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The President’s Proposal:
Improves the Federal Aviation Administration’s air traffic control and airline safety performance through the reduction of runway incidents, and ties budget resources to airspace modernization program performance goals; Expands investment in the Coast Guard’s effort to replace aging ships, aircraft, and related systems to increase its effectiveness in securing the homeland, saving lives, and enforcing fisheries, immigration and drug laws at sea; Continues to fund highway, bridge, transit and safety programs at the levels guaranteed by the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century; Supports the President’s commitment to expand transportation opportunities for individuals with disabilities through the New Freedom Initiative; and Discontinues federal subsidies in an effort to encourage a stronger private ship construction financing market. |
| Department of Transportation
Norman Y. Mineta, Secretary www.dot.gov 202–366–4000 Number of Federal Employees: 118,447
2002 Funding: $60.8 billion Offices: 12 operating administrations, including the Transportation Security Administration, Federal Aviation Administration, Federal Highway Administration, and U.S. Coast Guard. |
The Department of Transportation (DOT) is responsible for the nation’s freedom of movement—ensuring there are sufficient and safe roads, rails, airways and seaways to keep the country in motion and its economy growing. Established in 1967, DOT sets federal transportation policy and works with state, local, and private sector partners to promote a safe, secure, efficient, and interconnected national transportation system. DOT’s operating administrations have wide-ranging duties related to operating or overseeing various transportation sectors, but they share a common commitment to fulfill these national objectives.
FAA’s responsibilities range from controlling the nation’s air traffic system to regulating the safety and maintenance standards of U.S.-operated airlines. The Coast Guard acts as the fifth branch of the armed services and its missions extend from enforcing the fisheries laws, to cleaning up oil spills, to guarding the nation’s maritime borders from illegal migrants and drugs.
Several DOT agencies manage grant programs that will provide over $34 billion in 2003 to state and local transportation agencies for airports, roads, highways and transit systems. These infrastructure programs help reduce congestion and expand travel options. DOT also regulates highway, rail, and pipeline safety to reduce accidents and fatalities.
The laws authorizing surface and aviation transportation programs will expire after 2003. The Administration will work with various stakeholders and the Congress to develop legislative proposals to continue the nation’s investment in air, highway and transit systems.
| …[T]he President has asked our Department to help protect the integrity
of our nation’s entire transportation infrastructure. And that is what
we are doing…We will have to take precautions in transportation that we
have never taken before, and we will have to do the same in virtually every
aspect of American life. … As we move forward from September 11th,
we must increase our vigilance, and we must take new steps to move people
and goods safely and efficiently, recognizing that the nature of the threat
has changed.
Secretary Mineta
October 2001 |
The events of September 11, 2001, underscore the
importance of transportation security as part of America’s homeland security.
Protecting airports, seaports, bridges, highways, and mass transportation
against the threat of terrorism is an imperative. In 2003, added emphasis
on this mission will be reflected in resources for personnel, technology
and equipment to meet transportation security challenges. The President
signed the Aviation and Transportation Security Act, establishing the Transportation
Security Administration, into law on November 19, 2001. TSA’s main mission
is to increase airline and airport security. TSA will play a critical role,
coordinating with the White House Office of Homeland Security, federal,
state, local, and private partners, to enhance the safety of the nation’s
transportation infrastructure.
| Transportation Security | Funding
(in billions of dollars) |
|---|---|
| Aviation Security | 4.8 |
| Maritime Security | 2.9 |
The Aviation and Transportation Security Act imposed
tight deadlines and stringent aviation security requirements for DOT to
implement. TSA was created to be responsible for airport passenger screening
at every U.S. airport with commercial air service. Its staff includes law
enforcement officers, Federal Air Marshals, and passenger and baggage screeners.
The TSA will continue to improve baggage screening processes to enhance
the safety of passengers, while facilitating travel. In addition to aviation,
TSA will be the focal point for the security of the entire national transportation
system; a system administered in large part by states and localities. This
budget meets these challenges, and the Administration has embarked on an
aggressive effort to gauge progress constantly.
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In 2003, the TSA will continue implementing a comprehensive
aviation security program. Funding is being provided to accelerate deployment
of an array of explosive detection technology so that all baggage loaded
into aircraft is safe. The TSA will continue efforts to improve security
at airport screening locations and speed the flow of passengers at these
checkpoints. During the year, the TSA will complete the hiring of over
30,000 Federal airport security personnel, including screeners, armed guards,
and supervisors for every screening checkpoint. To upgrade aviation security,
the TSA will hire, train, and deploy an enhanced team of Federal Air Marshals.
The budget provides $4.8 billion in funding for the TSA, with an estimated
$2.2 billion of the 2003 costs to be raised through passenger and air carrier
fees.
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The TSA and the Coast Guard will jointly develop and execute the maritime component of homeland security. This work is crucial because 95 percent of the nation’s international trade moves by water. The Coast Guard will maintain the viability and integrity of marine transportation security by providing additional personnel to increase port security and assess the needs of critical seaports throughout the nation. The budget provides $5.7 billion in discretionary funding for the Coast Guard, including $406 million for increased port security. The budget also proposes a commercial navigational user fee to help pay for increased port security needs.
| DOT’s mission is to promote the public health and safety of the nation
by working toward the elimination of transportation related deaths and
injuries.
DOT Performance Plan
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Most Americans rely on some combination of car, transit, and airplane travel to carry out daily personal and business activities. Much of the effort of promoting and increasing transportation safety centers on raising safety awareness. The economic cost of motor vehicle crashes alone is more than $150 billion annually. The human toll on victims and their families is catastrophic.
Just as important as transportation security is DOT’s goal to increase safety for the traveling public. To achieve this, the Department works with communities to educate the public about safety requirements and establishes safety standards for transportation industries. The 2003 Budget proposes nearly $8 billion for transportation safety programs to meet the Department’s safety goals.
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FMCSA, created in 1999, oversees the safety of the commercial truck industry. It seeks to reduce the number of highway deaths resulting from truck and bus crashes. The agency is committed to helping reduce fatalities by 50 percent, from 5,380 in 1999 to less than 2,700 in 2009. To achieve this goal, FMCSA will concentrate on improving its federal oversight program by increasing federal and state inspections on the roadside and at motor carriers’ facilities, and improving the Commercial Driver Licensing program. In 2003, $190 million will go to states to help them implement highway safety programs.
In 2003, the Administration will pay special attention to FMCSA’s southern border safety enforcement program. The United States will fulfill its commitment to Mexico under the North American Free Trade Agreement and allow travel by Mexican trucks to begin in 2002. Some $68 million will be devoted to conduct on-site safety inspections in Mexico of motor carrier facilities by U.S. inspectors. A renewable 90-day decal with monitoring systems to ensure compliance with truck safety rules will be instituted. Another $47 million is provided in 2003 for border safety infrastructure under a program to fund highway projects along the U.S. borders.
NHTSA aims to reduce highway fatalities and injuries by decreasing alcohol-related highway fatalities from 17,219 in 1997 to 11,000 in 2005, and by increasing seat belt usage from 69 percent in 1997 to 90 percent in 2005. To achieve these goals, the budget provides $200 million for NHTSA’s safety research and information programs, and $225 million for grants to states for their highway safety programs.
| Of the 41 train routes Amtrak ran in 2001, 14 lost more than $110 per passenger and six lost more than $210 per passenger. Operating losses on the Sunset Limited, which runs between Orlando and Los Angeles, were $347 per passenger. Only two routes turned an operating profit in 2001. |
The Congress created the National Rail Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) in 1971 as a for-profit corporation to provide a national rail passenger system. Although it initially received federal subsidies, the intent was for Amtrak to graduate from requiring federal financial support. Amtrak has utterly failed to meet this expectation. The federal government has provided about $24.2 billion to Amtrak since its creation (see accompanying table). Since 1979, Amtrak has failed to increase significantly the number of passengers it carries. Currently, Amtrak’s share of the nation’s intercity passenger market amounts to only one-half of one percent of all passenger miles, compared to more popular means of transportation such as auto (50 percent), air (48 percent), and intercity buses (1.5 percent).
| Type of Funding | Years Provided | Total Funding | Annual Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Operating Grants | 1971-2002 | $14.3 billion | $455 million |
| Federal Capital Grants | 1976-2002 | $3.7 billion | $127million |
| Northeast Corridor Improvement Program | 1976-1998 | $4.0 billion | $171 million |
| Taxpayer Relief Act Funds | 1998-1999 | $2.2 billion | $1.1 billion |
| Total | 1971-2002 | $24.2 billion | $760 million |
On November 9, 2001, the Amtrak Reform Council (ARC),
an oversight board set up by the Congress, concluded that Amtrak would
fail to achieve its statutorily mandated goal to run its business profitably
and without federal operating assistance by December 2, 2002. As a result,
the ARC will announce an Amtrak restructuring plan on February 7, 2002,
in accordance with the Amtrak Reform and Accountability Act of 1997.
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In its 31-year history, Amtrak has never posted a profit. It has accumulated about $20.4 billion in operating losses over that same period, for an average annual operating loss of approximately $660 million, excluding federal grants. It recently mortgaged Pennsylvania Station in New York over a 16-year period to cover approximately three months of operating expenses, a financial absurdity equivalent to a family taking out a second mortgage on its home to pay its grocery bills. Other recent efforts to infuse new cash into this futile system include:
Legislative proposals to subsidize $12 billion in new borrowing through tax credits, provide up to $28 billion in new borrowing through federal loan guarantees, and up to $36 billion in state tax-exempt bonds.
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The Administration believes that passenger train service should be founded on a partnership between the federal government, the states, and the private sector. Such a partnership would encourage the operation of passenger trains offering high-quality, cost-effective service on viable routes or where the states have declared a public need they are willing to fund. The Administration is eager to work with the Congress to develop solutions that result in a cost-effective, financially stable system that can help meet the public’s travel needs. Pending development of a new paradigm for passenger rail service, the budget requests the same level of funding as provided in 2002.
The downside of growth in travel is increased road congestion. For example, in 1987 a trip during peak travel periods took 16 percent longer than it would have taken in uncongested conditions (about 10 minutes more for a one-hour trip). In 1999, a trip taken during peak travel period took 15 minutes more for a one-hour trip. Traffic delays also lead to increased fuel consumption and higher levels of vehicle emissions. In 1999, the nationwide cost of wasted time and extra fuel consumption alone was estimated to be $78 billion.
Without efforts to reduce congestion, it is projected that congestion will increase by 0.5 percent each year. DOT’s goal is to slow the projected growth of congested travel by 0.2 percent each year. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has implemented a range of strategies to address traffic jams. These include development and deployment of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), which provide more information to drivers faster, enabling them to take the most efficient route of travel. The 2003 Budget proposes $23.5 billion in federal funding for highways to identify and construct a mix of locally preferred road projects to reduce congestion and add new capacity to the highway system.
Transit also contributes to reducing road congestion. Transit passenger miles traveled increased 23 percent from 1980 to 1999. In 2000, transit ridership increased to 9.4 billion trips, the highest ever. In 2003, the budget provides $7.2 billion for the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to help congested regions buy more buses and build new rail systems. Within this amount, the Administration will seek authorization of $145 million for the President’s New Freedom Initiative to make transportation more accessible for the disabled.
To create a business-like aviation environment, by 2003 the DOT and FAA intend to implement a performance-based organization (PBO) that would focus on improved management and coordination of air traffic services and capital investments. This organization will be headed by a Chief Operating Officer and combine resources and staff from FAA's air traffic control, research, and acquisition lines of business, all of which contribute to FAA’s ability to provide efficient air traffic control services.
Current measures of performance—such as delays and runway incursions—point to management challenges in improving the operation of the current air traffic system. The new organization is intended to address some of these weaknesses by establishing performance goals for individual staff, and the organization as a whole, so that progress and advancements can be measured. The Administration plans to evaluate the effectiveness of the PBO after a year of operation. If significant improvements in air traffic services are not achieved, the Department will look to other options, including partial privatization and franchise operation of components of the air traffic system.
| Program | Assessment | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Efficiency of Air Traffic Control | Ineffective | FAA management needs improvement as evidenced by serious delays in air traffic during periods of high demand. |
| Highway Grants Project Management | Moderately Effective | In the past, federal highway project oversight had been problematic (e.g., Boston’s “Big Dig” which overran its cost estimates by 465 percent, or $12 billion, compared to the original 1985 proposal). However, FHWA has taken several steps to improve management oversight for large highway projects. |
| Public Transit Grants Management | Effective | GAO has reported that FTA’s project management oversight program improves quality controls, resulting in benefits for grantees and the government. FTA has implemented a streamlined, web-based grants program that permits 800 grantees to submit electronic requests and FTA to electronically disburse payments. |
| Coast Guard Deepwater Project | Unknown | This multiyear project begins to replace aging ships, aircraft, and related systems. The Coast Guard is using an innovative approach to replace its capital assets, aiming to enhance performance while limiting total cost. |
| Hazardous Material and Pipeline Safety | Moderately Effective | The Research and Special Programs Administration continues to increase oversight, inspection, and research to reduce the likelihood of pipeline and hazardous material accidents. |
| Congressional Earmarks | |
|---|---|
| 2000 | over 700 earmarks totaling $2.1 billion |
| 2001 | over 1,100 earmarks totaling $3.4 billion |
| 2002 | over 1,400 earmarks totaling $3.2 billion |
Across the spectrum of transportation programs, congressional earmarks undercut the Department’s ability to fund projects that have successfully proved their merits. In many cases, these earmarks divert funds to lower priority projects. This can result in the disruption of construction schedules for higher priority projects and increase the financing costs for the sponsors of these projects. In 2002, the Congress earmarked over 1,400 projects in the Department of Transportation, totaling $3.2 billion.
| For 2002, Congress earmarked $218 million for 44 transit rail new start projects that the President did not recommend. Within this total, $40 million was earmarked for 18 projects that are in the very early planning stage. Several do not appear to meet eligibility requirements. For example, $2.5 million is allocated to the Northern Indiana South Shore commuter rail rehabilitation project, which may be ineligible because it is not for new construction. Consequently, Congress did not provide sufficient funds to complete prior federal commitments to three existing projects in St. Louis, Los Angeles, and Salt Lake City. |
| Intelligent Earmarking?
Since 1998, the Congress has earmarked 100 percent of the funding for Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) technology deployment. These systems provide technological solutions to congestion and safety problems and improve operations on the nation’s highways and transit systems. FHWA would like to award this funding based on merit. Earmarks include:
$1.8 million over three years for a research program in New Mexico that is currently unable to comply with the law or obtain required matching funds. |
The Administration believes that this program represents an unnecessary federal subsidy. The budget requests no funding for this program in 2003. Shipbuilders and shipyards could and should seek to improve their competitiveness without relying on federal subsidies or exposing taxpayers to the costs of their failures.
| Initiative | 2001 Status |
|---|---|
| Human Capital—DOT is working on comprehensive workforce planning and restructuring to reduce management layers, make DOT more citizen-centered, and better match staff to the Department’s missions and goals. This work is particularly critical since 45 percent of current senior executives in DOT and over 50 percent of staff in many critical occupations are anticipated to retire by 2006. | • |
| Competitive Sourcing—DOT has not completed public-private or direct conversion competition on the government positions working in commercial functions. DOT also has not demonstrated that support service agreements between agencies are competed with the private sector on a recurring basis. DOT will meet the 2002 goal and is moving forward with an overall competitive sourcing program. | • |
| Financial Management—DOT’s financial systems fail to meet financial management requirements and standards. Auditors could only issue a “qualified” opinion on DOT’s 2000 financial statements. They cited material control weakness, primarily for FAA’s property accounting. DOT also does not have integrated financial and performance management systems. However, senior management is addressing these shortfalls, has submitted a new plan to comply with financial management standards, and is implementing a new, integrated financial system. | • |
| E-Government—DOT needs to strengthen its business cases for major information technology projects. In addition, some major projects, particularly those within FAA, are not operating within cost, schedule, and performance targets. However, DOT is implementing e-business process initiatives that will improve agency operations. The Department has an e-government leadership role for on-line rulemaking management. | • |
| Budget/Performance Integration—DOT’s annual performance plan is clear and sets forth annual goals. However, accounts, staff, and activities are not sufficiently aligned with program targets, and resources are not requested in the context of past results. Cost of program outputs is not integrated with performance and DOT lacks a systematic performance management process to improve effectiveness. DOT is working to improve its decision making process to base program management and resource decisions on costs and results. | • |
| 2001 Actual | Estimate | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 2003 | ||
| Spending: | |||
| Discretionary Budgetary Resources: | |||
| Office of the Secretary | 90 | 108 | 145 |
| Coast Guard | 4,143 | 4,491 | 5,523 |
| Federal Aviation Administration | 12,908 | 13,691 | 14,012 |
| Transportation Security Administration | — | 1,250 | 4,676 |
| Federal Highway Administration 1 | 31,100 | 32,113 | 22,633 |
| Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration | 273 | 339 | 371 |
| National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | 408 | 427 | 429 |
| Federal Transit Administration | 7,554 | 6,751 | 7,230 |
| Federal Rail Administration | 758 | 738 | 715 |
| Research and Special Programs Administration | 85 | 97 | 110 |
| Maritime Administration | 214 | 223 | 212 |
| All other programs | 82 | 86 | 98 |
| User Fees | -37 | -1,301 | -2,510 |
| Subtotal, Discretionary budgetary resources adjusted 2 | 57,578 | 59,013 | 53,644 |
| Remove contingent adjustments | -757 | -797 | -839 |
| Total, Discretionary budgetary resources | 56,821 | 58,216 | 52,805 |
| Emergency Response Fund, Budgetary Resources: | |||
| Coast Guard | 18 | 209 | — |
| Federal Aviation Administration | 123 | 1,072 | — |
| Transportation Security Administration | — | 95 | — |
| All other programs | — | 418 | — |
| Total, Emergency Response Fund, Budgetary resources | 141 | 1,794 | — |
| Mandatory Outlays: | |||
| Coast Guard | 807 | 868 | 921 |
| Federal Highway Administration | 1,218 | 1,275 | 1,154 |
| Office of the Secretary | 2,386 | 2,704 | 26 |
| All other programs | -9 | 375 | -292 |
| Subtotal, Mandatory outlays | 4,402 | 5,222 | 1,809 |
| Contingent adjustments | — | — | 310 |
| Total, Mandatory outlays | 4,402 | 5,222 | 2,119 |
| Credit activity: | |||
| Direct Loan Disbursements: | |||
| Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Program (TIFIA) | — | 430 | 830 |
| Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Program | — | 150 | 100 |
| All other programs | 11 | 10 | 10 |
| Total, Direct loan disbursements | 11 | 590 | 940 |
| Guaranteed Loans: | |||
| Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Program (TIFIA) | — | 160 | 183 |
| Maritime Guaranteed Loan (Title XI) | 729 | 800 | — |
| Minority Business Resource Center | 7 | 18 | 18 |
| Total, Guaranteed loans | 736 | 978 | 201 |
| 1 FHWA funding decreases
by more than $9 billion between 2002 and 2003 due to a provision in the
Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century that requires
that highway spending be tied to highway receipts.
2 Adjusted to include the full share of accruing employee pensions and annuitants health benefits. For more information, see Chapter 14, "Preview Report," in Analytical Perspectives. |
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