Strategic Goal 3 Inform Transportation Decision Makers

Inform transportation leaders and decision makers through reliable data, information, analyses, and evaluation. Develop a systematic evaluation capacity for transportation research programs and projects.

Outcome

USDOT and other transportation policy and decision makers will have access to the relevant, accurate, timely, and reliable information and analyses needed to make informed decisions and improve safety, reduce congestion, and boost overall system performance.

Strategies

• Demonstrate Relevance of Research and Statistical Information: Continuously communicate with stakeholders and customers in providing statistical products and services that meet priority needs of policy leaders and decision makers. Solicit, consider, and respond to numerous decision maker and customer requests for statistical products.
  
  Two key initiatives to support this strategy would be:
  
  
  • Expand Delivery of Trend Analyses: Identify customer and stakeholder needs for transportation trend analyses, and develop new capacities to deliver this data.
    
    
  • Strengthen Intermodal Statistical Information: Improve availability of intermodal data and develop a mechanism to make this information easily accessible.



• Generate High Quality, Accurate and Timely Data on Safety, System Performance and Costs: Acquire and develop data sets and institutionalize the regular production and availability of statistics relevant to transportation safety, congestion reduction, system performance, and costs. Develop statistical products and services that will enhance knowledge regarding other pressing domestic and international transportation topics.
  
  A key initiative to support this strategy would be:
  
  
  • Strengthen the BTS Aviation Data Program (Uses, Analysis, Quality, Accessibility and Dissemination): RITA/BTS provides extensive data on airline activities to the USDOT, Congress, industry representatives, and the general public. RITA/ BTS acquires data related to airline passenger traffic, cost of air travel, on-time performance, and financial data. RITA will review and identify current and projected stakeholders’ needs, and assess current practices and information technology with respect to meeting those needs. In addition, RITA has reviewed current sources of airline data, data processing routines, database software, and agency organizational capacities. Based on this assessment, RITA is and will be better positioned to strengthen the BTS Aviation Data Program.



• Build a Robust, World-Class Research Knowledge Sharing and Collaboration Capability: Through multimedia research knowledge sharing and collaboration, reduce DOT’s research redundancy, sharpen research knowledge, tap subject matter expertise, significantly improve collaboration among the research community, and generally advance the state and quality of the research results. This effort will initiate with the University Transportation Centers and expand to the research community-at-large based on the communities of interest.
  
  
• Create, Manage and Share Transportation Statistical Knowledge and Research Findings: Ensure that statistical and research products and services meet priority needs and enhance 16 U.S. Department of Transportation Research and Innovative Technology Administration knowledge regarding domestic and international transportation topics. Ensure transportation leaders, decision makers, and the broader transportation community have increased access to data and information by strengthened communication and publicity of key results.
  
  
• Enhance Communication on the Significance and Relevance of UTC Research: Publish an annual report highlighting the comprehensive research and contributions of the UTCs in achieving USDOT’s strategic goals. Broadly disseminate the report within the USDOT and the broader transportation community.
  
  
• Design, Develop and Implement Executive Safety Education Opportunities: Provide information and training that enables decision makers to create and implement policies that reduce transportation-related crashes through the subject matter expertise of its transportation safety professionals.