Posted by Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao The US Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) plays an important role in maintaining and improving the safety and efficiency of our nation's transportation infrastructure. This includes highways, bridges, tunnels, railways, airports, air traffic control, seaports, mass transit systems and pipelines. Our infrastructure is the backbone of our economy, making it possible to move people, goods, services and raw materials safely from our homes, factories, farms, and mines to and from destinations throughout our nation, and across the world. America's transportation infrastructure underpins our world-class economy and is a key factor in productivity growth, which has provided good jobs for millions of hard working Americans and a standard of living that is the envy of the world. And while our transportation infrastructure has given us unprecedented mobility for many years, it is increasingly in need of repair and refurbishment. Another challenge facing the transportation infrastructure is how to incorporate new technology and innovations, including drones and autonomous vehicles.
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Elaine Chao: A Homecoming
DOT Publishes Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
DOT Publishes Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
Published in today's Federal Register is a DOT Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). The Federal Register NPRM is available at https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2017-01-23/pdf/2017-01131.pdf and in the attachment. Today we will post it on the ODAPC website https://www.transportation.gov/odapc/frpubs. The NPRM proposes to:
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BTS Statistics Release: November 2016 North American Freight Numbers
BTS 06-17 Thursday, January 19, 2017 Contact: Dave Smallen Tel: 202-366-5568
BTS Statistics Release: November 2016 North American Freight Numbers
U.S.-NAFTA freight totaled $91.1 billion in current dollars as all five major transportation modes carried more freight by value with North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners Canada and Mexico in November 2016 compared to November 2015, according to the TransBorder Freight Data released today by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS).
The 3.3 percent rise from November 2015 was only the second time since December 2014 in which the year-over-year value of U.S.-NAFTA freight increased from the same month of the previous year.
Freight by Mode The value of commodities moving by pipeline increased 30.6 percent, vessel by 12.5 percent, air by 6.2 percent, rail by 5.1 percent, and truck by 0.6 percent.
Trucks carried 64.5 percent of U.S.-NAFTA freight and continued to be the most heavily utilized mode for moving goods to and from both U.S.-NAFTA partners. Trucks accounted for $30.7 billion of the $49.8 billion of imports (61.6 percent) and $28.0 billion of the $41.3 billion of exports (67.8 percent).
Rail remained the second largest mode by value, moving 15.3 percent of all U.S.-NAFTA freight, followed by vessel, 5.9 percent; pipeline, 5.3 percent; and air, 3.9 percent. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 85.1 percent of the total value of U.S.-NAFTA freight flows.
U.S.-Canada Freight From November 2015 to November 2016, the value of U.S.-Canada freight flows increased by 2.2 percent to $46.1 billion as the value of freight on three modes increased from a year earlier. The value of freight carried on pipeline increased by 30.1 percent, reflecting the increased value of mineral fuels year over year. Air increased by 6.3 percent, and rail by 0.6 percent. Truck decreased by 0.1 percent and vessel by 3.3 percent. During this 12-month period, much of the mineral fuel freight between Texas and Canada shifted from vessel to pipeline as the value of mineral fuel shipments carried by vessel between Texas and Canada decreased while the value of pipeline shipments rose. Texas-Canada mineral fuel trade made up about 15.6 percent of all U.S.-Canada mineral fuel shipments in November 2016
Trucks carried 59.0 percent of the value of the freight to and from Canada. Rail carried 16.0 percent followed by pipeline, 9.8 percent; air, 4.8 percent; and vessel, 3.4 percent. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 84.9 percent of the value of total U.S.-Canada freight flows.
U.S.-Mexico Freight From November 2015 to November 2016, the value of U.S.-Mexico freight flows increased by 4.5 percent to $45.0 billion as the value of freight on all five major modes increased from a year earlier. The value of goods moved in pipeline increased by 37.3 percent, vessel by 20.6 percent, rail by 10.6 percent, air by 6.0 percent, and truck by 1.2 percent.
Trucks carried 70.1 percent of the value of the freight to and from Mexico. Rail carried 14.6 percent of the value of freight to and from Mexico followed by vessel, 8.5 percent; air, 3.0 percent; and pipeline, 0.7 percent. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 85.4 percent of the value of total U.S.-Mexico freight flows.
See BTS Transborder Statistics 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.
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BTS Statistics Release: November 2016 Passenger Airline Employment Data
BTS 05-17 Advisory Thursday, January 19, 2017 Contact: Dave Smallen Tel: 202-366-5568
BTS Statistics Release: November 2016 Passenger Airline Employment Data
U.S. scheduled passenger airlines employed 3.7 percent more workers in November 2016 than in November 2015, the U.S. Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported today. November was the highest monthly FTE total (416,046) since January 2005 (417,789) and was the 37th consecutive month that U.S. scheduled passenger airline full-time equivalent (FTE) employment exceeded the same month of the previous year.
Month-to-month, the number of FTEs was virtually unchanged from October to November. Scheduled passenger airline categories include network, low-cost, regional and other airlines.
The four network airlines that collectively employ two-thirds of the scheduled passenger airline FTEs reported 2.3 percent more FTEs in November 2016 than in November 2015. Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines increased FTEs from November 2015. Month-to-month, the number of network airline FTEs declined 0.2 percent from October to November.
The network airlines employed 6.3 percent more FTEs in November 2016 than in November 2012. Network airlines operate a significant portion of their flights using at least one hub where connections are made for flights to down-line destinations or spoke cities.
The six low-cost carriers reported 9.8 percent more FTEs in November 2016 than in November 2015. Spirit Airlines, Allegiant Airlines, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Virgin America and Southwest Airlines increased FTEs from November 2015. Month-to-month, the number of low-cost airline FTEs rose 0.6 percent from October to November. The six low-cost airlines employed 23.0 percent more FTEs in November 2016 than in November 2012. Low-cost airlines operate under a low-cost business model, with infrastructure and aircraft operating costs below the overall industry average.
The 12 regional carriers reported 0.2 percent more FTEs in November 2016 than in November 2015. Nine regional airlines – Republic Airlines, Compass Airlines, Endeavor Air, PSA Airlines, Mesa Airlines, GoJet Airlines, SkyWest Airlines, Horizon Air and Envoy Air increased FTEs from November 2015. The others reported decreases. Month-to-month, the number of regional airline FTEs was virtually unchanged from October to November. The 12 regional carriers reporting in November 2016 employed 1.0 percent more FTE in November 2016 than the 14 carriers reporting in November 2012. Regional carriers typically provide service from small cities, using primarily regional jets to support the network carriers' hub and spoke systems.
See Passenger Airline Employment Passenger Airline Employment statistical release for summary tables and additional data. Historical employment data can be found on the BTS web site.
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MARAD Hosts Ship Recycling Forum
Posted by Maritime Administrator Paul Jaenichen In early December I had the distinct privilege of participating in the 3rd Annual Maritime Administration ship recycling town hall meeting in Brownsville, Texas. The venue brought together federal ship disposal programs, government safety and environmental agencies and domestic ship recycling industry representatives with direct involvement in the disposal of U.S. Government-owned obsolete ships into a forum where the current issues impacting federal agencies and ship recycling industry are addressed and discussed. MARAD provided to the domestic recycling industry an overview of existing and future planning for federal ship recycling activities, including ship disposal forecasts, vessel downgrades for disposal, potential budgetary impacts and safety and environmental concerns. The meeting offered an opportunity to listen to industry concerns, issues and suggestions related to ship disposal activities, including the impact of scrap steel prices, future price trends, vessel disposal solicitations and safety and environmental issues. Click here to continue reading MARAD Hosts Ship Recycling Forum
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