DOT Safety Council to take safety commitment to next level

On Oct. 26, Secretary Ray LaHood convened the first meeting of a newly created U.S. Department of Transportation Safety Council formed to tackle critical transportation safety issues facing the department's 10 operating administrations.

"Now is the time to
identify and address the top safety issues that cut across our agencies," said
Secretary LaHood. "The Council will take our commitment to safety, which is our
highest priority, to the next level."

Before taking office,
Secretary LaHood saw that many important safety initiatives were being pursued
in the department’s agencies without a formal process for sharing data, best
practices and strategies. Secretary LaHood created the Safety Council to serve
that broad-based safety leadership role and help break down organizational
stovepipes, enabling an even stronger safety culture.

The goals of the Safety
Council are to further enhance the safety focus throughout all agencies of the
department and improve the impact of the department’s safety programs.

The Council, chaired by
Transportation Deputy Secretary John Porcari, is comprised of the heads of the
Department’s 10 agencies: the Federal Aviation Administration, the Federal
Highway Administration, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the
Federal Railroad Administration, the Federal Transit Administration, the
Maritime Administration, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,
the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, the Research and
Innovative Technology Administration and the St. Lawrence Seaway Development
Corporation. 

Deputy Secretary Porcari
said the Council will be action oriented, data driven, emphasize open dialogue
about common issues and provide a forum for fresh ideas and new perspectives.

"The Council will enhance
the department’s safety culture which should then resonate out into industry,"
said Deputy Secretary Porcari.