Transportation Statistics Annual Report 2007

This thirteenth edition of the Transportation Statistics Annual Report presents selected transportation data on 13 topics specified in the legislative mandate of the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) of the U.S. Department of Transportation's Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA). Chapter 1 summarizes the data under seven headings: The Transportation System; Extent, Connectivity, and Condition of the Transportation System; Safety and Security; Congestion and Other Impediments to Use of the Transportation System; Global Connectivity; Energy and Environment; and Transportation and the Economy. In most cases, the data cover the 10 most recent years for which data are available. The data are presented in Chapter 2. The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) also requires RITA's BTS to make recommendations for improving transportation statistical information and to document methods used to obtain and ensure the quality of the report's statistics. These two subjects are discussed in Chapter 3. The focus for improvements is on data gaps, including gaps that may arise because of suspension of several data collection efforts. Chapter 3 also discusses methodological guidelines that apply to federal data quality; documentation on specific data accompanies each table in Chapter 2.