Department+of+transportation

The mission of the Department is to:

//Serve the United States by ensuring a fast, safe, efficient, accessible and convenient transportation system that meets our vital national interests and enhances the quality of life of the American people, today and into the future.//

__CURRENT EVENTS__

__U.S Department of Transportation (DOT) Announces New Consumer Program for Child Safety Seats- Maureen Knightly__ Ray La Hood, the secretary of DOT, is creating a program for improving child safety seats in cars. La Hood also ordered National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to develop new side impact safety standard for car seats since one-third of all highway deaths are caused by side impacts among children under 15 years old.

__U.S Transportation Secretary, La Hood, signs a Cooperative Agreement with the Chinese on the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods- Bill Adams__ Ray La Hood and China's minister of transport, Li Shenglin, signed an agreement to cooperate on the safe transportation of hazerdous materials. It's necessary to receive hazardous goods overseas for industries and healthcare says La Hood. A joint transportation forum was held last December including safety. The plan is to cooperate with China and create safe regulations.

__NHTSA Presents 15 Awards for safety Accomplishments- Rae Tyson__ The NHTSA presented 15 individuals and groups with awards for achievements in highway safety. At this conference people will learn about child safety, occupant protection, impaired driving, and new vehicle technology. Some of the awards include improving safety on highways through judicial training programs, prevention of impaired driving, and improving bicycle and pedestrian safety, ect.

__A LIST OF AGENCIES UNDER DOT__

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)- Safety of transportation of air travel.

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)- Keeping highways safe and maintained. This administration has access to forests and national parks.

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)- Main purpose is to prevent commercial motor vehical accidents.

Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)- Promotes safety as well as development of an environmentaly friendly way of transportation through the use of railroads and trains.

Federal Transit Administration (FTA)- Assists in developing improved mass transportation systems in cities.

__The Constituents of DOT__ The Department of Transportation covers most of the public population. They do anything from designing new child safety seats for cars to maintaining highways all over the country. The department of transportation is in charge of the public transportation system, airliners, safety accessories for children in cars, trains, ect.