DOT 50-13
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U.S. Transportation Secretary LaHood Announces National Freight Advisory Committee Members
BTS Releases March Passenger Airline Employment Data; March 2013 Employment Down 2.7 Percent from March 2012
BTS 26-13 Thursday, May 30, 2013 Contact: Dave Smallen Tel: 202-366-5568
BTS Releases March Passenger Airline Employment Data; March 2013 Employment Down 2.7 Percent from March 2012
U.S. scheduled passenger airlines employed 380,325 workers in March 2013, 2.7 percent fewer than in March 2012, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported today. March was the seventh consecutive month that full-time equivalent (FTE) employment for U.S. scheduled passenger carriers was below that of the same month of the previous year, following 21 months of increases (December 2010 through August 2012).
BTS, a part of the Department’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration, reported that the March 2013 FTE total for scheduled passenger carriers was 10,436 fewer than in March 2012 and down 3.0 percent from the recent March high of 392,077 in March 2009. Scheduled passenger airline categories include network, low-cost, regional and other airlines. Historical employment data can be found on the BTS web site.
The five network airlines that collectively employ two-thirds of the scheduled passenger airline FTEs reported 3.3 percent fewer FTEs in March 2013 than in March 2012, the eighth consecutive decline from the same month of the previous year.
Delta Air Lines reduced FTEs by 4.1 percent from March 2012. American Airlines, which filed for bankruptcy in November 2011, reduced FTEs by 9.9 percent over the same period. United Airlines reported 0.9 percent more FTEs than in March 2012. US Airways reported 1.3 percent more FTEs while Alaska Airlines increased FTEs by 3.9 percent from March 2012. Network airlines operate a significant portion of flights using at least one hub where connections are made for flights to down-line destinations or spoke cities.
Four of the six low-cost carriers – Allegiant Airlines, Virgin America Airlines, Spirit Airlines and JetBlue Airways – reported an increase in FTEs. Southwest Airlines, following its merger with AirTran Airways, reported 45,791 FTEs in March 2013, 0.7 percent less than the two airlines reported separately in March 2012. Frontier Airlines also reported fewer FTEs. Low-cost airlines operate under a low-cost business model, with infrastructure and aircraft operating costs below the overall industry average.
See Passenger Airline Employment press release for summary tables and additional data. Historical employment data can be found on the BTS web site.
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U.S. Department of Transportation Releases Policy on Automated Vehicle Development
NHTSA 14-13
U.S. Department of Transportation Releases Policy on
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) today announced a new policy concerning vehicle automation, including its plans for research on related safety issues and recommendations for states related to the testing, licensing, and regulation of “autonomous” or “self-driving” vehicles. Self-driving vehicles are those in which operation of the vehicle occurs without direct driver input to control the steering, acceleration, and braking and are designed so that the driver is not expected to constantly monitor the roadway while operating in self-driving mode.
“Whether we’re talking about automated features in cars today or fully automated vehicles of the future, our top priority is to ensure these vehicles – and their occupants – are safe,” said Secretary Ray LaHood. “Our research covers all levels of automation, including advances like automatic braking that may save lives in the near term, while the recommendations to states help them better oversee self-driving vehicle development, which holds promising long-term safety benefits.”
NHTSA’s policy addresses:
Several states, including Nevada, California and Florida have enacted legislation that expressly permits operation of self-driving (sometimes called “autonomous”) vehicles under certain conditions. These experimental vehicles are at the highest end of a wide range of automation that begins with some safety features already in vehicles, such as electronic stability control. Today’s policy will provide states interested in passing similar laws with assistance to ensure that their legislation does not inadvertently impact current vehicle technology and that the testing of self-driving vehicles is conducted safely.
“We’re encouraged by the new automated vehicle technologies being developed and implemented today, but want to ensure that motor vehicle safety is considered in the development of these advances,” said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland. “As additional states consider similar legislation, our recommendations provide lawmakers with the tools they need to encourage the safe development and implementation of automated vehicle technology.”
The policy statement also describes NHTSA’s research efforts related to autonomous vehicles. While the technology remains in early stages, NHTSA is conducting research on self-driving vehicles so that the agency has the tools to establish standards for these vehicles, should the vehicles become commercially available. The first phase of this research is expected to be completed within the next four years.
NHTSA’s many years of research on vehicle automation have already led to regulatory and other policy developments. The agency’s work on electronic stability control (ESC), for example, led to a standard mandating that form of automated technology on all new light vehicles since MY 2011. More recently, NHTSA issued a proposal that would require ESC on new heavy vehicles.
NHTSA defines vehicle automation as having five levels:
No-Automation (Level 0): The driver is in complete and sole control of the primary vehicle controls – brake, steering, throttle, and motive power – at all times.
Function-specific Automation (Level 1): Automation at this level involves one or more specific control functions. Examples include electronic stability control or pre-charged brakes, where the vehicle automatically assists with braking to enable the driver to regain control of the vehicle or stop faster than possible by acting alone.
Combined Function Automation (Level 2): This level involves automation of at least two primary control functions designed to work in unison to relieve the driver of control of those functions. An example of combined functions enabling a Level 2 system is adaptive cruise control in combination with lane centering.
Limited Self-Driving Automation (Level 3): Vehicles at this level of automation enable the driver to cede full control of all safety-critical functions under certain traffic or environmental conditions and in those conditions to rely heavily on the vehicle to monitor for changes in those conditions requiring transition back to driver control. The driver is expected to be available for occasional control, but with sufficiently comfortable transition time. The Google car is an example of limited self-driving automation.
Full Self-Driving Automation (Level 4): The vehicle is designed to perform all safety-critical driving functions and monitor roadway conditions for an entire trip. Such a design anticipates that the driver will provide destination or navigation input, but is not expected to be available for control at any time during the trip. This includes both occupied and unoccupied vehicles.
Click here to view NHTSA’s statement of policy on automated vehicles.
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BTS Releases North American Freight Numbers for March
BTS 25-13 Wednesday, May 29, 2013 Contact: Dave Smallen Tel: 202-366-5568
BTS Releases North American Freight Numbers for March Trucks Transported 60% of U.S.-NAFTA Trade in March 2013
Trucks carried 60.0 percent of the $95.6 billion of freight moved in March 2013 between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners, Canada and Mexico, followed by rail at 16.5 percent, vessels at 8.1 percent, pipelines at 7.0 percent and air at 3.7 percent, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) of the U.S. Department of Transportation. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 83.5 percent of the total NAFTA freight flows.
BTS, a part of the Department’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration, reported that in March, for freight flows with Canada, trucks carried 55.1 percent of the $54.3 billion, followed by rail at 17.9 percent, pipelines at 11.6 percent, vessels at 4.6 percent and air at 4.4 percent. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 84.6 percent of the total U.S.-Canada freight flows.
For freight flows with Mexico in March, trucks carried 66.5 percent of the $41.2 billion, followed by rail at 14.8 percent, vessel at 12.7 percent, air at 2.7 percent and pipelines at 0.8 percent. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 82.0 percent of the total U.S.-Mexico freight flows.
Beginning with January 2013, BTS monthly TransBorder press releases contain data for all modes of transportation. Press releases and the BTS website now define surface transportation modes as truck, rail and pipeline. Data on surface modes can be found in Figure 3 and in Tables 2, 3, 4 and 7.
The value of goods moving between the U.S. and its NAFTA partners by all modes of transportation decreased by 4.0 percent from March 2012 and rose 63.7 percent from March 2009. Goods moving by truck, pipeline, vessel, and air each declined, while rail freight increased from the same month last year. Data in the press release are not adjusted for inflation, except for the monthly totals illustrated in Figure 2 for comparison. See BTS Transborder Data Release for summary tables, state rankings and additional data. See North American Transborder Freight Data on the BTS website for additional data for surface modes since 1995 and all modes since 2004.
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U.S. Secretary of Transportation LaHood Announces $1 Million in Immediate Funding for I-5 Skagit River Bridge in Washington
DOT 49-13 Friday, May 24, 2013 Contact: Nancy Singer Tel: 202-366-0660 U.S. Secretary of Transportation LaHood Announces $1 Million in Immediate Funding for I-5 Skagit River Bridge in Washington WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood today announced he is making $1 million in federal emergency funds immediately available to Washington State to help repair the Interstate 5 bridge over the Skagit River that collapsed last night. “We are doing everything possible to restore mobility as quickly as possible and expedite repairs,” said Secretary LaHood. “Today's funding represents a down payment on our commitment to the people of Washington.” A section of the four-lane interstate bridge, located 60 miles north of Seattle, collapsed into the water, disrupting travel in both directions. The funds will help the Washington Department of Transportation install temporary bridges over the river and make permanent repairs. The Federal Highway Administration’s Emergency Relief (ER) program provides funding for highways and bridges damaged by natural disasters or catastrophic events. “We will continue to stand by Washington until all repair efforts are completed and this vital transportation link for international commerce is back up and running again,” said Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez. The bridge carries an estimated 71,000 vehicles each day and is a major commercial route between Washington and Canada. Approximately 11 percent of the vehicles are commercial trucks transporting goods between the two countries. # # #
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