Today’s Headlines

By Elana Schor
Apr 14, 2010

Supporters of more federal transit operating aid planning nationwide advocacy day next week, staged as a "funeral" for local rail and bus service (TEN Press)

LaHood hails New York Times’ Pulitzer win as a victory for distracted driving campaigners (DOT Blog)

Oklahoma state DOT delays projects as federal funding from recent jobs bill has yet to materialize (T. World)

Amtrak starts high-speed rail group to maximize partnership potential on federally funded projects (Bond Buyer)

Safety Q&A with Jeff Moskos, former Baltimore police officer, author, and professor (Streetsblog NYC)

Obama administration’s oil-drilling proposal raises the question: Just how much fossil fuel would it produce? (Newsweek)

Chrysler sharing technological info with NASA (CNNMoney)

China looks to rail to propel future economic growth (NYT)

ALSO ON STREETSBLOG

State DOTs: We Back National Transport Goals — If We Get to Write Them

By Elana Schor | Jan 13, 2010

Congressional efforts to set national goals for the American transportation system are stalled for now, but the U.S. DOT said today that it is preparing for an eventual transition to a world where performance targets are the norm for transit, roads, bridges, and ports. (Photo: UVA) "National goals should be set by U.S. DOT […]

Obama Administration’s Transit Safety Rules to Eventually Apply to Buses

By Elana Schor | Nov 16, 2009

The Obama administration’s proposal for a new federal role in transit safety oversight would eventually apply to buses, although the first round of rules would be directed at subways and light rail, according to the U.S. DOT. Transit buses, such as this Miami model, are expected to be part of the new federal safety plan. […]

Trump’s Pick for U.S. DOT Is GOP Insider Elaine Chao

By Angie Schmitt | Nov 29, 2016

Chao was secretary of labor under George W. Bush and is married to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. An official announcement is expected shortly.

Can State DOTs Be Trained to Kick the Sprawl Habit?

By Ben Fried | Sep 25, 2009

I had the chance to listen in yesterday to top staffers from USDOT explain their collaboration with HUD and the EPA — the "Partnership for Livable Communities" that was first unveiled in March and touted again by President Obama in July. Three officials, including one of Ray LaHood’s top deputies, Beth Osborne, outlined their plans […]

GAO: Transportation Spending an Investment With Uncertain Returns

By Ya-Ting Liu | Jan 25, 2011

Cross-posted from Mobilizing the Region, the official blog of the Tri-State Transportation Campaign. A December study from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) finds that, well, there’s not much government accountability when it comes to how states spend federal transportation funds. Despite the existence of a federally mandated transportation planning process, the federal government offers no clear goals […]

U.S. DOT Releases Rules for ‘TIGER II’ Grants, Bringing HUD on Board

By Elana Schor | Apr 26, 2010

The U.S. DOT today released its first round of guidance for the so-called "TIGER II" program, a $600 million pot of competitive transportation grants considered a quasi-sequel to the popular $1.5 billion merit-based fund included in last year’s stimulus law. A ribbon-cutting in Dubuque, Iowa, where a broad revamping of downtown development won TIGER grant […]