Daily Show interview--this is not your grandfather's DOT

Last night, I spent a few minutes talking transportation with Jon Stewart on The Daily Show.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Ray LaHood
www.thedailyshow.com
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I've already heard from Peoria folks on Twitter who are wondering where I found a sense of humor. For that, the credit goes to Jon, who is a total pro and really put me at ease.

One thing Jon and I both agree on is trains. We both know that if Jon ever needs to be at the White House on a foggy day, he'll get there on time with Amtrak. His show was also a great place to make it clear that, "This is the start of high-speed rail in America!"

In addition, we also had a chance to talk about other important items like distracted driving, stimulus jobs, and rebuilding America's infrastructure.

So, please sit back and watch the video. And don't worry--I'm not quitting my day job.

Thanks again to Jon Stewart and the great folks at The Daily Show!

Comments

[Morgan Rock]

Sounds great - I actually used to drive buses for University of MD while I attended classes there (though I'm in IT by trade), and it changed my whole perspective on how transportation works... It'd be really interesting to see how high-speed rail links affect the transportation costs and speeds of goods between our biggest cities, especially if you can start getting some fairly high-speed freight trains.

... I still have no idea what could be done about the DC area though (I work in Arlington, VA, but live in Columbia, MD) - the biggest problem on the road doesn't seem to come from volume, but from behavior (the majority of congestion I encounter comes from people slowing down to gawk at either ICC construction or broken down cars... they never just keep moving like they should), not necessarily from a lack of capacity.

Maybe there could be a state-level requirement in states with high congestion to require training for traffic conditions, ensuring drivers know proper etiquette on high-volume highways? Maybe try emulating Autobahn-style laws where drivers are heavily fined for not maintaining speed in faster lanes, or adhering to the "left lane passing, right lane travel" laws (or if they don't exist, passing them)?

Either way - it's great to see that the government is trying to make an effort to improve transportation. It's a HUGE quality of life drain on millions of people a day.

Thanks!

[Evan]

Awesome! Great to see a DOT secretary engaging the public, especially through the Daily Show. We're excited for high-speed rail, and excited to have a DOT secretary that shares that vision.

[Construction Industry]

Glad that the high speed rail was highlighted. As far as infrastructure that will prepare us to thrive in coming decades from a commerce and energy efficiency standpoint, I see the high speed rails as a standout winner.

Thanks and keep up the good fight.

[solarglobalgreen]

Excellent job Mr. LaHood. It's good to see politicians in this type of setting. Kind of takes the sting out of the ugliness going on in politics today.

[Michael E. Bailey]

Its great to be getting the word out on high speed rail that it will be an important asset to our national rail network just like superhighways were to our road network back in the 20th Century. I just saw a headline that said high speed rail back in Ohio had run into some money problems there. And I don't think high speed rail should be done at the expense of improving safety on other passenger railroad cars. But I do think high speed rail is an idea whose time has come. It will need lots of federal backing just like the superhigways and airports of the 20th Century had, just likethe transcontinental railroads had in the 19th century. Best wishes, Michael E. Bailey.

[LocalPublicTransitFan]

HSR makes sense in some corridors, but not in built-out residential areas like the San Francisco peninsula where we need local and regional public transit, not long distance rail.

[Bob]

The California HSR is a financial boondoggle spurred on by ego driven politicians and developer interests who hope to increase the speculative investments they have made along the right of ways.

California's system is already projecting 30% increased construction costs, 50% fewer riders, greater than 100% fares increases and although the advocates won't admit it, and it will require indefinite subsidies.

Our legislature needs to stop it in its tracks.

[Mouhamad A. Naboulsi]

That was a great interview and a great way to reach younger generation.

My son is 22 and attends Michigan States. In the 90's he used to love riding shot gun with me and handle the computer for me while I am driving or testing some data routine. at the turn of the century he becaome a teen and he could not get away from me as much as he liked, but after the secretary showed on on Jon's show, he called me to tell me about the interview and he thought that it was cool that the secretary is talking about cell phone and distraction.

Thank you Mr. Secretary for your hard work and for getting my son to think of my work as cool again.

Have a great Holiday and happy new year.
Mouhamad A. Naboulsi,
Human Factor-Driver Distraction Mitigation specialist