Ray LaHood

November 16, 2009 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation today released its Motorcoach Safety Action Plan which lays out concrete steps for improving motorcoach safety across the board. The action plan addresses major safety issues such as driver fatigue and inattention, vehicle rollover, occupant ejections and oversight of unsafe carriers.

“We are committed to making sure that bus travelers reach their destinations safely,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “These improvements will not only help reduce the number of motorcoach crashes, it will also help save lives and reduce injuries.”    » read more »

November 12, 2009 -- Washington, DC – Vice President Joe Biden and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced that the Department of Transportation has jumpstarted more than 10,000 transportation projects across America thanks to its swift allocation of Recovery Act dollars. As of this week, state agencies reported a total of 10,041 approved    » read more »

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Nov. 12, 2009-- In a letter to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, US Airways’ (NYSE: LCC) Chairman and CEO Doug Parker responded to Secretary LaHood’s invitation to attend the Future of U.S. Aviation Forum being hosted today by the Department of Transportation. In the letter, Parker shares the airline and industry’s views about the future competitiveness of the U.S. aviation industry. The letter in its entirety follows:

November 11, 2009

The Honorable Ray LaHood
Secretary of Transportation
U.S. Department of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Ave., SE
Washington, DC 20590

Dear Secretary LaHood:    » read more »

10-Nov-2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.) has asked U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood to investigate the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) practices regarding the Tri-State Oversight Committee’s monitoring of safety procedures.    » read more »

November 4, 2009 -- Washington DC – U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski announced Wednesday that they are launching a joint effort to evaluate technologies that may help curb the dangerous epidemic of distracted driving.

The DOT-FCC partnership will also include outreach efforts to educate the public about the dangers of texting while driving, talking on cell phones while driving, and other distracting behavior that can lead to deadly accidents.    » read more »

Recovery Putting People to Work on Investments with Long-Term Benefit

Nov. 3, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – The Federal Highway Administration crossed the $20 billion mark in approved obligations for highway, road and bridge projects this week, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced today. Of the $26.6 billion available for federal highway and bridge projects under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, more than 75 percent has now been obligated.

“Even though winter is right around the corner, highway and bridge projects are still getting underway, creating thousands of jobs and saving thousands more,” said Secretary LaHood. “The Recovery Act is helping repair America’s roads and bridges while putting people back to work.”    » read more »

Funds Will Be Used to Improve Hazardous Materials Planning and Training

October 19, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Transportation today announced that it is awarding $20.9 million to states, territories and Native American tribes to improve the nation’s response to transportation incidents involving hazardous materials. The grants will help train first responders to react to incidents involving hazardous materials and to meet the safety challenges posed by new chemicals and alternative energy products such as ethanol.    » read more »

More than 8,000 ARRA Projects Planned, Nearly 5,000 Under Construction

October 14, 2009 -- FAIRFAX, Va. – President Barack Obama joined U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today at the site of the Fairfax County Parkway Extension in Virginia to announce more than 8,000 highway projects have been funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) since its passage in February.    » read more »

New Interagency Program to Address Climate Change and Energy Security

September 15, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Ray LaHood and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa P. Jackson today jointly proposed a rule establishing an historic national program that would improve vehicle fuel economy and reduce greenhouse gases.    » read more »

August 31, 2009 -- U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced that the Federal Transit Administration last week achieved a crucial milestone: it beat the September 1st deadline to provide all states and local communities 50 percent of their Recovery Act transit formula dollars.

In fact, FTA provided nearly 90 percent of its $7.5 billion transit stimulus money to states and local communities. FTA is managing an additional $900 million in discretionary funds for New Starts projects, the Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction and Tribal Transit programs and oversight for a total of $8.4 billion.    » read more »

DOT’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization to Create New Bond Fee Reimbursement Program

August 31, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced $20 million in recovery funds to create the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Bonding Assistance Program, an initiative that will help small and disadvantaged businesses better compete for work on transportation projects funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).    » read more »

Cash for Clunkers Wraps up with Nearly 700,000 car sales and increased fuel efficiency

August 26, 2009 -- The CARS program came to a close Tuesday night with nearly 700,000 clunkers taken off the roads, replaced by far more fuel efficient vehicles. Rebate applications worth $2.877 billion were submitted by the 8 p.m. deadline, under the $3 billion provided by Congress to run the program.

Cars made in America topped the most-purchased list, from the Ford Focus to the Toyota Corolla to the Honda Civic.    » read more »

Transportation Secretary LaHood, Gov. Ritter and U.S. Rep. Perlmutter kick off recovery project

June 30, 2009 -- U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, Gov. Bill Ritter and U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter today broke ground on Colorado's largest American Recovery and Reinvestment Act project to date, a $32 million C-470 highway and bike path project. The project will give drivers and bicyclists a smoother trip, offer more transportation options, and help put people back to work.    » read more »

June 16, 2009 -- WASHINGTON— AARP Executive Vice President for Social Impact Nancy LeaMond commended the partnership announced today by HUD, DOT and EPA to apply a series of “livability principles” to federal transportation, environmental protection and housing spending.

AARP has long advocated for livable communities that have affordable and appropriate housing options, supportive community features and services, and adequate mobility options which together facilitate personal health independence and engagement in community life.

LeaMond said:    » read more »

White House Announces Significant Funding for Transit Capital Improvements

June 10, 2009 --
Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) today lauded U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood’s announcement that more than $400 million from the economic recovery package is headed to make capital investments in transit throughout California.

Funding will be used for preventive maintenance, bus replacement, bus stop improvements and construction, and increasing accessibility.

Senator Boxer said, “Transit is a win-win. This funding will create jobs, support long-term economic growth, ease traffic congestion and reduce air pollution.”

Specifically, funding will be used as follows:    » read more »