Welcome to the Fast Lane!

Welcome to the Department of Transportation’s blog, Fast Lane.

This new opportunity will allow me and others here at the Department to speak with you and engage in an earnest conversation about our nation’s transportation system…and, I hope, have a little fun while we’re doing it.

I want the Fast Lane to be a true on-line community, and I encourage you to submit your comments and thoughts.  After all, if I’m going to insist on twenty-first century solutions for our transportation system, I better communicate in a twenty-first century way!

Our entire transportation system is at a critical point in its evolution, and I am excited about the transformation taking place every day.  I can’t wait to begin sharing with you the innovative things we are doing at the Department to make our roads, skies, rails, and seaways safer and more efficient.

Later this morning, I’ll be making a major announcement about plans to cut traffic in Chicago, and posting the details here on the Fast Lane.  This will be the first in a number of important announcements we make on this site, so be sure to check in frequently.

Better yet, sign up at the right hand side of this page to be notified every time we post a new entry.

We’ll feature our first surprise guest blogger in conjunction with the Chicago announcement, so don’t forget to come on back later today…you won’t want to miss it.

See you in the Fast Lane!

- Secretary Peters

Comments

[Jonathan LeClere]

Congratulations on your decision to take such a progressive step towards opening up public dialoque and brokering connections between the agency and the public on such an important issue as transportation.

Best wishes that good things come from this.

[Sherry Jensen]

Way to Go! Looking forward to it!

[Bill Boyer]

Yea DOT! This is a good thing. Hope there is an in-basket so that good ideas can be captured and acted on.

[Jeaneatte Vorce]

Back in the 1970's, train tracks in the Virginia area were taken up and bike/walkers paths put in. I think the same thing took place in Maryland. I think we should convert these paths to commuter trolley routes. Most of the paths are within walking distance of neighborhoods so the need for parking wouldn't exist and trolleys couldn't cost that much to purchase. The paths could be open to commuter trolleys and side areas still left open for bikers/walkers. The system could be in use all day long as most people would find the routes convenient to local traveling also. It could make a big difference in the commuter traffic as these paths go everywhere and are convenient to most people to walk to. The paths all go to DC or lead to areas for transferring to metro or MARC/VRE trains.

[Lawrence C. Hatcher]

“People may pay a premium for 18-day dry aged steaks, but no one is going to pay a premium for steaks aged on an 18 wheeler.”

LOL. Didn't understand the protest posters put up at the Navy Yard Metro a few months ago but afterwards the pieces fell in place. Cross Border Trucking is essential not only for Colorado but contributes to aleviating the overall national trade deficit.

Secondly, the 25 percent increase in fuel efficiency standards "Over 5 Years for Passenger Vehicles, Light Trucks’s..." is welcome news and should be applauded particularly in light of articles floating on the internet entitled "Why oil could hit $180". Ouch.

Thirdly, I 'really' miss the old cafeteria.

Well, 2 out of 3 isn't too bad.

[Jay Kitchens]

Secretary Peters,

Thanks for the opportunity to communicate in this fashion directly to you and others in our executive positions. With today’s issues facing us, direct and open communication is the only way that we will be able to effectively meet those challenges. For those of us who spend more and more time on the internet at work and at home this method of communication is both familiar and simple. I hope that many others take the time to use this tool that you have provided. Great Idea.

[Rhonda]

Great to see the FAA making strides to move into the 21st Century!

[Tim]

I think this is a great idea. A lot of times someone has something good to share but nowhere to really make it heard in a meaningful way. Hopefully the Department won't be afraid to actively consider some of our ideas. I look forward to seeing what we all have to say...

[Pamela Gonzales]

WOW!!
This is great. I am so glad that this site has been set up. This will be a great addition to my favorites list!!! Keep up the great work!

[S. Kyle Roberts]

As a former worker for DOT/FHWA, I think this web-site is a great way for me to keep abreast of the happenings at DOT/FHWA and to post comments. Thank you so much for this innovative idea! I'll be sure to keep-in-touch.

[Patricia (Pat) Laux - J J Keller & Associates, Inc.,]

Congratulations on the launch of another example of the DOT effort to make use of technology in useful and innovative ways - I look forward to reading the entries.

[Sharon Tuggle]

The idea of blogging is so cool! This will be a great way of finding out what's going on in the department and as Sherry Jensen posted, a good way to capture good idea.

[Dan Cavanaugh]

Congratulations on the foresight to have an open dialogue with the public.

[J Adam]

This will be a very helpful resource. Thanks for opening the lines of communication.

[Michael Matero]

An inexpensive way to reduce commuter traffic(get the cars off the road)would be to run ground level or elevated commuter trains as the landscape permits for approximately 100 miles along side or down the center of major interstate highways that lead into major cities.

[Michael Matero]

A suggestion, to reduce commuter traffic(get the cars off the road)would be to run ground level or elevated commuter trains as the landscape permits for approximately 100 miles along side or down the center of major interstate highways that lead into major cities.

[MaryAnne Polkiewicz]

Just wanted to thank those who planned,executed and participated in the Take our Daughters and Sons to Work Day. It was a great event. My son really enjoyed the day and I enjoyed meeting people from other administrations/modes and listening to them talk about their work.

I'm looking forward to next year to bring my daughter.

[QM]

I think this is an excellent way to give some of the new generation of employees a way to feel truly connected. Technology is big and blogging is even bigger. What a progressive and impressive decision. Love the site so far!

[Zane Royal]

Secretary Peters, thank you for you and your agency's service. The difference you and your staff has made in the last months is appreciated! It is great having someone who cares regulating the backbone of our great nation! I look forward to having my voice heard on this blog.

[Jesse]

Love your new blog! It's a wonderful way to learn the opinions of our transportation officials and what they're doing to improve our nation's transportation system.

With congestion, oil consumption, and air pollution affecting our nation's economy, national security, and health, we need to consider "completing" our streets and roads by providing multi-modal travel. Complete Streets would not only accommodate automobiles and trucks, but also pedestrians, bicyclists, bus-riders, and public transit users. Complete streets would provide equal access to roads for all travelers, not just those who drive. It's the most efficient way to increase the capacity of our roads.

[Bill Schweiker]

Congratulations! Making advances in moving people from place to place efficiently will require cultural changes. Those are harder implement and have to come from the top down not bottom up. The Governing Bodies will have to make it more convenient to take mass transit than their own vehicles. Use the carrot to encourage car pooling with premium parking for cars that have two or more riders, allow flexible scheduling to accomodate carpooling if needed, and put in more car pooling lanes in more areas for longer time spans. For metropolitan areas we need to ban all car use (except municiple use) from the business centers: put in satellite parking areas with continuous public transportation to all areas. Without Cabs and other cars flooding the center city areas the air quality will go up and getting place to place should take less time. Thanks for the forum to vent. We cannot go on like it is business as usual.

[Mokbul A. Khan]

I am glad to know that we are trying to get the tempo and the momentum to address the unmet demand for transportaion in Chicago, IL. Likewise, some efforts in planning and implementing a mass transit system including bus and commuter train or metro rail for daily commuters within 25/30 miles radius of the Circle Center, Indianapolis, IN would no doubt be be very much appreciated. This need for the people living in suburban areas away from the city of Indianapolis has been discussed widely through megazines and news papers for quite a long time now. It is now imperative that DOT take some active interest in the situation of people living around the City of Indaianapolis. If a mass transit system is developed for the daily commuters who come for work to the City of Indianapolis, it will not only reduce polution but also reduce the tremendous congestation on roads and highways of Indianapolis that have been prevalent for quite a long time now. People living in Fishers, Carmel, Noblesville, and other suburban areas around Indianapolis have been driving cars, SUVs, minivans for quite a long way to come to Indianapolis for their work. Further, there is an added preshure on this city and it's surrounding roads and highways because the State of Indiana is "The Crossroads of America".

[Ken Shelley]

I and many others who travel I81 through SW Virginia are very concerned about the truck traffic. I know there are long term plans in place but something needs to be done now!! I've seen 1st hand the results of tired drivers who are uptight about fuel prices and making ends meet. They need to get from point a to point b as fast as possible and with only 2 lanes in this mountainous country it means passenger cars and trucks get cut off and ran off the road on a routine basis. What can we do to speed up the process of a 3rd lane on both sides. I've actually thought about mounting a dash cam and sending actual footage of some of the close calls I've been in and/or observed.

[Marcus I. Valdes]

I am glad to see this sort of communication tool make its way into the U.S. Government. I think more managers could and should use this tool to communicate their ideas!

[Kelly Sweeten]

Secretary Peters,
This site is GREAT!! I feel it will become a very useful tool, allowing the DOT to keep their "finger on the pulse" concerning current issues. Keeping in mind rising fuel prices, traffic congestion (both on the ground and in the air), numerous airline bankrupicies, as well as national security issues, the DOT has its hands full lately.
This site will be another way to assure that the Federal Government hears the voices of those they serve.
Thank you,
Kelly Sweeten, FAA Academy Instructor