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To: U.S. West Coast, Alaska, and British Columbia coastal regions
From: NOAA/NWS/West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center
Subject: Tsunami Information Statement issued 05/19/2012 at 2:27PM AKDT

At 2:23 PM Alaskan Daylight Time on May 19, an earthquake with preliminary magnitude 5.1 occurred 35 miles/56 Km southeast of Amukta Pass, Alaska .

The magnitude is such that a tsunami WILL NOT be generated. This will be the only WCATWC message issued for this event.

The location and magnitude are based on preliminary information. Further information will be issued by the United States Geological Survey or the appropriate regional seismic network.

Today is Bike To Work Day, and more than 1 million Americans nationwide are expected to make their commute by bicycle. Talking about bikes is a fitting way to wind down our blog posts for National Transportation Week because bicycling is an important part of the 21st century transportation mix.

Why does non-motorized transportation have a seat at the table?

Because people want to avoid the pinch they feel in their wallets at the gas pump. According to a new report from the League of American Bicyclists, bike trips in the US save riders more than $4.6 billion each year.

Because every mile walked or biked helps reduce tailpipe emissions. If American drivers were to make just one four-mile round trip each week with a bicycle instead of a car, they would save nearly 2 billion gallons of gas each year, and every eight miles walked or biked keeps 15 pounds of pollutants out of our air.

Because making it easier and safer for people to walk or bicycle is a matter of fairness. Many Americans cannot afford a car or are physically unable to drive. According to a recent Brookings Institute report, more than 10 percent of Americans not only don't own a car, but don't even have access to a car. In our cities, that number is even higher.

And because, across the nation, people have made it clear that walking and bicycling are options they want. A national poll released by Princeton Survey Research Associates International in March indicates that more than 80 percent of Americans support maintaining or increasing federal funding for biking and walking.

Americans aren't just saying they want to ride; they're voting with their feet. When communities create safer sidewalks and add bike lanes and biking-walking paths, people ride more miles. For example, in the four test cities of the Federal Highway Administration's Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program, the percentage of all trips taken by bike instead of car increased by 36 percent.

Between 2000 and 2010, the number of bicycle commuters grew 40 percent nationwide. In our largest bicycle-friendly communities, that growth was even greater: 77 percent.

Here in Washington, DC, the city's Department of Transportation has installed 50 miles of bike lanes, up from only three miles in 2000. The result? An explosion in the number of bicyclists on DC streets with the number of bike commuters growing by 50 percent. In the past five years alone, the number of area residents connecting to Metrorail transit by bicycle has increased by 60 percent. The city's bike-sharing program, Capital BikeShare, reported a record-setting April, and just yesterday CaBi notched its 2 millionth ride.

The benefits of bicycling are real, and there's no arguing with the impressive ridership data. On Bike To Work Day and every day, more Americans are pedaling where they need to go.

 

As National Transportation Week continues, and we take the time to appreciate the transportation that gets us safely where we need to go, we should also think about the future of transportation. How can we encourage America's students to consider transportation-related careers? How can we channel the creativity and analytical skills of students in STEM subjects--science, technology, engineering, and math--toward improving our transportation system?

One way to get our students thinking about transportation is to simply challenge them. So today, I'm delighted to announce a new competition to recognize students who create unique scientific and engineering innovations in aviation and aerospace.

The Secretary's “Recognizing Aviation and Aerospace Innovation in Science and Engineering” Award, called RAISE, is a new tool to motivate high school, college and university students to develop creative solutions to aviation and aerospace issues, and to share their results with the broader community.

This new challenge recognizes innovative scientific and engineering achievements that will have a significant impact on the future of aviation and aerospace. It was developed in response to recommendations by our Future of Aviation Advisory Committee.

The Secretary's RAISE Award is open to students at the high school, undergraduate and graduate levels. Both individuals and groups may participate. Students’ RAISE submissions will be judged--by the Federal Aviaion Administration's Centers of Excellence program director and an advisory committee of academic and government (DOT, FAA, and NASA) experts--on their originality, impact, practicality, measurability, applicability and technical merit.

For more information about the RAISE Award, including submission deadlines, rules and specific information about what applicants should include in their submission packages, please visit www.challenge.gov, the official web site for all government awards and competitions.

I encourage teachers, parents, research supervisors, academic advisors, and anyone else aware of students who are interested in exercising their STEM skills to spread the word about the RAISE Award to your students.

And, if you're a student, I strongly encourage you to participate in this unique event. We are looking to you for the innovations that will advance aviation into the future. Are you the next Orville or Wilbur Wright? You won't know until you try.

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To: U.S. West Coast, Alaska, and British Columbia coastal regions
From: NOAA/NWS/West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center
Subject: Tsunami Information Statement #1 issued 05/17/2012 at 7:07PM PDT

A strong earthquake has occurred, but a tsunami IS NOT expected along the California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, or Alaska coast. NO tsunami warning, watch or advisory is in effect for these areas.

Based on the earthquake magnitude, location and historic tsunami records, a damaging tsunami IS NOT expected along the California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and Alaska coasts.

At 7:01 PM Pacific Daylight Time on May 17, an earthquake with preliminary magnitude 6.5 occurred off the coast of southern Chile . (Refer to the United States Geological Survey for official earthquake parameters.)

Pacific coastal regions outside California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and Alaska should refer to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center messages for information on the event.

This will be the only statement issued for this event by the West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Center unless conditions warrant. See the WCATWC web site for basic tsunami information, safety rules, and a tsunami travel time map and table. (NOTE: Travel time maps and tables indicate forecasted times only, not that a wave was generated.)

As I've written previously, DOT is celebrating National Transportation Week by highlighting the many ways we're working to keep America's transportation network and the people who use it safe. And as the peak spring and summer travel season begins, DOT remains committed to pursuing highway safety.

That means ensuring that commercial buses traveling between states are well-maintained and operated by men and women who are alert and driving responsibly. If necessary, that also means removing from our roads any bus or driver that places passengers and other motorists at risk.

That’s why this week, DOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), with the help of its state and local law enforcement partners, is conducting safety inspections of motorcoaches, tour buses, school buses, and other commercial passenger buses in 13 states along the East Coast and also in the District of Columbia.

This safety strikeforce is part of FMCSA’s ongoing efforts to strengthen passenger carrier safety nationwide.

As FMCSA Administrator Anne Ferro put it, “Our goal is to make bus travel as safe as possible – every trip, every time.”

Over the past five years, FMCSA has doubled the number of bus inspections and comprehensive safety reviews of the nation’s estimated 4,000 commercial passenger bus companies.  Roadside motorcoach inspections have jumped nearly 100 percent, from 12,991 in 2005 to 25,705 in 2010, while full safety reviews are up 128 percent, from 457 in 2005 to 1,042 in 2010.

By significantly increasing bus safety inspections, in 2011 alone, FMCSA was able to put 54 unsafe companies out of service. That's 54 operators whose vehicles and drivers are no longer putting other users of our nation's highways at risk.

We've also made it easier for consumers to make smart safety decisions about their bus travel.  Before reserving or buying a ticket, travelers can use the FMCSA’s new SaferBus app, a quick and free way to review a bus company’s online safety record.

Consumers can also take advantage of FMCSA's bus travel safety checklist on the "Bus/Passenger Carrier Information" website.

Traveling can be stressful enough without adding uncertainty about the safety record of your carrier or its driver. During National Transportation Week—and every week—we hope these safety tools from FMCSA and the inspection efforts of our state and local law enforcement partners help America's passengers board their bus with confidence.

The Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has worked hard to spread the message that pipeline damage from excavation can be prevented by calling 811 before digging. And yesterday, PHMSA took DOT's National Transportation Week emphasis on safety and our longstanding support for the national 811 "Call Before You Dig" hotline one step further with more than $1 million in grants to states' safe digging call centers.

Pipeline damage can be devastating to an entire community--causing property damage and tragic loss of life. But these potentially deadly incidents can be prevented.

With PHMSA Administrator Cynthia Quarterman

One-third of all serious pipeline accidents are caused by someone digging and hitting a pipeline by mistake. In fact, between 1988 and 2010, excavation damage was responsible for $438,785,552 in property damage. However, a simple, toll-free call to 8-1-1 before you start digging will connect you to your state's One Call center for important safety information.

By calling 811, anyone planning an excavation project--from contractors and landscapers to homeowners starting a simple garden--can get connected to local utility companies who will visit the property to mark the location of any underground lines, pipes and cables before a single shovel hits the dirt.

 

The number of dangerous pipeline leaks caused by excavation damage has declined considerably thanks to PHMSA, its safety partners, and the single, nationwide 8-1-1 number introduced in 2007. The $1,061,523 in awards announced yesterday will help state One Call centers continue that record of improved safety.

The grants announced yesterday will help 29 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, DC, upgrade communications networks, train safety professionals, develop and use underground pipeline location technology, and improve record retention and recording capabilities. The grants will also be used to provide public information and support education efforts.

As PHMSA Administrator Cynthia Quarterman said, "Most pipeline accidents are preventable with just one call to these centers, and we will continue to support this important public safety resource."

And you can help.  Even if you don't have a project in mind, you can visit www.the811promise.com and take the first step toward pipeline safety. The 811 Promise is a simple pledge that you will always call 811 before you dig.

It's an easy way to reinforce this important safety message in your thoughts so that, when you do have a digging project, you'll know that before you pick up a shovel, you need to pick up the phone and make the right call...to 811.

By US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and US Chief Technology Officer Todd Park,
cross-posted courtesy of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Safety is the number one priority at the US Department of Transportation (DOT), so National Transportation Week is the perfect time for DOT to help launch the Obama Administration's critical Safety Data Initiative--an historic effort to make government data relating to every aspect of safety, from transportation crime to consumer products much more accessible, and to stimulate the development of innovative apps and services fueled by those data.

We know that helping Americans gain access to practical information can help them make smarter, safer choices. So, coordinated by DOT, this new collaborative effort involving Federal agencies and members of the public aims to unleash Americans’ entrepreneurial spirit by encouraging participants to build a range of innovative digital tools and mobile applications to enhance public and product safety

To help kick off the Safety Data Initiative, today we are announcing two app challenges that take advantage of more than 700 open government datasets now available on safety.data.gov.

DOT has launched the Motorcoach Safety Data Student Challenge, which asks developers to use public performance data about interstate commercial bus companies found on safety.data.gov to help consumers make smart safety decisions about their bus travel.

And the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Occupational Safety and Health Administration wants your help in building tools to educate the public about safety in the workplace through its Worker Safety and Health Challenge. The goal is to develop apps that can reduce the number of work-related injuries, which affected more than 800,000 individuals in 2009 alone.

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, DOT, DOL, and other agencies are looking forward to seeing the safety apps that you’ll develop for America’s public safety officers and concerned citizens. Are you building apps that empower people to make informed decisions about their safety and the safety of others using data from safety.data.gov?  We want to hear about them!  Tell us about the safety apps you’ve built using the form on the White House site. In September, the Safety Data Initiative will host a Safety Datapalooza at which some of the most innovative safety applications submitted will be highlighted.

DOT and the rest of the Federal agencies with safety missions never stop working on your behalf. And now, with the Administration's new Safety Data Initiative, you can join us in keeping America safe.

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To: U.S. West Coast, Alaska, and British Columbia coastal regions
From: NOAA/NWS/West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center
Subject: Tsunami Information Statement issued 05/16/2012 at 7:04AM AKDT

At 7:03 AM Alaskan Daylight Time on May 16, an earthquake with preliminary magnitude 4.7 occurred 10 miles/16 Km southwest of Anchorage, Alaska .

The magnitude is such that a tsunami WILL NOT be generated. This will be the only WCATWC message issued for this event.

The location and magnitude are based on preliminary information. Further information will be issued by the United States Geological Survey or the appropriate regional seismic network.

To mark National Transportation Week, we've been asking readers to think about safety. Whether it's traveling with children, making sure to approach rail crossings with caution, or buckling up every time you climb into a car or truck, safety often comes down to the choices we make.

Our safety also relies on other people's choices, and sometimes people act without thinking about the consequences of their actions, placing others in jeopardy. We saw this last Monday in the Faces of Distracted Driving video about 2-year-old Calli Ann Murray who was killed by a texting driver.

And we saw it 3,592 times in 2011, when people on the ground pointed lasers into the cockpit of an aircraft overhead.

That's right--in 2011 there were 3,592 reports of laser strikes on aircraft in America. That's up dramatically from 2,836 in 2010, and each one of those incidents threatens the safety of passengers and crew.

I understand that the laser pointers and other devices available to consumers are now more powerful and less expensive than ever. But I don't understand the decision to aim one at an aircraft full of people, potentially blinding the pilot and causing tragedy.

The law doesn't understand it either. That's why local, state and federal courts have sentenced laser violators to jail time, community service, probation and additional financial penalties for court costs and restitution.

The Federal Aviation Administration supports these efforts to punish anyone who intentionally points a laser device into the cockpit of an aircraft. The FAA also announced last June it would impose civil penalties of up to $11,000 per deliberate laser incident for interfering with a flight crew.

Recently, for example, a a 23-year-old man pleaded guilty to aiming a laser at a Los Angeles Police Department helicopter. He served 10 days in jail; paid $570 in restitution and $6,700 in an FAA-assessed civil penalty; and was sentenced to 200 hours of community service and three years of probation.

As Acting FAA Administrator Michael Huerta said, “We will continue to fine people who do this, and we applaud our colleagues at the Justice Department who have aggressively prosecuted laser incidents under a new law that makes this a specific federal crime.”

Shining a laser at an airplane is senseless, but it is not harmless.  It’s dangerous for both pilots and passengers, and on behalf of the flying public, we can't tolerate it. We just can't.

I applaud the FAA's strong stance against laser strikes, and I hope it helps educate those who would thoughtlessly jeopardize others' safety.

As Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Szabo wrote in this blog last Saturday, “if we continue strengthening passenger rail service, even more people will choose it.”

Under President Obama’s leadership, DOT is committed to continuing to do just that.

Yesterday, Administrator Szabo traveled to Maine, where he joined Maine DOT Commissioner David Bernhardt and local business leaders in celebrating the completion of new train station platforms in Brunswick and Freeport. These new platforms are the latest steps in the expansion of Amtrak’s Downeaster line.

The extended line will begin serving Brunswick and Freeport this fall, providing both cities with passenger rail service for the first time since 1959.

The Downeaster line expansion was funded by a $38.3 million High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Program grant from the FRA, and in August 2010, this terrific project was the first of its kind to break ground.

The Downeaster is already a big hit with New Englanders – its record-breaking ridership in 2011 was up 8 percent from 2010, and the number of passengers the line carried last year--more than half a million--is more than double what it carried in 2005. And when the expansion opens this fall, ridership will only increase even more.

This extension will also increase tourism and mobility choices for residents from Boston to Brunswick.

In addition, Maine is proving that the benefits of passenger rail development go beyond state lines.  According to the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority, the work along the Downeaster corridor is creating business orders and sustaining and creating jobs at 53 companies in 20 different states.

Brunswick is proving that as soon as you create or improve existing passenger rail service, new growth, new businesses and new jobs are sure to follow. By 2030, Brunswick’s transit-oriented development is projected to includes more than $325 million in new construction investment, more than 800 jobs, and more than $7 million in saved transportation costs.

And for Freeport, reclaiming a connection to passenger rail is also a big win. Freeport’s transit-oriented development by 2030 is projected to include more than $120 million in new construction investment, 300 jobs, and more than $2 million in saved transportation costs.

Brunswick and Freeport are great examples of how rail investment can provide jobs, greater economic development and greater mobility.  Because of those terrific benefits, this Administration remains committed to investing in America's passenger rail renaissance.

Every year as the weather gets warmer and the school year winds down, the summer travel season gathers steam. It's a promising time, but it's not all fun and games; it's also a time to think about safety. And the Federal Aviation Administration is doing just that.

To usher in the busy travel season--and to continue our National Transportation Week emphasis on safety--the FAA is redoubling its efforts to educate air travelers about flying safely with children.

As FAA Administrator Michael Huerta will tell you, there is one simple step that all parents, grandparents, and caregivers can take: "The safest place for a small child on an airplane is in an approved child safety seat, not on an adult’s lap."

Choosing and installing the right safety seat can seem challenging, so the FAA has developed a new website and online toolkit for air travelers. Because not all safety seats are suitable for use in an aircraft, the site offers information about FAA-approved safety devices for traveling with kids. It also features a video demonstrating how to install those devices for maximum safety.

It's really very simple. Our smallest children deserve the same protection as the rest of America's air travelers.

As American Academy of Pediatrics president Robert W. Block, MD, said, "We strongly recommend that children always ride properly restrained on every trip, on the ground and in the air. Whenever possible, they should travel in a safety seat before, during and after a plane ride.”

And our front-line air safety professionals--the nation's flight attendants--agree: "By using an approved child restraint device, even our most vulnerable passengers will have much-needed protection in the event of an emergency,” said Veda Shook, president of the Association of Flight Attendants International.

The FAA's new website also includes a downloadable tip sheet for parents and caregivers and links to frequently asked questions. One important tip? Buying a ticket for a child is the only way to guarantee that a child safety seat can be used during flight, so contact your air carrier to see if there are any discounts available for children.

Millions of people will take to the skies, roads, and rails this summer, and at DOT we won't stop doing everything we can to keep all of them as safe as possible. That includes adults, teens, and--America's most vulnerable passengers--small children.

I hope you'll help us pursue that important safety mission by making informed choices about your child's safety. Websites like the FAA's new www.faa.gov/passengers/fly_children can get the ball rolling, but only you can carry it across the goal line.

Calli Ann Murray wasn't Al Andres' first grandchild, but she was something special.  To hear him tell it, even her name held a significant meaning.

"The name itself, C-A-L-L-I:  C-A stood for Chinese American, L for created in love, and L-I was her mother Ling's maiden name," Al said. "She was just a joy to be with and enjoyed life so much."

One of 2-year-old Calli's favorite places to visit was Sunrise Park, just a block and a half from her home in Rohnert Park, California.  But on December 1, 2010, a trip to this beloved playground ended in tragedy.

Calli and her mother Ling were heading home from the park after an hour of playtime when they reached an intersection.  As they began to cross hand-in-hand, a young driver texting on her cell phone barreled down the street. 

With her attention on her phone instead of the road, the driver struck Calli and Ling with her car.

Al was across the country in Hartly, Delaware, when he received the frantic call from his son, Jeff.  There had been an accident.  Calli was gone.  Ling was critically injured.

In a moment, all of the dreams Al, Jeff, and Ling had hoped for young Calli were shattered.  And when Al learned that the senseless crash was caused by a distracted driver, a new mission took hold of his life.

"Even though we lost Calli, we want everything that happened to change other people’s behavior," he said.  "Paying attention to a text message in the car and not paying attention to what’s going on out in front of you can cause you to kill somebody."

"My greatest hope is that anyone who hears our story will commit to not using a cell phone behind the wheel.  It could save a life."

If you have a distracted driving story to share, email faces@distraction.gov.

When you're preparing to get behind the wheel, do you have a favorite road song selected? When booking travel reservations, do you look for flights on a certain kind of aircraft? Got a favorite train station or transit stop? If you answered “Yes” to any of those questions, then this is your lucky week.

Today is the start of National Transportation Week, an opportunity to celebrate the many modes of transportation we all use to get where we’re going.

We rely on transportation every day, but if you’re looking for a way to celebrate transportation this week, check out the many DOT Facebook and Twitter accounts.

All this week, transportation fans can test their wits on transportation trivia questions or share their favorite transportation moments in American culture.

Our social media accounts will post different interactive transportation-related features each day.  Looking for a way to share your love for all things transportation this week? Look no further than the list below:

• Federal Aviation Administration
      https://www.facebook.com/FAA
      https://twitter.com/#!/FAANews
• Federal Highway Administration
      https://www.facebook.com/pages/Federal-Highway-Administration/175380479155058
• Federal Railroad Administration
      https://www.facebook.com/USDOTFRA
      https://twitter.com/#!/USDOTFRA
• Federal Transit Administration
      https://twitter.com/#!/FTA_DOT
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
      https://www.facebook.com/NHTSA
      https://twitter.com/#!/NHTSAgov
• Research and Innovative Technology Administration
      https://www.facebook.com/DOTRITA
      https://twitter.com/#!/RITA_DOT

 

A lot of folks don't think about the roads that they drive along, the rails they ride along, or the runways they land on.  But these rails, roads, and runways carry groceries and medical supplies, books and clothing--not to mention passengers--to every corner of our nation. So during this 50th anniversary of National Transportation Week, we're celebrating the critical arteries that keep America moving safely and efficiently.

National Transportation Week evolved through the hard work of Charlotte Jones Woods, who saw the need to educate students about the importance of transportation. As the educational chair of the Women's Transportation Club of Houston (WTCOH) in 1952, she was tasked with giving out a transportation-related scholarship of $500, a scholarship for which no one applied. 

But Mrs. Woods was not discouraged by this lack of interest.  She simply made it her mission to educate Texans about the many opportunities in transportation by dedicating one week a year to it.

In 1962, Congress and President John F. Kennedy recognized the potential value of the Women's Transportation Club's annual event and instituted a National Transportation Week to be held every year in May.

How is DOT marking this special week? By talking about our number one priority. During the next few days, we'll highlight our commitment to ensuring the safety of America’s transportation systems, a commitment we pursue all 52 weeks of the year.

We'll also be talking about the tremendous value of our investments in America's transportation infrastructure. Because highway lanes, transit networks, air traffic control systems, and port facilities don't build themselves.

The safety and reliability of our nation’s infrastructure are critical for our economy and for many aspects of our daily lives. Through competitive grants, formula programs, and educational efforts, DOT never stops working to keep America moving forward.

But we can't do it alone, and we can't do it half way. This country needs a long-term transportation plan, and Congress needs to act now. That means means putting people before party and coming together to work through the real challenges that face our transportation system.

National Transportation Week is an opportunity to pause and take notice.  If you're reading this at work, you counted on transportation to get you there. If you bought a coffee on your way, those coffee beans got from farm to roaster to corner diner using the many different modes of our vast transportation network. If you're a small business owner, and you shipped a package to a valued customer, or if you're a parent and you gave your child some medicine this morning--well, you get the point.

Transportation moves America safely. At DOT, we think about this every day, so you don't have to.

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To: U.S. West Coast, Alaska, and British Columbia coastal regions
From: NOAA/NWS/West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center
Subject: Tsunami Information Statement issued 05/13/2012 at 6:49PM AKDT

At 6:45 PM Alaskan Daylight Time on May 13, an earthquake with preliminary magnitude 5.2 occurred 60 miles/97 Km southwest of Atka Village, Alaska .

The magnitude is such that a tsunami WILL NOT be generated. This will be the only WCATWC message issued for this event.

The location and magnitude are based on preliminary information. Further information will be issued by the United States Geological Survey or the appropriate regional seismic network.

On May 13 Stevie Wonder turned 62 years-old and I think his voice is aging beautifully. I was invited to join Stevie's family and employees for a surprise party at the Sayers Club in Los Angeles. It is an intimate speak-easy type blub with sofas and low stools. The sound system was fantastic. Rose pedals were spread throughout the club including in the bathrooms. Gena Harper joined me. All of Stevie's older kids were present.

They had told him they were taking him out to dinner so he was definitely surprised when he arrived in a club instead.

There was a DJ spinning a variety of music including Aretha Franklin when she was 19 years old. I wasn't sure who all played when the live music began. I know Kim Burrell from Houston was there. Stevie joined her and then some of his band jumped in as well. It was quite casual as various artists switched it up.

After a chocolate four-layer birthday cake arrived and we all sang the iconic Martin Luther King Happy Birthday To You song, the dancing began in earnest. Stevie's son Quame dragged Gena on to the floor and I soon followed.

From what my low vision could pick up, there were a lot of short black dresses and lots of skin with the occasional white, teal or red dress. Someone told me later Stevie had on red shoes. It was a very special and amazing evening.

There was an amusing post script. When Gena and I got into a cab back to our hotel, the only thing I understood from the Asian driver's phone conversation was something about Stevie Wonder and a birthday. At some point, I thought he asked me if it Was Stevie Wonder's birthday and I of course said yes. After that, he started calling me Steve or Stevie.

When we got to the hotel, he asked in his broken English if he could please take a picture. I said why not and so he did.

I can only imagine when he texts the photo to his friends and says he drove Stevie Wonder, just how they are going to tease him.

2.5 hours after returning to our hotel, we headed for the airport and the return flight to Sacramento, only 15 hours after we had arrived the evening before.

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To: U.S. West Coast, Alaska, and British Columbia coastal regions
From: NOAA/NWS/West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center
Subject: Tsunami Information Statement issued 05/12/2012 at 9:13PM AKDT

At 9:10 PM Alaskan Daylight Time on May 12, an earthquake with preliminary magnitude 4.0 occurred 55 miles/89 Km northwest of Homer, Alaska .

The magnitude is such that a tsunami WILL NOT be generated. This will be the only WCATWC message issued for this event.

The location and magnitude are based on preliminary information. Further information will be issued by the United States Geological Survey or the appropriate regional seismic network.

We don't usually post a blog on the weekend, but today is National Train Day, commemorating the May 1869 driving of the golden spike that completed the nation's first transcontinental railroad. To mark this special occasion, let's hear what Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Szabo said at a National Train Day celebration earlier today in Chicago.

First, let me say a hearty "Happy National Train Day!" to everyone involved in US rail and to all the fans of our nation's railroads. 

Rail is thriving in the 21st century. Last year, for example, Amtrak carried more than 30 million passengers, setting its eighth ridership record in nine years.  And, judging by the first half of this fiscal year, it looks like they’re on pace to set another record.

If you've been reading the Secretary's blog, then you also know how hard Amtrak has worked to upgrade its tracks and equipment to improve its service. All of those new passengers are riding passenger rail because they're looking for a transportation option that is safe, reliable, affordable, and convenient. And that's what Amtrak provides.

 

Flying in an airplane or driving on the highway –that’s transportation. But riding the rails –that’s how you travel.

For the past three years I’ve had the honor of informing the public about DOT’s historic investments in passenger rail. And it seems fitting today to reiterate President Obama’s message that strengthening passenger rail is vital to America’s economic future.

By 2050, our country will be home to more than 100 million more Americans. And when you look at the drain congestion already puts on our economy –nearly $130 billion a year and growing– rail is the mode with the greatest potential to answer the transportation challenges ahead.

People are also looking for more choices. They’re tired of being stuck behind the wheel, tired of congested airports, and tired of the pain they feel at the pump. 

In line with the demands we've heard voiced by citizens, $2.3 billion in federally-funded rail development projects are under construction or set to break ground this year. 

But even before the High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Program--even before 32 states got started laying and improving track, building new stations, and moving forward with planning studies--America started experiencing a passenger rail renaissance. Amtrak's dramatic ridership increase demonstrates the strength of that revival, and high-speed rail is the critical next step.

In the Midwest, FRA’s state partners are seeing tremendous progress. Early this year, Michigan and Indiana launched 110 MPH service on 80 miles of track between Kalamazoo and Porter, the fastest trains outside the Northeast Corridor.

These 80 miles are just the beginning.

By 2015, nearly 75 percent of the Chicago-St. Louis line and nearly 80 percent of Chicago-Detroit will see sustained speeds of 110 MPH and all new high-performance equipment. Upon full build out and with trip times under four hours, passenger rail will be faster than the interstates. But although that hasn't happened yet, ridership between Chicago and St. Louis has already increased 212 percent during the past five years.

So to us, it’s simple:  If we continue strengthening passenger rail service, even more people will choose it.

America’s rail renaissance has arrived, but it's just getting started. Happy National Train Day to everyone.

Earlier this week, on Teacher Appreciation Day, I tweeted my thanks to Dr. Kenneth Kolb of Bradley University. Sometimes, however, 140 characters isn't enough. As National Teacher Appreciation Week winds down, I want to emphasize the importance of America's excellent teachers.

Now, many people know that my first job after graduating from college was teaching, so I appreciate the work our nation's educators do each day. But, although I taught social studies and have spent much of my career in government, it might surprise you to learn that Bradley's Dr. Kolb was not my Poli-Sci or Econ professor; he taught me Chemistry.

Dr. Kolb did more than teach Chemistry; semester after semester, he taught students the value of science. And when you take students in a required course and get them excited about pursuing careers in science and technology, that's an important contribution.

Across the country, there are thousands of teachers like Dr. Kolb who are getting America's students excited about pursuing coursework and careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics--or STEM. And now more than ever, we need those inspired students. We need them in many different fields, including transportation.

America needs new transportation ideas, and that requires students who know a thing or two about STEM.  To draw up the plans that incorporate those innovative ideas, we need students who know a thing or two about STEM. And, to transform those plans into reality, we need, yes, students who know a thing or two about STEM.

One transportation professional who understands the need to encourage young people to pursue education and work in STEM fields is Captain Mark Kelly. You may recall Captain Kelly as the astronaut who piloted two Space Shuttle missions and commanded another two, including Endeavour's final mission in 2011, just four months after his wife, US Representative Gabby Giffords, was severely injured in an assassination attempt.

Captain Kelly began his academic work at the US Merchant Marine Academy, graduating in 1986 with a BS in Marine Engineering. After a career as a Naval aviator--including flying 39 combat missions in Operation Desert Storm--and before becoming a Shuttle pilot, he also earned a Master's Degree in Aeronautical Engineering.

With his life and the lives of his fellow astronauts depending on the successful design, engineering, construction, and operation of the Shuttle, Captain Kelly understands the value of STEM education. And next month, Captain Kelly will return to his alma mater as the commencement speaker for the Kings Point class of 2012.

We are happy to have him. Very few have demonstrated the dual commitment to science and public service in as visible and bold a way as Captain Mark Kelly, and I, for one can't wait to hear what he has to say.

Given the quality of Captain Kelly's character, I expect a shout-out or two to the STEM teachers who influenced his path, teachers whose contributions continue to make a difference in countless ways.

If you remember a teach who made a difference in your life, Teacher Appreciation Week isn't over. Please use your Facebook status to send your thanks. Or reach out on Twitter using the hashtag #thankateacher.

Summer is coming, and even if you haven't given it much thought, America's youngest drivers have. 

Across the nation, teens are counting the days until summer break; they're ready for beach trips, more free time, and summer jobs. We just want to make sure they're also ready for safe summer driving.

According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data, summer is the deadliest time of year for teen drivers and their passengers. Seven of the top 10 deadliest days of the year occur between the Memorial Day and Labor Day holidays. An average of 422 teens die in traffic crashes each month during the summer compared to a monthly average of 363 teen deaths during the non-summer months.

That's why, every year, the National Organizations for Youth Safety recognize May as Global Youth Traffic Safety Month.

Throughout the month, NOYS advocates are joining forces around the country to help spread the safe driving message and put a stop to these sad statistics.  The May campaign will promote traffic safety for the summer months and ask teens to "Act Out Loud" for youth traffic safety by pledging to make this the "Safest Summer Ever."

And last Tuesday, they kicked off their month of safety activities with a rally on Capitol Hill featuring youth organizations, federal and state leaders, and business and industry partners.

Just as I was about to thank the NOYS teens who have been working hard to make a difference among their peers, the young advocates of NOYS turned around and thanked a number of safety leaders including Senators Rockefeller, Kay Bailey Hutchison, Kirsten Gillebrand, and John Thune; the Allstate Foundation and AT&T; Students Against Distracted Driving; and your Secretary of Transportation.

The impressive young men and women from NOYS are demonstrating leadership and maturity beyond their years, and they are doing everything they can to get their peers to enjoy a safe, fun summer.

Let's do what we can to support those efforts by making sure we model safe, distraction-free driving--during the summer months and all through the year.