Department of Transportation

The Administration's FY 2008 budget request for the Department of Transportation (DOT) is $67 billion. This funding would be distributed across the department's five key strategic objectives - improving safety (30.4%), reducing congestion (54.6%), increasing global transportation connectivity (2.1%), protecting the environment (9.8%) and supporting national security (1.4%) - with the balance of 1.7 percent going toward organizational excellence.

 

As with most other federal agencies, with notable exceptions such as the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health, research and TBED programs constitute a very small percentage of DOT’s annual budget. For example, more than one-third of the DOT budget request is dedicated to highway and bridge construction and maintenance.

 

Among budget highlights for the scientific and engineering community is a $175 million request for a 21st century satellite navigation system to replace older air traffic control equipment.



The FY08 request for all research, engineering and development at the Federal Aviation Administration is $140 million, including $91.3 million for continued research on aviation safety issues. The remaining research funding is for reduced congestion and environmental issues.



The FY08 budget request for the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) includes $12 million for R&D. RITA supports transportation research that cuts across all modes of transportation and promotes innovative transportation technologies, such as hydrogen fuels and remote sensing. In addition, RITA supports the Volpe Center, University Transportation Centers and the Transportation Safety Institute, which conduct research on a reimbursable and fee-for-service basis to other federal agencies and DOT administrations.

 

Under the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), $410 million is requested for R&D, including an obligation limitation of $429.8 million. FHWA serves, in part, to identify ways to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities on roadways by demonstrating the application of innovative technologies in highway safety.



The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration budget request includes $65.7 million for research activities focused on improving vehicle crashworthiness and crash avoidance.



The FY08 budget request for the Federal Transit Administration consolidates the research and university transportation programs into a single account that would be receive $61 million in FY08. The request is $13 million less than the FY06 appropriation and $4 million less than the FY07 Continuing Resolution passed by the House earlier this month. The FY08 request includes:

• $40.4 million for National Research and Technology Programs to develop solutions that improve public transportation. Within this program, $2 million is targeted for increased deployment of new low-emission technology, particularly hybrid electric buses, by a greater number of the nation's transit agencies.
• $9.3 million for the Transit Cooperative Research Program;
• $4.3 million for the National Transit Institute training programs; and,
• $7 million for the University Transportation Research Program. This figure is $1 million less than the FY07 level.

Funding for Research and Special Programs under the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration would be reflected in four accounts: Hazardous Materials Safety, Pipeline Safety, Emergency Preparedness Grants, and Administrative Expenses. The total for the four accounts in FY07 would be $148 million.



The Federal Railroad Administration budget request for R&D is $32 million. FRA support research efforts in various areas of rail systems safety and transportation and research development facilities.



Lastly, $3.9 million in FY08 funding is requested for the Minority Business Resource Center program. Federal subsidy and administrative expenses of $900,000 would support an $18 million short-term loan guarantee program to assist small, disadvantaged and women-owned transportation-related businesses. In addition, $3 million would fund the Minority Business Outreach program, which includes a clearinghouse for national dissemination of information on transportation-related projects and grants to minority educational institutions.