Transportation Policy

1. Transportation Policy Moving people, goods, and services from one place to another in the United States

2. Policy is a social construct for effecting behavior defines goals, establishes a reasons for changes in behavior defines, promotes, and rewards certain types of behavior defines, prohibits, and penalizes - implicitly or explicitly - other types of behavior Consists of principles articulated in a constitution and programs established to forward those principles Some suggest that public policy differs from law but both seek to promote actions consistent with principles in the constitution and prohibit inconsistent actions Public Policy

3. Public Policy • Provides a context in which individuals, corporations, and governments decide to act

4. Public Policy • Some of these actions have an impact on the land surface and thus create landscape • some alter the organization of space • some give rise to artifacts - structures • some give rise to goods and services

5. Air Transport • An advanced air transportation network uses 5,000 paved runways • All public airports are usually operated by local governments • Over 200 domestic commercial air carriers and a number of international carriers • Private aircraft are also used for medical emergencies, government agencies, large businesses, and individuals - general aviation • Air travel is the mode of choice for the majority of trips over 300 miles • In 2004 17 of the world's thirty busiest airports for passengers were in the U.S. • 12 of the world's thirty busiest cargo airports were in also the U.S.

6. Rail Lines • The intercity rail network is smaller than its historical peak, and has shifted emphasis toward cargo as faster air transport has come to dominate long-distance passenger travel • Intercity passenger rail is sparser than in other developed countries and has been taken over by the quasi-governmental National Railroad Passenger Corporation • Freight and railroads

7. Water Transportation • Largely used for freight • Fishing and pleasure boats are numerous, and passenger ferry services connects many of the nation's islands and remote coastal areas, crosses lakes, rivers, and harbors, and provides alternative access to Alaska which bypasses Canada • Major seaports in the United States include New York to the east, Houston and New Orleans on the gulf coast, Los Angeles to the west • Interior waterways of the U.S. have shipping channels, via the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Mississippi River • The first water link between the Great Lakes and the Atlantic, the Erie Canal, constructed in 1825, allowed the rapid expansion of agriculture and industry in the Midwest and made New York City the economic center of the country

8. Mass Transit • Most medium-cities have some sort of local public transportation • Larger cities tend to have mass-transit systems, usually including subways or light rail • New York City is the country's largest metropolis - operates one of the world's most heavily used rapid transit systems • The regional rail and bus networks that extend into the suburbs are also among the most heavily used in the world • Metropolitan Council

9. Metro Transit Hiawatha Line • Construction funding (in millions $) • Federal 334.3 • State of Minnesota 100.0 • Metropolitan Airports Commission 87.0 • Hennepin County 84.2 • Congestion Mitigation/Air Quality grant 49.8 • Transit capital grant 39.9 • Minnesota Dept of Transportation 20.1 • Total 715.3

10. Most cargo transportation in the United States is by water, road, rail, and pipelines • Planes are commonly used only for perishables and premium express shipments • Usually cargo, apart from petroleum and other bulk commodities, is imported in containers through seaports, then distributed by road and rail • The quasi-governmental United States Postal Service has a monopoly on letter delivery (except for express services) but several large private companies such as FedEx and UPS compete in the package and cargo delivery market

11. Conventionally, each mode has sought to exploit its own advantages in terms of cost, service, reliability, and safety • Competition between the modes has tended to produce a transport system that is segmented and un-integrated • The lack of integration between the modes has been accentuated by public policy that has frequently barred companies from owning firms in other modes • Thus, a modal perspective about transportation endured even if many transport companies perceived transportation in terms of markets instead of modes • The Geography of Transport Systems (Hofstra University)

12. Intermodalism • Since the 1960s major efforts have been made to integrate separate transport systems through intermodalism, which took place is several stages • This involves the use of at least two different modes in a trip from origin to destination through an intermodal transport chain • Intermodality enhances the economic performance of a transport chain by using modes in the most productive manner • Thus, the line-haul economies of rail may be exploited for long distances, with the efficiencies of trucks providing flexible local pick up and delivery • The key is that the entire trip is seen as a whole, rather than as a series of legs, each marked by an individual operation with separate sets of documentation and rates

14. Roads & Railways

15. Transportation in the United States • Passenger transportation is dominated by a network of approximately 2 million miles of paved roads, the bulk of which is constructed and maintained by state and local governments • 97% of passenger trips in the U.S. are by personal automobile • Freight transportation uses a variety of transport modes • Roughly 40% is transported by rail – larger than the global average

16. Roads

17. General Resources • The United States Highway System (Info Please) • Creating the Interstate System (FHWA) • The National Highway System (FWHA) • History of the U.S. Highway System (Casey Cooper) • US Highways: From US 1 to (US 830) (Robert V. Droz) • Minnesota Highways Page (Steve Riner) • United States Numbered Highways (Wikipedia) • ISTEA, A poisonous brew for American cities (Cato Institute) • Highway history (FHWA) • American Highways Users Alliance

18. The National Highway System - Minnesota • Approximately 160,000 miles of roadway important to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility • Developed by the Department of Transportation (DOT) in cooperation with states, local governments, and metropolitan planning organizations • Interstate Highway System accounts for almost 30% of the system • 21 congressionally designated high-priority corridors as identified in ISTEA • Non-interstate portion of the Strategic Highway Corridor Network (STRAHNET) identified by the Department of Defense in cooperation with DOT - critical strategic links allowing move troops and equipment to airports, ports, rail terminals, and other bases for rapid deployment is essential to our national defense • Strategic Highway Corridor Network connectors that link major military installations and other defense-related facilities to the STRAHNET corridors

19. Automobiles - an estimated 243,023,485 registered passenger vehicles in the United States in 2004 • 56.13% were classified as cars • 37.79% were classified as "Other 2 axle, 4 tire vehicles," presumably SUVs and pick-up trucks • 2.53% were classified as vehicles with 2 axles and 6 tires and • 2,010,335 (0.82%) were classified as "Truck, combination" • Approximately 5,780,870 motorcycles 2.37% of all registered passenger vehicles • Fuel Economy (fueleconomy.gov) • Car Safety (safercar.gov)

20. United States federal transportation legislation (Wikipedia) • 23 USC Highways • 49 USC Transportation • General and Intermodal Programs • Motor Vehicle and Driver Programs • Tips To Decoding your Car’s VIN Number • 49 CFR 565 Vehicle Identification Number Requirements • 23 CFR Highways • 49 CFR Transportation

21. U S Department of Transportation • Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST) • Office of Inspector General (OIG)

22. 49 USC 101. Purpose • The national objectives of general welfare, economic growth and stability, and security of the United States require the development of transportation policies and programs that contribute to providing fast, safe, efficient, and convenient transportation at the lowest cost consistent with those and other national objectives, including the efficient use and conservation of the resources of the United States • (Pub. L. 97–449, Jan. 12 1983, 96 Stat. 2414; Pub. L. 102–240, title VI, § 6018, Dec. 18 1991, 105 Stat. 2183.)

23. 49 USC 101. Purpose • A Department of Transportation is necessary in the public interest and • To ensure the coordinated and effective administration of the transportation programs of the United States Government • To make easier the development and improvement of coordinated transportation service to be provided by private enterprise to the greatest extent feasible • To encourage cooperation of Federal, State, and local governments, carriers, labor, and other interested persons to achieve transportation objectives • To stimulate technological advances in transportation, through research and development or otherwise • To provide general leadership in identifying and solving transportation problems  • To develop and recommend to the President and Congress transportation policies and programs to achieve transportation objectives considering the needs of the public, users, carriers, industry, labor, and national defense

24. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)

25. Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) • Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) • Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) • National Transportation Library (NTL) • Research, Development and Technology (RD&T) • Transportation Safety Institute (TSI) • University Transportation Centers (UTCs) • Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe)

26. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) • Report to Congress on July 1 of each year • Report shall include • a statistical and analytical summary of the transportation accident investigations conducted and reviewed by the Board during the prior calendar year • a survey and summary of the recommendations made by the Board to reduce the likelihood of recurrence of those accidents together with the observed response to each recommendation • a detailed appraisal of the accident investigation and accident prevention activities of other departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the United States Government and State and local governmental authorities having responsibility for those activities under a law of the United States or a State

27. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) • Established as a separate administration within the U.S. Department of Transportation on January 1, 2000, under the provisions of the Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act of 1999 • The Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act - to enhance highway safety by imposing stricter penalties on those drivers who operate commercial motor vehicles • Improves the commercial driver license (CDL) sanctioning process by strengthening the CDL disqualification process through the expansion of violations that result in disqualification. • In addition, MCSIA requires states to disqualify CDL drivers who have high risk traffic offenses in their personal vehicles • The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and • The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) possess rulemaking powers that affects the application process for CDL drivers

28. Surface Transportation Board (STB)

29. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

30. Mass Transit • Bus (American Public Transport Association) • Rail (American Public Transport Association)

31. Federal Transit Administration (FTA) • One of 10 modal administrations within the U.S. Department of Transportation • Headed by an Administrator appointed by the President • FTA administers federal funding to support a variety of locally planned, constructed, and operated public transportation systems throughout the U.S., including buses, subways, light rail, commuter rail, streetcars, monorail, passenger ferry boats, inclined railways, and people movers

32. Approximately 56% of the construction and maintenance costs of the Interstates are funded through user fees, primarily gasoline taxes collected by states and the federal government, and tolls collected on toll roads and bridges • The rest of the costs are apportioned in the federal budget • In the eastern United States, large sections of some Interstate Highways planned or built prior to 1956 are operated as toll roads • As American suburbs push ever outward, the costs incurred in maintaining freeway infrastructure have grown, leaving little in the way of funds for new interstate construction. • This has led to the proliferation of toll roads (turnpikes) as the new method of building limited-access highways in suburban areas • Some Interstates are being privately maintained • Adding toll HOV/HOT lanes in certain cities like San Diego, Salt Lake City, Minneapolis, Houston, Dallas, Atlanta and Washington, D.C

33. The dominant role of the federal government in road finance has enabled it to achieve legislative goals that fall outside its power to regulate interstate commerce as enumerated in the federal Constitution • By threatening to withhold highway funds, the federal government has been able to stimulate state legislatures to pass a variety of laws • Though some object on the ground that this infringes on states' rights the Supreme Court has upheld the practice as a permissible use of the Constitution's Commerce Clause • introduction of the 55 mph national speed limit in 1974 While its purpose was to save fuel in the wake of the 1973 energy crisis, federal speed controls stayed in effect for 21 years

34. Acceptance of the national speed limit emboldened various presidents and Congresses to enact additional pieces of legislation, some of which have little to do with highways or transportation • Increasing the legal drinking age to 21 • Megan's Law legislation, requiring states to disclose identities of sex offenders • Lowering the legal intoxication level to 0.08% • Requiring the use of carpool (HOV) lanes • States must also meet minimum enforcement standards for all federally-mandated legislation (for example, minimum penalties for violation of these laws and a minimum number of per capita underage drinking convictions or a compelling explanation regarding why this number is not met) • Any state that was to lose federal highway funding would quickly face deteriorating infrastructure, fiscal impoverishment, or both • Of course, a state that lost federal highway funding could theoretically threaten to stop maintaining its highways, if that were politically palatable to its residents

35. Federal Highway Trust Fund

36. Federal Highway Trust Fund

37. 23 CFR Highways • Highway Finances (FHWA) • Highway Trust Fund (FHWA) • Highway Financing (GAO) • Highway Trust Fund (Northeast Midwest Institute) • Highway Funding in Minnesota (Minnesota House of Representatives) • Gas Tax (Taxfoundation.org)

38. Will Increased Highway Funding Help Rural Areas? • The Highway Funding Formula Has Been Criticized • Financing Federal-aid Highways • Highway Funding, the States, and New Air Quality Standards • National Highway Funding Commission • National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission • National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission • Highway Trust Fund: Overview of Highway Trust Fund ...

39. Petroleum (Energy Information Administration) • Energy Outlook 2005 • Ethanol • American Coalition for Ethanol • Governors' Ethanol Coalition • National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition • Ethanol Producers and Consumers • Ethanol & Co-Products (National Corngrowers  Association) • Clean Fuels (Fresh Energy)

40. Railroads

41. Rail Transport (Wikipedia) • U.S. Railroads (Wikipedia) • History of Railroads and Maps (Library of Congress) • Railroad History (Pacific Southwest Railway Museum Association, Inc.) • Association of American Railroads members include the major freight railroads in the United States, Canada and Mexico, as well as Amtrak • Rail in Minnesota (Minnesota Department of Transportation)

42. Transcontinental Railroad (PBS American Experience) • Transcontinental Railroad Maps(Central Pacific Railroad)

43. Federal Railroad Administration • U.S. Railroad Retirement Board administers a Federal retirement benefit program covering the nation's railroad workers • National Transportation Safety Board Railroad

44. 45 US Code Railroads • Staggers Act of 1980 (Wikipedia) • The Impact of the Staggers Rail Act of 1980 (Association of American Railroads) • 49 CFR Transportation