Friday, January 30, 2014 MEDIA ADVISORY U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx to Unveil “Beyond Traffic,” a 30-Year Outlook on the Future of Our Nation’s Infrastructure SAN FRANCISCO – On Monday, February 2 at 3 p.m. PST/6 p.m. EST, U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx will join Google Chairman Eric Schmidt to unveil “Beyond Traffic,” a new analysis from the U.S. Department of Transportation that anticipates the trends and choices facing our transportation system over the next three decades. Thirty years from now, America will be home to 70 million more people, many in cities in the South and West, transforming the way we move people and goods. Twenty-nine billion more tons of freight will need to cross the country as we simultaneously imagine and adapt to the promise of new technologies and innovation. America is changing, and our transportation system must get ahead of that change or be overwhelmed by it. "Beyond Traffic" is offered to the public as a draft to ignite a national conversation about our shared future. A final report will be released later in 2015. The public may watch the unveiling of “Beyond Traffic” live online here. WHO: U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx WHAT: Fireside chat to unveil “Beyond Traffic” WHERE: Google Campus WHEN: Monday, February 2, 2015 RSVP: If you plan to attend the event, please RSVP to: Ryan.Daniels2@dot.gov to receive additional details. If you’re unable to attend, the event will be streamed live here. You are subscribed to DOT News for Department of Transportation. This information has recently been updated, and is now available.
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MEDIA ADVISORY: U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx to Unveil “Beyond Traffic,” a 30-Year Outlook on the Future of Our Nation’s Infrastructure
MEDIA ADVISORY: U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx to Unveil “Beyond Traffic,” a 30-Year Outlook on the Future of Our Nation’s Infrastructure
Friday, January 30, 2014 MEDIA ADVISORY
U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx to Unveil “Beyond Traffic,” a 30-Year Outlook on the Future of Our Nation’s Infrastructure SAN FRANCISCO – On Monday, February 2 at 3 p.m. PST/6 p.m. EST, U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx will join Google Chairman Eric Schmidt to unveil “Beyond Traffic,” a new analysis from the U.S. Department of Transportation that anticipates the trends and choices facing our transportation system over the next three decades. Thirty years from now, America will be home to 70 million more people, many in cities in the South and West, transforming the way we move people and goods. Twenty-nine billion more tons of freight will need to cross the country as we simultaneously imagine and adapt to the promise of new technologies and innovation. America is changing, and our transportation system must get ahead of that change or be overwhelmed by it. "Beyond Traffic" is offered to the public as a draft to ignite a national conversation about our shared future. A final report will be released later in 2015. The public may watch the unveiling of “Beyond Traffic” live online here. WHO: U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx WHAT: Fireside chat to unveil “Beyond Traffic” WHERE: Google Campus WHEN: Monday, February 2, 2015 RSVP: If you plan to attend the event, please RSVP to: Ryan.Daniels2@dot.gov to receive additional details. If you’re unable to attend, the event will be streamed live here.
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BTS Releases 3rd-Quarter 2014 Air Fare Data
BTS 06-15 Advisory BTS Releases 3rd-Quarter 2014 Air Fare Data The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported today that the average domestic air fare of $396 in the third quarter of 2014 was virtually the same as the average air fare in the third quarter of 2013, adjusted for inflation. During the July to September 2014 period,passengers originating inCincinnati, Ohio, paid the highest average fare, $533, while passengers originating in Mesa, Arizona, paid the lowest, $100. BTS reports average fares based on domestic itinerary fares. Itinerary fares consist of round-trip fares, unless the customer does not purchase a return trip. In that case, the one-way fare is included. One-way trips accounted for 33 percent of fares calculated for the third quarter of 2014. Fares are based on the total ticket value, which consists of the price charged by the airlines plus any additional taxes and fees levied by an outside entity at the time of purchase. Fares include only the price paid at the time of the ticket purchase and do not include other fees, such as baggage fees, paid at either the airport or onboard the aircraft. Averages do not include frequent-flyer or “zero fares,” or abnormally high reported fares. Constant 2014 dollars are used for inflation adjustment. Inflation-Adjusted Air Fares Third-quarter fares rose 17.2 percent from the recession-affected low of $338 in 2009 to the third quarter of 2011. Since 2011, third quarter fares have shown little change, increasing 4.7 percent from 2011 to 2014. The third-quarter 2014 fare was down 16.4 percent from the average fare of $461 in 2000, the highest inflation-adjusted third quarter average fare in the 19 years since BTS began collecting air fare records in 1995. The 16.4 percent decline took place while overall consumer prices rose 37 percent. Since 1995, inflation-adjusted fares declined 11.3 percent compared to a 55.4 percent increase in overall consumer prices. U.S. passenger airlines collected 71.8 percent of their total revenue from passenger fares during the third quarter of 2014, down from 1990 when 87.6 percent of airline revenue was received from fares. Quarter-to-Quarter Change In the three-year period from the third quarter of 2011 to the third quarter of 2014, inflation-adjusted fares increased 4.7 percent. In the two-year period from the third quarter of 2012 to the third quarter of 2014, inflation-adjusted fares decreased 1.0 percent. See BTS Air Fare Release for summary tables and additional data. See BTS Air Fare web page for historic data. ###
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BTS Releases November 2014 North American Freight Numbers
BTS 05-15 Advisory Thursday, January 29, 2015 Contact: Dave Smallen Tel.: (202) 366-5568
BTS Releases November 2014 North American Freight Numbers
U.S.-NAFTA freight totaled $96.3 billion in November 2014 as two transportation modes – truck and pipeline – carried more U.S.-NAFTA freight than in November 2013, according to the TransBorder Freight Data released today by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS). Year-over-year, the value of U.S.-NAFTA freight flows by all modes increased by 0.1 percent. The annual growth in the value of NAFTA trade slowed in November due in part to the reduced value of shipments of mineral fuels and of imported vehicles, parts, and electrical machinery.
Freight by Mode In November 2014 compared to November 2013, the value of commodities moving by truck grew by the largest percentage of any mode, 1.4 percent, followed by pipeline freight which increased by 1.1 percent. Rail freight decreased by 3.0 percent mainly due to reduced value of trade in vehicles and parts, vessel freight decreased by 3.3 percent mainly due to lower mineral fuel prices, and air freight decreased by 7.1 percent due to a decline in trade of precious stones, aircraft parts, and electrical machinery. Of the $115 million increase in the value of U.S.-NAFTA freight from November 2013, a $787 million increase by truck and a $74 million increase by pipeline offset decreases by the other modes, air, vessel and rail. Trucks carry three-fifths of U.S.-NAFTA freight and are the most heavily utilized mode for moving goods to and from both U.S.-NAFTA partners. Trucks accounted for $29.9 billion of exports and $28.7 billion of imports.
Rail remained the second largest mode, moving 15.3 percent of all U.S.-NAFTA freight, followed by vessel, 8.7 percent; pipeline, 6.8 percent; and air, 3.7 percent. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 83.0 percent of the total U.S.-NAFTA freight flows.
U.S.-Canada Freight Year-over-year, U.S.-Canada freight moved by vessel was the only mode to show an increase, growing 0.2 percent. Freight moved by pipeline decreased 0.3 percent, and truck 1.5 percent. Rail freight decreased 5.2 percent due to a decline in trade of vehicles and auto parts, electrical machinery, and vegetable oils. Air freight decreased 5.6 percent due to a decline in trade of precious stones, aircraft parts, and electrical machinery.
Trucks carried 55.2 percent of the $52.4 billion of freight to and from Canada, followed by rail, 16.3 percent; pipeline, 11.8 percent; vessel, 5.7 percent and air, 4.5 percent. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 83.3 percent of the total U.S.-Canada freight flows.
U.S.-Mexico Freight Year-over-year, the value of U.S.-Mexico pipeline freight rose 30.4 percent, the largest percentage increase of any mode, due to an increase in the volume of U.S. exports of mineral fuels. Pipeline freight remained 0.9 percent of total U.S.-Mexico freight value. Freight moved by truck increased 4.3 percent while rail rose 0.3 percent. Freight carried by vessel decreased 5.2 percent mainly due to lower mineral fuel prices and air declined 9.9 percent due to a decline in trade of electrical machinery and precious stones.
Trucks carried 67.6 percent of the $43.9 billion of freight to and from Mexico, followed by rail, 14.2 percent; vessel, 12.2 percent; air, 2.8 percent; and pipeline, 0.9 percent. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 82.6 percent of the total U.S.-Mexico freight flows.
See BTS Transborder Data Release for summary tables 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. ### You are subscribed to DOT News for Department of Transportation. This information has recently been updated, and is now available.
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Transportation Secretary Foxx Announces Plan to Add Two Automatic Emergency Braking Systems to Recommended Vehicle Advanced Technology Features
NHTSA 02-15 Transportation Secretary Foxx Announces Plan to Add Two Automatic Emergency Braking Systems to Recommended Vehicle Advanced Technology Features
WASHINGTON – Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx today announced that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration plans to add two cutting-edge automatic emergency braking systems to the recommended advanced safety features included under its New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) – the latest step in a half-century of safety innovations that have saved more than 600,000 lives, according to new research NHTSA released today. The agency plans to continue to encourage development and commercialization of additional promising safety-related technologies of vehicle automation through its recommendation of two automatic emergency braking systems – crash imminent braking (CIB) and dynamic brake support (DBS). The addition is the latest in a long history of safety innovations covered in NHTSA's new report, which uses data from the agency's Fatal Accident Reporting System to create a statistical model that estimated safety technologies have saved 613,501 lives since 1960. "Today marks an enormous leap in the evolution of auto safety by encouraging adoption of new technologies to keep drivers and their passengers safe on our roads," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. "I want this Department, the entire automotive industry, and other innovators to keep raising the bar on safety like we are doing now." According to NHTSA data, one-third of all police-reported crashes in 2013 involved a rear-end collision with another vehicle at the start of the crash. The agency also found that a large number of drivers involved in rear-end crashes either did not apply the brakes at all or did not apply the brakes fully prior to the crash. Crash imminent braking and dynamic brake support systems can intervene by automatically applying the vehicle's brakes or supplementing the driver's braking effort to mitigate the severity of the crash or to avoid it altogether. These AEB systems, along with promising innovations such as vehicle-to-vehicle communications (V2V) and automated vehicle technologies hold great promise to save even more lives and prevent even more crashes, building upon the successes of crashworthiness and crash avoidance technologies currently available in vehicles today. As these technologies mature, NHSTA will continue to accelerate its push on innovative and effective solutions to reduce the staggering toll of motor vehicle crashes in the U.S. through our research, regulatory, and consumer information programs. Today's action also marks the first step in a broader revision of NCAP and seeks to ensure the program continues to encourage both consumers and automakers to develop and adopt advanced vehicle safety technologies. "Adding AEB to our list of recommended features will encourage consumers to consider AEB as a factor in their new car purchase and encourage automakers to make this important innovation more widely available," said NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind. "NCAP is a critical tool for enhancing safety, so we are also looking at additional innovations to the program to capitalize on this exciting period of progress in safety technology." In 2013, NHTSA requested public comment on how the agency should update NCAP. Many commenters were very positive about the potential benefit of AEB technology, which today's action addresses. Commenters also had input on other ways NHTSA could further improve NCAP and the agency plans to seek comment on additional program changes in the future. NCAP provides consumers with a checklist of advanced technology features demonstrated to improve safety. The checklist gives consumers a quick and easy way to compare the availability of safety features across models. NCAP currently identifies three Recommended Advanced Technology Features that also help drivers avoid or mitigate crashes: forward collision warning, lane departure warning and rearview video systems. Vehicles with Recommended Advanced Technology Features already included under NCAP can be viewed on www.safercar.gov. The site also includes NHTSA's widely known 5-Star Safety Ratings, which measure the crashworthiness and rollover safety of vehicles.
Background on Vehicle Safety Technologies Seat belts – Seat belts are the best defense for preventing death and injury in a crash. Seat belts are designed to keep occupants within the vehicle, close to their original seating position, and, if possible, prevent occupants from contacting harmful interior surfaces or one another. NHTSA has required three-point seat belts in front seat positions for decades and its updated frontal impact rule as well as New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) prompted auto manufacturers to install advanced seat belt designs that included pretensioners and force limiting technology. More recently, three-point belts were mandated in all rear seat positions including the center rear seat position to better protect children. From 1960 through 2012, seat belts saved more than 330,000 lives — about half of the lives saved during that time period. Overall and annually, seat belts are the largest contributors to the number of lives saved. Air bags – Air bags reduce the chance that an occupant's upper body or head will strike the vehicle's interior during a crash. Frontal air bags, combined with lap/shoulder belts, offer effective crash protection for passenger vehicle occupants. Frontal air bags, for the driver and right front passenger positions have been standard equipment in all passenger cars since model year 1998 and all SUVs, pickup trucks and vans since model year 1999. In 2000, NHTSA upgraded its air bag requirements in passenger cars and light trucks by requiring "advanced air bags." The upgrade maintained crash protection for occupants of all sizes, belted and unbelted while minimizing the risks posed by air bags to infants, children, and other vulnerable occupants. Compliance with the new requirements started with a phase-in beginning with the 2004 model year and since September 2006, all vehicles have been equipped with advanced air bags. NHTSA estimates that frontal air bags have saved nearly 43,000 lives overall. In addition, NHTSA's updated side impact and new ejection mitigation rules are driving auto manufacturers to install more side airbags as well as larger side window curtain airbags to protect occupants in side impact and rollover crashes. When fully implemented, several thousand more lives will be saved due to the improved protection. Electronic Stability Control (ESC) – ESC detects when a vehicle is about to lose traction and automatically applies the brakes to individual wheels and/or reduces engine torque to help the driver stay on course. It is a highly effective crash avoidance technology, particularly in preventing rollover crashes. In April 2007, NHTSA issued a final rule requiring ESC in all new light vehicles, beginning with phased in requirements for model year 2009 vehicles. ESC has been standard in all new vehicles since model year 2012. While one of the relatively newer technologies that's standard throughout the light vehicle fleet, ESC has saved almost 6,200 lives. Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communications (V2V) – V2V is a crash avoidance technology that relies on communication of basic safety information between nearby vehicles to potentially warn drivers about dangerous situations that could lead to a crash. V2V technology has the potential to save thousands of lives each year. In August of 2014, NHTSA issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) and a supporting comprehensive research report on V2V communications technology. Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) – AEB system technologies are a subset of what NHTSA refers to as Forward Crash Avoidance and Mitigation (FCAM) systems. Whereas the FCAM designation includes systems that provide Forward Collision Warning (FCW) only, AEB systems such as Crash Imminent Braking (CIB) and Dynamic Brake Support (DBS) are specifically designed to help drivers avoid, or mitigate the severity of, rear-end crashes. CIB systems provide automatic braking when forward-looking sensors indicate that a crash is imminent and the driver has not braked, whereas DBS systems provide supplemental braking when sensors determine that driver-applied braking is insufficient to avoid an imminent crash. You are subscribed to DOT News for Department of Transportation. This information has recently been updated, and is now available.
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