Transportation Equity Act for 21st Century; implementation: International Mass Transportation Program; comment request,
[Federal Register: June 28, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 123)]
[Notices]
[Page 34693-34696]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28jn99-136]
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
International Mass Transportation Program
AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
SUMMARY: This Notice announces the establishment of a new International Mass Transportation Program (IMTP) by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The purpose of the IMTP, which
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was authorized by Congress at FTA's request, is to strengthen the domestic transit industry by providing it with greater access to information about technological innovations and business opportunities in the global marketplace. This notice describes the statutory basis and proposed structure of the program, and solicits public comments and expressions of interest.
DATES: August 27, 1999.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Edward L. Thomas, Associate Administrator for Research, Demonstration and Innovation (TRI-1), at (202) 366-4052, or Rita Daguillard, International Program Manager, at (202) 366-0955, or in writing at Room 9401, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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Background
The increasing globalization of the world economy has presented great new opportunities and challenges for the mass transportation industry. The vast array of technological innovations available worldwide allows transit providers to offer quicker and better service, attract new ridership, and maximize use of their equipment and infrastructure. Moreover, the lowering of political and economic barriers and the growth of information technology has created an integrated and interconnected global marketplace.
In order to enhance its abilities to help the domestic transit industry take advantage of this new technology and gain greater access to international markets, FTA requested from Congress authorization to establish an international program. On June 9, 1998, President Clinton signed into law the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21). Section 3015 of TEA-21 creates a new Section 5312(e) in Title 49, United States Code, which authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to inform the United States domestic mass transportation community about technological innovations available in the international marketplace and to undertake activities that may afford domestic businesses the opportunity to become globally competitive in the export of mass transportation products and services. That section provides:
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Authority. Title 49 United States Code Section 3015(e) International Mass Transportation Program provides broad authority including:
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Activities The Secretary is authorized to engage in activities to inform the United States domestic mass transportation community about technological innovations available in the international marketplace and activities that may afford domestic businesses the opportunity to become globally competitive in the export of mass transportation products and services. Such activities may include--
(1) Development, monitoring, assessment, and dissemination domestically information about worldwide mass transportation market opportunities;
(2) Cooperation with foreign public sector entities in research, development, demonstration, training, and other forms of technology transfer and exchange of experts and information;
(3) Advocating, in international mass transportation markets of firms, products and services available from the United States;
(4) Informing the international market about the technical quality of mass transportation products and services through participation in seminars, expositions, and similar activities; and
(5) Offering those Federal Transit Administration technical services which cannot be readily obtained from the United States private sector to foreign public authorities planning or undertaking mass transportation projects if the cost of these services will be recovered under the terms of each project.
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Cooperation. The Secretary may carry out activities in cooperation with other Federal agencies, State or local agencies, public and private nonprofit institutions, government laboratories, foreign governments, or any other organization the Secretary determines is appropriate.
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Funding. Funds available to carry out the IMTP include revenues paid to the Secretary by any cooperating organization or person, and may be used to carry out authorized activities, including necessary promotional materials, travel, reception and representation expenses.
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Program Structure
Both the FTA and U.S. Department of Transportation Strategic Plans include advancing America's economic growth and competitiveness domestically and internationally as a primary goal. This goal is the product of extensive public outreach and reflects the input of both public and private sectors of the U.S. mass transportation industry on the proper role of the Federal Government in this area. The overall structure of the IMTP has been designed with this goal in mind, consistent with Congressional intent for the IMTP. Initially the program has been divided into four basic functional categories:
‹bullet› Intergovernmental Cooperation Agreements ‹bullet› Technology/Information Exchange ‹bullet› Human Capacity Building ‹bullet› U. S. Industry Trade Support
Activities and outcomes envisioned for each area are discussed further below. FTA seeks comments from the U.S. domestic mass transportation industry and other interested parties on the proper roles of FTA and other potential participants in each functional area. FTA also seeks views and comments on the appropriateness of the functional areas selected and whether additional functional areas should be included in keeping with the strategic goals of the IMTP.
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Intergovernmental Cooperation Agreements
Active government support for domestic industries is well recognized as a key ingredient to success in the international trade arena. Such support can take many forms as suggested below under the functional category of U.S. Industry Trade Support. A distinctly separate but interrelated function involves the mutual support of the U.S. Government in carrying out its international relations provided to foreign governments and international organizations. FTA and other elements of the U.S. Department of Transportation have entered into a variety of intergovernmental agreements involving technical assistance, technology transfer, international standards, and the like with numerous foreign governments. Implementation of the terms of these agreements is likely to present a variety of trade opportunities for the U.S. domestic transportation industry.
A principal outcome goal of the IMTP, consistent with the statutory mandate, will be to increase activities in cooperation with other Federal agencies, State or local agencies, public and private nonprofit institutions, government laboratories, foreign governments, or industry associations such as the American Public Transit Association and the Intelligent Transportation Society of America.
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Technology/Information Exchange
Over the past two decades, we have entered an Information Age that has created social and economic changes as profound as those brought about by the Industrial Revolution two centuries earlier. New information technologies in the areas of fleet management, traveler information, and electronic payment have greatly affected the delivery of transportation services. A principal outcome goal of the IMTP is to increase
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the availability of information to the U.S. domestic transportation industry in the areas of global transportation innovation and trade. In this Information Age it is impractical to think in terms of any one agency serving as the single source of information for any industry. However, given FTA's experience in international technology transfer and information exchange, FTA can play a pivotal role. A primary example is FTA's participation in the Transportation Research Information Service (TRIS) and the international database, TRANSPORT, which is the result of international cooperation among the U.S. Department of Transportation, Transportation Research Board, Road Transport Research Program of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and the European Conference of Ministers of Transport.
FTA is aware of complaints from the U.S. domestic transportation industry that technology transfer and information exchange is heavily weighted towards the outflow of U.S. know-how in dealings with certain foreign government agencies and organizations, to the distinct disadvantage of the U.S. domestic transportation industry. It is a basic tenet of the IMTP that technology transfer and information exchange be a two-way communication at all levels. Like intergovernmental agreements, this area holds the potential for offering additional trade opportunities for the U.S. domestic transportation industry. It also serves as a major resource for advancing FTA's goals in the area of human capacity building.
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Human Capacity Building
This functional area includes a variety of activities directed towards two primary outcome goals (1) increasing the capacity of the U.S. domestic mass transportation industry to compete internationally; and (2) increasing the technical capacity of foreign mass transportation providers, both public and private, to meet the mobility needs of their traveling publics.
Towards the first goal, FTA will offer basic and advanced training to the U.S. domestic transportation industry in fundamentals of international trade and finance. Such training would include a full range of subjects such as U.S. Department of Commerce, State, and Defense regulations affecting export of goods and services to regulatory requirements applicable to foreign importers such as the International Standards Organization (ISO) standards for quality control (ISO 9000) and environmental protection (ISO 14000). FTA can facilitate briefings by other Federal agencies such as U.S. Agency for International Development for knowledge on the roles and resources offered by such agencies to assist the U.S. domestic transportation industry in the international arena. In carrying out these activities, FTA will work closely with representatives of the U.S. domestic mass transportation industry, such as the Business Members Board of Governors of the American Public Transit Association, to identify and prioritize industry needs.
Towards the second goal, FTA will assist foreign mass transit providers, both public and private, in building the human capacity necessary to plan, design, build and operate their own domestic transportation systems. In so doing, FTA will showcase U.S. transportation technology and innovative practices. To the maximum extent practicable, this effort will be carried out through the promotion and use of products and services offered by the U.S. domestic mass transportation industry.
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U.S. Industry Trade Support
The U.S. domestic transportation industry is inextricably entwined with the international transportation industry. In today's global marketplace the U.S. transportation industry simply cannot survive unless it remains internationally competitive. The survival of other U.S. domestic industries is similarly tied to the economic health and vitality of the domestic transportation industry, as is the quality of life and mobility options of all residents in the United States. But what is the appropriate role for the FTA? TEA-21 is reasonably explicit concerning the broad types of activities FTA may carry out under the IMTP, as discussed under paragraph 1 above. Notwithstanding, FTA will look to the U.S. transportation industry, both public and private sector representatives, to say which of these activities are most needed and how they should be deployed at any given time.
Thus, FTA has identified a series of concrete steps, in addition to those previously discussed, which might be undertaken within the scope of the IMTP, to supplement, rather than supplant, the efforts of the industry itself and other stakeholders. FTA seeks comment and suggestions on how FTA should approach each area, as well as thoughts on other avenues that might be taken to achieve our strategic planning goals.
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Implementation and Funding of Program Activities
Section 3015 of TEA-21 provides that IMTP program activities may be carried out with revenues paid to FTA by any cooperating organization or person. FTA seeks recommendations and suggestions on how such entities could make financial contributions to each of the proposed IMTP activities. In particular, FTA seeks comment on which activities should be funded; and, what levels of funding are appropriate for each activity? Commenters are also invited to identify program activities in addition to those listed below, indicate which organizations or individuals would participate in them, and how and by whom they would be funded. FTA will describe specific mechanisms for those program activities in its final notice on the IMTP.
(1) International Mass Transit Displays
Visual displays, literature and promotional materials/items supporting advocacy for U.S. efforts abroad would be provided. Video presentations on the IMTP and products and services available from U.S. domestic transportation industry suppliers would be prepared and distributed for use by presenters at appropriate events such as those sponsored by the American Public Transit Association, World Bank, State Department, Commerce Department and similar organizations.
(2) Speakers Bureau
FTA can serve as a clearinghouse for representatives of the U.S. domestic transportation industry willing to make speeches and provide technical presentations at both national and international meetings, conferences, trade fairs and the like.
(3) Co-sponsorship of International Conferences
It may be appropriate for FTA to provide a modest amount of funds, through cooperative arrangements with other public and private sector organizations, to co-sponsor events which provide opportunities for promoting the goals of the IMTP.
(4) International Mass Transportation Program Forum
FTA envisons holding one or more outreach events to promote the IMTP and to obtain public input on the program structure and direction.
(5) Scanning Tours
FTA plans to give continued support to the international scanning tours conducted under the FTA's Transit Cooperative Research Program managed
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by the National Academy of Sciences, Transportation Research Board, whereby representatives of the U.S. domestic transit agencies travel to foreign countries to acquaint themselves with innovative technologies and solutions to transportation challenges. Similar tours could be organized for members of the business community. Moreover, FTA envisions establishing exchange programs which would bring foreign nationals to the United States, both to educate and inform the U.S. transportation industry, and to learn what the U.S. domestic industry may have to offer. This is a particularly promising venue for promoting the export of U.S. goods and services.
(6) Trade Missions
FTA could co-sponsor trade missions for various sectors of the U.S. domestic transportation industry either directly or through the auspices of other organizations such as the Commerce Department.
(7) Identification of Opportunities
FTA cannot hope to duplicate the resources of either government agencies whose principal function concerns international trade, or large international firms, when it comes to identifying overseas business opportunities. However, FTA can assist those entities in identifying domestic companies which are not yet engaged in international commerce, but could partner with the more sophisticated entities for mutual benefit. Additionally, implementation of our international agreements frequently involves discussion of technical matters that could lead to business opportunities for the U.S. domestic transportation industry.
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Request for Comments
FTA is seeking comment on these proposed activities and expressions of interest from all stakeholders with an interest in the IMTP. After consideration of these comments, FTA will publish a final notice describing the activities to be undertaken under the IMTP.
Issued on: June 22, 1999. Gordon J. Linton, Administrator.
[FR Doc. 99-16357Filed6-25-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-P
