News from the US DOT Office of Public Engagement
1) Alternative Fuels Corridors
2) DOT and Southwest Airlines Agreement re: Accessible Airport Kiosks for Persons with Disabilities
1) Alternative Fuel Corridors: Advancing America’s 21st Century Transportation Network
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is establishing a national network of alternative fueling and charging infrastructure for electric, natural gas (LNG and CNG), hydrogen, and propane fuel vehicles across the country. “Alternative fuels and electric vehicles will play an integral part in the future of America’s transportation system,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “We have a duty to help drivers identify routes that will help them refuel and recharge those vehicles and designating these corridors on our highways is a first step.” FHWA Administrator Nadeau announced the designations yesterday, saying “this initial designation sets the stage for the next round of nominations early next year and begins a conversation with stakeholders about developing and implementing a vision to enable coast to coast travel using alternative fuels.”
The corridor designations were divided into two categories. Signage-ready corridors currently have sufficient facilities to warrant signage along the corridor. Signage-pending corridors currently have demonstrated plans for future operational infrastructure, and FHWA will work with state and local agencies in these areas to identify existing barriers related to the installation of facilities. The network of corridors announced yesterday includes 55 Interstates (entire length or portions) in 35 states, plus D.C., designated as signage-ready for one or more fuels.
For more information and national maps for each fuel type, visit http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/alternative_fuel_corridors/
The Obama Administration announced the corridor designations as part of a set of actions to accelerate deployment of electrical vehicles and charging infrastructure, including partnerships with state and local governments, manufacturers, and organizations to deploy infrastructure on the corridors, commitments from state and local governments to increase procurement of electric vehicles, deployment scenario studies by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and sign on by new businesses, non-profits, universities, and utilities to DOE’s Workplace Charging Challenge. To learn more, visithttps://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/11/03/obama-administration-announces-new-actions-accelerate-deployment
2) DOT and Southwest Airlines Agreement Greatly Improves Availability of Accessible Airport Kiosks for Persons with Disabilities
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced today that it has reached an agreement with Southwest Airlines in which the airline will ensure that at least 50 percent of its kiosks at U.S. airports are accessible to passengers with disabilities by September 30, 2017. In addition, any automated kiosk that Southwest installs after that date will be an accessible model, so that in the future, 100 percent of its kiosks will be accessible to passengers with disabilities.
Kiosks installed at U.S. airports are used for a variety of functions, such as printing boarding passes and baggage tags, scanning passports to check-in, and canceling or rebooking tickets.
“This agreement will enable people with disabilities to travel more independently by ensuring that there are significantly more accessible airport kiosks available for their use,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “The Department is committed to ensuring that our air transportation system is accessible for everyone. We commend the efforts of all airlines that are actively working to ensure that they meet the Department’s accessibility requirements for automated kiosks, and credit Southwest for instituting additional measures under this agreement to improve accessibility for its passengers.”
The agreement is available at www.regulations.gov, docket DOT-OST-2016-0202.
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US DOT Public Engagement Team
Tags: Department of Transportation, US DOT