• Implementing recently released Federal Aviation Administration air traffic controller workforce plan to ensure appropriate staffing. • Developing Federal highway grant management techniques to reduce cost and schedule over runs. Improving oversight of all Department of Transportation loan programs. Improving research coordination and oversight of pipeline and hazardous materials safety programs. AGENCY-SPECIFIC GOALS Aviation Safety The United States has the largest, most complex aviation system in the world. The Nation's airspace system includes 14,934 air traffic controllers, 3,364 airports, and 315 air traffic control facilities. Yet despite this complexity and size, commercial aviation continues to be the safest form of transportation-the United States has seen only one commercial accident since 2002. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has established strategic goals to reduce the rates of commercial and general aviation fatal accidents, reduce the risk of potential runway collisions, and reduce cabin injuries caused by turbulence. FAA, working with industry, academia, and other Federal agencies, conducts aviation research for improving safety. For example, in 2006, FAA will continue its research into technologies, procedures, and practices that help ensure the continued The FAA's Airport Surface Detection Equipment-Model X (ASDE-X) increases airport safety. ASDE-X uses advanced technology to: Determine the position of ground traffic by using a three dimensional display, which is particularly useful during periods of poor weather; Prevent potential runway collisions by providing visual and audio alerts to air traffic controllers; and • Reduce taxi time and delays by eliminating unnecessary communications. At the four sites where this new technology is deployed, it has reduced the risk of runway incursions by 66 percent and reduced taxi-out time delays by 2.6 percent, meaning less time waiting for departures. The 2006 Budget provides $24 million to deploy ASDE-X at nine additional airports. airworthiness of older aircraft. FAA will also develop and implement airport design standards and surface movement procedures to lower the risk of runway collisions. The 2006 Budget supports FAA's continuing safety efforts. The Budget request for FAA is nearly $11 billion, excluding grants for airport development. The Budget provides $8.2 billion in operational and personnel costs, $2.4 billion in information technology investments, and $130 million for aviation research. In 2006, FAA plans to hire approximately 600 new air traffic controllers and 97 safety inspectors to ensure that FAA maintains high standards of aviation safety and efficiency. 1980 1983 1986 1989 Source: Department of Transportation. 1992 1995 1998 2001 Two major contributing factors to vehicle fatalities are alcohol-impaired driving and the failure to use safety belts. In both of these areas, the statistics are improving. Alcohol-related traffic deaths decreased by three percent in calendar year 2003, to the lowest level since calendar year 1999. In calendar year 2004, safety belt use reached an all-time high of 80 percent, but thousands died or were injured because they failed to buckle up. Approximately 59 percent of those killed in motor vehicle crashes were not using any type of occupant restraints. To build on safety gains, the Administration's surface transportation reauthorization proposal Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act of 2003 (SAFETEA) would combine several safety programs administered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) into a consolidated grant program. States would have greater flexibility to use safety program funds for occupant protection, impaired driving countermeasures, and other safety programs if they develop performance-based highway safety plans. SAFETEA also proposes a safety belt incentive program to encourage States to enact tough safety belt laws and achieve substantially higher safety belt usage rates. The Budget requests $231 million for NHTSA safety operations and research programs and $465 million for grants to States for targeted highway safety programs, which is $23 million more than enacted for 2005. Funding increases are also directed toward improving the Fatalities Analysis Reporting System, the Department of Transportation's (DOT's) database used to measure and analyze trends in vehicle fatalities. In addition, the Administration proposes more than doubling funding for highway safety improvements over levels in the previous six-year authorization law, the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA 21). SAFETEA dedicates approximately $7.5 billion over six years to help States eliminate hazardous roadway conditions. |