The federal-aid highway program provides $33 billion a year to states for highway projects. The fed. gov¿t. provides funding for and oversees this program, while states largely choose and manage the projects. This report reviewed the Federal Highway Admin.'s (FHWA) implementation of several requirements in the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: (1) oversight of states using a risk management approach; (2) efforts to develop minimum standards for estimating project costs, and periodically evaluate states' cost estimating practices; and (3) reviews of states' financial management systems. Also reviews FHWA's policy on presenting an estimate of financing costs in financial plans for major projects. Charts and tables.
The USPS recently reported that its financial results for the first half of this fiscal year -- a net loss of $2.6 billion -- are worse than projected. USPS expects continued financial challenges as mail volume continues to decline. Most notable is the decline of First-Class Mail (its most profitable mail) by over 25 billion pieces, or about 25%, over the past decade. There have been reports on proposals to revise USPS pension and retiree health obligations, but such actions alone will not be sufficient to address the accelerating volume decline and changing use of the mail. This statement discusses: (1) why it is important to restructure USPS's networks; and (2) what actions are needed to facilitate additional progress. Illustrations. This is a print on demand report.
To help meet increasing transportation demands, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) created three programs to invest federal funds in national and regional transportation infrastructure. This report provides: (1) an overview of the goals, funding status, and types of projects and activities funded by the three programs; (2) advantages and challenges identified by program stakeholders; and (3) potential program enhancements. The auditor reviewed pertinent federal laws and rules; examined plans for selected projects; conducted site visits; and interviewed officials, stakeholders, and experts. Includes recommendations. Charts and tables.
The U.S. Postal Service's (USPS) financial condition and outlook deteriorated significantly during FY 2009. USPS was not able to cut costs fast enough to offset declining mail volume and revenues resulting from the economic recession and changes in the use of mail, such as electronic bill payment. The USPS needs to restructure to improve its financial viability. Declines in mail volume and revenue, large financial losses, increasing debt, and financial obligations will continue to challenge USPS. This testimony provides: (1) info. on USPS's financial condition and forecast; and (2) the need for USPS restructuring. In addition, questions and issues are included for Congress to consider regarding USPS's proposal to reduce delivery from 6 to 5 days.
The U.S. Postal Service¿s (USPS) financial condition has worsened since Jan. 2009, with the recession and changing mail use causing dramatic declines in mail volume and revenues despite postal rate increases. USPS expects these declines to lead to losses and cash shortfalls even if ambitious cost-cutting is achieved. USPS¿s business model has relied on growth in mail volume to cover costs, but USPS has not been able to cut costs fast enough to offset the accelerated decline in mail volume and revenue. This testimony: (1) updates USPS¿s financial condition and outlook and explains the decision to place USPS¿s financial condition on the High-Risk List; and (2) presents options and actions that the USPS can take. Charts and tables.
USPS's financial condition has deteriorated. Mail volume declined by a record 9.5 billion pieces (4.5%) in FY 2008, leading to a loss of $2.8 billion -- the second largest since 1971. This was largely due to declines in the economy, esp. in the financial and housing sectors, as well as shifts in transactions, messages, and advertising from mail to electronic alternatives. Declining mail volume flattened revenues despite rate increases, while USPS's cost-cutting efforts were insufficient to offset the impact of declining mail volume and rising costs in fuel and cost-of-living allowances for postal employees. This testimony focuses on: (1) USPS's financial condition and outlook; and (2) options for USPS to remain financially viable in the short and long term. Illus.
In Dec. 2006, the USPS had just completed FY 2006 with its largest mail volume ever -- 213 billion pieces of mail and a net income of $900 million. Two years later, USPS's mail volume dropped almost 5% -- the largest single-year decline. USPS was facing a potential net loss of over $1 billion for FY 2008. USPS anticipated continued deterioration due to the econ. slowdown, as the financial, credit, and housing sectors are among its key bus. drivers. The shifts in transactions and messages from mail to electronic commun. and from advertising mail to electronic media have affected the USPS's financial situation. This testimony focuses on: (1) USPS's financial condition and outlook; and (2) options and actions for USPS to remain financially viable. Illus.
The U.S. Postal Service's (USPS) financial condition has worsened this year, with the recession and changing mail use causing declines in mail volume and revenues despite postal rate increases. The USPS expects these declines to lead to a record net loss and an unprecedented cash shortfall even if ambitious cost cutting is achieved. Delivery accounts for nearly half of USPS salary and benefit costs. This testimony: (1) updates USPS's financial condition and outlook; and (2) discusses the need for USPS to restructure its mail processing, retail, and delivery networks and its efforts to improve their efficiency. Charts and tables.
Over 80% of the approx. 200 billion mail pieces processed and delivered by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) last year was sent by commercial mailers that barcode, sort, or transport mail to get lower postage rates. Starting in May 2009, USPS will encourage these mailers to use new barcodes that have increased capabilities as part of Intelligent Mail, a new program. According to USPS, Intelligent Mail is the most complex change it has ever undertaken. This report describes: (1) the Intelligent Mail program and the status of implementation efforts; and (2) the key risks to implementing Intelligent Mail and how USPS is addressing these risks. Includes recommendations. Charts and tables.
Through the statewide transportation planning process, states decide how to spend fed. transportation funds -- almost $46 billion in FY 2009. Draft legislation to reauthorize federal surface transportation legislation would, among other things, revise planning requirements to recognize states' use of rural planning org. (RPO) and require performance measurement. This report examined: (1) states' planning activities and RPOs' satisfaction that rural needs are considered; (2) states' planning challenges; (3) the U.S. Dept. of Transportation's approach to overseeing statewide planning; and (4) states' use of performance measurement and opportunities to make statewide planning more performance based. Tables. This is a print on demand report.
The recession accelerated declines in mail volume in FY 2008 and flattened revenues despite postal rate increases. That year, mail volume fell by 9.5 billion pieces, or 4.5%, and resulted in a net loss of $2.8 billion. USPS's financial condition has continued to deteriorate in the first 5 months of FY 2009, with accelerating declines in mail volume and financial losses. This testimony updates that info. and focuses on: (1) how USPS's financial viability is challenged given current economic conditions and whether USPS can cover its expenses and financial obligations; (2) USPS's opportunities to rightsize its retail and mail processing networks; and (3) what options and trade-offs need to be considered to address mail volume and revenue declines. Illus.
The U.S. Postal Service's (USPS) financial condition and outlook are deteriorating because revenues are not sufficient to cover its expenses and financial obligations. These challenges continue to threaten USPS's financial viability. USPS also faces cost pressures from maintaining a national network of processing, retail, and delivery operations. This testimony discusses: (1) updated information on USPS's financial condition and outlook; and (2) actions needed to modernize and restructure USPS. Charts and tables. This is a print on demand edition of an important, hard-to-find publication.
The U.S. Postal Service's (USPS) financial condition and outlook deteriorated significantly during FY 2009. USPS was not able to cut costs fast enough to offset declining mail vol. and revenues resulting from the economic downturn and changing mail use. USPS would not be able to make the $5.4 billion payment to prefund postal retiree health benefits that was due by the end of the year. This testimony: (1) updates USPS's financial condition and outlook; (2) describes changes made by the Postal Account. and Enhancement Act of 2006 that provided USPS with greater flexibility to generate revenues; (3) outlines USPS's revenue-generation actions and results using this flexibility; and (4) discusses options to generate increased revenues in the future.
Reports have been issued on the USPS strategy for realigning its mail processing network and improving delivery performance info. These reports recommended that the USPS: (1) strengthen planning and the overall integration of its realignment efforts, and enhance accountability by establishing measurable targets and evaluating results; (2) improve delivery service standards and performance measures; and (3) improve communication with stakeholders by improving public notice, engagement, and transparency. This testimony discusses USPS¿s actions toward: (1) strengthening network realignment planning and accountability; (2) improving delivery performance info.; and (3) improving communication with stakeholders. Charts and tables.
As part of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) round, the DoD plans to relocate over 123,000 military and DoD civilian personnel, thereby increasing the staffing at 18 bases nationwide. In addition, DoD and local officials expect thousands of dependents and DoD contractor employees to relocate to communities near the BRAC 2005 growth bases. These actions will greatly increase traffic in the surrounding communities. This report assesses and reports on the impact of BRAC-related growth on transport. systems and on the responses of fed., state, and local governments. This report determined the: (1) expected impact on transport. in communities affected by BRAC decisions; and (2) fed., state, and local response to the expected impacts.
The USPS's financial outlook has deteriorated as customers have shifted to electronic alternatives. Mail volumes have declined over 20% since FY 2006 and are expected to continue declining. To help its financial outlook, in March 2010, USPS presented a detailed proposal to move from a 6-day to a 5-day delivery schedule. USPS projected this would save about $3 billion annually and reduce mail volume by less than l%. This proposal factors in widespread changes to USPS's workforce and networks. This report assessed: (1) USPS's cost and volume estimates and the operational impacts associated with its 5-day delivery proposal; and (2) the trade-offs and other implications associated with this proposal. Illus. A print on demand report.
The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2006 required an evaluation of strategies and options for reforms of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). USPS¿s business model is to fulfill its mission through self-supporting, businesslike operations; however, USPS has experienced increasing difficulties. Due to volume declines, losses, a cash shortage, and rising debt, the USPS was added to a high-risk list in July 2009. The objectives of this report were to assess: (1) the viability of USPS¿s business model; (2) strategies and options to address challenges to its business model; and (3) actions Congress and USPS need to take to facilitate progress toward financial viability. Includes recommendations. Charts and tables.
Road, rail, and waterway freight transportation is vital to the nation's economy. Gov't., tax, regulatory, and infrastructure investment policies can affect the costs that shippers pass on to their customers. If gov't. policy gives one mode a cost advantage over another, then shipping prices and customers' use of freight modes can be distorted, reducing the overall efficiency of the nation's economy. This report: (1) describes how gov't. policies can affect competition and efficiency within the surface freight transportation sector; (2) determines what is known about the extent to which all costs are borne by surface freight customers; and (3) discusses the use of the findings when making surface freight transportation policy. Illus. A print on demand report.
The foreign postal operators (foreign posts) in industrialized countries have been experiencing declining letter mail volumes and have modernized their delivery and retail networks to address this challenge. This report reviewed the innovations and initiatives that foreign posts are using and the lessons the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) might learn to help it address plummeting mail volumes and record financial losses. The report examines initiatives foreign posts have implemented to improve mail delivery and retail networks and related results, and modernization strategies used by foreign posts that can inform consideration of proposals to improve USPS's financial condition and customer service. Illus. This is a print on demand report.
The Highway Trust Fund (HTF) was created in 1956 to finance the construction of the Interstate Highway System. The 2005 SAFETEA-LU Act authorized $244.1 billion over 5 years for highways, highway safety, and public transport. In addition to authorizing funds for construction and maint. of highways and bridges, the act specifies other purposes for which funding may be used, including safety; metro. planning; transit; and transport. enhancement activities, such as trails for transport. purposes, pedestrian walkways, bicycle lanes and parking, and related projects. This report provides info. on the amount of HTF monies the DoT agencies obligated for purposes other than construction and maint. of highways and bridges during fiscal years 2004-08.
This is a print on demand edition of a hard to find publication. One in four bridges in the United States is either structurally deficient and in need of repair, or functionally obsolete and is not adequate for today's traffic. The Highway Bridge Program (HBP), the primary source of federal funding for bridges, provided about $7 billion to states in fiscal year 2010. This testimony addresses: (1) the current state of the nation's bridges and the impacts of the HBP; and (2) the extent to which the HBP aligns with principles developed to guide the re-examination of surface transportation programs. This testimony is based on prior reports, updated with bridge data and information provided by agency officials. Charts and tables.
The Highway Account (HA) within the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) is the principal means for funding fed. highway programs. It channels about $33 billion in highway user excise taxes annually to states for highway and related spending. Estimated outlays from the HA exceeded estimated receipts throughout the authorization period -- FY 2005 through 2009. Furthermore, actual HA receipts were lower than had been estimated and the HA balance dropped more rapidly than anticipated, approaching zero in Aug. 2008. This statement summarizes work on: (1) the collection and distribution process for the HA of the HTF; (2) options for improving long-term sustainability of the HTF; and (3) mechanisms to help manage HA solvency. Figures.
The Fed. Transit Admin. (FTA) oversees about $5.5 billion in fed. funds each year to transit agencies serving urban areas (grantee), in part through its triennial review program, which evaluates grantee adherence to fed. requirements at least once every 3 years. It was recommended in a 1998 oversight report that FTA improve the program. This report identifies: (1) the extent to which triennial reviews indicate that grantees meet applicable fed. requirements from FY 2000 through 2008; (2) the strengths and weaknesses of the triennial review process; and (3) FTA's performance measures for the triennial review and the extent to which they meet key attributes of successful performance measures. Includes recommend. Illustrations.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) provided more than $48 billion to the Department of Transportation (DoT) to be distributed through existing programs and through two new competitive grant programs ¿ high speed intercity passenger rail and the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program. This testimony addresses the: (1) status and use of Recovery Act transportation funds; (2) outcomes and long-term benefits of Recovery Act transportation investments; and (3) lessons learned from DoT¿s and states¿ experiences implementing the Recovery Act. Charts and tables. This is a print on demand edition of an important, hard-to-find publication.
The Highway Account within the Highway Trust Fund is the primary mechanism for funding fed. highway programs. The account -- administered by the Fed. Highway Admin. (FHWA) -- channels about $33 billion in highway user excise taxes annually to states for highway projects. A shortfall in the balance became imminent in Aug. 2008. In Sept., Congress passed legislation to provide $8 billion to replenish the account, but officials anticipate the account could reach a critical stage again in FY 2009. This report: (1) describes the events that led to the decline in the account balance; and (2) identifies potential improvements in mechanisms to manage account solvency. Includes strategies that could be used to better align account outlays and revenues.
In Oct. 2001, spores of the deadly bacterium anthrax were found in mail sent to members of the news media and congressional leaders. In all, 22 people were infected with anthrax and 5 people died, including 2 postal workers. The U.S. Postal Service took a variety of steps to protect people from biohazards in the mail. For ex., it began contracting for the irradiation of mail to recipients at the Congress, the White House, and fed. agencies with specific ZIP Codes (20201 through 20597) in the Wash., D.C., area. This report describes: the vol. of mail irradiated and how the vol. has changed; the cost of irradiating mail and how the cost has changed; and the extent to which irradiation delays mail deliveries and how these delivery delays have changed. Illus.
This report on the uses of and accountability for ARRA funds in selected states and localities focuses on the $48 billion provided to the Dept. of Transport. (DoT) to invest in transport. infrastructure. It also examines the quality of recipients' reports about the jobs created and retained with ARRA transport. funds. This report addresses the: (1) status, use, and outcomes of ARRA transport. funding nationwide and in selected states; (2) actions taken by federal, state, and other agencies to monitor and ensure accountability for those funds; (3) changes in the quality of jobs data reported by ARRA recipients of transport. funds over time; and (4) challenges faced and lessons learned from DoT and recipients. Charts and tables. This is a print on demand report.
The USPS's financial condition and outlook deteriorated sharply during FY 2007 through 2009. USPS actions to cut costs and increase revenues were insufficient to offset declines in mail volume and revenues. Mail volume declined 20% from FY 2006 to FY 2010. Volume declines resulted from the recession and changes in the use of mail as transactions and messages continued to shift to electronic alternatives. This trend exposes weaknesses in USPS's business model. This testimony discusses: (1) updated info. on USPS's financial condition and outlook; (2) the need to modernize and restructure USPS; and (3) key issues that need to be addressed by postal legislation. Charts and tables. This is a print on demand report.
Thank you for visiting our website. Would you like to provide feedback on how we could improve your experience?
This site does not use any third party cookies with one exception — it uses cookies from Google to deliver its services and to analyze traffic.Learn More.