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The American people deserve the safest, most secure, and most efficient
transportation system possible. The quality of our lives, the shape
of our communities, and the productivity of our Nation’s economy
depend on the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) success
in meeting these goals. 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 of roads, railways, pipelines, airways, and
seaways. DOT’s goal of creating a safer, simpler, and smarter
transportation program is important for us to keep in mind as we
move forward to achieve our goals.
On November 25, 2002, President Bush signed the Homeland
Security Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-296), which among other things
transferred the U.S. Coast Guard and the Transportation Security
Administration (TSA) to the newly established Department of Homeland
Security. The President’s budget proposals for FY 2004 concerning
these two organizations are now included in the Department of Homeland
Security’s budget. For comparison purposes, therefore, the
funds requested by the President for the U.S. Coast Guard and TSA
have been excluded from the DOT totals.
The Department’s FY 2004 budget request totals
$54.3 billion in mandatory and discretionary funding. This represents
an overall increase of $2.9 billion or 6 percent when compared to
the President’s FY 2003 request. The Department’s five
key performance goals - improve safety, increase mobility in support
of the Nation’s economy, protect the human and natural environment,
achieve organizational excellence, and support homeland and national
security - form the basis for the FY 2004 budget request. The contribution
of the DOT operating administrations to each of these goals is discussed
below.
Transportation safety continues to be the Department’s top
priority. The FY 2004 budget request proposes overall transportation
safety funding of $14.4 billion. Because the human toll and economic
cost of transportation accidents are massive, promoting public health
and transportation safety is the first objective of all DOT agencies.
To support this effort, the budget request provides funding increases
in FY 2004 for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) whose
primary mission is safety. In addition, the Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA), Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), and the Federal Highway
Administration (FHWA) will increase their focus on safety goals.
Surface Transportation Safety
In 2001, 42,116 lives were lost in fatal traffic accidents. The
economic cost of motor vehicle crashes is estimated to be more than
$230 billion annually. Within DOT, FHWA supports highway safety
through its infrastructure programs, although FMCSA and NHTSA are
the two primary operating administrations focused on regulating
highway safety.
• Highway Safety. The FHWA budget includes efforts
to improve infrastructure safety through improvements in roadway
design and features, as well as through research focused on reducing
fatalities from vehicles that leave the roadway, crashes at or near
intersections, and collisions involving pedestrians. In addition,
FHWA proposes increased flexibility in safety grants to allow states
to target resources to address their unique problems.
• Motor Carrier Safety. Motor carriers represent
about 4 percent of registered vehicles; however, they account for
7 percent of vehicle-miles traveled on our Nation’s highways
and are involved in 12 percent of all crashes resulting in a fatality.
FMCSA is committed to reducing the large truck-related fatality
rate from 2.8 per 100 million truck-miles in 1996 to 1.65 in 2008.
FMCSA has increased its enforcement presence at the roadside and
at the carrier’s place of business—gaining ground in
the face of a growing industry and increasing truck-miles traveled.
FMCSA will concentrate on increasing the number of inspections at
roadsides and other locations, improving the Commercial Driver’s
License program, and implementing a hazardous materials (HAZMAT)
security program.
The Department will also continue to concentrate on
truck safety at the southern border as the Nation fulfills its commitment
under the North American Free Trade Agreement to allow Mexican trucks
to travel on U. S. highways. In addition, the Department will begin
to implement a "New Entrant" Program, in which every new
commercial motor carrier company - Canadian, Mexican, or U.S. -
that applies to operate within the United States will be subject
to a safety audit in the first 18 months of operation before it
receives a permanent safety decal. For motor carrier safety, the
budget request calls for a total of $447 million, 22 percent above
the FY 2003 request. In FY 2004, $223 million is requested to increase
aggressive state enforcement of interstate commercial truck and
bus regulations, and $224 million will support oversight of HAZMAT
transportation, Federal safety enforcement programs, and border
safety inspections.
• Motor Vehicle Safety. In 2001, the fatality
rate per 100 million vehicle-miles traveled reached a historic low
of 1.51; however, that same year over 6.3 million police-reported
motor vehicle crashes occurred on our Nation’s highways –
one every five seconds. To help reduce highway fatalities and injuries,
NHTSA is striving to increase safety belt usage from 69 percent
in 1997 to 79 percent in 2004, and to lower the alcohol-related
highway fatality rate from .65 per 100 million vehicle-miles traveled
in 1997 to .53 per 100 million vehicle-miles traveled in 2004. In
support of these goals, the budget request provides $218 million
for NHTSA’s safety operations and research programs, including
$10 million for a crash causation study. It provides another $447
million for grants to states for targeted highway safety programs
to counter drugged and drunk driving and to enforce safety belt
use. Most of NHTSA’s increase of $240 million, from the FY
2003 request, is attributed to the transfer of the safety belt use
and impaired-driving law incentive programs from FHWA to NHTSA ($222
million).
• Rail Safety. FRA focuses on safety and security
of the national rail system, primarily through inspectors who check
the condition of the rail infrastructure. Accidents have declined
nearly 70 percent since the late 1970s, and over the last three
years, the Nation has had the lowest number of rail-related deaths
and employee fatalities on record. Despite more than 2 million movements
of HAZMAT cars, last year marked the lowest number of train accidents
involving a HAZMAT release in five years. Intercity and commuter
rail service has also had a remarkable safety record. Intercity
and commuter trains moved more than 2.3 billion passengers during
the past five years with only two fatalities resulting from derailments.
FRA’s 2004 budget request includes $131 million, an 11 percent
increase over the FY 2003 request, to continue and improve the strong
railroad safety record. Specifically, these funds support FRA’s
goals of reducing rail accidents and incidents, reducing grade crossing
accidents, and contributing to the avoidance of serious HAZMAT incidents
in transportation. New initiatives for FY 2004 include funding for
a new track geometry vehicle that will allow FRA to inspect an additional
30,000 track miles each year; funding for new safety inspectors
to respond to the rapidly increasing number of spent nuclear fuel
and high-level nuclear waste shipments over rail; and funds for
additional expertise in the areas of bridge safety and engineering.
• Transit Safety. FTA shares the Administration’s
emphasis on safety and security as the top priority of the Nation’s
transportation system. Due in part to FTA’s commitment to
safety, public transportation is the safest mode of surface transportation.
According to the National Safety Council, riding a bus is 47 times
safer than car travel. The FY 2004 budget requests almost $12 million
for safety oversight and research projects and associated administrative
costs. These funds will contribute to reducing the rate of transit-related
fatalities, injuries and incidents.
• Pipeline Safety. Currently, a network of two
million miles of pipelines transports natural gas to nearly 60 million
residential and commercial customers in the United States. The Research
and Special Programs Administration (RSPA) oversees the Department’s
national regulatory program to assure the safe transportation of
natural gas, petroleum, and other hazardous materials by pipeline.
RSPA’s total request of $132 million in FY 2004 will focus
on reducing the amount of oil or other hazardous liquids spilled
from pipelines; reducing hazardous incidents; coordinating and advancing
transportation research technology and education activities to promote
innovative transportation solutions; managing the Department’s
transportation-related emergency response and recovery responsibilities;
and promoting the development of a safe hydrogen fuel infrastructure.
The proposed budget includes $8.7 billion for FAA to keep American
aviation safe. The Nation’s airspace system includes over
15,000 air traffic controllers, more than 3,000 significant airports,
and over 300 air traffic control facilities. The FY 2004 budget
request supports FAA’s efforts to provide the safest possible
system through additional investments in personnel and airspace
safety technology, including systems to prevent runway incursions.
The budget request provides funding for inspecting aircraft, certifying
new equipment, and ensuring the safety of flight procedures and
the competence of airmen and women. A total of $17 million in discretionary
increases is requested in FY 2004 to hire an additional 302 air
traffic controllers in anticipation of a surge in retirements, to
expand selected safety programs, such as Safer Skies, and to hire
an additional 20 aviation safety staff to monitor safety performance
of the airlines. The President also requests funds to cover the
operation and maintenance of new air traffic control equipment and
to develop a replacement air traffic data and telecommunications
system. In addition, the President’s budget requests that
the funding for HAZMAT program, a safety program, be transferred
back to the FAA; in the FY 2003 budget, funding for the HAZMAT program
was transferred to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
Mobility
Transportation is essential to America’s security, economic
prosperity, and quality of life. In light of today’s global
economy, it is more important than ever to have seamless transitions
between modes of transportation, so that people and cargo can move
effectively and efficiently.
The search for new technological and innovative solutions
to our mobility challenges is well supported in the FY 2004 budget
request, with investment in technology, research, and development
proposed at $1 billion Development and increased use of technologies,
such as Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), are proposed in
the FY 2004 budget. A total of $121 million is requested for ITS
research, operational tests, and deployment to further increase
the number of integrated ITS locations.
Over the last 20 years, congestion has increased for
all modes of transportation. To address this problem, as well as
enhance infrastructure conditions, the Department is focusing on
smart technology and system improvements. Initiatives supported
by the FY 2004 budget request include expanding "intelligent
highway system technology and modernization of the airspace control
system. The 2004 budget requests $35.7 billion to improve transportation
mobility and economic growth."
Surface Mobility
• Highway Mobility. Improving the condition of highways and
bridges is critical to transportation mobility. The federally supported
National Highway System (NHS) comprises the most important national
routes for trade and commerce. The system includes all Interstates
and over 84 percent of other principal arterials. While the NHS
accounts for only 4.1 percent of total road mileage in the United
States, it handles 44.3 percent of total vehicle-miles traveled.
Consequently, the condition of the NHS significantly impacts congestion,
wear-and-tear on vehicles, and fuel consumption. In the past decade,
highway and bridge conditions have steadily improved. Of all vehicle-miles
traveled on the NHS, 91.6 percent in 2002 were on pavements with
acceptable ride quality.
The President’s FY 2004 budget request reflects
the first year of the Administration’s proposal for the reauthorization
of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21).
The reauthorization builds on the successes of TEA-21, and links
highway spending to incoming receipts into the Highway Trust Fund.
The highway reauthorization proposal maintains the core programs
under TEA-21 and proposes to streamline the delivery of the Federal-Aid
Highways program, as well as furthering state flexibility. Also,
the proposal directs all revenue from gasohol taxes to be deposited
into the Highway Trust Fund, increasing available receipts by over
$600 million per year.
The FY 2004 budget request includes an obligation
limitation of $29.3 billion for the Federal-Aid Highways Program,
an increase of $1 billion above estimated incoming receipts. This
additional $1 billion funds a new infrastructure performance and
maintenance initiative, which targets "ready-to-go" highway
projects that address traffic bottlenecks and improve infrastructure
conditions.
• Transit Mobility. Transit systems safely and
efficiently move millions of people every day, reducing congestion,
facilitating economic development and connecting people to their
jobs and communities. Total capital investment in public transportation,
including state, local and Federal funds, has increased by nearly
80 percent between 1991 and 2000, and now totals $9.1 billion annually.
Transit ridership has increased every year since 1995, with 9.5
billion passenger trips in 2001.
In FY 2004, FTA’s Formula Grants and Major Capital
Investment Grants programs will provide $7.0 billion in capital
resources for infrastructure investment. This $7.0 billion request
for infrastructure investment is expected to leverage another $7.8
billion in state and local support for transit. The FY 2004 budget
request also leverages recent technological developments intransit,
such as Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). Combining exclusive transit-ways,
modern stations, high-tech vehicles, and frequent service, BRT provides
– at a fraction of the cost – the high level of service
that people want and expect from more expensive transit systems.
• Passenger Rail Mobility. Congress created
the National Rail Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) in 1971 as a for-profit
corporation providing a national passenger rail system. In 1997,
Congress reaffirmed its intent that Amtrak become self-supporting
by enacting the Amtrak Reform and Accountability Act. Nevertheless,
the railroad has never earned a profit and has grown increasingly
dependent on Federal financial assistance. In order for intercity
passenger rail service to remain a viable component of the Nation’s
transportation system, fundamental changes are needed in Amtrak’s
structure and business practices. To facilitate change, the budget
request proposes $900 million to support operations, undertake capital
and infrastructure maintenance programs, to begin to address structural
reforms that will improve Amtrak’s future viability. In an
effort to ensure that states play a major role in determining the
route structure of a national passenger rail system, the Administration
will encourage states to contribute to those routes they believe
are critical to their transportation needs.
Aviation Mobility
The aviation industry is responsible for moving people and products,
and it contributes approximately a trillion dollars to our economy.
Nearly two million people a day travel on our Nation’s airlines
and more than one-third of the value of all goods are transported
move by air.
Because travel demand for air service is returning
to pre-September 11, 2001 levels, we cannot afford to reduce our
commitment to investing in the Nation’s air traffic control
system and our airports, if we hope to meet our goals for on-time
air travel. Maintaining our commitment to aviation mobility is a
continuous challenge. The President’s FY 2004 budget request
maintains current levels of aviation infrastructure investment and
expands the number of air traffic controllers, in part, by using
some of the balances that have accumulated in the Airport and Airway
Trust Fund.
The President’s FY 2004 budget request provides
$254 million to improve aviation efficiency, including $5 million
to improve the flow of air traffic through such efforts as airspace
redesign. In addition, $2.3 billion is requested to reduce aircraft
delays by replacing old radars, automating terminal control facilities,
and funding Free Flight and oceanic automation to improve flight
route flexibility. FAA also looks to speed aircraft takeoff and
landings by building additional runways with funding from the Grants-in-Aid
for Airports program. The aim is to increase daily arrival capacity
at the Nation’s airports to more that 49,000 arrivals per
day by the end of 2004, compared to an average of 47,000 arrivals
per day in 2002.
Maritime Mobility
Current studies indicate that international trade is projected to
reach two billion tons per year within the next twenty years –
twice today’s level. Globalization of trade is a significant
consideration when looking forward toward our goals of a safer,
simpler and smarter transportation program, and intermodal transportation
will be a big part of our future success. This dramatic increase
in international trade will place a significant stress on America’s
transportation system. Thus, we must investigate alternatives that
can be used more effectively to manage freight growth and ease congestion
throughout out system.
Transportation emissions contribute ozone, carbon monoxide, and
particulate matter into the atmosphere. Approximately two-thirds
of transportation-related emissions of those pollutants originate
from on-road motor vehicles. However, total on-road mobile source
emissions declined from 87 million tons in 1988 to 64 million tons
in 1999, which marks a 26 percent improvement in a little more than
a decade. The FY 2004 budget proposes $3.5 billion for environmental
initiatives. FHWA will improve its stewardship of environmentally
responsible transportation improvements. This will require further
streamlining of the environmental review process and greater emphasis
on program level and major project oversight activities in conjunction
with the Federal, state and local agencies involved. The budget
also requests funding to continue the success of the Congestion
Mitigation and Air Quality program, which funds projects that will
reduce emissions.
FTA continues to provide for a better human and natural
environment by sponsoring research and tests of innovative technologies
such as fuel cells (which emit no pollution) and alternative fuels
that are less polluting than diesel fuel. In addition, the FY 2004
budget request includes $50 million for research and clean fuel
bus procurement, which will help reduce particulate and carbon monoxide
emissions.
FAA will further its environmental responsibilities
by investing almost $500 million to address the environmental impacts
of airport projects, primarily aircraft noise. FAA will provide
expertise and funding to assist in abating the impacts of aircraft
noise in neighborhoods surrounding airports by purchasing land,
relocating persons and businesses, sound proofing residential homes
or buildings used for educational and medical purposes, purchasing
noise barriers and monitors, and researching new technologies.
The Maritime Administration (MARAD) continues to work
diligently to help protect the environment through the disposal
of obsolete vessels in the National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF).
MARAD is required to dispose of the obsolete ships in the NDRF,
which still has an inventory of over 130 vessels. The FY 2004 budget
request includes $11 million to remove obsolete vessels, with MARAD
continuing to pursue alternative disposal methods.
The FY 2004 budget request provides $632.2million for the Department’s
homeland and national security activities, including $365 million
for the FAA. The FAA funds will be used to hire 26 controllers to
work with the Department of Defense to better manage and secure
the national airspace. In addition, the FY 2004 budget proposes
that internal FAA security funds be transferred back to the FAA
from TSA, since the functions have remained at FAA. The request
also includes $88 million for FAA information and facility security
improvements, as well as funding for security-related airport grants.
The FY 2004 budget request includes $98.7 million
for the Maritime Security Program, which together with the Voluntary
Intermodal Sealift Agreement Program and the Ready Reserve Force,
ensures DOD access to ships and crews during DOD mobilizations,
and helps ensure the efficient flow of military cargo through commercial
ports. The FY 2004 budget request also includes $62.4 million to
support MARAD’s Education and Training Programs, through the
U. S. Merchant Marine Academy and six state maritime schools, to
help provide skilled U. S. merchant marine officers, capable of
serving both defense and commercial transportation needs.
The FY 2004 budget request includes $40 million for
transit system security, which will remain a high priority in FY
2004. Emphasis will be given to improving the state of security
knowledge among transit professionals through training and through
the FTA’s technical assistance efforts. FTA will also focus
on testing and validating technology that can be used in a transit
environment and rapidly deployed.
President’s Management Agenda-Organizational
Excellence
With approximately 60,000 employees and hundreds of programs, DOT
faces significant challenges regarding customer satisfaction, employee
effectiveness, and organizational performance and productivity The
FY 2004 budget request includes $95 million for the Office of the
Secretary, including almost $25 million to strengthen the management
of the Department’s large information technology investment
portfolio, and to improve the American public’s access to
information and services through electronic government. In addition,
$45 million is requested to finance the 2004 costs for the new Department
building that will consolidate headquarters operating functions
into efficient, leased office space.
DOT’s goal is to provide the resources necessary to support
our Nation’s transportation system. The funding requested
in 2004 will help improve transportation safety, enhance homeland
and national security, maintain and expand our transportation infrastructure
and increase its capacity, reduce environmental degradation, and
improve the quality of life for all citizens. The following pages
provide highlights of the Department’s budget request by operating
administration.
1) The President’s 2003 budget request corrected
a long-standing understatement of the true cost of literally thousands
of Government programs. It distributed to each Department and Agency
accruals related to Federal retirement that had previously been
centrally funded. While the President’s FY 2004 budget request
still proposes to distribute the cost of accruals to each Department
and Agency, the proposal is presented separate from the main body
of the budget. Therefore, for comparison purposes, we have excluded
accrual amounts from the FY 2003 and the FY 2004 requests.
2) Tables in this document may include detail that
does not add due to rounding. |
