to normal human activity and about the need to CALL 811 BEFORE YOU DIG.

Campaign to end distracted driving gains mainstream currency with Pulitzer

This morning, I heartily congratulate New York Times journalist Matt Richter whose "Driven to Distraction" articles won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize in Journalism for "national reporting." Matt, I can't thank you enough for the important service you've provided with this great series.

The Pulitzer jury honored Matt and New York Times staff members for: "for incisive work, in print and online, on the hazardous use of cell phones, computers and other devices while operating cars and trucks, stimulating widespread efforts to curb distracted driving."

And I couldn't agree more.

Matt's series, which began on July 18, 2009, with an article about how "Drivers and Legislators Dismiss Risk Cellphone Risks," has really helped raise awareness of this deadly epidemic. His subsequent reporting on two studies showing that "Texting Lifts Crash Risk by Large Margin," introduced the nation's readers to key data from a DOT-financed study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute and from the University of Utah.

Finally, thanks to Matt, the public saw evidence that distracted driving raised crash risk to dangerous levels.

Federal Highway Administration emergency relief funds to repair bridges in flood-stricken Rhode Island

When disaster strikes a region, one of the most important steps we can take is to make the roads safe again--so people can go about the business of recovering and get back to their daily routines.

That's why, on Friday, the Federal Highway Administration released $3 million in emergency relief funds to the state of Rhode Island. The state will use those funds to make urgent road repairs and inspections following record rains and flooding.

This flooding has hit Rhode Island hard, so I'm pleased that we can make these quick release funds available. Specifically, the funds DOT released on Friday will help repair six key bridges that have been closed since the flooding began at the end of March. It's important to get those bridges open as soon as safely possible.

We will also help the state inspect and monitor 180 other bridges threatened by this historic flooding.

Photo courtesy WPRI Channel 12 Eyewitness News

American busmaker Gillig and its workers, a stimulus success story

The other day, I heard a great success story from a man who thanked me for the work DOT's Recovery Act grants had stimulated. He had in mind, specifically, our Federal Transit Administration grants that have allowed local and regional transit districts to upgrade and expand their fleets in times of strapped budgets.

Because of the Obama Administration's stimulus, he said, the Gillig Corporation, a 100% American bus manufacturer in California, had not only been able to retain its workforce in threatening times, but had added workers and was even working a shift on Saturdays.

The first of 14 new Gillig-made buses for the Whatcom Transportation Authority (WA)

Now, I've heard a lot of anecdotes like this in the past 14 months. Recovery Act grants have allowed transit agencies to purchase over 12,000 new buses, rail cars, and paratransit vans. In Tennessee, for example, a grant to the Memphis Area Transit Authority allowed them to order 26 new vehicles from Gillig.

So we decided to follow up on this story by calling Gillig and chatting with their President, Denny Howard. Here's what he had to say:

"I've been with Gillig for 32 years, so I've been watching the transit industry for decades. I meet with managers from transit agencies every day, and I have never seen the local funding in such desperate straits as today.

"A typical year industry-wide, agencies buy about 5,000 buses a year. With the stimulus, it's up to 7,000 for last year, this year, and next year. But, if the stimulus hadn't come through, the market would have dropped 40% to 3,000 buses a year for last year, this year, and at least through next year.

This Gillig hybrid-electric rolls for the Redwood Transit System

"That would have devastated our employees. I've heard the talk about the stimulus not creating enough jobs, but you never read a statistic about the number of jobs saved. We would have had to lay off 175 workers--more than 25% of our people.

"And there's a multiplier effect, too. Every base manufacturing job is worth five jobs down the supply chain. You can imagine how that would have knocked our suppliers.

"So even if we hadn't added workers, I'd call the Recovery Act a success. But we did. We added 40 people last year, and we know we're keeping them through at least 2011. And that has the same multiplier effect with our suppliers, but in a positive direction.

"Typically, we produce 25 vehicles a week. With the stimulus, we're up to more like 30. Without it, we'd be down to 20. There's a big difference between 20 and 30, a big difference.

"There's not a worker in our plant who doesn't know someone who's been laid-off. The fact that our people are not only secure but getting the opportunity to work some overtime on Saturdays is just phenomenal. I mean, they are eager to come to work on a Saturday.

America's waterways, poised to deliver the goods

For too long, America has overlooked the economic and environmental benefits of moving freight over our waterways and through our domestic seaports.

Well, this DOT is changing all that with our new initiative to build a marine highway system.

Hybrid tug Carolyn Dorothy, "the Ford Escape of tugboats," works the Port of Long Beach, CA, quietly, cleanly, and powerfully.

While our roadways get more and more congested, we are sitting on vast unused transportation capacity that is ready for action. Investing in effective new ways to move goods will help us achieve outcomes whose benefits extend beyond just mobility--like stimulating growth, advancing sustainability, and reducing congestion on our roadways.

Using our waterways more effectively is one way to reach those outcomes.

Under the “America’s Marine Highway” program, the Department’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) will help identify rivers and coastal routes that could be used to carry cargo efficiently, bypassing congested roads around busy ports, reducing greenhouse gases, and creating jobs for mariners and shipbuilders.

Click on the map for an interactive tour of MARAD-designated corridors and projects

Pilot program aims to make roads safer in Hartford, Syracuse and across America

Today we're launching pilot programs in Hartford and Syracuse to encourage people to keep their hands on the wheel and off the phone. As the Wall Street Journal reports, "The goal is to test the effectiveness of tactics that could be used in broader efforts."

By now readers know that I am on a rampage to curb distracted driving. The reason for that is obvious: talking, texting, and other distractions behind the wheel are killing people--6,000 every year, with more than 500,000 injured. 6,000 people--all of them sons or daughters, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, spouses, friends.

Last month, 14-month-old Grayson Paul Earl Jett was killed in Minnesota by a driver reaching to pick up a dropped cell phone. As Jon Cummings of Minnesotans for Safe Driving said, "The sad thing is that this 14-month-old pays with his life for just pretty much a mindless thing you've done a thousand times."

Here's how it was reported on KSTP-TV: "Police say a crash that killed a baby boy in Columbia Heights was completely preventable. All the driver had to do was keep her eyes on the road."

It's clear we need focused driving, and we've made great progress in our campaign. Many states have banned texting while driving--21 of them so far. Some--including Connecticut and New York--have banned hand-held cell phone use.

Learn more about the dangers of distracted driving at D!straction.gov

But, through all of my work to reduce this deadly epidemic, I have noticed one constant point of resistance: people asking, "What's the point of these laws? It's not like we can enforce them."

Today, in Hartford and Syracuse we begin testing the idea that enforcement can change behavior by applying the lessons we learned when people raised the same criticism of seat belt laws or drunk driving laws.

 I'm joined in Hartford by NHTSA Administrator David Strickland and a host of Hartford police officers

DOT posts Open Gov plan; concrete steps promise transparency, collaboration, citizen participation

This afternoon, DOT is pleased to join its fellow federal departments and agencies in releasing its Open Government Plan.

Federal agencies introduce their Open Gov Plans

President Obama's Open Gov Directive has sparked an unprecedented flurry of activity within the Executive Branch, and DOT has been no exception. Our leadership and employees from across the Department have worked tremendously hard to help create our Open Government Plan.

A PDF version of our plan is now available, and a web version of the plan will be available soon on our Open Gov site.

As we continue moving toward President Obama's goal of increased transparency, participation, collaboration, and innovation, we will refine and enhance our strategic efforts. So we welcome public comment about our plan at www.opendot.ideascale.com or by email at open@dot.gov.

Seaway icebreaking study points the way forward

Today the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation released a three-year Joint Observational Study on the potential impact of Seaway icebreaking activity. The study was conducted in partnership with our Canadian Seaway counterparts--Transport Canada and the Seaway Management Corporation--along with the Akwesasne Mohawk tribal communities on both sides of the Seaway.

From left to right: Richard Corfe (SLSMC), Chief Bill Sunday (Mohawk Council of Akwesasne, Tsi Snaihne District), Chief James Ransom (St. Regis Mohawk), Chief Brian David (Mohawk Council of Akwesasne, Kawehnoke District),  and Collister Johnson, Jr. (SLSDC)

Although you can view the study for yourself at www.greatlakes-seaway.com, I'd like to point out two valuable results.

First, the study concludes that icebreaking activity causes no observable impact to the shoreline. And that is terrific news for the environment.

During the three-year study period, landowners along the shoreline reported no negative effects from icebreaking activity. In fact, the study revealed that human icebreaking activity imposed significantly less force on the shoreline than nature's own high wind conditions.

FTA grants keep visitors moving in National Parks

The National Park Service and US Forest Service have the honor of preserving natural and cultural areas valued by all, but they also have the responsibility to provide opportunities for visitors to enjoy and experience those areas.

Alternative fueled buses in Grand Canyon National Park (photo courtesy NPS)

And now, thanks to $24.8 million in funding by the Federal Transit Administration, visitors will have more options for getting around in America’s national parks and on other public lands. The grants--an interagency partnership of FTA with the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture--are part of the Transit in Parks program, the brainchild of former U.S. Senator Paul Sarbanes.

From hybrid buses in Alaska's Denali National Park to a passenger ferry dock for Florida's Gulf Island National Seashore, grants will fund 46 different projects in 20 different states.

Lone bus winds its way through Denali National Park (photo courtesy NPS)

Survey shows Americans want more mobility options--biking, walking, and transit should be in the mix

A few weeks ago, I blogged that, "People across America who value bicycling should have a voice when it comes to transportation planning."

It didn't seem that controversial to me. After all, I didn't say they should have the only voice. Just a voice.

Speaking to attendees at the National Bike Summit. This picture © J. Maus of Bike Portland.

People are always going to drive cars. And we are always going to rely on the hardworking trucking community to haul our nation's freight. We’ve made a huge investment in our interstate highway system, and that's not going away. We are going to continue maintaining that investment.

But we do have many modes of transportation in this country, many different ways of getting around. Why not make room at the table for bicycling and walking?

As the New York Times Green Inc column noted yesterday, this idea generated a huge outpouring of support on Facebook, Twitter, my Fastlane page, and other blogs. A lot of people out there are enthusiastic about a return to a healthier, greener American mobility.

That's why I told Green Inc, "This is not just Ray LaHood’s agenda, this is the American agenda; people want alternatives to the automobile."

You see, it turns out I'm not the only one who thinks America can increase access to public transit and safe walking and bicycling.

Transportation For America released survey results last week indicating 59% of Americans would choose to reduce road congestion by adding more transportation options to the mix.

Four out of five voters--82%--support the idea of an expanded U.S. transportation system. The kind of system that allows people to use their cars if they want to, but also allows easier use of other ways to get from place to place.

The poll results indicate that a majority of voters would like to spend less time in their cars, but 73% said they had no other choice but to drive.

Maritime Administration set to remove obsolete ships from California's Suisun Bay

Last week, DOT's Maritime Administration, the San Francisco Regional Water Quality Control Board and the Natural Resources Defense Council, along with other environmental groups, agreed on a plan developed in October 2009 to remove 52 obsolete ships from California's Suisun Bay for recycling. Since we announced our commitment to cleaning up and recycling these dilapidated ships last fall, the Maritime Administration has already removed five ships--with the fifth departing last Wednesday.

Ghost fleet awaits removal from Suisun Bay

This agreement reflects President Obama's commitment to protect the environment and his pledge to work with local groups to make that important goal a reality.

As Congressman George Miller noted:

"During the last eight years, virtually no action was taken to clean up the ships, and only a few of the decaying ships were removed, despite clear congressional direction. But today’s announcement is a significant step forward. In just one year, the Obama Administration has restarted a stalled process, and crafted a plan that will lead to the removal of the worst ships."

Rep. George Miller, flanked by environmental groups, thanks the Administration for a "significant step forward."

Biden plays in Peoria

Last week I hosted Vice President Joe Biden for a visit to my hometown of Peoria. He had been invited to speak at the Partners In Peace awards celebration held annually by the Center for the Prevention of Abuse.

The center is the only agency in the State of Illinois to provide combined services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault/abuse, and elder abuse. The Center also reaches students age pre-K through college with violence prevention education, as well as abusers with an abuser re-education program.

Partners in Peace awards, courtesy Fred Zwicky, Journal Star

Vice President Biden gave a terrific speech in which he announced a proposed $130.5 million increase in the fiscal 2011 budget to combat violence against women:

"This is about educating the whole society. There's been progress. But the problem is still with us today. I have always said that once we got to the White House we would step it up even more. And we will. We need to nourish and support more programs like yours."

I want to thank the Vice President for his support of the center and its mission. He has been working to end domestic abuse for decades. In fact, he authored the 1994 Violence Against Women Act, which led to the creation of our Peoria County Family Justice Center.

George Manias of George's Shoeshine shows Vice President Biden how it's been done for 63 years.

If you read the news reports of his visit, you'll know that I introduced the Vice President to two of my favorite Peoria landmarks, George's Shoeshine and the Spotted Cow restaurant and ice cream shop.

Beech Grove Amtrak facility creates jobs, adds capacity to American passenger rail

Today I was proud to join President Obama and my fellow Cabinet members around the country in highlighting the tremendous role the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act continues to play in putting Americans back to work. 

This morning we learned that the American economy created 162,000 jobs last month and that the revised estimates for January now put average job growth for the first quarter of 2010 at 54,000 per month.

This is the most positive jobs report in three years. And it is a far cry from the same quarter in 2009, when President Obama had just taken office and the economy was losing 753,000 jobs each month.

Standing with the recent hires at the Beech Grove Amtrak facility; these are the faces of the Recovery Act.

To see firsthand the positive effects of the Recovery Act across the country, I visited the Amtrak Maintenance Facility in Beech Grove, Indiana, this morning. I toured the passenger car and locomotive shops and met many of Beech Grove's dedicated workers.

One of those workers is Mike Fischer, a machinist in the Beech Grove facility whom President Obama first met in April 2008.  Mike had worked for Amtrak for 22 years, but was about to lose his job last year as the Beech Grove facility planned to lay off 77 workers. He was faced with the decision to either move to Chicago or Wilmington, Delaware, or lose his job altogether.

Talking with Mike Fischer

Fortunately for Mike, the Recovery Act intervened. The Beech Grove facility secured $32 million to restore 21 passenger cars and 15 locomotives. This infusion not only helped save the jobs of Mike and his coworkers; it also created over 100 new jobs right in Beech Grove.

This money has helped the workers of the Beech Grove facility support their families. It has helped Beech Grove get back on its feet. And this success has been repeated around the country as Amtrak has added over 200 new jobs.

Thanks for the great tour, everyone!

Final rule means better fuel economy, lower greenhouse gas emissions; a win-win for consumers, automakers

What would you say if I told you we could save 1.8 billion barrels of oil and cut greenhouse gas tailpipe emissions by 960 million metric tons--the equivalent of taking 50 million cars off American roads? And what if I told you we could do those things while saving American consumers money at the pump?

If you were the nation's environmental organizations or automakers, you would cheer.

And yesterday, when EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson and I announced historic new federal standards for fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions, that is exactly what those stakeholders did.

Dave McCurdy, president and CEO of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, said:

"America needs a road map to reduced dependence on foreign oil and greenhouse gases, and only the federal government can play this role. The national program announced today makes sense for consumers, for government policymakers and for automakers." 

David Doniger, climate policy director for the Natural Resources Defense Council, agreed:

"The standards forthcoming under the 'clean car peace treaty' are a good deal for consumers, for companies, for the country and for the planet."

Our new standards, covering cars and trucks for model years 2012 to 2016, require automakers to meet a fleet-wide fuel-economy average of 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016.

We are talking about a nearly 10 mpg increase over current standards. But we aren't asking for that kind of increase all at once. The way we get there is to ask manufacturers to improve fuel economy by 5% each year. That incremental approach makes these standards ambitious but achievable.

I'm also excited about our first-ever greenhouse gas reduction measures. And it looks like America's auto experts agree.

Regional FTA Administrator leaves a 40-year record of achievement; bar set high by departing Richard Doyle

If it weren't true, it would read like a novel.

In 1970, a young man joins a still-young DOT as an intern. Cut to four decades later. After a career of consistently effective service and leadership, he retires after nearly 30 years as Administrator of FTA's busy Region I.

From left to right, me, Dick Doyle, and FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff

Through steady achievement, in 1981 Richard Doyle rose to a position responsible for the administration of FTA's capital, operating, and planning programs in the six-state New England region.

Now, the New England region may be compact, but its transit agencies are among the busiest in America. For example, 10 of the agencies have over 2 million boardings each year. And then there are the smaller agencies, whose buses must navigate mountain roads, often through piles of snow.