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

FMCSA challenges students to create next SaferBus app

Last month, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration launched SaferBus, the smartphone app that allows bus travelers to view motorcoach safety data before buying their tickets or boarding their bus. That app has already been well-received and is making a difference for consumers across the country.

Today, FMCSA is challenging student developers to take our safety data one step further. The US DOT Motorcoach Safety Data Student Challenge asks software developers to create apps and online solutions that go beyond SaferBus in helping consumers make smart safety decisions about their bus travel.

DOT makes available to the public performance data about interstate commercial bus companies, but it will take a consumer-minded developer to transform that raw data into innovative, user-friendly tools for travelers.

What data do bus passengers need to make the smartest travel decisions?  What information will travelers need to key in to get the results that serve them best?  What's a useful format for the results?

Indiana Schools Take Strides Toward Safe Routes to School

When many of us were younger, walking or biking to and from school wasn't a choice; it was just what we did.  Rain or shine, older siblings helped younger brothers and sisters cross the street, and friends met up along the way.  It was good exercise and a chance to get out some extra energy before the school day began.

Today, this practice that we took for granted has become a distant memory.  In 2009 only 13 percent of K-8th Grade students were reported as walking or biking to school. That's a huge shift from 40 years earlier when that number was 48 percent. In 1969, 89 percent of kids who lived within a mile of school walked or rode their bikes; in 2009 that figure was down to 35 percent.

Kids walking to Murchison Elementary School in Pflugerville, Texas; photo courtesy Docia Craft

We know that, when kids walk or bike to school, they get energized for their school day and they bring neighborhoods together. And every kid who isn't riding in a parent's car means less traffic congestion and lower vehicle emissions around our children's schools. We also know that--compared to school buses or walking and biking--riding to school in a parent or caregiver's car is the least safe choice for kids.

Fortunately, the Federal Highway Administration's National Center for Safe Routes to School (SRTS) has been working hard since 2005 to reverse this trend.  Safe Routes programs are efforts by parents, schools, community leaders, and local, state, and federal governments to improve the health and well-being of children by enabling and encouraging them to walk and bicycle to school.

On Friday I was lucky enough to join Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard, Mike Cline, the Commissioner of the Indiana DOT, and my own grandchildren for a walk to school and a community conversation about Safe Routes.  Although it was a bit chilly, it was a terrific way to start Grandparents Day.

Students walking to St. John's School in Marshfield, Wisconsin

Texas Distracted Driving Summit keeps the focus on safety

For the past three years, DOT has been a fierce opponent of Distracted Driving. We have hosted two National Distracted Driving Summits, supported strong enforcement efforts, and launched a compelling Faces of Distracted Driving PSA series. 

This effort has paid off. Law enforcement, the business community, and media have joined us in making distracted driving part of the national conversation. Connecticut, New York, and California have demonstrated that enforcement works. And 37 states--plus DC and Guam--have banned texting behind the wheel. These are great signs of improvement.

But, in light of two new studies, one by our own National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and one by Bridgestone, distracted driving is still a dangerous epidemic, particularly among our youngest drivers.

To continue the drumbeat, I traveled to San Antonio yesterday, for the Texas Distracted Driving Summit, hosted by the Texas Department of Transportation, USAA, and the Shriners Hospitals for Children. At the summit, I was honored to be introduced by my good friend and fellow safety advocate, Jennifer Smith.  Jennifer lost her mother to a distracted driver in September 2008 and has become a great ally in our fight to end this deadly epidemic.

We were joined by several other advocates, who have also lost loved ones to distracted driving crashes. You may remember the family of Alex Brown--a 17-year-old who died in a texting crash--from our Faces of Distracted Driving series.  And I was saddened by the story of Jennifer Zamora, whose husband Javier survived the dangers of combat service in Iraq only to be killed here at home by a distracted driver.

 

Raising awareness is a critical part of helping to curb this dangerous behavior. Passing good laws and backing them up with strong enforcement is also crucial. Unfortunately, our host state Texas is not one of the 37 states that have banned texting while driving.  It is disappointing, but that makes raising awareness at summits like this one even more important.

In the meantime, dozens of communities in Texas have passed their own distracted driving legislation, including our host city San Antonio.

Arizona launches emergency traffic management prototype

DOT's Research and Innovative Technology Administration knows that innovation can make our transportation system smarter and greener.  And today, Acting Administrator Greg Winfree was in Arizona with Maricopa County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) Intelligent Transportation System engineers and University of Arizona researchers to showcase their latest efforts to make intersections with traffic signals safer for emergency responders and the general public.

When you need fire or emergency medical assistance, precious moments count. Unfortunately, traffic accidents enroute to emergencies pose a serious danger for first responders. Nearly 13 percent of the firefighters and police officers who die in the line of duty are killed in vehicle-related incidents, and fire trucks are involved in ten times as many collisions as other heavy trucks.

We need our first responders--and the traveling public--to stay safe. That’s why I'm so pleased to see this program moving ahead.

National Association of Railroad Passengers a strong partner for the future of American rail

Since 1967, the National Association of Railroad Passengers has worked for "a modern, customer-focused, national passenger train network."

DOT shares those goals, so last Tuesday, it was easy to talk with NARP members about the Obama Administration's rail priorities and to thank them for standing behind the President's bold vision for America that includes high-speed and inter-city passenger rail.

It was also a pleasure to join NARP in recognizing the achievement of University of Illinois professor Christopher Barkan. Dr. Barkan is the Director of the Railroad Engineering Program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; under his leadership, the school has expanded the rail curriculum from one course to six, making it the largest of any North American university.  In 2010, Dr. Barkan and his colleagues added a course on High-Speed Rail Engineering—a significant step forward for American high-speed rail.

We know --and NARP members can quote the statistics for you-- that more and more Americans are turning to passenger rail service to get where they need to go. For example, last year was a record-breaker for Amtrak ridership --its eighth in a row-- with 30 million passengers riding the rails.  And Amtrak is on course so far this fiscal year to set yet another record.

Wickford Junction open for business in Rhode Island; new transit station offers faster commutes, less congestion

In August 2010, I blogged about Federal Transit Administrator Peter Rogoff attending the groundbreaking for Rhode Island's Wickford Junction rail station:

When you break ground on a rail link that will connect a community to Rhode Island's busiest airport and also to New England's two largest cities, that's good news. And when you create jobs in the process, that's good news.

Today, I'm happy to say there's even better news because yesterday the new Wickford Junction station opened for business --ahead of schedule and under budget.

It's a terrific project, and I was happy to celebrate the station's opening with Governor Lincoln Chafee, US Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, Congressmen James Langevin and David Cicilline, and Rhode Island DOT (RI-DOT)  Director Michael Lewis.

 

The 20-mile extension of MBTA commuter rail service to Warwick, Wickford, and North Kingstown will make a world of difference to commuters by improving access to thousands of jobs between Providence and Boston. Service will include 20 trips per day Monday through Friday to T.F. Green Airport, Providence, and Boston's South Station.

Bridgestone studies teen driver attitudes, behaviors

Earlier today, Bridgestone Americas presented the results from an important survey of teen attitudes toward distracted driving. It reveals a dangerous disconnect between what teen drivers know about the safety risks of distracted driving and how they actually behave behind the wheel.

We at DOT welcome Bridgestone's efforts as part of the national conversation that is taking place about the deadly epidemic of distracted driving. This survey and its findings are a valuable contribution to this critical issue.

Bridgestone surveyed 2,000 drivers aged 15 to 21 and found:

• One-third of those surveyed admit to reading text messages while driving;
• About one-­fifth admit to typing text messages at least occasionally while driving.
• Teens view typing a text message as less dangerous than driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• A quarter of those surveyed do not believe that talking on the phone while driving is dangerous;
• Overall, girls engage in distractions behind the wheel far more than boys; and
• Teenagers and young adults say their parents engage in distracted driving more than themselves.

You can view the complete set of results here.

Bridgestone also launched its annual Teens Drive Smart PSA Contest this morning. You can see from the public service announcement below that the young people who enter this contest are very effective at getting the safety message across, and I look forward to seeing what this year's contestants have in store for us.

 

Live broadcast streaming here at 10 a.m. EDT: Bridgestone surveys teen attitudes about Distracted Driving

Today, I'll join Bridgestone Americas, Inc., at the National Press Club as the company unveils survey data about teen attitudes on distracting driving. You can tune in right here at 10 a.m. to watch streaming video of Bridgestone's announcement live.

Bridgestone developed the survey to help the company better understand the driving habits and behaviors of young drivers, with particular attention to distracted driving.

Beginning at 10 a.m. EDT, the Bridgestone release of its important findings will be streaming below. The company will also launch its its annual Teens Drive Smart Video PSA Contest. If you're safety-minded, please tune in and advise others to do the same.

 

Many thanks to Bridgestone Americas and the Bridgestone Teens Drive Smart program for producing and sharing this presentation.

Pipeline modernization plan means safety and jobs

One year ago, I gathered pipeline operators together and asked each of them to take a serious look at their infrastructure and to identify those sections that need to be repaired or replaced.

I pledged that if operators stepped up and created modernization plans, then DOT would do everything in our power to help cut bureaucratic red tape to put people to work and get shovels in the ground more quickly on these important projects to make America's communities safer.

NiSource, Inc., answered that call in Pittsburgh last Friday, and they are setting an example for the entire industry by investing more than $4 billion dollars in 1,000 miles of modern diameter pipeline. This massive modernization project will take place in Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia, and it will promote the safe and reliable delivery of energy resources across the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the U.S.

 

DOT will hold up our end of bargain as well. We all know how important it is to get these infrastructure projects moving so we can put Americans back on the jobsite and make our neighborhoods safer. That's why President Obama signed an executive order to fast-track crucial infrastructure through review and permitting, and that's exactly what we plan to do in these states.

Now, don’t get me wrong, at DOT we will never sacrifice safety. But we can make government work smarter, more efficiently, and faster to create jobs and help communities realize the benefits --including greater safety-- of infrastructure renewal.

In fact, by speeding up the approval process for replacing aging pipelines, we’re helping make residents of those six states safer much faster than expected.

Speaking on Friday in the city of Pittsburgh, photo courtesy Michael Henninger/Post-Gazette

National Work Zone Awareness Week message: Don't barrel through work zones

Spring is here, and once again the orange barrels signifying road work have come out of hibernation. We all need to drive extra carefully through the zones where men and women are hard at work improving our roadways.

You see, in 2010, work zone crashes killed 576 people and injured an estimated 37,000.  As you can imagine, road work is a dangerous occupation; in fact, 10 to 15 percent of work zone fatalities are workers. But, surprisingly, that also means that 85 to 90 percent of those killed in work zone crashes are drivers and their passengers.

Thankfully, work zone crashes are preventable.

One way we've worked to reduce work zone crash fatalities is through National Work Zone Awareness Week. Each year since 1999, our Federal Highway Administration has teamed up with the American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA) and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) on this April public awareness effort.  The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) and the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) are also partners.

For 2012, National Work Zone Awareness Week starts today with a national kickoff --featuring Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez-- at a construction site near St. Louis.

And all week, states across the country will remind motorists that safer driving means safer work zones.

 

Moving green, inside and out: Earth Day at DOT

Although Earth Day 2012 is still two days away, we at the Department of Transportation believe an emphasis on the environment is important each and every day, especially when it comes to transportation.

It cannot be denied that transportation is a big factor in the environment.  Transportation accounted for 70% of petroleum use in the United States in 2010 as well as nearly one third of greenhouse gas emissions.  Anything that moves needs fuel and produces waste.  And while we cannot eliminate this waste, we can at least minimize its harmful impact.

And that is what the Obama administration and DOT have set out to do.

Our Fuel Economy Standard will increase average vehicle fuel efficiency to roughly 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025.  This means cars will use oil more efficiently and effectively -- saving the greenery along your route and the green in your wallet. In fact, the average American will save up to $6,600.

Operation Steel Box keeps hazardous materials where they belong: inside safe trucks

Every day, our roadways carry billions of dollars of raw materials and finished goods from coast to coast. And every day, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) works hard to make sure that cargo is protected inside safe commercial vehicles operated by safe drivers. Ensuring that commercial vehicles and their drivers are safe also means that FMCSA protects other users of America's roadways.

And when our nation's commercial vehicles transport the hazardous materials our economy needs, that safety mission becomes even more critical.

That's why this week, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's Southern Service Center put Operation Steel Box into action with inspection strike forces at key ports where hazardous materials carriers load their contents.

Keith Gibson of FMCSA with USCG, opening container

From Houston to New Orleans, Mobile, Tampa, Jacksonville, Savannah, Mt. Pleasant (SC), and Wilmington, inspectors were on the ground checking commercial motor vehicles, tractor-trailer combinations, equipment, and freight boxes as loads came off ships bound for motor carriers.  We even had a team at the intermodal center in Memphis to check as freight was moved from railway to roadway.

Every day is Earth Day for public transit

As you probably know, the annual celebration of Earth Day takes place this Sunday, April 22.  Today and through the weekend, DOT offices will mark Earth Day with different events and activities.

But when it comes to transportation, every day is Earth Day – an opportunity to find more efficient ways to get where you’re going, so in advance of the big day, the Federal Transit Administration has launched a new "environmental benefits" website highlighting the many ways transit helps us all “GO green.”

The new site collects in one place the FTA's work providing affordable, innovative, and sustainable public transit alternatives that reduce our nation’s carbon footprint and help secure an independent energy future. Among its features, the site shows the many environmental benefits of public transit and provides a calculator that tells you how much carbon dioxide riding transit keeps out of our atmosphere.

If you try nothing else on the site, I recommend the calculator--you might be surprised by how much CO2 you can save by riding transit, even for a short trip.

The site also offers a terrific, easy-to-use map that showcases fuel-saving, emissions-reducing investments across the country--like clean-fuel technologies and expanded light rail service. Just click on one of the pushpins in your state to see the sustainability progress the FTA is supporting near you.

End Distracted Driving reaches out with safety message

In February 2011, the father of a young woman who was killed by a distracted driver sent DOT a video tribute to his daughter. Joel Feldman's powerful video about his daughter Casey was the first outside submission to become part of our Faces of Distracted Driving. And Casey's story has proven to be one of our most effective videos, capturing the attention of people around the world.

In the Fast Lane post about Casey's story, Joel wrote: "The families of those who have died as a result of distracted driving share a bond because of our loss.  But we also share a bond because of our desire to have the deaths of our loved ones bring about some positive change."

 

Since then, Joel Feldman has not rested in his pursuit of that change. The organization he started, End Distracted Driving, has been a strong advocate in our fight to get drivers to keep their eyes on the road, their hands on the wheel, and their full attention on driving safely.

And, in honor of National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, EndDD.org has launched the End Distracted Driving Student Awareness Initiative. This campaign seeks to educate students and other drivers throughout North America about the dangers of distracted driving. Perhaps more importantly, the Student Awareness Initiative gives drivers simple steps to keep them--and others--safe.  Step number one? Drive without texting.

End Distracted Driving has an ambitious goal for its April initiative: to reach more than 100,000 young drivers.

Space shuttle Discovery takes dramatic final flight

If you were near the National Mall in Washington, DC, between 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. yesterday, and happened to glance upward, what you saw may have surprised you – the space shuttle Discovery riding atop a 747.

On Thursday, Discovery will join the great aviation collection at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center, where she will continue to inspire and help tell the story of our nation’s many achievements in aviation and space exploration.

Shuttle during DCA flyover, photo courtesy FAA

But first, after leaving the Kennedy Space Center for the last time early yesterday morning, the shuttle-jet pair delighted spectators by taking a spin around the Washington Monument, the White House, and the Capitol, with a brief flyover near Reagan National Airport.  The two finally landed at Dulles International Airport, where I had the opportunity to join officials from NASA, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Smithsonian in welcoming Discovery to her new home.

Watching the shuttle and its carrier land at Dulles International, photo courtesy FAA

The longest-serving veteran of NASA’s space shuttle fleet, Discovery flew 39 missions, spent 365 days in space, orbited Earth 5,830 times, and traveled 148,221,675 miles between 1984 and its last completed spaceflight in March 2011.

As Discovery enters the Smithsonian, it’s important to remember the many accomplishments of which the shuttle program can be very proud. 

It was an honor to speak at Discovery's final landing, photo courtesy Smithsonian Institute

Thirty years of flights not only helped the U.S. launch satellites, but those three decades also showed us that we could repair them in-orbit, too.  In addition, the program opened doors to women and minority astronauts, was responsible for many scientific discoveries, and made possible the International Space Station.

Pam Melroy, the Senior Technical Advisor in the FAA's Office of Commercial Space Transportation and a former astronaut who flew two of her three missions on Discovery, thinks the world of this extraordinary family of aircraft:

"The Space Shuttle is the most powerful, capable spacecraft ever built. It can launch like a rocket, act as an orbiting scientific space station, and dock to other vehicles. You can perform both robotics and spacewalks from her. And of course, you can land softly and smoothly like an airplane. Additionally, it is the only spacecraft that was capable of carrying large payloads home from space. We will not see another vehicle as capable or complex for at least another generation."

Discovery served our nation well, and I have no doubt that she will continue to inspire millions of visitors at the Udvar-Hazy Center for decades to come.

Watch video of the Reagan National flyover, courtesy of FAA

Parents, please use the power you have to keep your kids safe

At the Department of Transportation, we are proud to work with many different safety partners to keep our nation’s roads safe.  One group that’s been effective in helping keep drunk drivers off the road is Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).  MADD has supported our recent "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" and "Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving" campaigns, and MADD members have been powerful advocates for change at the national, state and local levels.

Last year, MADD launched its first-ever PowerTalk 21 day, a national day for parents to start talking with their kids about alcohol.  I was happy to play a small part.

This year, on April 21st, MADD will renew its call for every parent to start an ongoing conversation with their children about the dangers of underage drinking.  Of course, any day is a good day to start discussing this important topic with your kids, but MADD and DOT want April 21st to be the day it becomes a national conversation.

As the father of four, I know this is a difficult conversation to start.  That’s why MADD's Power of Parents handbook is such a terrific resource.  These research-based materials help guide you through the conversation one step at a time.

And, once you get the lines of communication open by starting the conversation, it will be that much easier to keep them open as your children grow older.

Business leaders send the message: There's transportation work to be done

Last week, I met with business leaders in Minneapolis to talk about the transportation future of their city, and they overwhelmingly had one topic on their mind: the passage of a long-term national transportation bill.

The men and women I spoke with were a mix of Republicans, Democrats, and Independents, but they all agreed that Congress's inability to pass a national transportation plan is not good for business. It's not good for jobs; it's not good for economic development; it's not good for America.

Not one person in the meeting pointed a finger at the party across the aisle; no one was interested in assigning blame for the lack of a long-term transportation bill. Instead, they asked one question: How do we break this logjam?

I wish I knew.

This is a critical time for transportation. To a person, everyone in Congress says our priority must be jobs. Well, according to the business leaders I met with in Minneapolis, these extensions are not creating jobs; they are holding back job creation.

We are right at the beginning of the construction season, and the fact that states cannot plan ahead beyond the next 74 days means that thousands of workers cannot get to work on the big projects America needs.

And--if our discussion in Minneapolis is any indication--America needs transportation projects.

An economy can't go anywhere without the transportation network to carry it.  And the longer we avoid dealing with that network--the longer we keep patching things up--the longer it will take for us to increase the safety and efficiency of how we move people and goods in this country.

For example, one of the folks I talked with in Minneapolis is concerned about how to move more than 10,000 employees into and out of the city's downtown business core each day.  How can he plan his company's future without being able to predict how they will get people to work?

Another business leader was concerned about already planned transportation projects. "We can't get local commitment," he said, "because there's no reason for the community to believe federal support will come through even though our residents are paying into the highway trust fund with their gas taxes."

To plan wisely, businesses need certainty.  Forecasting is difficult enough; we can't afford to complicate it with politics. As the business leaders I met with in Minneapolis said, "90 days is not a plan."

Young passengers less likely to speak up about distracted driving; social icon design challenge offers an opportunity

Last week, I met a group of elementary school students in Minnesota, and I had a very clear safety message for them: "If you're riding in a car and the driver is texting or talking on the phone while driving, you tell them I said it's not safe."

And when I asked them if they would do that, if they would carry that important safety message home with them, they all nodded their heads enthusiastically and shouted, "Yes!"

That willingness to speak up is all the more important because, today, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released new findings that indicate older kids--teens--are the least likely passengers to say something to their driver if he or she is texting or talking on a cell phone behind the wheel.

At the same time, we know that drivers in their teens report the highest level of phone involvement in crashes and near-crashes. And we know that young drivers are nearly three times more likely to be involved in sending or receiving a text at the time of an incident than drivers 25 and older.

So, when a NHTSA survey shows that 90 percent of passengers would consider a texting driver as very unsafe, it is troubling to learn that only one-third of younger passengers would actually speak up about it.

We can't control the deadly epidemic of distracted driving until we get drivers of all ages to speak up about the safety risks of texting or talking on a cell phone behind the wheel.

That's why DOT has launched a new social media icon contest for U.S. teens. The Distracted Driving Design Challenge invites students between the ages of 13 and 18 to create an original icon--with a distracted driving awareness message--that can be shared on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and other social networking sites.

 

The contest is open until July 31, and a panel of DOT experts and I will select the winning design.  We're looking for icons that send a clear message: cell phones and driving don’t mix.

If you create the winning design, your work will be incorporated into our campaign to end distracted driving. This is your chance to help keep our roads safe for your family, your friends, and yourself.

So, get creative, design an eye-catching graphic that you’d be proud to show off on your favorite social network, and please send it in.

To learn more about the Distracted Driving Design Challenge visit challenge.gov.

Bus Rapid Transit a capital idea for Austin

Last week, while I was in Tucson helping break ground on the new Sun Link streetcar, Federal Transit Administrator Peter Rogoff was busy introducing transit innovations like Bus Rapid Transt in Austin, TX, and Roaring Forks, CO, and a BART commuter rail extension in San Jose, CA.

FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff speaking in Austin

BRT is an enhanced system with modern buses operating on separate lanes or other transitways. By running on special lanes isolated from traffic, BRT combines the flexibility of buses with the efficiency of rail. And with high-tech vehicles and advanced infrastructure, BRT operates at faster speeds than conventional bus service while also providing greater reliability and increased customer convenience.

What communities get is essentially rail on wheels.

In Austin, Administrator Rogoff signed a grant agreement providing $38 million to build a bus rapid transit system in Austin, bringing additional transportation choices to one of the most congested mid-size cities in the country.

MetroRapid gets $38M federal grant: kxan.com

The new MetroRapid bus service will include 40 new bus stations with 40 clean diesel buses running along a 37.5 mile route parallel to the region’s main highways, I-35 and Loop-1. The service will make it easier for riders to access the State Capitol, the University of Texas, and the opportunities available in downtown Austin’s central business district.

Tucson breaks ground on Sun Link streetcar because transportation is good business

One of the very promising trends in transit these days is the growing number of American cities that are embracing the modern urban streetcar. And when DOT launched its first round of competitive TIGER grants, the city of Tucson jumped on-board the streetcar revival with both feet.

So yesterday, I was happy to be back in Tucson to help the entire community turn over the first shovel of dirt for the new Sun Link streetcar.

Breaking ground with, from left to right, U.S. Rep Raul Grijalva, Oro Valley Mayor and RTA Chair Satish Hiremath, me, Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild, U.S. Rep. Ed Pastore, and Ed Carranza FTA Region 9 Deputy Regional Administrator

Now, of course, everyone in greater Tucson did not attend yesterday's groundbreaking. But, the entire community was represented because so many different stakeholders really came together to make this exciting project happen.  From the area's Congressional delegation, the Regional Transportation Authority, and the Mayor's office to the University of Arizona, the business community, and neighborhood advocates, the city of Tucson created a dynamic partnership of diverse interests working together toward a common goal.

That's something we can all learn from, and it's exactly the kind of cooperation that our TIGER program has been encouraging around the country for the past three years.

Transportation is a gateway to opportunity. Tucson's Sun Link will take its riders to work, where they can earn a decent living to support their families. It will take its riders to a very good university, where they can earn the kind of education that increases their future possibilities. And it will take its riders to Tucson's downtown business center, where they can get the goods and services they need while also supporting local job creators.

BART rail extension to Silicon Valley will create jobs, provide more transit options

Earlier this week, I wrote about how Americans want options for getting where they need to go, and more of them are choosing to ride transit.

DOT’s Federal Transit Administration understands that access to more transit options leads to more ridership, and today, FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff joined Bay Area leaders in breaking ground on a project that will provide a new choice for residents who commute to the Silicon Valley high-tech corridor each day – a 10-mile extension of the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) rail system.

Ground is broken for BART extension.

The Silicon Valley Berryessa Extension Project will bring transit service to downtown San Jose and Santa Clara County, relieving highway congestion and giving commuters the option to leave their cars at home.  The extension includes the construction of two new stations, in Milpitas and Berryessa, and the purchase of 40 new passenger rail cars.

And according to BART, the project will create more than 2,500 construction-related jobs.

This is a big win for the region – creating thousands of construction-related jobs, spurring millions of dollars in new residential, retail, and commercial development out to Silicon Valley, and reducing congestion and saving gas as more drivers decide to take transit.

Students from Project Ignition deliver safe driving message to their peers

I wrote yesterday about the important work of our partners in the fight for safe driving. And today it's a pleasure to congratulate one of those safety partners in particular, Project Ignition.

Project Ignition supports student-led school campaigns that address teen driver safety.  Now, we know from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data that traffic crashes remain the leading cause of death for teens in the United States. But, through Project Ignition, teens are working to change that.

I met with students from Project Ignition last January in Washington, DC, and last night in Minneapolis I had the opportunity to present 10 school programs from around the country with Project Ignition National Leader awards. These schools were honored as the nation's most effective student-led teen driver safety programs:

• Belton High School Freshman Center, Belton, MO
• Fieldcrest High School, Minonk, IL
• Freedom High School, Bethlehem, PA
• Hoosick Falls Central School, Hoosick Falls, NY
• Idabel High School, Idabel, OK
• London High School, London, OH
• Plymouth/Whitemarsh High School, Plymouth Meeting, PA
• ROWVA High School, Oneida, IL
• Shelton High School, Shelton, WA
• Springlake-Earth High School, Earth, TX

The awards announcement was part of the National Service Learning Conference, a terrific showcase of the many ways America's students are developing important skills while also making a real difference in the world. Service and education make a powerful combination, and the kids I've met from Project Ignition really appreciate its value.

With the group from Fieldcrest High School, Minonk, Il

Of course, I appreciate the work of Project Ignition because it's focused on our highest priority, safety. And many of the schools recognized last night chose to educate their peers about the dangers of distracted driving.

New DOT mentor-protégé pilot program to assist small and disadvantaged businesses

Small businesses are a strong force that will move our economy forward if we provide the right tools to help them succeed.  Here at DOT, we have worked very hard to make sure small businesses are treated fairly and have an opportunity to compete for a fair amount of our agency’s contracting and subcontracting dollars.

Our Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) has developed several initiatives to help small business owners achieve success, create jobs, and strengthen our economy.  Some of those initiatives include the successful Bonding Education Program and the Woman & Girls Internship Program with Spelman College.

And yesterday at DOT’s Small Business Day, I was proud to announce the launch of another program that we’re very excited about – DOT’s Mentor-Protégé Pilot Program.

The idea behind the program is simple – to help small businesses develop relationships with successful prime contractors. 

Having a mentor who’s been successful on large projects can help take small businesses to the “next level” so they’re better able to compete for work.  And they’ll be able to work with their mentors and “pick their brains” for technical advice and other useful insights.

Glee sends an important message

There are many effective ways to help spread the safe driving message to America's young drivers, and at DOT we're working hard to do just that. But, every once in a while, the message that distracted driving kills gets a big boost from television.

In 2011 ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition featured the family of Alex Brown, a 17-year-old student who was killed while texting and driving.  The broadcast of this show brought the consequences of distracted driving into millions of American family rooms.

 

And last night Fox did the nation a similar service by emphasizing the dangers of texting behind the wheel in its popular series Glee.

For those who don't follow the show, the previous episode ended with one of the main characters, a high-school senior named Quinn, texting behind the wheel when she crashed her car.  For weeks, producers kept the show's young viewers in suspense about the outcome. In last night's return episode, Quinn reappeared at her school in a wheelchair, her injured legs still unable to function.

Quinn: "Don't text and drive. Ever. It's the stupidest thing I've ever done."

The character of Quinn spent much of the episode talking about the dangers of texting and driving, and even of texting and walking.  The message was reaffirmed by safe driving public service announcements throughout the show from AT&T and Allstate. It was also amplified on Twitter as fans used the hashtag #imstillstandingwithquinn enough times that it became a worldwide trending topic. And DOT's @DistractionGov Twitter account added to that effort by sharing facts, statistics, videos, and action toolkits from distraction.gov.

"The Right Seat" campaign a good fit for child passenger safety

Safety is our top priority for everyone on our roadways, and today we’re calling on parents and caregivers to do everything they can to protect our most vulnerable passengers.  Data from DOT's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show an estimated 8,959 lives were saved by child safety seats from 1975 to 2008.

But we can do better. According to a NHTSA study, 3 out of 4 kids are not as secure in the car as they should be because their car seats are not sized properly or used correctly.

That's why NHTSA is launching a new campaign to help parents and caregivers make sure they've got the safety seat that best fits their child. From rear-facing to forward-facing to booster to seat belt, making sure children are secured in a properly installed safety restraint is a critical step in protecting them from harm.

“The Right Seat” campaign explains that, “Parents who really know it all, know for sure their child is in the right car seat.”

The new print ads, billboards, and public service announcements are designed to make sure we don't take anything for granted when it comes to protecting young passengers.  Are you sure your child is really ready to move up to the next type of seat?  Are you sure your child's seat is securely installed?  Are you sure your is tall enough to be safely restrained in an adult seat belt?

 

The new campaign refocuses our attention on important safety questions like these. But parents, grandparents, and caregivers needn't worry because, for every question the new campaign raises, NHTSA's new Parents Central website has answers.

As Distracted Driving Awareness Month continues, Idaho enacts ban on texting while driving

Last week we celebrated the April arrival of National Distracted Driving Awareness Month with the terrific news that West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin had signed the nation's 10th state law banning texting and hand-held cell phone use while driving. 

Texting behind the wheel is one of the most dangerous and irresponsible decisions a driver can make. So today--just a week later--I'm happy to congratulate the Idaho legislature and Governor Butch Otter for enacting the nation's 37th state law against texting while driving.

Idaho motorists will be safer because of the grassroots efforts of local families and safety advocates who helped raise awareness on this important issue.

For example, Allstate recently used Idaho's Kassy Kerfoot, a young woman killed in a 2009 texting crash as the face of its Save 11 campaign to help stop the number one cause of teen deaths in America.  As Allstate's campaign points out, 11 American teens die in vehicle crashes every day.  Curbing texting behind the wheel is one way to reduce that tragic number.

 

Transit getting more Americans where they need to go

I've written more than once on this blog that everywhere I go I hear from Americans who want more options for getting where they need to go.

Some people can't afford to own a reliable car.  Some are unable to drive. Others choose not to drive--to avoid the pinch they feel at the pump, the frustration of roadway congestion, or the hassle of finding a parking space.  Still others like being able to read the morning paper or do some work while riding.

Whatever the reason, more Americans are choosing to ride transit.

In fact, transit ridership for the month of February increased by 5.5% compared to February 2011. This is the first time since 2005 that transit ridership has increased by more than 5% from the prior year for two consecutive months. And the average increase during the past six months of 4.5% is the highest since 2008.

Given the rise in gas prices that occurred during March, we expect ridership increases to continue.

But fuel prices are only one of the factors that lead to increased ridership. Another factor is the availability of accessible transit choices.  The folks in our Federal Transit Administration, led by Administrator Peter Rogoff, have been saying for years that if we build it, riders will come.

That has certainly been the case.

Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas look to seize the day with Passenger Rail Symposium

The Northern Flyer Alliance is a group of 49 cities, 6 counties, and 19 Chambers of Commerce from Kansas City to Fort Worth that have joined together to promote passenger rail in their communities and in the tri-state region that includes Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Today, the Alliance is holding a Passenger Rail Symposium, and Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Szabo was on hand with a message of strong support from this Administration.

President Obama's all-of-the-above energy strategy means investing in more fuel-efficient transportation. That means cars that go farther on every gallon of gas. It means using our nation's waterways for shipping freight. It means electric transit buses that can recharge in less than 10 minutes.

And it means more rail.

Passenger rail is three times more energy-efficient than car travel and six times more efficient than air travel.

And, at a time when the Texas Transportation Institute has identified 328 seriously congested highway corridors--stretches of roadway around the U.S. that experience hours of traffic jams each day--a single dedicated high-speed passenger rail line can carry more capacity than six lanes of freeway.

Of course, that's just the situation TTI identified right now. In 2050, we'll be home to 100 million more Americans. Just when our economic competitiveness will require our nation to move more people and more goods than ever, our highways will be choking at maximum capacity and our runways and airport gates will be overcrowded.

So, while our interstate highways unlocked our economy's potential in the second half of the 20th century, our success in the 21st century will require a more diverse toolkit of intercity transportation options. Including passenger rail.

50 years after historic JFK message to Congress, transportation still the thread that connects our nation

A lot changes in 50 years.  In 1962, the U.S. population was 186.5 million, compared to today's 311.6 million, and a gallon of milk cost only 49 cents.

One thing that has not changed, however, is our country's need for good transportation.

In fact, on this day 50 years ago, President John F. Kennedy wrote a Special Message to Congress on Transportation, and his message is as relevant today as it was in 1962:  "An efficient and dynamic transportation system is vital to our domestic economic growth. Affecting the cost of every commodity we consume or export, it is equally vital to our ability to compete abroad."

In 1962, a mix of inconsistent and obsolete policy threatened the transportation system of the day.  As President Kennedy said, "This patchwork does not fully reflect either the dramatic changes in technology of the past half-century or the parallel changes in the structure of competition." 

In the half-century that has passed since that moment, another patchwork has emerged in the form of transportation extensions rather than a long-term solution.

President Kennedy understood that passing a national transportation plan would be no simple matter for Congress, even in 1962, but he urged legislators to persevere: "If direct and decisive action is not taken in the near future, the undesirable developments, inefficiencies, inequities, and other undesirable conditions that confront us now will cause permanent loss of essential services or require even more difficult and costly solutions in the not-too-distant future."

TIGER 2012 applications far exceed available funds; overwhelming demand demonstrates investment need

As I wrote in two different blog posts earlier this week, April is both Safe Digging Month and Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Today, I'm tempted to add that April is also the Month of the TIGER.

The deadline to apply for the fourth round of our wildly successful Transportation Investments Generating Economic Recovery grant program has come and gone, and, once again, project proposals have far surpassed the funds Congress has made available for these problem-solving projects. For TIGER 2012, we received applications totaling $10.2 billion, more than 20 times the $500 million set aside for the program.  And those 703 applications came from all 50 states, U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia. 

President Obama has challenged us to invest in an America that is built to last, and it’s clear that communities across America can’t afford to wait any longer to get started.

The need is enormous.  From roadways to help reduce costly bottlenecks to transit choices that help commuters save on gas and freight rail upgrades that improve safety and efficiency, America needs a 21st century transportation system capable of supporting our 21st century economy.  An America that's built to last needs transportation that's built to last.

And there may be no better time to build it.

A report released last month by the U.S. Department of Treasury with the Council of Economic Advisers finds that now is the key time to invest in infrastructure to create middle-class jobs, increase our long-term competitiveness, and support a more secure energy future. And President Obama's proposed budget, with its bold plan to renew and expand America's infrastructure, proposes exactly that kind of infrastructure investment.

The Treasury Department report indicates that investment in infrastructure would support middle-class families today and in the future. In the short-term, investments in transportation create middle-class jobs; 80 percent of the jobs created are in construction, manufacturing, and retail and wholesale trade, where nearly 90 percent of the jobs pay middle-class wages. And the unemployment rate is significantly higher in the construction trades, where infrastructure investment would create the bulk of its jobs.

In the long-term, better transportation choices will deliver benefits to families burdened by gas prices, congested roads, and a lack of options. The average American family spends more than $7,600 a year on transportation--that's more than we spend on food and more than twice what we spend on out-of-pocket health care costs. For 90 percent of us, transportation costs consume one out of every seven dollars of income.

But the report also tells us that Americans living where there are more transportation options were able to save $200 per month in lower costs, including paying less at the pump, over the past decade.

Unfortunately, Americans are not getting a lot of help from Congress.  We simply cannot make the investments we need to build the nation we want without a long-term transportation plan, and it is up to Congress to pass such a plan.  But Congress has failed to come together on what has traditionally been an issue with bipartisan support.  Instead, the legislature has settled for extending the old plan--on nine separate occasions. And even those extensions have been difficult to achieve.

This is no way for a global leader to operate. It shortchanges our businesses; it shortchanges our families; and it shortchanges our future. 

This bridge over the Piscataqua River between New Hampshire and Maine is hardly a fitting tribute to the memory of the veterans who served in World War I; TIGER is fixing that.

All of our United States, territories, and DC understand this. And with their 703 TIGER 2012 applications seeking more than $10 billion in infrastructure solutions, they have sent Congress a clear message that America needs a long-term transportation plan.

As Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said yesterday, "To make us more competitive, we have to be willing to make larger long-term investments in infrastructure, not just limp forward with temporary extensions."

For now, however, one creature that is not limping forward is the transportation and planning community's favorite animal: DOT's TIGER.

Houston-area airports join FAA flight path effort to increase on-time, fuel-efficient travel

Earlier today, Deputy Transportation Secretary John Porcari and Acting Federal Aviation Administrator Michael Huerta met with key stakeholders about the new Houston Metroplex initiative, an exciting effort to make air traffic control more efficient, help airlines improve on-time performance, and reduce emissions generated by aircraft flying into and out of Houston’s airports.

The key to this innovative solution is the FAA's Next Generation Air Transportation System.  NextGen is a comprehensive evolution of our aviation system to make air travel more efficient and dependable—while greening our skies and keeping them safe.  It’s a continuous roll-out of new procedures and technology that save fuel, reduce delays, and cut pollution. 

And it’s vital to protecting the contribution of civil aviation to our economy – the 10 million jobs and the $1.3 trillion that this industry pumps into our marketplace.

We know that, in the future, our population will grow and we will have more planes in the air. But our current air traffic system simply cannot accommodate the anticipated growth.  We need to build the infrastructure to handle them. 

The FAA estimates that the Houston Metroplex airspace initiative will allow airplanes traveling into and out of Houston to fly 648,000 fewer nautical miles annually. This and other NextGen procedures will save up to three million gallons of fuel and reduce carbon emissions in the Houston airspace by as much as 31,000 metric tons each year. That's the equivalent of taking 6,000 cars off Houston area roadways.

“Through NextGen, the FAA and members of the aviation industry are teaming up to make some of the most complex airspace in the country some of the most efficient,” said Acting Administrator Huerta.

One year after pipeline safety call to action, progress made, more work to be done

One year ago, in the wake of devastating pipeline incidents that resulted in 22 deaths in San Bruno, California, and Allentown, Pennsylvania, DOT issued a call to action to the nation’s pipeline operators. We challenged them to identify pipelines that need to be rehabilitated, repaired or replaced to ensure the safe and reliable delivery of our energy resources.

We have more than 2.5 million miles of pipeline in this country, and many of those miles run directly beneath communities like San Bruno and Allentown, communities like yours.  Urging industry leaders and state and federal officials to assess the risks in this critical infrastructure was the right thing to do.

Since that call to action, we’ve made progress on improving pipeline safety in America, but we still have work to do.

I'm proud that our Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has taken this call to action very seriously with stepped up pipeline safety oversight activities, increased enforcement actions, proposed data collection initiatives, and aggressive public education efforts. PHMSA has also hosted numerous pipeline safety workshops for operators and emergency responders during the past 12 months, with more than 2,500 participating either in person or online via PHMSA's consistent use of webstreaming to increase access.

Looking on with PHMSA Administrator Quarterman as President Obama signs
the Pipeline Safety, Regulatory Certainty, and Job Creation Act in January

"Where’s baby? Look before you lock" campaign warns about the dangers of heatstroke for kids in cars

With April upon us, it's a pleasure to contemplate the warmer weather of the coming months. But, while the heat of spring and summer offers a welcome opportunity to put on some shorts and get outside, it can also be lethal.

In 2011 at least 33 children died in heatstroke-related deaths when they were left in unattended vehicles.  Heatstroke in vehicles is the leading cause of all non-crash related death for children 14 and younger.  It represents 61% of total non-crash fatalities in this age group.  And it is completely preventable.

Today the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched its first-ever national campaign to get the message out about the harmful and potentially fatal effects of leaving children in hot vehicles.

The Where's baby? Look Before You Lock message asks all parents, grandparents, and other care-givers to be mindful when leaving your vehicle.

Cars heat up quickly – even with a window rolled down two inches, if the outside temperature is in the low 80s, the temperature inside a vehicle can reach deadly levels in just 10 minutes.  Young children, those under 4 years old, are particularly at risk because their bodies overheat more easily.

So this campaign is a call-to-action for parents, families, and everyone who cares about the safety of children. As NHTSA Administrator David Strickland said, "While parents are the first line of defense when it comes to preventing heatstroke in hot cars, everyone in the community has a role to play in keeping kids safe."

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month

April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and from Virginia to California, the traffic safety community has a simple message for drivers: One Text or Call could Wreck it All.

DOT has worked hard for several years to end the deadly epidemic of distracted driving.  But to kickoff this month, I want to thank the States for their efforts in this important safety fight.

In California, where texting and talking on a hand-held cell phone while driving are against the law, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and more than 200 local law enforcement agencies will crack down on drivers text messaging and talking on their cell phones behind the wheel.  Is the California law working? Just two years after the state's ban went into effect, road fatalities had fallen 22 percent.

California's Office of Traffic Safety also has a terrific campaign to educate drivers: "Don't be a zombie behind the wheel." As CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow said, "Every distraction affects a driver’s reaction time, and things can change without notice. Distractions change a seemingly good driver into a zombie."

 

Our warmest congratulations today, from everyone at DOT, go to West Virginia. In visits to three different high schools, Governor Earl Ray Tomblin will sign the state's new texting and hand-held cell phone ban. The new law makes texting behind the wheel a primary traffic offense starting in July. Talking on a hand held cell phone will be a secondary offense beginning in July of this year, but in July 2013, that becomes a primary offense as well.

When the law takes effect, West Virginia will become only the 10th state--plus DC, Guam, and the Virgin Islands--to ban both texting and hand-held cell phone use while driving.  And it's terrific that Governor Tomblin is taking the signing ceremonies to high schools, where he will be joined by friends and family of those affected by tragic distracted driving crashes; our youngest drivers need to appreciate that no text or call is worth sacrificing safety.

California High Speed Rail Authority listens,releases cost-effective new business plan

Today's release of the revised California high speed rail business plan is a victory for future passengers; it's a victory for the State of California; and it's a victory for the nation. But it's also a victory for the kind of inclusive planning and development process that Americans expect, and I hope it will serve as a powerful example for other corridors.

When the California High Speed Rail Authority released its initial plan last fall, stakeholders and citizens voiced their concerns--loud and clear. Thankfully, Governor Brown put in place leadership at the California High Speed Rail Authority that listened to Californians.  After 296 community meetings and forums, today's plan reflects those concerns, and California --and American-- high-speed rail will be stronger as a result.

After listening carefully to everyone involved, the California High Speed Rail Authority today offered a new plan that lays out a faster, better, and more cost-effective path to building the high-speed rail system that is so critical to California’s economic future.

Thanks to the leadership of Governor Jerry Brown and High Speed Rail Authority Chairman Dan Richard, the new plan will create hundreds of thousands of jobs and deliver the economic benefits of high-speed rail faster and more affordably.  And by combining existing assets in the Bay Area and LA Basin with new construction along other parts of the line, the new plan ensures that construction and operating costs for the first segment of the project are fully paid for while lowering the cost of the entire system by $30 billion dollars.

Guest Blogger PHMSA Administrator Cynthia Quarterman: It’s Safe Digging Month—Call 811 BEFORE you dig; stay informed about what’s underground

April is National Safe Digging Month. With people across the country planning gardens and other spring projects, it's the perfect time to remind you to always call 8-1-1 before you dig so you’ll know what’s below and can dig safely around the house.  DOT’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) will be working especially hard this month urging people to stay safe while digging.

Why is it important to “know what’s below” when digging?  Before you start digging, consider that there are 2.5 million miles of pipeline in our nation—so pipeline safety really does involve everyone. Excavation is the number one cause of serious pipeline accidents, and one-third of all pipeline accidents are caused by someone digging and hitting a pipeline by mistake. Plus, hitting a pipeline can cause service outages for you and your neighbors.

So what could be under the ground? For starters: gas pipelines, water lines, cable lines, and electrical lines.  Underground pipelines deliver most of the energy we use to heat, cool and operate our homes, cars and businesses.

Who should call? Everyone from professional excavators to people working and gardening in their backyards. One call to 8-1-1 gets someone to come out and mark your underground lines for free. 

We all have a role to play to make sure the valuable resources carried by our nation's pipelines are delivered safely and reliably.  And that means calling 8-1-1 and staying informed about what’s underground.