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

Russia excited by new High Speed Rail; US system just around the bend

Last week, with US Ambassador to Russia John Beyrle, I had an opportunity to tour the new Russian High Speed Sapsan train in Moscow's Leningradsky Train Station.  Apart from the new features the system offers, I also noticed a nation excited about this new rail service.

The Sapsan (Russian for Peregrine Falcon) will begin its 250 kilometers-per-hour runs from Moscow to St. Petersburg in December. The line will feature Velaro RUS trains, developed by Siemens, much like those already operating in China and Spain but adapted to Russia's climate.

The train, much like the one I rode in Spain, is beautiful to look at, and the one I toured had a simulator so I could preview what it would be like to ride in the engineer's cab. This allows engineers to get hands-on training and see the actual countryside they'll be driving through when the line becomes operational next month.

When watching the simulated countryside roll by at high-speeds, I couldn't help thinking about the American high-speed rail system we're beginning to develop here at home.

Now, that system is going to take some time getting on-line, but I'm excited about announcing our first high-speed and intercity passenger rail grants this winter.

We are on the verge of jumpstarting high-speed opportunities in the US, and I regularly hear from folks around the country who are thrilled by this game-changing endeavor. That Russia is about to join China and Western Europe in the high-speed rail club should only motivate us even more.

Give employees the gift of safety; join the Drive Against Distraction

Now is the season for sharing and giving...and for driving over the river and through the woods. But as millions of Americans hit the road this holiday season, I'm concerned.

Somewhere out there, an employee is driving on company business or in a company vehicle and his or her company cell phone or pda is ringing.

HEY. YOU. Let it ring. No call--none--can be worth the risk you invite by answering it. Later, tell your boss or your client you were driving and it would have been unsafe to answer.

 
Tell them President Obama signed an Executive Order prohibiting federal employees from using cell phones, pda's, and other messaging devices while on the road. Tell them Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said it should be part of company policy across the country.

It's the policy of driving professionals like Schneider National, a logistics and transportation services company. It's the policy of manufacturers like Potash Corporation, a producer of fertilizer and animal feed. It's the policy of think-tanks like Third Way. It's the policy of environmentalists like the National Wildlife Federation. And, as posted on this blog's comments, it's the policy of an entire trade group of construction companies, Associated General Contractors of America.

These employers get it. Does yours?

This holiday season, give the gift of safety: Get your company to join the Drive Against Distraction. Then, let us know by posting a comment here.

Best practices are contagious. Please, join the drive.

Aviation Enforcement Office sets precedent with Flight 2816 tarmac-delay fines

Today, DOT issued the first-ever enforcement orders against an airline for stranding passengers for an unreasonable amount of time.

I hope this sends a signal to the rest of the airline industry that we expect airlines to respect the rights of air travelers.

The Aviation Enforcement Office (AEO) fined Continental Airlines and ExpressJet Airlines $100,000 for their roles in keeping passengers on board Continental Express flight 2816 overnight at Rochester International Airport on August 8, 2009.  Continental will also provide a full refund to each passenger and also offer passengers additional compensation to materially acknowledge their discomfort. 

We also fined Mesaba Airlines $75,000. Mesaba provided ground handling for the flight.

Look, this is just no way to treat passengers, customers, or anyone. You can't strand people overnight without access to the basics. It's not right; it's against the rules; and I am proud of the Department's Aviation Enforcement Office for its investigation into the complaints of these travelers and for its responsiveness.

And I know we will use what we have learned from this investigation to strengthen protections for airline passengers subjected to long tarmac delays down the line.

Leaders gather in Moscow to step up road safety

We've made huge investments in America's roads to make sure they're safe and to develop different systems that make them even safer.

The first-ever Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety, which I attended in Moscow last week, hopes to see similar investments begin in earnest around the world.

The conference was organized in part by the World Health Organization so that world leaders will see the scale of road accidents--1.3 million lives lost annually, predicted to rise to 2 million by 2020--and step up efforts to combat this problem just as they would any killer disease that ravaged their countries.

The message I brought to the summit is that the rest of the world needs to start talking about the dangers of distracted driving. Despite the dramatic rise of cell phones and texting around the globe, there just hasn't been much discussion about this hazard.

Heroes in the "Drive Against Distraction" encourage employers to prohibit distracted driving

Six weeks ago, we closed our Distracted Driving Summit with the news that President Obama had issued an Executive Order prohibiting federal agency employees from using work-issued devices while driving. I challenged other employers to follow his lead.

Today, I want to recognize the heroes who are not just driving safely, but who have chosen to "Drive Against Distraction." These are individuals and groups working hard to encourage others to drive safely. How? By getting employers to give the gift of safety to their employees this holiday season--in the form of a written policy that prohibits using a phone or messaging device while driving.

Working Mother magazine is one of these new heroes. President Carol Evans recently added a new question to the employer survey Working Mother uses to compile its influential annual list of Working Mother's 100 Best Companies. The new question reads:

Do you have a written policy discouraging employees from texting while driving?
( ) Yes
( ) No

It's simple--want to join the likes of their heavy-hitting Hall of Fame? Don't even try to compete without an explicit employee distracted driving policy.

Add to that hero list David Teater and the National Safety Council. This team has put together a really useful one-stop resource for employers who want to get on the right side of this problem, protect their employees, and reduce their own liability. As they put it,

"Allowing employees to conduct either hands-free or handheld business on cell phones while driving represents acceptance of a four times increase in crash risk. We want to help employers reduce this risk."

So, for those employers who don't want to reinvent the wheel, please visit NSC's Employer Policy page where you can find a great, downloadable "Cell Phone and Texting Policy Kit."

And one other group encouraging employers to do their part is Stop Texting and Driving Now! This growing organization offers The Employer Awareness Membership program (TEAM). Employers who develop written policies discouraging distracted driving can inform STAD Now! and get themselves listed on the forthcoming TEAM Honor Roll. Just this weekend, STAD Now! added four new employers to TEAM.

As founder Clay Johnson told us,

"TEAM is for companies who have great interest in stopping texting and driving, especially those with traveling sales, marketing, or delivery drivers. We want to empower employers who take responsibility for their employees while out on the road by encouraging them to drive without distractions."

Employers of America, I challenge you to join our "Drive Against Distraction by adopting a policy against distracted driving. Then, post a comment about it here on the blog. Later this week and throughout the holiday driving season, I look forward to blogging about some of the individual employers we've heard from who have been out in front of this issue.

By then I hope we're swamped by other employers who have decided to shoulder this important responsibility.

In the meantime, please stay safe, everyone.

DOT office connects service-disabled Vetrepreneurs with opportunities

Yesterday, Brandon Neal Director of our Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) hosted a Vendor Day focused on procurement opportunities. In keeping with the Obama Administration's efforts to create more opportunities in federal service for veterans, yesterday's events emphasized Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs).

Approximately 500 small business owners joined Deputy Secretary John Porcari, Director Neal, US Rep. Patrick Murphy (PA), and Matt Flavin, Director of the White House Office of Veterans and Wounded Warrior Policy.

 

Vendor Day events provided opportunities for service-disabled "vetrepreneurs" to learn about doing business with DOT. As Director Neal observed:

“OSDBU is very excited to host an event focused on helping veteran owned small businesses. DOT is committed to helping all small businesses, especially veterans to whom we owe so much. We hope this event will highlight the many opportunities for small businesses within DOT.”

Brandon is absolutely correct; we do owe these service-disabled veterans much. And I'm proud to see his office working off some of that debt.

Sen. Kaufman honors FAA safety expert on Senate floor

As the busy Thanksgiving travel week approaches, Senator Ted Kaufman (DE) has done the FAA a great service. Yesterday, he stood on the floor of the US Senate and spoke in praise of FAA Chief Scientific and Technical Advisor for Aircraft Safety Analysis, Ann Azevedo.

You can watch a video of his remarks here.

Ann has been with the FAA for 12 years, and in that time, she has become:

"a respected voice among those engaged in risk management analysis, regularly representing the FAA at national and international air safety round-tables."

Now, if that sounds a bit dry, please keep this in mind: this week, when millions of Americans board airplanes in anticipation of seeing loved ones for the first time after weeks or years of separation, they arrive safely because of FAA safety experts like Ann Azevedo.

In fact, in 2002 Ann won the Arthur S. Flemming Public Service Award for developing safety solutions that resulted in a 64% decrease in the commercial aviation fatality rate between 1998 and 2002.

Rising to the Senate floor in praise of Ann Azevedo makes good sense to me, and I thank Sen. Kaufman for this honor.

And, in singling Ann out as a "Great Federal Employee," Senator Kaufman honors the entire FAA. As the Senator pointed out,

"Tens of millions of Americans will travel this week, and most will do it without ever realizing how much work goes into keeping American travelers safe."

That's okay with us at DOT because we know there are folks out there like Senator Ted Kaufman who get it. Being called "the Senate's champion of Civil Service" is no small achievement, and federal employees everywhere--and that includes me--appreciate Senator Kaufman's attention to their service.

A day in the life of a Recovery Act transit grant

In July, Santa Rosa CityBus received a Recovery Act grant of $4.2 million for paratransit services, solar bus shelters and eligible operating assistance.

This grant prevented service cuts and fare increases, and helped save 10 jobs--mechanics and bus drivers--in a city where unemployment is running nearly a full percentage point higher than the national average.

CityBus is the municipal transit system for Santa Rosa, California.  Now, Santa Rosa has a population of 160,000, but if you consider the surrounding area, it has an urbanized area population of 487,000. 

So its CityBus, in addition to providing paratransit services, has 36 fixed route buses, operates 17 fixed routes, and provides 2.9 million trips annually. CityBus riders tend to include low income earners, disabled people, seniors, and students.

Unfortunately, during 2009, sales tax revenue decreased by over 10% in Sonoma County. Plus, California effectively eliminated its State Transit Assistance funds. These two sources, plus fares, are the primary sources of operating funds for CityBus, and, as you can imagine, this shortfall was devastating.

Service cuts and fare increases seemed unavoidable.

But, because of prior fiscal prudence and the ability to use ARRA funds for operating and capitalized maintenance, CityBus has been able to maintain existing service levels without raising fares!

CityBus is now one of the only transit operators in the Bay Area able to avoid service cuts and fare increases since the recession began. 

I'll say it again: No service cuts and no fare increases occurred through all of 2009. And that is expected to hold true through 2010.

That's the everyday value of the Recovery Act in the lives of everyday Americans. Santa Rosa CityBus riders, who depend on transit services, are grateful for the ARRA program.

So am I.

Report, petition call for safer roadway planning

Last week, our friends at Transportation For America and the Surface Transportation Policy Partnership released a valuable report called Dangerous By Design. Yesterday I met with James Corless of t4America and a few of his colleagues from other interest groups about this report and its conclusions.

Now, "Dangerous By Design" has turned a lot of heads and for good reason. It shows that 11.8% of all traffic fatalities in America are pedestrians.

Look, no amount of engineering to make the insides of our vehicles safer for occupants is going to protect pedestrians and bicyclists. We need safer roadways. We need roadways designed to account for the needs of everyone who uses them, whether driving, walking, or riding in a wheelchair or on a bicycle.

The great thing about this Complete Streets approach to road planning is that it's actually cheaper to plan for multiple road uses ahead of time than to retrofit roadways after they are built and someone gets injured or killed.

The problem with this approach is that it does cost a little extra up front. And states and communities facing budget shortfalls may be tempted to let road safety features--wide sidewalks, safe crosswalks--get cut along the way.

That's why the groups I met with yesterday are asking for federal leadership. And that's where this DOT comes in. It turns out that a complete streets approach offers the perfect intersection of my twin guideposts: safety and livable communities.

Transportation TV covers the National Road Safety Awards

Our friends at AASHTO have a great online broadcast called Transportation TV.

Transportation TV produces a regular web newscast on transportation issues. And they've done a nice job this week covering the National Road Safety Awards.

So, click on this link, and you can see a segment about 4 mins 45 seconds into the newscast on those important awards. I actually think the whole video is interesting, so don't be in a hurry to get to the good parts; they're all good parts!

Adding safety to FTA's mission

Safety is our number one priority when it comes to planes, trains and automobiles. And it only makes sense that we should be looking out for passengers who ride subways and light-rail and municipal buses, too.

It has grown increasingly clear that, at least on some transit systems, passengers are not adequately protected. While transit is one of our nation’s safest forms of transportation, we are starting to see danger signs thanks to the combination of aging transit systems and local cost constraints.

That is why I want to get this conversation started; that is why the Obama Administration would like to see legislation that protects transit passengers in America.

Now, would we prefer that States regulate their own systems? You bet. But, some states simply lack the resources to do that. And, in a pinch, some state will cut safety items from their budgets. For transit passengers those cuts are too dear.

As Rep. Jerrold Nadler, who sits on the House Transportation Committee said, “There’s always pressure to cut wherever you can. It’s good to have an outside agency or monitor to make sure you don’t cut safety.”

Indeed, the state safety agencies average less than one full-time staff person per agency. It's hard to imagine how on earth we can be protecting passengers at that level.

This conversation is particularly important for us because we've been working hard to expand transit use as a way to reduce traffic congestion and the country’s dependence on foreign oil. If the role of transit is going to grow, transit safety efforts must also grow.

And the Federal Transit Administration is an obvious home for these new safety efforts.

As safety expert Robert Francis, a former vice chairman of the NTSB, put it:

“They’re helping to finance all of these systems; they should take some type of role to make sure that passengers are being carried safely. It’s inexcusable, I think, not to have some kind of reasonable safety oversight of big transportation systems like this.”

So, consider the conversation started. We'll be presenting our take on this idea to Congress next month. And the media is beginning to weigh in on our proposal. But I'm interested in hearing more voices on this, so, please, give it some careful consideration, and let us know what you think.

Advisory committee to seek a brighter future for US aviation

Yesterday we hosted the Administration’s first forum on the future of the U.S. aviation industry. We told participants--airports, air carriers, management, labor, air carriers, manufacturers, general aviation and consumer groups-–we wanted a frank and open discussion about our challenges and the way forward.

In a one-day session, we could only begin to scratch the surface of the changes we need to address.

That’s why we're forming an advisory committee to examine the industry, its competitiveness, and its ability to address evolving transportation needs, challenges, and opportunities of the global economy. The committee will be composed of stakeholders from across the industry.

This is not going to be just another advisory committee, and I am not commissioning some report to fill space on my bookshelf. This committee will make a difference.

Vice President Biden announces DOT approval of over 10,000 Recovery Act projects

Today, in the words of Vice President Joe Biden, we passed "a significant milestone on the road to recovery."

It was my great fortune to be by the Vice President's side today when he announced that in the last week DOT had authorized hundreds of projects, putting us over the 10,000-project mark.

I appreciate his praise of DOT's hard work:

“Just nine months in, tens of thousands of people are on the job at highway, bridge, rail and airport improvement projects across the country thanks to the quick action by the Department of Transportation putting Recovery Act dollars to work.

These projects are not only providing new opportunities for hard-hit workers and businesses during tough economic times, but helping lay a strong foundation to support our 21st century economy."

I want to echo his thanks to the people at DOT who made this achievement possible. And it really is quite an achievement. Just think about it.

From the beginning of the Recovery Act, it has been our top priority to get money out the door quickly to create jobs and boost the economy. And, in less than ten months, we have spurred construction of 10,000 transportation projects across the country-–many of which would have been stalled or shelved altogether without Recovery Act dollars.

In addition to being economically crucial, as Vice President Biden observed, these projects are also critical investments in our national infrastructure.

Now, while 10,000 projects is a notable milestone, it's important to remember that the hard work of recovery is not finished. As the Vice President noted today, "We continue to work every day to create more jobs and drive economic growth."

So we look forward this winter to announcing $8 billion in high-speed and intercity passenger rail grants and $1.5 billion in discretionary TIGER grants.

This DOT has done a remarkable job accelerating authorization of these projects. I'm proud of that effort, and I know we will continue to do what is asked of us as we help put this nation back to work.

DOT bike commuters leading by example

Last week, on a walk through DOT headquarters, I met Thomas Dorset. Now, Tom is in his late-ish 60s, works for our Federal Railroad Administration, and commutes the 10 miles to work (and 10 back) by bicycle.

Given DOT's interest in Sustainable Communities, Tom thinks--and I agree with him--that DOT's own biking and pedestrian commuters are setting a great example of using alternatives to cars.

Tom is something of a pioneer; he has been biking to work for decades. That means long before cities and counties were providing hiker-biker paths and distinctly marked bike lanes on roadways. Long before urban and suburban drivers learned that they need to be aware of the bicyclists around them. His early miles must have been challenging indeed!

If you talk to any bicycle commuter long enough, you'll hear a cautionary story about a car whose driver didn't notice the bicyclist nearby and executed a turn or failed to yield a right of way, causing a collision or near-miss. The thing about Tom is that in telling a couple of these tales, his key point is not that cars need to be more aware of bikes--though they do--but that bicyclists need to guard against their own "laser vision."

"It's easy to get caught up in looking at the road directly in front of you," Tom says, "But your eyes have to be constantly scanning 180°."

Would Tom like to see drivers be more respectful of bicyclists? Of course. But, he'll be the first to note that, "Cars have become a lot more aware of us than when I first began cycling to work. It's not a perfect situation, but it's definitely better."

In the meantime, he tries to be his own best protection.

"We get a lot of support in finding the best routes," he says, "through the DOT Bicycle Commuters Group."

This group consists of about 80 people who meet monthly to share information and come up with ways that DOT can provide more support for its bicycle commuters. Run by Gabe Rousseau, they have a listserv, a mentors program for new bike commuters, a buddy program--bikes are more easily noticed by drivers when they're in pairs--and a useful set of webpages.

I'm encouraged to hear from Tom that their numbers are growing. Tom also mentioned that DOT bike commuters work in all modes of transportation, are both male and female, and cover a wide range of ages and an even wider range of commuting distances. I heard about one man who is biking at least 20 miles each way every day!

Now, that's setting an example.

Merchant mariners have an important place in Veterans Day ceremonies

On this Veterans Day morning, I had the honor of laying a wreath and saying a few words at the World War II Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, DC. 

 
We gather on Veterans Day to remember all the veterans who have defended freedom and democracy against the forces of tyranny and oppression around the world, but this occasion was especially to recall the bravery, skill, and camaraderie of the generation who fought in the Second World War.  

As Secretary of Transportation, I represented the United States Merchant Marine at the ceremony.  Merchant mariners have an important place in our national story, and they wrote a particularly compelling chapter in World War II.

 
Throughout our history, our Armed Forces have needed the Merchant Marine to support any overseas conflict or emergency.  Merchant mariners command and sail the commercial ships that carry the supplies, and, in many conflicts, carried the troops.

In World War II, merchant mariners crossed hostile waters in all the oceans of the world.  More than 6,000 of them lost their lives.  General Dwight Eisenhower, the commander of the D-Day invasion, said, “When final victory is ours, there is no organization that will share its credit more deservedly than the Merchant Marine.”

Our merchant mariners continue to serve America, supporting our Armed Forces.  More than 85% of the supplies and equipment for the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan are carried aboard ships crewed by civilian mariners.

Let us remember all these brave individuals who risked their lives crossing the Atlantic, the Pacific, the Persian Gulf, and many other seas to transport essential goods or bring soldiers and others out of harm’s way.  They served bravely to preserve the freedoms we enjoy, and it is right to remember them with honor and with gratitude.

The FAA, an active and vigilant partner in aviation safety

Today I want to focus on aviation safety and share some things I told the National Air Transportation Association earlier in the week.

The basic point--that safety is this DOT's number one priority--cannot be said too many times. However, I think it's important to make one other point very clearly:

The Obama Administration's Federal Aviation Administration is an active and vigilant partner, and we are moving aggressively to put new safety measures in place.

Now, there are two parts to this claim.

One--the new FAA is active and vigilant.

For that look no further than the recent incident where two Northwest Airlines pilots overflew their destination on the way to Minneapolis. The FAA took action immediately, revoking the pilots’ licenses within a matter of days.

Two--the new FAA is a partner, working with key stakeholders to solve aviation problems.

In June, for example, we issued a call to action encouraging all players in the aviation industry-–labor, management, and the FAA--to come together to scrutinize operations, share best practices, and implement actions we know can improve safety. 

We held twelve different regional stakeholder meetings over the summer, and this process is going to produce a number of important improvements in the way safety is practiced and managed in the industry:

• A new flight-and-rest rule;
• New guidance on comprehensive crew training; and
• Continued emphasis on greater professionalism across the aviation industry

We cannot say that safety is our highest priority, and then fail to follow through. So you can expect a more proactive FAA.

Look, folks, I travel by air a lot. And I am regularly impressed by the professionalism of the many different crews I see, just as I am impressed by the professionalism of the FAA personnel I've met.

These are people who know that being professional means more than just following the rules-–it means constant attention and taking responsibility for your actions every minute you’re on duty.

As this Administration continues to transform transportation in America, I hope we will all see more of that professionalism--in aviation and in all our transportation activities.

Message to American Chamber of Commerce Executives: Transportation is a gateway to economic development

Last week, I had the opportunity to talk with the American Chamber of Commerce Executives Board of Directors. The ACCE is an organization of the people who manage state and local Chambers of Commerce.

In the audience at this meeting were leaders of state and local Chambers around the country. Now, these leaders are doing important work: connecting the businesses that turn to them for information, education, networking, and a strong sense of community. And I appreciate that.

But I also want them to appreciate what this Administration has been doing and the changes we want to bring to transportation policy. And I hope they carry that message back to their state and local Chamber members.

I tried to give these folks a sample of what we have already achieved transportation-wise:

• Cash for Clunkers injected $2.8 billion into auto sales around the country and created the equivalent of 21,000 jobs;
• Recovery Act spending made more than $30 billion available for more than 9,800 transportation projects in every state and territory--from roads and bridges to transit systems, airports, and seaports.

Both of these programs have helped stabilize targeted sectors of small businesses--auto dealers, construction companies--core members of the Chambers of Commerce across the country.

But more important than that may be the philosophy that is guiding our approach to transportation planning:

We see transportation not just as a way of moving people and goods around, but as a gateway to economic development and a better quality of life for all of us in the United States.

To put that into action, DOT will listen more carefully to state, regional, and community priorities, the kinds of priorities that small businesses help shape.

With thoughtful planning, and good public-private cooperation, our transportation policies will enhance economic competitiveness by giving businesses greater access to markets and providing Americans access to jobs, education, and services.

DOT teams up with Roadway Safety Foundation to award innovative safety projects

Right off the bat, I want to thank Greg Cohen and the Roadway Safety Foundation, DOT's co-sponsor for the National Roadway Safety Awards.

The National Roadway Safety Awards ceremony, held yesterday, is an opportunity to shine a light on the nation’s most innovative road safety projects and programs that eliminate--or sharply reduce--highway deaths across the United States.

The winning projects represent a range of strategies across the safety spectrum-–from rumble strips and pedestrian crossings, to senior zones and safety programs aimed at teen drivers.

These winners are a real testament to skill and innovation--just great stuff, all around. And many of these projects bring together public and private-sector stakeholders across geographic boundaries. That's the kind of collaboration that gets things done.

I hope the best practices these awards celebrate will serve as a model for other states across the country. Because, where transportation safety is concerned, we can never stop looking for new and creative ways to make driving and traveling safer.

The bottom line? The work we honor with the National Roadway Safety Awards saves lives. That is DOT's highest priority, and the winners of these awards have certainly delivered.

DOT supports twin maritime efforts: commercial competitiveness and port-readiness

Most of us know that strategic seaports must operate with peak efficiency and effectiveness to attract commercial shippers and keep commerce flowing freely in our highly competitive global marketplace.

But many of us may forget that, at the same time, those ports play a key role in equipping, supplying, and sustaining actions by troops, both here and abroad.

Now, that’s essential when natural disasters arise around the world. And it's essential if a national defense emergency arises that requires U.S. forces to be deployed overseas.

Yesterday, I told the folks from the National Port Readiness Network that DOT is committed to supporting the maritime industry. And that we encourage them to find new and productive ways to accommodate the U.S. military’s need for access to ports.

So port managers have a difficult dual mission to fulfill-–providing the critical interface between water and surface transportation, while handling both commercial and military cargo.

I get that this is much easier said than done. And I get that only the commercial side of their mission provides the ports compensation.

But the ports have a duty to perform, and DOT wants to do all we can to help them meet these obligations.

DOT, FCC launch partnership to reduce distracted driving

Today, Federal Communications Commission Chair Julius Genachowski and I announced a partnership to evaluate technology that may help curb the dangerous epidemic of distracted driving.

This DOT-FCC joint effort will also include outreach efforts to educate the public about the dangers of texting while driving, talking on cell phones while driving, and other distracting behavior that can lead to deadly accidents.

My position on this epidemic is clear:

We must put an end to distracted driving. It is costing us lives and inflicting injuries across the nation’s roads and railways. It's wrong, and I want to see it reduced.

It turns out that Chairman Genachowski is right there with me in this fight. At a Senate hearing last week, he said:

“Distracted driving endangers life and property and the current levels of injury and loss are unacceptable.  There’s no way around it--this is an urgent problem that simply must be addressed.”

So, I'm not at all shy about working with Chairman Genachowski and leveraging DOT and FCC combined expertise on technology. Safe driving is in our wheelhouse, communications technology theirs. Teaming up just makes sense.

And Chairman Genachowski agrees:

“I welcome this collaborative effort to eliminate the increasingly deadly practice of distracted driving.  Changing this ingrained behavior will require us to develop creative solutions using both technology and education.  By combining the resources and expertise of the DOT and the FCC, I am confident that we can have a major impact on this problem.”

Here's how it will work--officials from DOT and FCC will:

1. Establish a joint task force to evaluate technology-based solutions to the problem of distracted driving; and
2. Coordinate consumer outreach and education.

I have said that we really need to change behavior so that distracted driving feels just as wrong as driving without a seat belt or drunk driving. But, technological approaches to curbing this dangerous practice can also help. Just as action by the States can help.

With 6,000 traffic fatalities last year attributable to distracted driving, we cannot afford to ignore any viable avenues to increased safety.

Working together, DOT and FCC hope to achieve greater gains in making our rails and roadways safer. I thank Chairman Genachowski for his commitment, and I look forward to a successful interagency partnership.

Federal Highway Administration passes Recovery Act milestone: $20 billion obligated

Today, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced a major milestone--obligating over $20 billion in Recovery Act highway, road, and bridge investments.

Now, that is over 75% of the $26.6 billion set aside by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act back in only February. And, believe it or not, it's not easy work to approve nearly 8,500 projects and get nearly 5,000 of those projects underway in every state and territory in only nine months.

The $20 billion threshold was crossed with the $36 million replacement of the I-25/Alameda Avenue bridge in Denver, Colorado. And this project’s approval was just the cap to one of the busiest months of FHWA spending, with nearly $760 million approved.

So, even though winter is right around the corner, highway and bridge projects are still getting underway, creating thousands of jobs and saving thousands more.

As FHWA Administrator Victor Mendez put it:

"By addressing many long-overdue repairs to America’s roads and bridges, projects like these are improving the economy, enhancing the local quality of life, and strengthening the nation’s infrastructure."

So, I want to take this opportunity to thank the hardworking folks at FHWA and Administrator Mendez.

Through the Recovery Act, that team is working around the clock to repair America's roads and bridges, get this economy moving and put people back to work.

DOT ready to talk about future of rail

Yesterday, the Infrastructure Technology Institute held its Annual William O. Lipinski Symposium on Transportation Policy. Their theme? Moving the Goods: Chicago and the Nation's Freight. In my address to the symposium, I told them that DOT is fully engaged in revitalizing and modernizing the nation's rail systems.

Rail offers us value--in safety, in fuel-efficiency, and in environmental benefits--and this nation cannot afford to overlook that value.

Rather, we need to embrace it and reconfigure rail transportation for the 21st century. This Administration will not leave the future of railroads in this country to chance.

That's why we recently released a preliminary national rail plan. But, that's also why we're reaching out to the rail industry, to state and local governments, and to other stakeholders.

We want to identify new opportunities, find creative ways to address our challenges, and encourage public and private entities to work together on effective rail strategies.

In the 1800s, this nation built a rail system that fit its needs at the time and fostered economic growth. Well, our needs may have changed, but this DOT is going to make sure that our passenger and freight rail systems are just as relevant to the future of our economy.

Recovery Act transportation investments: good for New Hampshire, good for America

When I visited New Hampshire last April, they were already rolling out the orange cones to begin shovel-ready projects. Friday, I went back to get a fresh look at how they’re investing Recovery Act dollars to improve transportation and create good-paying jobs.

The Recovery Act provides $15 million to accelerate the expansion of the Manchester Airport Access Road by two years. The new two-mile highway will relieve congestion around this busy airport, improve access to the airport itself, and open the door to new industrial and commercial development in Londonderry.

As the economy begins to improve, the future of New Hampshire’s--and America's--economic success will depend a great deal on keeping people and goods moving freely and efficiently.

With NH Governor John Lynch and NH DOT Commissioner George Campbell

Good roads, good rails, and good airports are good for business.