Global Connectivity

This funding request contributes to the DOT Global Connectivity strategic objective and to the following performance outcomes:

Performance Outcome 2: Safer, more efficient and cost effective movement of passengers and cargo throughout international and domestic transportation systems, including U.S. ports of entry, modal and intermodal supply chains.
Performance Outcome 4:  Enhanced competitiveness of U.S. transport providers and manufacturers in the global marketplace.

This request would allow RITA to:

• Release transborder and border crossing freight data on a monthly basis, providing data users with trade statistics on the commodities and mode of transportation used with our largest trading partners.
• Provide prompt information on 150 airlines including passenger ticket information and airline financial and employment information for government agencies and stakeholders.

The resources requested to achieve the performance outcomes are:

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Performance Goal 2: Safer, more efficient and cost effective movement of passengers and cargo throughout international and domestic transportation systems, including U.S. ports of entry, modal and intermodal supply chains.

PERFORMANCE ISSUES

Freight Movement - To understand freight movement patterns that impact the efficient movement of cargo throughout the supply chain.

• Freight Statistics/Domestic – The Freight Data Program for FY 2007 includes final preparation for and the conduct of the 2007 Commodity Flow Survey, and processing and disseminating freight transportation data.

Agency Outcome Measure:  Maintain a minimum 80% response rate on the Commodity Flow Survey (CFS) (reduce non-response bias). Goal:  80.0% in 2007

• Freight Statistics/International - The Freight Data Program for FY 2007 includes processing and disseminating international trade and freight transportation data as specified under SAFETEA-LU as the data to be used in the formulas for calculating apportionments for border states.

Agency Efficiency Measure:  Improve cost efficiencies in acquiring international freight data (Transborder data). Goal:  10.0% reduction per annum over 5 years      

Passenger Travel System – To provide information about passenger movement, including travel options, behaviors and patterns.

• Travel Statistics - The Travel Statistics Program in FY 2007 will augment and refine the National Ferry Database (NFD), continue to organize and summarize U.S. Customs and Border Protection crossing data at the port level, report on international travel trends, produce updates of BTS’ rural access studies, continue working with the Federal Railroad Administration on the Confidential Close Call Reporting System, begin releasing data from the Passenger System Connectivity Study, and coordinate the travel community needs for data from the Census’ American Community Survey.

Agency Outcome Measure:  Increase the response rate on the Omnibus Household Survey (OHS) (reduce non-response bias). Goal:  50.0%

Transportation System Information – To provide information about the state of transportation throughout all layers of the transportation system.

• Compilations - Statistical compilations include recurring print and web publications: National Transportation Statistics, the annual report to Congress, and the BTS Pocket Guide to Transportation.  The program also provides transportation data to the White House website, and improves and disseminates transportation data through multinational exchanges. As required under SAFETEA-LU, the program also interacts with the Transportation Research Board on a data needs assessment.

Agency Efficiency Measure:  Improve cost efficiencies in the production of BTS’ major published reference products (Transportation Statistics Annual Report, National Transportation Statistics, and the Pocket Guide to Transportation Statistics). Goal:  10.0% reduction per annum over 5 years  

Agency Outcome Measure:  Improve coverage of legislative mandates in the annual Transportation Statistics Annual Report (TSAR) (degree to which we support our legislative mandate). Goal:  100.0%

ANTICIPATED FY 2007 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Conduct 2007 Commodity Flow Survey.
• Finalize research via Joint Investigative Teams with the Census Bureau to address specific issues and research areas related to the 2007 Commodity Flow Survey including scope and industry coverage; sampling, weighting, and estimation; mileage calculation process; and form design and content. 
• Publish preliminary data on the number of intermodal passenger facilities from the Passenger System Connectivity Study.
• Produce the website version of National Transportation Statistics compendium and an associated volume of state statistics.   
• Provide the White House Economic Statistics Briefing Room website with key Transportation Indicators.

FY 2008 PERFORMANCE BUDGET REQUEST

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Freight Movement

Passenger Travel System

Transportation System Information

Performance Goal 4:  Enhanced competitiveness of U.S. transport providers and manufacturers in the global marketplace.

PERFORMANCE ISSUES

Competitive Passenger Travel - To explore the competitiveness, cost-effectiveness and efficiency of the passenger travel environment.

• Airline Statistics/Industry Performance - The Air Transportation Statistics Program regularly releases data on: domestic and international passenger and freight traffic, and passenger ticket information.  It disseminates this information on the BTS website and produces reports that can be purchased.  It also provides specialized reports for Government agencies.  Goal:  95% in FY 2007; 100% in FY 2008

Agency Output Measure:  Increase the percentage of periodic data releases (airline traffic and financial data, Transportation Services Index, and Air Travel Price Index) that occurred on schedule (enable our stakeholders and customers predictable delivery of our datasets).

Industry & System Performance - To analyze information about the reliability and performance of the nation’s transportation system and the transportation industry.

• Airline Statistics/Airline Performance – The Air Transportation Statistics Program regularly releases data on on-time performance (including causes of delays) and provides specialized reports for Government agencies.

Agency Output Measure:  Increase the percentage of periodic data releases (airline traffic and financial data, Transportation Services Index, and Air Travel Price Index) that occurred on schedule (enable our stakeholders and customers predictable delivery of our datasets). Goal: 100%

Industry Economics - To explore the competitiveness and economic standing of the transportation industry.

• Transportation Economic Statistics - The Transportation Economics Program in FY 2007 includes development of the Transportation Satellite Accounts (extending the transportation component of GDP beyond for-hire services to include transportation services provided in-house by industries), quarterly production of the Air Travel Price Index, measures of productivity, studies of the economic consequences of transportation investments, and publication of Government Transportation Financial Statistics.

ANTICIPATED FY 2007 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Release traffic data monthly covering total monthly enplanements for the industry, airline rankings by enplanements, passenger volume, revenue miles, available seat miles, load factors and trip lengths.
• Release domestic operating profit and loss data quarterly for individual airlines and by carrier groups, airline domestic unit costs; and revenue yield.
• Develop a “Production” data server and a “Developmental” server that can accommodate Web-filing and foster the development of other airline data collection and data-edit improvements.
• Undertake IT requirements analysis to redesign the airline data processing IT systems to meet new data requirements.
• Publish U.S. International Freight Gateways report focused on the freight flows to and from the U.S. through key ports for all modes of transportation.
• Release the Transborder and Border Crossing Freight data.
• Publish U.S. North American Trade and Freight Transportation Highlights, a report which provides a comprehensive summary of North American Freight flows for all modes of transportation. 
• Publish Transportation Satellite Account (TSA) estimates for private truck, rail, aviation, and waterborne modes and post the data.
• Produce the Air Travel Price Index (ATPI), a quarterly index of representative air fares.
• Develop enhanced multi-factor productivity measures and analysis for long-distance trucking and pipeline modes. 
• Publish the revamped Government Transportation Financial Statistics 2006 (GTFS), which will now provide greater coverage of different categories of expenditures and revenue, clearer definitions and classifications, and documentation.

FY 2008 PERFORMANCE BUDGET REQUEST

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Competitive Passenger Travel

Industry & System Performance

Industry Economics