Florida Department of

TRANSPORTATION

Office of Policy Planning

Abbreviations in this issue:

FMCSA - the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
GAO - Government Accountability Office
PHMSA - Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

1. A Decade of Change in Fuel Prices and U.S. Domestic Passenger Aviation Operations - This report looks at changes in U.S. domestic passenger aviation operations that have occurred during the same time frame as significant events have taken place, with particular focus on those related to fuel price increases.
2. The Life and Death of Urban Highways - This report chronicles the stories of five very different cities that became stronger after freeways were removed or reconsidered.
3. Distracted Driving Among Newly Licensed Teen Drivers - This study directly measures the occurrence of distracted driver behaviors and distracting conditions among teenage drivers; describes how distractions vary based on the presence of passengers, time of day, sex of the driver, and other potentially important factors; and documents how distracting activities were related to several aspects of driving performance, including serious incidents.
4. GAO Reports
   • Pipeline Safety: Collecting Data and Sharing Information on Federally Unregulated Gathering Pipelines Could Help Enhance Safety - This report identifies (1) the safety risks that exist, if any, with onshore hazardous liquid and natural gas gathering pipelines that are not currently under PHMSA regulation and (2) the practices states use to help ensure the safety of these pipelines.
   • Motor Carrier Safety: New Applicant Reviews Should Expand to Identify Freight Carriers Evading Detection - This report examines (1) the prevalence of chameleon carriers; (2) how well FMCSA’s investigative programs are designed to identify suspected chameleon carriers; and (3) what constraints, if any, FMCSA faces in pursuing enforcement actions against suspected chameleon carriers.
5. Freight Transportation and Economic Development: Planning for the Panama Canal Expansion - This report provides an overview of some possible effects of the canal expansion on the U.S., as well as some of the efforts of coastal ports and inland regions to capitalize on economic opportunity that may be offered by a change in freight patterns. It focuses particularly on the connections from coastal ports to inland rural regions.
6. Miscellaneous Reports
   • Increasing Mobility in Southeast Florida: A New Approach Based on Pricing and Bus Rapid Transit - This study proposes a plan to toll non-expressway roads in Southeast Florida to reduce congestion and improve mobility.
   • An Action Plan to Integrate Plug-in Electric Vehicles with the U.S. Electrical Grid - This Action Plan aims to coordinate public and private sector action to accelerate the adoption of plug-in electric vehicles nationwide. It addresses the roles of various government players, non-governmental organizations, electric utilities, and other businesses, lays out a timeline for critical steps, and describes an adaptive strategy that takes into account lessons learned.