http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/ en Copyright 2009 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:47:00 GMT http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification <p>What are the costs and benefits of policies meant to increase the accessibility of transportation options, expand travel choices and reduce vehicle miles traveled? Such "travel efficiency" policies include smart growth land-use strategies; expanding transit, bike and pedestrian networks; congestion pricing and VMT-based fees; pay-as-you-drive insurance; dedicated bus lanes; converting existing roadway lanes to carpool lanes; and implementing intelligent transportation systems and other measures to improve the efficiency of the existing surface transportation system.</p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/zwLBLjQFtKU" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/zwLBLjQFtKU/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:47:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php I appreciate the serious discussion.&nbsp;I have read through the Pozdena study exploring correlation and causation issues between VMT and GDP referred to by Greg and Emil, and look forward to comparing it to other literature. However, based on the web site of the organization that published it, the Cascade Policy Institute, and the steeply slanted, alarmist site advertised at the top of their home page, I'm pretty certain I will want more opinions. Hopefully from less blatantly biased academic, government or other sources....<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/dYq1S7uzaqo" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/dYq1S7uzaqo/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php?rss=1#1393157 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:47:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php?rss=1#1393157 A good deal of the discussion this week seem analogous to debating how best to get a runner from second to third base in the sixth inning before the game's first pitch is thrown. What we first need is a national transportation policy with clear goals.&nbsp; Such a policy must incorporate passenger and freight interests and must reflect the diversity of the U.S. and its different types of transportation: rural, metropolitan, intercity and international (and the fact that these are often interconnected).&nbsp; Seen in this light, while VMT is interesting to track and it can help point to important trends...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/IlduOsMqJa0" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/IlduOsMqJa0/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php?rss=1#1393129 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:47:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php?rss=1#1393129 Thanks for the opportunity to comment on this important question.&nbsp; It has obviously prompted a lively discussion.&nbsp; In that regard, we wanted to clarify a reference by Greg Cohen to a report, prepared by Randall Pozdena for the National Transportation Policy Project (NTPP) of the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC), that dealt with the subject of VMT and economic growth (I am the Director of Transportation Policy of BPC). Mr. Pozdena's report was prepared for NTPP, as one of several research papers that informed the final NTPP report.&nbsp; Mr. Pozdena's paper does not reflect the opinions of the Members or of...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/QW5fLdCtQzU" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/QW5fLdCtQzU/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php?rss=1#1393067 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:47:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php?rss=1#1393067 The following response was sent in by Scott Belcher, president and CEO of the Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America): This question is one that should be central to all current discussions regarding the next surface transportation bill.&nbsp;The economic opportunity and prosperity that our nation has enjoyed since the creation of the Interstate Highway System are at risk. Each day, congestion continues to worsen in virtually every major city and freight corridor, the number of motorists killed and seriously injured in traffic accidents remains at unacceptable levels, and wasteful CO2 emissions from cars stuck in traffic jams continues to...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/ClWj3iwtO3A" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/ClWj3iwtO3A/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php?rss=1#1393020 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:47:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php?rss=1#1393020 I'm glad we're getting to the crux of the social agenda of highway opponents here.&nbsp; For in reality, the primary goals the anti-highway capacity crowd espouse don't seem to have much to do with the environment at all.&nbsp; Is the environment just a fashionable cause to hang your social reordering hat on?&nbsp; &nbsp;If the environment were the highest priority, I assume you'd spend more time talking about&nbsp;far cheaper, easier and less intrusive ways to reduce emissions than through federal programs to force changes in where and how people live, work, and shop.&nbsp; It all makes sense now, seeing as the...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/TPAwr9Aumbk" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/TPAwr9Aumbk/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php?rss=1#1393004 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:47:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php?rss=1#1393004 &nbsp;Let's step back a second and think about other reasons that VMT might be increasing. In fast growing western and sunbelt states, we are failing to provide enough affordable homes to meet the needs for a growing workforce. People are forced (yes, they actually do not want to be there according to most polls) to live 100 miles or more from where they work, requiring them to get up before dawn and return home past dinner. If we could get people decent and affordable housing closer to their jobs they would gladly take it. This would make them more productive...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/g8qVjRWoMGI" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/g8qVjRWoMGI/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php?rss=1#1392916 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:47:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php?rss=1#1392916 It is a mistake to confuse mobility with utility, or past correlations of VMT and GDP with causality. Improving the efficiency of the existing travel system is a recipe for productivity and job growth and can unlock wasted resources and reduce pollution. There are many ways to boost existing transportation system efficiency. The most effective combine performance-focused system pricing (such as pay-as-you-drive insurance and time and place based road user charges and parking fees), smart infrastructure and service management (such as bus rapid transit and intelligent transportation systems), people-oriented urban and street design to expand travel choices, and smart growth...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/mSygTZQ96Mk" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/mSygTZQ96Mk/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php?rss=1#1392753 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:47:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php?rss=1#1392753 The correlation between VMT&nbsp;and GDP remains extremely tight and must be viewed by looking at rolling averages since spikes or drops in VMT do not necessarily&nbsp;correspond to growth or recession in the economy in the first year or two. &nbsp; In fact recent research done for the Bipartisan Policy Center shows that it's not simply a correlation but VMT&nbsp;actually causes economic growth.&nbsp; The growth rate for Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) continues to have a very strong correlation to the growth rate for Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In general the correlation has grown stronger since 1992&nbsp;&nbsp;until&nbsp;the 2008 gas price spike and...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/GwCr6eWC5Z4" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/GwCr6eWC5Z4/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php?rss=1#1392685 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:47:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php?rss=1#1392685 Steve has done yeoman's work during this discussion by attempting to ground it in actual data. I especially appreciate the interesting graph showing that states with lower per capita VMT tend to have higher per capita GDP. This discussion mirrors older, settled one from the energy field -- electricity use. It used to be conventional wisdom that you couldn't cut electricity use without doing the same to economic growth. But thanks in part to new policies adopted by some states and countries -- and I note that California just put in place new television efficiency standards that will save citizens...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/3EeMrs7Xv1w" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/3EeMrs7Xv1w/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php?rss=1#1392672 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:47:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php?rss=1#1392672 I could not agree more with Mr. Graves&rsquo;s assertion that &ldquo;Personal freedom is a defining characteristic of the American way of life.&rdquo; That is precisely why it is imperative that we shift the historical pattern of transportation investment in America. For the last 50 years our federal transportation policy has created a transportation &ldquo;monoculture,&rdquo; with driving often the only way to conveniently get from Point A to Point B. The inefficiencies of this car-centered monoculture are apparent every day: congested roads that cost us time; gasoline prices that tax our household budgets; and an over-dependence on petroleum that leaves our...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/ZL4J_6n7Ts4" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/ZL4J_6n7Ts4/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php?rss=1#1392624 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:47:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php?rss=1#1392624 Bill makes a good point that VMT and GDP have historically been closely coupled. Given this history, it's very interesting to note that the de-coupling of VMT and GDP indicated in the tail end of your graph. I've updated your graph, using more recent data and extending it out to 2008 and the decoupling trend persists. VMT and GDP: 1960 - 2008 Data Sources: US DOT, BTS, Table 1-32: US Vehicle Miles, BEA National Income and Product Account Table, Table 1.1.6 Real GDP, Chained (2005) Dollars This decoupling is even more apparent when we consider disposable income per capita and...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/KZAfv-j3zaI" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/KZAfv-j3zaI/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php?rss=1#1392565 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:47:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php?rss=1#1392565 There&rsquo;s no denying the need to continually improve the sustainability and efficiency of our nation&rsquo;s transportation system. Current inefficiencies cost our nation dearly, both in wasted fuel and &ldquo;lost hours.&rdquo; However, many of the proposed solutions encroach upon our freedom of mobility and our right to live where we want. Smart growth land-use strategies are simply ways to encourage living in high-density areas offering mass transit, which counters the preferred lifestyles of most Americans. Instead of changing the transportation systems to modify our behavior, we should improve our transportation systems to match people&rsquo;s behaviors and preferences. Personal freedom is a...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/htpwqYQzdLU" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/htpwqYQzdLU/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php?rss=1#1392165 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:47:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php?rss=1#1392165 Thanks, Richard for raising GDP issues. The common wisdom is that policies that slow VMT growth would slow economic growth. However, VMT and economic growth began to decouple in the mid-1990s, and EIA projects that decoupling to continue (see graph below). VMT per Dollar of GDP, 1970-2030 Source: Dan Klein, CCAP, based on data from DOT, BEA and EIA More research is necessary to better understand this decoupling, though I suspect that structural economic changes away from energy-intensive manufacturing to more of an information and internet-based economy has played an important role. The economic benefits of travel efficiency measures at...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/3KTZOPYVal4" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/3KTZOPYVal4/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php?rss=1#1392091 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:47:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php?rss=1#1392091 This week&rsquo;s question contains a contradictory mix of possible actions. These include market or price-based actions (congestion pricing, for example); regulatory actions (land use controls from smart growth); and some contradictory investment options (dedicated bus lanes, for example can be very practical, but adding simple carpool lanes have a minimal impact on mode choice). The use of the word travel efficiency appears misleading, since the real focus seems to be to decrease use of the automobile &ndash; and indeed decrease the use of transportation in general.&nbsp; It is not clear to me that such policies are good for our economy...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/FZxNMC0EczI" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/FZxNMC0EczI/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php?rss=1#1392007 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:47:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php?rss=1#1392007 Governor Glendening - What data support your assertion that &quot;obesity and respiratory illness are dramatically reduced in more walkable, less car-dependent communities&quot;? There are far too many &quot;walkable, less car-dependent communities&quot; whose members suffer from appalling health conditions and short life expectancy. Are you urging the federal government to force Americans to revert to such conditions? Gabriel &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/jFpjk4VGgDQ" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/jFpjk4VGgDQ/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php?rss=1#1391841 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:47:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php?rss=1#1391841 The economic costs and benefits of travel efficiency are generally discussed and&nbsp;understood in long-run macro terms of energy sustainability. These include national&nbsp;security implications and carbon reductions with global climate change implications. Less frequently discussed are the more immediate and micro benefits. The impact on&nbsp;individual health and health costs is immense. Obesity and respiratory illness are&nbsp;dramatically reduced in more walkable, less car-dependent communities. In addition&nbsp;to having healthier individuals, it can also lead to lower health costs for businesses. Smart Growth America has found that productivity goes up when employees arrive at&nbsp;work after a walk or transit ride, or brief automobile commute....<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/8pw62d14SdM" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/8pw62d14SdM/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php?rss=1#1391697 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:47:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php?rss=1#1391697 Such an open-ended question is very difficult to answer, as the perspective on costs and benefits differs based on the goal you are trying to achieve.&nbsp;ACT generally answers this question with a focus on providing the most mobility options for the most people and goods with the least overall cost.&nbsp;However, data capturing those full costs and full benefits is sparse, as much of the collection would depend on individual surveying at each point in a decision tree around which trip people choose to take (or do not choose to take) and by which method or mode. However, we can look...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/udhvzs7HsQg" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/udhvzs7HsQg/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php?rss=1#1391680 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:47:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php?rss=1#1391680 It is not easy to generalize about the costs and benefits of travel. In a command economy one can envisage the government determining what is &ldquo;good&rdquo; travel (e.g. walking to work; traveling by public transport) and what is &ldquo;bad&rdquo; (e.g. driving children to distant schools). But societies based on free choices rely on other criteria to distinguish the fruitful from the wasteful: We generally consider acceptable those activities for which users pay all the costs, and less desirable those for which users do not pay the costs. Application of this yardstick to travel leads to the conclusion that travel for...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/NRQmpPhadGQ" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/NRQmpPhadGQ/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php?rss=1#1391662 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:47:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php?rss=1#1391662 In CCAP&rsquo;s recent study, &ldquo;Cost-Effective GHG Reductions through Smart Growth &amp; Improved Transportation Choices,&rdquo; we found that smart growth and travel efficiency measures that increase accessibility, improve travel choices and make optimum use of existing infrastructure can slow VMT growth with net economic benefits.&nbsp; CCAP is preparing a follow-up study, &ldquo;Growing Wealthier: the economic benefits of smart growth,&rdquo; to more thoroughly assess the net economic costs and benefits of development and transportation investments.&nbsp;Initial findings show that there is compelling evidence that smart growth provides significant net economic benefits via avoided infrastructure costs, leveraged private investment, increased economic activity, reduction in...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/FS7Alyb88yc" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/FS7Alyb88yc/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php?rss=1#1391655 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:47:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-are-the-costs-and-benefit.php?rss=1#1391655 <p>In what is being portrayed as a billion-dollar bet on the U.S economy and the future of freight rail, billionaire investor Warren Buffett bought out the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. last week, paying $100 a share for the 77 percent of the company he didn't already own. Buffett, who is known for making investments for their long-term value, made this bold move despite the economic downturn and the resulting decline in freight traffic.</p> <p>What does this development mean for the rail industry? Buffett presumably expects the demand for freight transportation to rebound, but any number of variables could thwart rail's resurgence (such as losing its antitrust exemption, not getting the investment tax credit it wants, lack of a national intermodal freight program -- not to mention the repercussions if Congress enacts climate change legislation or if the recession deepens). What other variables are in play and what questions did the Buffett deal raise in your mind?</p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/JHEvgb5FccY" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/JHEvgb5FccY/what-does-buffetts-bet-on-bnsf.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-does-buffetts-bet-on-bnsf.php Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:30:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-does-buffetts-bet-on-bnsf.php The following response was sent by Clifford Eby, former deputy and acting administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration from 2005 to 2009. He is currently a senior vice president at Parsons Brinckerhoff. Inbound or Outbound? Berkshire Hathaway is a patient investor.&nbsp;Low leverage, large cash reserves, and a reliance on fundamentals allow it to buy and hold investments for long periods.&nbsp;On its surface, Berkshire Hathaway appears to be the ideal landing place for a long-lived capital-intensive railroad, but for years, Berkshire Hathaway has avoided capital intensive railroad investments.&nbsp;Why now?&nbsp;Many have speculated on the rationale for Berkshire Hathaway investment in railroads.&nbsp;Is it...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/sZPJLIMfboU" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/sZPJLIMfboU/what-does-buffetts-bet-on-bnsf.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-does-buffetts-bet-on-bnsf.php?rss=1#1391699 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:30:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-does-buffetts-bet-on-bnsf.php?rss=1#1391699 Updated at 1:39 p.m. on Nov. 13. Samuel Staley, the libertarian Reason Foundation's land use expert (we have Reason's transportation expert, Bob Poole, on this blog), has an interesting post on the BNSF sale on the foundation's Web site. Check it out: http://reason.org/blog/show/atlas-shrugged-railroads-and-w...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/osgbVcAiG0o" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/osgbVcAiG0o/what-does-buffetts-bet-on-bnsf.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-does-buffetts-bet-on-bnsf.php?rss=1#1390871 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:30:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-does-buffetts-bet-on-bnsf.php?rss=1#1390871 Freight railroads play an important role in our nation&rsquo;s surface transportation mix and for the near future will likely remain the default mode for moving heavy bulk commodities like coal, scrap metal and grain over long distances. Mr. Buffett&rsquo;s acquisition of BNSF appears to be a safe play, largely because of the projected growth in U.S. freight volume over the next 10 years. Also, with only a handful of Class I railroads operating in the U.S., Buffett&rsquo;s investment will benefit from the fact that existing railroads operate as monopolies, or duopolies. It is unlikely that this situation will change. Particularly...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/HJttDrLraEw" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/HJttDrLraEw/what-does-buffetts-bet-on-bnsf.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-does-buffetts-bet-on-bnsf.php?rss=1#1390328 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:30:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-does-buffetts-bet-on-bnsf.php?rss=1#1390328 Echoing the views of others, I think Warren Buffet's purchase of BNSF is an affirmation not only of the viability of the railroad industry but of an American economy that still needs us to make things and move things.&nbsp; It's also an opportunity for sound management and innovation to bring not only the railroad but the full scope of the transportation system into a new era.&nbsp; With the long-term Buffet view, I hope that BN&quot;s management under Matt Rose's continuing leadership will be even more able to invest and innovate towards more efficent and effective customer service.&nbsp; It's also reassuring...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/uz7CUvJFY9A" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/uz7CUvJFY9A/what-does-buffetts-bet-on-bnsf.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-does-buffetts-bet-on-bnsf.php?rss=1#1390268 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:30:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-does-buffetts-bet-on-bnsf.php?rss=1#1390268 While I cannot discuss the merits of the transaction, Berkshire Hathaway&rsquo;s offer to purchase BNSF Railway is a solid endorsement of the railroad and the importance of our nation&rsquo;s freight railroads to the global supply chain. As Warren Buffett stated, &ldquo;Our country&rsquo;s future prosperity depends on its having an efficient and well-maintained rail system.&rdquo; And we can accomplish a lot of our national policy objectives by realizing the strengths of freight rail. Rail brings tremendous environmental and economic value to our society in terms of reducing highway congestion, fuel efficiency and reducing emissions. These efficiencies reduce supply chain costs, allowing...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/fBFWUsOwyu8" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/fBFWUsOwyu8/what-does-buffetts-bet-on-bnsf.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-does-buffetts-bet-on-bnsf.php?rss=1#1390229 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:30:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-does-buffetts-bet-on-bnsf.php?rss=1#1390229 Warren Buffet's purchase of BNSF is a big vote of confidence not only in railroads but also in the expectation that the economy is on a rebound, and that the nation is becoming serious about energy independence and climate change, all of these factors contributing to a more prosperoyus rail industry....<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/EdCD5HX90o0" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/EdCD5HX90o0/what-does-buffetts-bet-on-bnsf.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-does-buffetts-bet-on-bnsf.php?rss=1#1389976 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:30:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-does-buffetts-bet-on-bnsf.php?rss=1#1389976 Updated at 11:05 a.m. on Nov. 9. CURE represents the class of rail customers that is dependent on railroad transportation because other transportation either isn't economically viable or doesn't exist.&nbsp; More specifically, the rail customers in our group, at least for some of their operations, are &quot;captive&quot; to a single railroad for their service. As such, they find themselves in a &quot;take it or leave it&quot; situation with their railroad carrier with regard to price and service.&nbsp; Our members are unhappy that the railroads are exempt from the antitrust law in the area where the Surface Transportation Board (Board) has...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/pit_Poe5EM4" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/pit_Poe5EM4/what-does-buffetts-bet-on-bnsf.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-does-buffetts-bet-on-bnsf.php?rss=1#1389916 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:30:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-does-buffetts-bet-on-bnsf.php?rss=1#1389916 The announcement from Berkshire Hathaway last week signaled more than just the purchase of BNSF &ndash; it affirmed the importance of freight rail to the nation&rsquo;s economy. Record investments in infrastructure and advanced technologies have helped make railroads the most competitive form of freight transportation today.&nbsp; Since 1980, rail productivity is up 144 percent while inflation-adjusted rail rates have dropped by nearly half. &nbsp; While traffic volumes currently are down in line with what is happening with the broader economy, freight railroads have leveraged what opportunities there are during this recession to improve efficiency and cost structure. We are retooling...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/qUw6kj_Q89k" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/qUw6kj_Q89k/what-does-buffetts-bet-on-bnsf.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-does-buffetts-bet-on-bnsf.php?rss=1#1389914 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:30:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/what-does-buffetts-bet-on-bnsf.php?rss=1#1389914 <p>Last week, both the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Senate Commerce Committee held hearings on the increasingly deadly problem of distracted driving, which Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood calls a "serious and ongoing threat to safety." LaHood told the House panel that nearly 6,000 people died on the roads and more than half a million were injured last year in crashes involving distracted driving. And on Oct. 21, a Northwest Airlines flight bound for Minneapolis overshot its destination because the pilots were paying more attention to working out crew schedules on their laptops than they were to flying the plane. LaHood has pledged to address the issue of cockpit distractions, which he also <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-us-northwest-flighto,0,3178208.story">denounced last week</a>.<br /> <br /> Have Americans, multitasking behind the wheel or even in the cockpit, become complacent about transportation safety? And what can lawmakers and the transportation community do to promote greater safety awareness, both on the part of average Americans and among the transportation professionals who are responsible for ensuring the safety of millions of passengers? </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/2uCDioXUiBY" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/2uCDioXUiBY/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:45:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php Despite the efforts of the traffic safety community, society as a whole has become extremely complacent about the staggering roadway death toll. Instead of demanding action, it appears we accept these preventable deaths as the cost of the mobility we enjoy. As has already been mentioned in earlier postings, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has undertaken important work to try to better understand our traffic safety &ldquo;culture&rdquo; and figure out ways to change it.&nbsp;The Foundation published its first-annual Traffic Safety Culture Index, a nationwide survey examining the attitudes and actions of people across the country, in 2008. The results...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/67REsjwZaGA" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/67REsjwZaGA/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1388849 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:45:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1388849 Protecting public safety should be the utmost priority for each and every one of us. According to the Transportation Construction Coalition study, On a Crash Course: the Dangers and Health Costs of Deficient Roadways, about half of all highway fatalities are due to unsafe road conditions. That is one obvious example of how the industry must continue advocating for resources to make the vital repairs and improvements needed to provide the public with safe and efficient transportation. The best infrastructure in the world won&rsquo;t be able to protect a driver who is engaging in unsafe behavior though, so it just...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/CHe9MRoKwu8" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/CHe9MRoKwu8/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1388817 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:45:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1388817 The issue of protecting the traveling public underpins the federal role in transportation and is an issue upon which Democrats and Republicans alike can agree. Regional transportation planners are required in their federal transportation plans to account for both the safety and the security of the traveling public through the development of plans and programs designed to make physical safety improvements, but also to affect culture change among the citizens in our regions. The problem of distracted driving is just that, a problem in need of a fundamental shift in the way drivers view their responsibilities to each other while...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/jB8mVKNRhEY" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/jB8mVKNRhEY/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1388766 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:45:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1388766 &nbsp;Bill Wilkinson is surely right to ask &ldquo;Why do we persist in believing that public information and education are going to change traffic safety outcomes when, after decades of this stuff, we&rsquo;re still killing approx. 40,000 people every year?&rdquo; But Bill&rsquo;s answers &mdash; and those of some others &mdash; miss a critical factor &ndash; financial incentives. Over a million people are killed worldwide every year, but those to blame are often not held financially accountable. One way to bring financial accountability to bear would be to require insurers to test and license the drivers and vehicles they insure. Placing this...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/6L02v3rIx-o" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/6L02v3rIx-o/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1388605 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:45:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1388605 One&nbsp; fast and low cost method to reducing death and injury among the traveling public would be to have wireless internet connectivity on all public transportation. 1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; It would reduce distracted driving-related accidents by providing an alternative for those who are currently driving and communicating with friends, family, and work colleagues while driving, 2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; It &nbsp;would attract new public transit riders, reducing VMTs and therefore all types of vehicle-related accidents, by offering a significant and long-term competitive advantage of transit over personal driving. Accidents per passenger mile on transit are dramatically lower than those completed by car. It&rsquo;s a...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/vd5ta6E1R_Y" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/vd5ta6E1R_Y/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1388576 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:45:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1388576 &nbsp;While we need to be sensitive to individual liberties, there is a legitimate role for public policy when personal choices behind the wheel put others people&rsquo;s safety on the line. The right combination of &ldquo;carrots and sticks&rdquo; can do a lot to lower these incidents. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller&rsquo;s proposal to provide grants to states that develop stricter safety laws on cell phone use is a potential step forward. Senators Robert Menendez, Charles Schumer, Kay Hagan and Mary Landrieu have also contributed potential solutions, proposing states lose 25 percent of highway funding unless they ban text-message and e-mail...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/sKj_RASnm3s" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/sKj_RASnm3s/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1388541 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:45:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1388541 The following post is from Bill Wilkinson, a consultant and the former head of the National Center for Bicycling &amp; Walking: A &ldquo;Lack of Awareness&rdquo; &hellip;? I think not. Rather, it is a lack of will and a lack of leadership that sustains our appalling highway (un)safety record. Has there ever been a Secretary of USDOT or a NHTSA Administrator that wasn&rsquo;t &ldquo;aware&rdquo; of the problem? After 40+ years, can either of these two agencies &ndash; or anyone else &ndash; honestly assert that the &ldquo;problem&rdquo; is due to a lack of data or that we need more research? What we...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/6RAml0ss0pg" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/6RAml0ss0pg/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1388540 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:45:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1388540 Significant progress has been made over the last 50 years in improving safety on our surface transportation systems.&nbsp; For example, fatality rates on our highways have fallen from 5.3 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in 1965 to 1.4 fatalities per 100 VMT in 2006.&nbsp; But there is much room for improvement.&nbsp; Too many people are still being killed and injured.&nbsp; In 2006, there were more than 42,000 fatalities and 2,500,000 injuries on our highways. This is a national tragedy and, frankly, a national disgrace.&nbsp; We can and must do better. &nbsp; If our goal is to significantly...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/eeeDk0vZ_6k" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/eeeDk0vZ_6k/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1388509 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:45:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1388509 Anne McCartt, senior vice president, research at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety sent us the following post: The problem with distracted driving is not awareness. Surveys show that most people agree that drivers should not use cellphones and drive, even many of those who also admit they do so. The problem is how to make laws effective in changing driver behavior.&nbsp; &nbsp;The cumulative evidence from various types of studies points to cellphone use as a risk factor for crashes and impaired driving performance. While studies have reached different estimates of the magnitude of the risk, well-controlled research that...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/R4wPcIqxXns" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/R4wPcIqxXns/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1388484 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:45:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1388484 &ldquo;Transportation safety&rdquo; can mean many things.&nbsp; Reducing fatalities and injuries related to distracted, drunk and drugged driving and the failure to use safety belts all rightly deserve the attention and resources of both federal and state governments, and private user and safety groups. But there is also more we can do. For those of us involved in the transportation infrastructure business, our safety focus is on &ldquo;both sides of the barrel,&rdquo; meaning both motorists and industry workers.&nbsp; To promote greater public awareness, and give lawmakers and government officials the latest data on this issue, a group of 28 national construction...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/Z3nt1OgwNsI" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/Z3nt1OgwNsI/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1388219 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:45:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1388219 Transportation Secretary LaHood and FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski today annouced a partnership between their agencies to educate the public about the dangers of distracted driving and to look at technologies that could reduce it.&nbsp;Here's a link to what he posted on his blow, the Fast Lane: http://fastlane.dot.gov/ So, what does everyone think of this effort?...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/62QzM0tDXPo" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/62QzM0tDXPo/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1388197 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:45:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1388197 Roger Wentz, CAE, President and CEO of the American Traffic Safety Services Association, sent us the following response: Commendably, Secretary LaHood has repeatedly stated that safety is the number one priority for U.S.-DOT. But he is right on another point as well. Far too many people die on America&rsquo;s road; on average, 40,000 individuals die each year in car crashes. Yes, distracted driving is an issue that deserves serious and thoughtful consideration and action in order to reduce distractions and enhance a driver&rsquo;s ability to focus on the road. However, there is roadway safety infrastructure that can implemented right...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/C--XDRotb68" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/C--XDRotb68/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1388183 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:45:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1388183 Dr. Paul Lebow, past president of One Less Car and past president of MADD &ndash; Central Maryland, submitted this response: Upon reading the responses to the question Lisa posed, it is evident to me at least that as long as one remains immersed in the present transportation paradigm (i.e. inside &ldquo;the box&rdquo;) the best we can do is recycle platitudes. &nbsp;In fact, the current transportation system is the result of a steady evolution from a its ancestral root, the horse and buggy &ndash; it is time let go of some of the vestigial characteristics that continue to lead to failing...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/7m6S_SNU9WQ" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/7m6S_SNU9WQ/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1388108 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:45:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1388108 In recent days, there has been lots of media and public comment about the inexplicable behavior of two Northwest Airline pilots who somehow lost situational awareness and flew 150 miles past their destination before correcting their situation. All the furor is a useful reminder of how the professional pride and conduct of cockpit crews and the legal and regulatory requirements imposed on them by society have made flying increasingly safe. While airline travel has become ever safer, automobile travel continues to &nbsp;be extremely hazardous. Jacqueline Gillan&rsquo;s recent post makes the point that motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/JPEuamtVeW4" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/JPEuamtVeW4/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1388063 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:45:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1388063 Secretary LaHood is doing the right thing by speaking out forcefully about distracted driving and flying.&nbsp; Carol Carmody is right, however, to frame the issue in the larger context of human factors (flight and duty time and hours of service are just two of the issues that are important).&nbsp; While the ability of the operator to perform fundamental tasks is certainly impaired by outside distractions introduced into the vehicle such as drinking and texting, performance can also be potentially impaired by distractions that are built into or brought legally in vehicles.&nbsp; These include bluetooth technologies that enable cellphone use, GPS...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/i8rdxiRR_TM" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/i8rdxiRR_TM/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1388033 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:45:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1388033 Anything that takes a person&rsquo;s eyes off the road, hands off the steering wheel, or mind off of driving poses a safety risk. Using a cell phone or other hand-held electronic device to read or send text messages combines all three actions, posing the highest risk of driver distraction. Over a year ago, trucking industry leaders called the nation&rsquo;s attention to the dangers of text messaging and cell phone use on the road. The American Trucking Associations (ATA) and its member carriers support a ban on the use of electronic hand-held devices to read, write or send a text message...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/G0fkdL8ikrg" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/G0fkdL8ikrg/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1387146 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:45:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1387146 Yes &ndash; Americans have become complacent about transportation safety and there is no doubt that more must be done by the transportation community to promote greater safety awareness, both on the part of average Americans and among the transportation professionals who are responsible for ensuring the safety of millions of passengers. As Peter Kissinger, President and CEO of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety promotes, we need to change the traffic safety culture in this country.&nbsp;As Kissinger states on his own blog on traffic safety, findings from this year&rsquo;s AAA Foundation Traffic Safety Culture Index survey found 80 percent of...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/mhtkU7U83fA" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/mhtkU7U83fA/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1387143 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:45:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1387143 As I believe many of my colleagues would agree, the most effective means to promote greater awareness of transportation safety would stem from a combination of actions. Specifically, three steps would produce meaningful progress in the face of one of the most difficult challenges our society currently faces. &nbsp; -&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Continue to conduct relevant research to better understand the problems we face. To get the right answers, it is essential that we ask the right questions. This is especially true when the issue involves human behavior. At TTI, we have worked for decades to better understand the actions and motivations...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/A4ER--P-dug" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/A4ER--P-dug/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1387052 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:45:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1387052 The New York Times has an interesting story today about the tough approach that Britain is taking to distracted driving. If you haven't read it yet, here's the link: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/02/technology/02texting.html?_r=1&amp;th&amp;emc=th...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/Ckm-Yro_NCY" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/Ckm-Yro_NCY/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1387032 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:45:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1387032 How about a federal mandate abolishing safety belts, and legislating that all steering wheels be equipped with sharp spears pointing at drivers' chests?...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/O7xU5ntcJb8" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/O7xU5ntcJb8/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1387000 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:45:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1387000 Driver distraction is a growing and serious problem on our nation’s highways. Our vehicles no longer are just a means of transportation but rather have become mobile offices, entertainment enclaves and telecommunications centers. Safety groups like Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety (Advocates) and others have been concerned for years that the rapid introduction and unchecked use of in-vehicle electronic communication devices regularly distracts drivers from the driving task. Rather than being complacent about the risks and dangers of multi-tasking in the car while driving, the American public for the most part has been kept in the dark about the...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/zYDtOIPW6po" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/zYDtOIPW6po/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1386963 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:45:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1386963 It is true that Americans are multi-tasking every day – in cars, in grocery stores, in gyms, even in cockpits. While this is a fact of modern life, I do not believe it should be commonplace for operators of vehicles, aircraft, trains, subways. An operator responsible for transporting the public must meet the highest level of safety. Without knowing the full details of the NTSB investigation, or pre-judging its outcome, I had a couple of thoughts as I read about the NW pilots and their “overflight” of their destination. First, no matter how sophisticated the equipment, no matter how redundant...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/ey_A_Mc179I" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/ey_A_Mc179I/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1386962 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:45:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/how-can-we-promote-greater-awa.php?rss=1#1386962 <p>Some transportation infrastructure, such as highways, airports and ports, is mainly owned and operated by governments, while other elements, such as rail lines and pipelines, are mainly owned and run by the private sector. What lessons can the public sector learn from privately held infrastructure about how best to manage, maintain and finance its network of holdings? Are there any lessons that government can impart to the private sector?</p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/X0SssJERtkY" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/X0SssJERtkY/what-can-private-infrastructur.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/what-can-private-infrastructur.php Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:30:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/what-can-private-infrastructur.php Gabriel Roth writes &quot;Most of us can walk as much as we want to.&quot; In fact, this is not the case, many people would love their children to walk to school but find that the way is too dangerous with inadequate sidewalks and little protection from cars. I hear from people across America who tell me they would like to make more trips by foot or by bike for short distances but find the roads just too unsafe. He also implies that it is cheaper to live in Texas where there hasn't been any smart growth than in Maryland where...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/rzPRT6YOJKg" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/rzPRT6YOJKg/what-can-private-infrastructur.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/what-can-private-infrastructur.php?rss=1#1385338 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:30:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/what-can-private-infrastructur.php?rss=1#1385338 The business of infrastructure management is, and needs to be, shared between both the public and private sector. Neither the government nor private operators have monopoly on all the good (or bad) ideas. While some may argue that all infrastructure should be owned and managed by just one of these sides, what we should be arguing for is using all methods and means available to make across the board condition improvements to protect the public&rsquo;s health, safety and welfare. ASCE&rsquo;s most recent Report Card for America&rsquo;s Infrastructure graded all categories, including those traditionally operated by private interests, with low grades....<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/EcWuOtKIuRU" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/EcWuOtKIuRU/what-can-private-infrastructur.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/what-can-private-infrastructur.php?rss=1#1385295 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:30:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/what-can-private-infrastructur.php?rss=1#1385295 &nbsp;Governor Glendening is right. The public and private sectors do indeed have &ldquo;dramatically different goals and priorities&rdquo;. The private sector seeks to provide services at a profit. So it has to provide what customers wish to pay for. Is that bad? But what does the public sector seek? Glendening mentions &ldquo;reducing vehicle miles traveled and &hellip; focusing on transportation to increase walkability, housing affordability and economic prosperity&rdquo;. Most of us can walk as much as we want to, without help from government. As for &ldquo;housing affordability&rdquo;, there is plenty of evidence that &ldquo;Smart Growth&rdquo; policies increase, rather than decrease, accommodation...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/Q5LtofSO-K4" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/Q5LtofSO-K4/what-can-private-infrastructur.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/what-can-private-infrastructur.php?rss=1#1384608 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:30:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/what-can-private-infrastructur.php?rss=1#1384608 It is clearly true that both the public and private sectors can learn from one another about financing, building, operating and maintaining our infrastructure. In the tight fiscal times facing the nation today, there are increasing suggestions that the private sector ought to have a far greater role in owning and/or operating infrastructure. The real question, however, is not who learns what from whom, but whether we should we travel much further down this track. The private sector&rsquo;s bottom line and driving force is profit---an understandable and valid goal. Unfortunately, the public sector has many national and community goals that...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/W209NUE2Qig" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/W209NUE2Qig/what-can-private-infrastructur.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/what-can-private-infrastructur.php?rss=1#1384487 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:30:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/what-can-private-infrastructur.php?rss=1#1384487 &nbsp;Robin Chase raises important issues, but would find it difficult to show that the public sector has an advantage in promoting competition. Not only does the Washington Metro, for example, prohibit competition from outsiders, it actually closed down some of its own popular bus services to force travelers to use less convenient rail services. And the reason that Comcast can restrict the use of its services is because the public sector gave it a monopoly. Nor is she right to assert that private providers are interested only in profit. Many of the hundreds of toll roads provided by the private...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/vcz33b-c2H8" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/vcz33b-c2H8/what-can-private-infrastructur.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/what-can-private-infrastructur.php?rss=1#1383986 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:30:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/what-can-private-infrastructur.php?rss=1#1383986 The ability to maximize the public benefit by requiring openness and flexibility could be a key differentiator between public and private infrastructure if the government took advantage of it. I am unmoved by the claims that the private sector alone can provide a high quality, well-maintained infrastructure. Both public and private institutions can accomplish that. But the willingness and ability to maximize public benefit and participation lies in the public domain alone. The private sector&rsquo;s goal is to maximize profit and give you exactly what you&rsquo;ve agreed to pay for. Contractual relationships are constructed to provide a particular prescribed service...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/sg40U65c6bA" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/sg40U65c6bA/what-can-private-infrastructur.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/what-can-private-infrastructur.php?rss=1#1382831 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:30:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/what-can-private-infrastructur.php?rss=1#1382831 As one who has served in both public and private sectors, I believe there is much each can learn from the other. Public officials must better appreciate the value of time in terms of prompt payment ( delay in&nbsp;payment is a real cost to the vendor), and in terms of prompt project completion. Often the official gives greater weight to the interests of the Agency over the welfare of the public. A case in point, shifting road construction to night hours costs the agency more but this is outweighed by the benefit to the motoring public. The private sector operates...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/NXZ6pkjULds" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/NXZ6pkjULds/what-can-private-infrastructur.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/what-can-private-infrastructur.php?rss=1#1382323 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:30:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/what-can-private-infrastructur.php?rss=1#1382323 Today much of our transportation infrastructure is owned by state and local governments, but some is privately owned and operated. In general, large airports are owned by local or regional governments, transit lines are owned by cities or local government bodies, roads are owned by states or local governments, and so are many ports. By contrast, most rail tracks are owned by private companies, as are most pipelines. (Of course, there are exceptions in both directions. There are privately-operated marine terminals and some private toll roads, for example, and conversely there are some publicly-owned rail tracks.) In addition, outside of...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/RVLqKAbX5fA" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/RVLqKAbX5fA/what-can-private-infrastructur.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/what-can-private-infrastructur.php?rss=1#1382176 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:30:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/what-can-private-infrastructur.php?rss=1#1382176 <p>Supporters of public-private partnerships, from conservative former Transportation Secretary Mary Peters to Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Edward Rendell, insist that the next surface transportation bill make it significantly easier for the private sector to invest in infrastructure projects. At the other end of the spectrum, House Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman James Oberstar, D-Minn., wants to create an Office of Public Benefit and tough new requirements for tolling and public-private partnerships involving federal roads to make sure that the public interest is protected in deals with private investors.</p> <p>How can policymakers strike the best balance between ensuring that the public gets a fair deal and making investment in infrastructure projects attractive to private capital? And how much funding for transportation projects is it realistic to expect from the private sector?</p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/1uzdSQLJi_8" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/1uzdSQLJi_8/private-investment-public-interest.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/private-investment-public-interest.php Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:33:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/private-investment-public-interest.php I think that this question assumes that the only infrastructure projects in question are major projects.&nbsp; There are thousands of smaller scale projects across the country that can, and do, benefit from private investment but that are ignored in the larger conversation around infrastructure financing. Transit Oriented Development (or TOD) is one example of what could be considered private investment in infrastructure, especially where it is a private developer that is financing the construction project for the commercial revenues and the transit service and amenities are built into the project.&nbsp; These projects are working across the country to increase the...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/2usU93y3QHo" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/2usU93y3QHo/private-investment-public-interest.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/private-investment-public-interest.php?rss=1#1382847 Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:33:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/private-investment-public-interest.php?rss=1#1382847 &nbsp; Successful public-private partnerships, by their very nature, have to adequately incorporate and serve the public interest.&nbsp; The current debate is less&nbsp;about the need to use P3s to serve the public interest and more about who is best positioned to determine what the public interest is.&nbsp; In considering the public interest, it&nbsp;is critical to keep in mind the backdrop against which&nbsp;P3 transactions are being considered, i.e. traditional government-funded and government-procured projects.&nbsp;&nbsp;Too often P3 transacions are compared against the ideal instead of against the most probable alternative (see Steve Sandherr and Gabriel Roth's&nbsp;comments&nbsp;referencing the politicization of the highway procurement process). &nbsp;...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/G5giva_0Ht4" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/G5giva_0Ht4/private-investment-public-interest.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/private-investment-public-interest.php?rss=1#1382138 Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:33:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/private-investment-public-interest.php?rss=1#1382138 &nbsp;For Professor Ellen Dannin: No! Your generalization is not correct. You seem to have forgotten about the PFI (&ldquo;Private Finance Initiative&rdquo;) &nbsp;contracts executed in the UK in the 1980s and 1990s. The private providers assumed all traffic risks, and all cost risks. You and your students can read about them in Chapter 17, by Neil Roden, &ldquo;Development of Highway Concessions on Trunk Roads in the United Kingdom&rdquo;, in the award winning Street Smart &mdash; Competition, Entrepreneurship and the Future of Roads published in 2006 by Transaction Publishers for the Independent Institute and edited by Gabriel Roth...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/8vVXIZt3QdY" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/8vVXIZt3QdY/private-investment-public-interest.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/private-investment-public-interest.php?rss=1#1380583 Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:33:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/private-investment-public-interest.php?rss=1#1380583 To Ellen Dannin: Yes, it seems like these contracts are very complicated.&nbsp;Indeed, state and local governments ought to read very carefully any contract they sign to ensure that they are protecting themselves and their constituents against negative outcomes.&nbsp;I am not a lawyer, but I imagine that an agency of government has the same ability to negotiate alternative contract provisions as a private concessionaire does.&nbsp;However, the government also needs to accept that certain contract provisions may reduce the willingness of the private concessionaire to contribute as much money as the government wants.&nbsp;All contract provisions have a price tag, whether it is...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/_XEvxg07JKc" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/_XEvxg07JKc/private-investment-public-interest.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/private-investment-public-interest.php?rss=1#1380536 Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:33:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/private-investment-public-interest.php?rss=1#1380536 The following post was submitted byEllen Dannin, the Fannie Weiss Distinguished Faculty Scholar and Professor of Law at Penn State Dickinson School of Law: Claims that infrastructure privatization shifts future financial risk from the public to the private contractor are not correct. That the claims are not correct is apparent to anyone who reads the contracts. Infrastructure privatization contracts are filled with terms that mean money flows from the public to the private contractor when there are lower than anticipated revenues. In fact, these contracts tend to run on for over 100 pages because of all the provisions that...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/orgyFL98-Lc" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/orgyFL98-Lc/private-investment-public-interest.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/private-investment-public-interest.php?rss=1#1380493 Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:33:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/private-investment-public-interest.php?rss=1#1380493 As we design and build the transportation system of the future, our financing options are going to have to evolve as well. That&rsquo;s why ASCE supports the use of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs). They may not be feasible for every project, but PPPs have the potential to fill some of the gaps in our financing system. The surface transportation authorization should expand the opportunities to use PPPs, but steps must be taken to ensure that public interest is protected in these deals and that the financing methods augment, not replace, revenues from user fees. Among the criteria PPPs should address...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/Q1Qh58wtKos" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/Q1Qh58wtKos/private-investment-public-interest.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/private-investment-public-interest.php?rss=1#1379666 Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:33:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/private-investment-public-interest.php?rss=1#1379666 One only needs to look to the successes of the Alameda Corridor in California and the CREATE Program in Chicago to see that the use of public-private partnerships for rail infrastructure projects has been enormously successful in relieving congestion, reducing emissions, jumpstarting economic development and creating a more efficient transportation system.&nbsp; Demand for both freight and passenger rail service will only increase in the coming years and successful partnerships between government and private companies will be critical to meeting this challenge. The FRA Preliminary National Rail Plan released last week was a step in the right direction; recognizing the critical...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/T9XoIynvzPI" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/T9XoIynvzPI/private-investment-public-interest.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/private-investment-public-interest.php?rss=1#1379429 Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:33:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/private-investment-public-interest.php?rss=1#1379429 Bill Graves says, &ldquo;The United States cannot maintain a national highway network if key segments are owned by Wall Street investment firms or foreign consortia. The only private investment projects that should be considered are those that create new roads, adding greater capacity and mobility as an alternative to already-existing options.&rdquo;&nbsp; Let&rsquo;s assume for a minute that we follow Bill&rsquo;s advice.&nbsp;We allow Wall Street investment firms and foreign consortia to create new roads as an alternative to already-existing options.&nbsp;Let&rsquo;s also assume that these new roads &ndash; which must be toll roads if the Wall Street firms and foreign consortia are...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/h5NNSgOfIzU" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/h5NNSgOfIzU/private-investment-public-interest.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/private-investment-public-interest.php?rss=1#1378918 Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:33:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/private-investment-public-interest.php?rss=1#1378918 Thank you, Geoff Yarema, for putting your finger on THE CRITICAL QUESTION in this whole debate: &ldquo;At the same time the federal government is denying sufficient funding to right the ship, should Congress be limiting options available outside the Beltway?&nbsp;Should they be finding an overriding federal interest in objecting to how Sacramento, Austin, Richmond or Tallahassee elects to solve their difficult problems, despite the responsiveness to their electorate?&rdquo;&nbsp;Amen.&nbsp;Don&rsquo;t let the Feds stand in the way of state and local innovation that supports the federal goal of increased mobility and accessibility.&nbsp; All of the highway authorization laws in the last two...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/wlSejtGZ7Dw" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/wlSejtGZ7Dw/private-investment-public-interest.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/private-investment-public-interest.php?rss=1#1378909 Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:33:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/private-investment-public-interest.php?rss=1#1378909 The question of protecting the public interest while attracting private capital for public-private partnerships is an important question.&nbsp;I recommend looking at the issue from the perspective of a state or regional policymaker, those people in this country primarily charged with infrastructure stewardship and faced with increasingly difficult decisions. In the midst of a serious recession, compounded by an uncertain federal reauthorization, is it in the public interest for state and regional officials to continue to forego much needed maintenance in order to fund for new capacity?&nbsp;Is it in the public interest to continue deferring new capacity projects with the attendant...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/ZbY1yYBvJCw" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/ZbY1yYBvJCw/private-investment-public-interest.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/private-investment-public-interest.php?rss=1#1378788 Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:33:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/private-investment-public-interest.php?rss=1#1378788 &nbsp;Mary Peters is correct to identify private investment as &ldquo;not just a way to fund projects&rdquo;, but also &ldquo;as a program delivery strategy deployed on the right projects.&rdquo; But she is too polite to challenge the premise of this week&rsquo;s question, that &ldquo;the public interest&rdquo; needs to be protected from &ldquo;private investment&rdquo;. While private investment can be misguided, even corrupt, the more urgent need today is to protect the public from errors in public investment, which can also be misguided and corrupt. Private investment in transport projects is generally preferable because it has to respond to customers&rsquo; willingness to pay....<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/WlPpdSuXuIE" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/WlPpdSuXuIE/private-investment-public-interest.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/private-investment-public-interest.php?rss=1#1378780 Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:33:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/private-investment-public-interest.php?rss=1#1378780 By 2020, ATA expects that overall freight tonnage will increase by more than 26 percent with the modal share moved by truck increasing to 71 percent. It&rsquo;s no secret that our nation needs a tremendous investment in infrastructure to handle the increased demands that will be placed on our highways. As we work toward the next highway authorization bill, it&rsquo;s important that we protect American taxpayers by ensuring that they get the greatest value from their investment as our nation moves forward with long-term transportation plans. I share Chairman Oberstar&rsquo;s sentiments and believe that that we must be very wary...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/8N8mLtt_xwo" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/8N8mLtt_xwo/private-investment-public-interest.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/private-investment-public-interest.php?rss=1#1378482 Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:33:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/private-investment-public-interest.php?rss=1#1378482 &nbsp; Given the substantial gap between the need for transportation investment and current (and even future) revenues, there is no question the private sector will play a significant role in helping us meet our funding needs.&nbsp; However, it is critical that officials at the federal, state and local levels focus on the impact any public-private partnership has on all stakeholders.&nbsp;Chairman Oberstar&rsquo;s proposal to establish an Office of Public Benefit within the Department of Transportation is a step in the right direction. Currently, there are few mechanisms in place to ensure the public interest is protected when the government enters into...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/fN3lu0VFEeE" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/fN3lu0VFEeE/private-investment-public-interest.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/private-investment-public-interest.php?rss=1#1378465 Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:33:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/private-investment-public-interest.php?rss=1#1378465 There's no doubt public private partnerships must, and will, play a significant role in financing vital transportation projects.&nbsp; Especially is densely populated urban and suburban areas with the potential for sustainable toll revenues, we need to make it easier for privately funded projects to supplement existing sources of transportation revenue.&nbsp;&nbsp; That is why our construction industry recovery plan, &quot;Build Now for the Future,&quot;,&nbsp;calls on Congress and the Administration to eliminate barriers to public private partnerships by giving states greater flexibility to allow for tolling. &nbsp;Municipalities also should be able to more easily privatize airports and accept private investments in transit.&nbsp;...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/bo0FjQydJ78" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/bo0FjQydJ78/private-investment-public-interest.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/private-investment-public-interest.php?rss=1#1378414 Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:33:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/private-investment-public-interest.php?rss=1#1378414 The most pressing issues concerning private investment in infrastructure aren't about how easy it should be, but how much the public should give up in return. While the business models for private investment in high speed rail and transit oriented development are still emerging, most private money has gone to toll road concessions. As our research has shown, the public has tended to give up far too much. The public has lost out in four ways: (1) The cost of tolls promised to private investors tends to exceed the costs of public borrowing due to companies&rsquo; higher capital costs...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/osrek-woYmk" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/osrek-woYmk/private-investment-public-interest.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/private-investment-public-interest.php?rss=1#1378368 Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:33:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/private-investment-public-interest.php?rss=1#1378368 States, not the Feds, Should Protect the Public Interest in PPPs While I am largely in agreement with both Mary Peters and Greg Cohen on the importance of PPPs and protecting the public interest, neither adequately addressed the key question as we move into debating surface transportation reauthorization: What is the appropriate role of the federal government on this question? Chairman Oberstar’s bill, with its creation of an Office of Public Benefit, would greatly expand the federal government’s role, not only in PPPs but also in tolling, by creating what amounts to a tolling-and-PPP czar at US DOT. This position...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/0hLfjCqePw0" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/0hLfjCqePw0/private-investment-public-interest.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/private-investment-public-interest.php?rss=1#1378246 Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:33:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/private-investment-public-interest.php?rss=1#1378246 I am in complete agreement with Secretary Peters&rsquo; excellent post.&nbsp; From the motorists&rsquo; perspective, however, some additional public interest protections are important.&nbsp;It is logical that private investors would only consider spending capital on projects that are expected to have a good return.&nbsp;With most PPPs, highway users are expected to provide that return over time.&nbsp;So it is important that highway users&rsquo; such as the local AAA club, trucking association, local business group, and state highway users federation are well represented in PPP negotiations. PPPs are diverse and some deserve the support of motorists &ndash; particularly when they enable a road to...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/MzPFh7XTDb8" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/MzPFh7XTDb8/private-investment-public-interest.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/private-investment-public-interest.php?rss=1#1377818 Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:33:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/private-investment-public-interest.php?rss=1#1377818 Attracting private investment is crucial to help meet the significant and growing demand for transportation infrastructure in America, especially at a time when traditional methods of funding those requirements is no longer sufficient nor sustainable. Private investment is not just a way to fund projects, however, it should be seen as a program delivery strategy deployed on the right projects. Policymakers can ensure the public gets a fair deal by taking steps to protect the public interest in the agreements. They can also ensure investment in infrastructure projects is attractive to private capital by appropriately defining and assigning risk in...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~4/0EM97uO5sX0" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/njgroup-transportation/~3/0EM97uO5sX0/private-investment-public-interest.php http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/private-investment-public-interest.php?rss=1#1377673 Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:33:00 GMT http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/private-investment-public-interest.php?rss=1#1377673