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Department of Transportation Updates
BTS 37-10
BTS Releases North American Surface Trade Numbers for May:
Trade using surface transportation between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners Canada and Mexico was 39.5 percent higher in May 2010 than in May 2009, reaching $66.8 billion, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) of the U.S. Department of Transportation. The 39.5 percent increase was the largest percentage year over year increase in total U.S.-NAFTA trade by surface modes on record back to April 1994. May was the third month in the last four with a record percentage year-over-year increase.
BTS, a part of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration, reported that the value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico in May 2010 remained 9.9 percent below the May 2008 level despite the 2009-2010 increase. North American surface freight value rose 1.5 percent in May 2010 from April 2010. Month-to-month changes can be affected by seasonal variations and other factors.
U.S.–Canada surface transportation trade totaled $40.2 billion in May, up 37.5 percent compared to May 2009. U.S.–Mexico surface transportation trade totaled $26.6 billion in May, up 42.7 percent compared to May 2009.
Surface transportation consists largely of freight movements by truck, rail and pipeline. In May, 86.2 percent of U.S. trade by value with Canada and Mexico moved on land.
See BTS Transborder Data Release for summary tables, state rankings and additional data. See North American Transborder Freight Data for historic data.
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DOT 147-10
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Announces Second National Distracted Driving Summit
“Working together, we can put an end to the thousands of needless deaths and injuries caused by distracted driving each year,” said Secretary LaHood. “By getting the best minds together, I believe we can figure out how to get people to put down their phones and pay attention to the road.”
Last fall, Secretary LaHood sparked a national conversation on distracted driving when he held a Distracted Driving Summit in Washington, DC. The Obama Administration immediately committed to lead by example, by enacting an Executive Order banning all text messaging by four million federal employees while they’re driving government-owned vehicles, while driving any vehicle on official government business, or using mobile devices issued by the government while behind the wheel. Secretary LaHood also taped a national PSA and launched a new government website – www.distraction.gov – to provide the public with a comprehensive resource about how to get involved.
At this year’s event, experts from around the country will explore accomplishments since our first summit, as well as the many challenges that lie ahead. Key topics will include research, technology, policy, public outreach, and best practices in enforcement.
In the year since Secretary LaHood convened the first Distracted Driving Summit, efforts to curb distracted driving have grown exponentially. Dozens of state and local governments have enacted anti-distracted driving legislation and the federal government has established texting bans for commercial truck and bus drivers. The Department of Transportation helped victims establish a national non-profit advocacy organization called FocusDriven and launched pilot law enforcement campaigns in Hartford, CT and Syracuse, NY.
Research by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that in 2008, nearly 6,000 people died and more than half a million were injured in crashes involving a distracted driver. More than 20 percent of all crashes that same year involved some type of distraction.
To learn more and get involved in the DOT’s efforts to stop distracted driving, please visit www.distraction.gov. Additional details will be released as they become available at www.distraction.gov/2010summit.
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DOT 146-10
DOT Fines Comair for Violations of Denied Boarding Compensation Rules
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) today assessed a civil penalty against Comair for violating federal rules regarding passengers denied boarding (“bumped”) on oversold flights. Comair and affiliated carriers were ordered to cease and desist from further violations and Comair will pay a civil penalty of $275,000.
“Our bumping rules are designed to protect passengers when airlines overbook a flight,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “We expect carriers to comply with these rules and will take enforcement action when they do not.”
When a flight is oversold, DOT regulations require airlines to seek volunteers willing to give up their seats for compensation. If not enough volunteers can be found and the carrier must bump passengers involuntarily, the carrier is required to give bumped passengers a written statement describing their rights and explaining how it decides who will be bumped from an oversold flight. In most cases, passengers bumped involuntarily also are entitled to cash compensation of up to $800. This past June, the Department proposed raising the maximum denied boarding compensation to $1,300 and tying future increases to inflation.
The Department’s Aviation Enforcement Office began an investigation of Comair’s compliance with the bumping rules following a number of complaints filed by consumers with DOT. The investigation involved a review of bumping complaints sent to Comair by consumers, as well as an inspection at the carrier’s headquarters of its consumer complaint records and its policies and practices for oversold flights. The investigation revealed numerous cases in which Comair failed to solicit volunteers to leave overbooked flights and provide passengers with the appropriate denied boarding compensation. The Aviation Enforcement Office also found that Comair had filed inaccurate reports with DOT on the number of passengers involuntarily denied boarding.
The consent order is available on the Internet at www.regulations.gov, docket DOT-OST-2010-0005. A summary of the oversales rules is available at http://airconsumer.dot.gov/publications/flyrights.htm#overbooking.
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DOT 145-10
U.S. Transportation Secretary LaHood Announces Expanded Internship Program to Get More Women Working in Transportation
U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced the expansion of an internship program designed to encourage young women to pursue careers in transportation. Secretary LaHood made the announcement at a Women’s Small Business Day hosted by the Department of Transportation (DOT).
“Women are an essential part of today’s labor force, yet women are underrepresented in the transportation industry,” said Secretary LaHood. “We’re saying to all the college women out there – no matter where you’re enrolled, there’s a DOT Small Business Transportation Resource Center close by to help you plug into your dream job, whether it’s an airport, an engineering or aerospace firm, a railroad, a transit agency or perhaps one of our DOT offices.”
The internship program will expand from one to ten regions of the country, enabling young women from colleges and universities across the country to participate. It will be administered through the Department’s 11 Small Business Transportation Resource Centers. These Centers, spread throughout the nation, provide resources, technical assistance and outreach to all 50 states and U.S. territories. Each Center will be responsible for placing qualified female college students in transportation related internships in their regions.
The expanded program, based on a successful pilot with Spelman College that Secretary LaHood announced in 2009, is part of a broader effort by the Department of Transportation to create a pipeline of younger women coming into the transportation workforce.
“We are excited about expanding a great program that will introduce young women to transportation careers nationwide,” said Office of Small and Disadvantage Business Utilization Director Brandon Neal. “It is our goal to assist as many women as possible and continue to be the training ground for future small business owners.”
In May 2010, Secretary LaHood also signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with the Women’s Transportation Seminar International to engage women at the juncture when they’re beginning to think seriously about their futures and inspire them to pursue careers in transportation by completing undergraduate and graduate degrees in science, technology, engineering and math. The aim is to attract and retain a new generation of women in transportation professions.
The Women’s Small Business Day at the Department of Transportation enabled small business specialists from all of the department’s operating administrations to meet with the small business owners in attendance.
The program is one of several internships and fellowship programs offered through the U.S. Department of Transportation for both high school and college age girls. The expanded effort supports President Obama’s mission and the work of the White House Council on Women and Girls.
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FTA 22-10
FTA Study: $77.7 Billion Needed to Bring Nation’s Rail and Bus Transit Systems into ‘State of Good Repair’
A Federal Transit Administration (FTA) study released today estimates the cost of bringing the nation’s rail and bus transit systems into a state of good repair at $77.7 billion. In addition, a yearly average of $14.4 billion would be required to maintain the systems.
FTA’s National State of Good Repair Assessment Study, requested by U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood as a follow-up to the 2009 Rail Modernization Study report to Congress, provides a comprehensive analysis of the costs required to bring the nation’s rail and bus transit systems into good operating order. The 2010 study released today is based on data provided by 36 additional rail and bus operators in both rural and urban areas.
“Transit remains one of the safest forms of transportation, but this report shows the clear need to reinvest in our bus, subway and light rail systems,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “As a nation, we must lead when it comes to infrastructure development and commit ourselves to rebuilding America.”
“Investment in the nation’s transit infrastructure is important to a healthy economy and most importantly, the safety and well-being of our riders,” stated Administrator Peter Rogoff. “For millions of Americans, having a safe and reliable transit system is the difference between seeing their children before bed or not, making it to work on time or arriving late, or getting to a doctor’s appointment or forgoing it.”
While most of the $77.7 billion backlog can be attributed to rail, more than 40 percent of the nation’s buses are also in poor to marginal condition.
The FTA has received approximately 400 project applications and more than $4.2 billion in requests for the $775 million.
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DOT 140-10
DOT Approves oneworld Antitrust Immunity Application
As a result of the Department’s action, American and its oneworld alliance partners British Airways, Iberia Airlines, Finnair and Royal Jordanian Airlines will be able to more closely coordinate international services.
While the Department found that the alliance, on balance, was pro-competitive, it noted that the alliance could harm competition on select routes between the United States and London’s Heathrow Airport, a major hub for oneworld, where the availability of landing and takeoff slots is limited. To remedy this potential problem, the Department required the applicants to make four pairs of slots at Heathrow available to competitors for new U.S.-London service, with two pairs to be used for Boston-London service and the other two for service from any other U.S. cities.
The Department also required changes to the alliance to ensure capacity growth, and required the carriers to submit traffic data and to implement the proposed alliance within 18 months. The carriers also must resubmit the alliance agreements for review within five years.
Today’s decision, the show-cause order, and other documents in the case are available on the Internet at www.regulations.gov, docket DOT-OST-2008-0252.
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BTS 35-10
U.S. scheduled passenger airlines employed 2.7 percent fewer workers in May 2010 than in May 2009, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported today. This is the 23rd consecutive decrease in full-time equivalent employee (FTE) levels for the scheduled passenger carriers from the same month of the previous year. FTE calculations count two part-time employees as one full-time employee.
BTS, a part of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration, reported that the May FTE total of 377,000 for the scheduled passenger carriers was 10,500 below that of May 2009. Historic employment data can be found on the BTS web site.
Five network airlines decreased employment from May 2009 to May 2010. Delta Air Lines, after completing its merger with Northwest Airlines, is reporting combined employment numbers in 2010 and reported 5.8 percent more FTEs in May 2010 than the combined totals of both carriers for May 2009. Network airlines operate a significant portion of their flights using at least one hub where connections are made for flights to down-line destinations or spoke cities.
Southwest Airlines and AirTran Airways were the only low-cost carriers to report a decrease in employees from May 2009. Regional carriers Comair, Atlantic Southeast Airlines, Pinnacle Airlines, Horizon Air, Mesa Airlines, Air Wisconsin Airlines, Mesaba Airlines, Shuttle America Airlines, PSA Airlines, Colgan Airlines and Lynx Airlines also reported reduced employment levels compared to last year.
Scheduled passenger airline categories include network, low-cost, regional and other airlines.
The six network airlines employed 255,500 FTEs in May, 67.8 percent of the passenger airline total, while low-cost carriers employed 17.0 percent and regional carriers employed 13.8 percent.
See BTS Passenger Airline Employment press release for summary tables and additional data.
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DOT 138-10
“Short-Faced” Dogs More Prone to Death in Flight, According to DOT Data
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Thursday, July 29, 2010
Contact: Dave Smallen
Tel: 202-366-5568
May 2010 Surface Trade with Canada and Mexico Rose 39.5 Percent from May 2009
(State Rankings in Tables 5 and 7)
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Contact: Olivia Alair
Tel: 202-366-4570
WASHINGTON – U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced that the second National Distracted Driving Summit will be held on September 21, 2010, in Washington, DC. To build on the growing momentum sparked by the first summit last fall, Secretary LaHood will convene leading transportation officials, safety advocates, law enforcement, industry representatives, researchers, and victims affected by distraction-related crashes to address challenges and identify opportunities for national anti-distracted driving efforts.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Contact: Bill Mosley
Tel.: (202) 366-4570
Monday, July 26, 2010
Contact: Olivia Alair
Tel: 202-366- 4570
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Contact: Paul Griffo
Tel: 202-366-4064
2010 Review Expands Upon Earlier Survey; Provides More Complete Assessment of Repair Backlog of Nation’s Transit Systems
“State of Good Repair” for the country’s transportation network is one of the five system-wide goals included in Secretary LaHood’s proposed Strategic Plan for the Department of Transportation. The assessment is available online at http://www.fta.dot.gov/news/news_events_11865.html .
In April, Administrator Rogoff announced the availability of $775 million through a competitive State of Good Repair funding program that will invest in the nation’s bus and bus facilities. A review of transit agency project applications is now underway at FTA and will be announced later this year.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Contact: Bill Mosley
Tel.: (202) 366-4570
The U.S. Department of Transportation today granted antitrust immunity to American Airlines and four international partners in “oneworld” to form an integrated global alliance, but also imposed several conditions that will protect consumers and preserve competition. Today’s action makes final the Department’s tentative decision of Feb. 13.
The Department found that granting antitrust immunity to the oneworld alliance will provide travelers and shippers with a variety of benefits, including lower fares in some markets, new nonstop routes, improved services and better schedules. The Department also said that the alliance will enhance competition around the world by enabling the oneworld alliance to compete more vigorously with Star Alliance and SkyTeam, which operate similar immunized alliances.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Contact: Dave Smallen
Tel: 202-366-5568
BTS Releases May Passenger Airline Employment Data;
May 2010 Employment Down 2.7 Percent from May 2009
Friday, July 16, 2010
Contact: Bill Mosley
Tel.: (202) 366-4570
“Short-faced” dog breeds such as pugs and bulldogs represent about half of the dogs that die while being transported by their owners as cargo, a significantly higher rate of mortality than for other dog breeds, according to data compiled by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).
Since May 2005, U.S. airlines have been required by law to file monthly reports to DOT on incidents involving the death, injury or loss of pets during air transport. Data submitted to the Department disclose dog breeds.
During the last five years there have been 122 dog deaths, a number far exceeding the deaths of other pets, 22, and exceeding the number of pets reported lost or injured, 88. The Department believes the number of dogs and other pets that die during flight is an extremely small percentage of the total number of pets carried each year by the airlines.
Eliminating data on the deaths of “unknown” and “mixed breeds,” approximately half of the pet dogs that died in flight over the last five years belonged to short-faced breeds, such as the English bulldog, pug, French bulldog and American Staffordshire terrier.
The Department advises owners of short-faced breeds to review the data before shipping them as cargo aboard aircraft. Owners also should consult their pets’ veterinarians about any genetic features in dogs of this type and the medical condition of their pets before deciding to transport them by aircraft.
The data are published on the Aviation Enforcement Office’s website, http://airconsumer.dot.gov, under the “What’s New” link.
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