| definition |
-
The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) was born as a
statistical agency in 1992. The Intermodal Surface
Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of 1991 established BTS
for data collection, analysis, and reporting and to ensure the
most cost-effective use of transportation-monitoring
resources. BTS brings a greater degree of coordination,
comparability, and quality standards to transportation data, and
to fill important gaps.
BTS is one of the twelve modal administrations in
U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). BTS is headed by a
Director, appointed by the President and confirmed by the
Senate. The Director serves a four year term and reports
directly to the Secretary of Transportation.
BTS' basic authorizing legislation is the Transportation Equity
Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), which provides ฯ
million each year for a six year period (1998-2003) in contract
authority. This funding comes from the Highway Trust Fund, and
is administered within the Research and Development account
under the Federal Highway Administration.
BTS' data collection programs for aviation and motor carrier
information are authorized under separate legislation enacted
when the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) and Interstate Commerce
Commission (ICC) were terminated. Both of these programs are
mandatory data collections. The Wendell Ford Aviation Investment
Reform Act (AIR-21) authorized funding for the airline
information program from the Aviation Trust Fund, but to date no
funding has been appropriated from this source.
Website: "http://www.bts.gov/"
[Summary provided by BTS]
|
