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Acknowledgments US Department of Transportation - BTS

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The Association <strong>of</strong> American Railroads (AAR)'s Railroad Ten-Year Trends series is the source for the number <strong>of</strong>railroads. The number <strong>of</strong> Class I railroads is based on 100-percent reporting by Class I railroads to the Surface<strong>Transportation</strong> Board (STB) via Schedule 700 <strong>of</strong> the R1 Annual Report. The STB defines Class I railroads as havingoperating revenues at or above a threshold indexed to a base <strong>of</strong> $250 million (1991) and adjusted annually in concertwith changes in the Railroad Freight Rate Index published by the Bureau <strong>of</strong> Labor Statistics. In 2000, the adjustedthreshold for Class I railroads was $261.9 million. Declassification from Class I status occurs when a railroad fallsbelow the applicable threshold for three consecutive years. Although Class I railroads encompasses only 1 percent <strong>of</strong>the number <strong>of</strong> railroads in the country, they account for over 71 percent <strong>of</strong> the industry's mileage operated.The Association <strong>of</strong> American Railroads determines the number <strong>of</strong> non-Class I railroads through an annual surveysent to every U.S. freight railroad. By following up with nonrespondents, the AAR obtains essentially a census <strong>of</strong>railroads. Use <strong>of</strong> the current survey instrument began in 1986.Interstate Motor CarriersThe Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS), maintained by the U.S. <strong>Department</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Transportation</strong>,Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, contains information on the safety <strong>of</strong> all commercial interstate motorcarriers and hazardous material (HM) shippers subject to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations and theHazardous Materials Regulations. All carriers operating in interstate or foreign commerce within 90 days <strong>of</strong> beginningoperations must submit a Form MCS-150, Motor Carrier Identification Report. Carriers may also use the form toupdate their information. The Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act <strong>of</strong> 1999 requires that reports be periodicallyupdated, but not more than once every two years. MCMIS is updated as soon as information is provided and verified,and periodic archives are made. Historical data are available from summary information previously prepared,including tables and reports. MCMIS began operations in 1980. Safety data since 1990 are available to the public.Marine Vessel OperatorsThe U.S. Army Corps <strong>of</strong> Engineers (<strong>US</strong>ACE) provides the data for marine vessel operators through the Waterborne<strong>Transportation</strong> Lines <strong>of</strong> the United States. Data are collected by the <strong>US</strong>ACE's Navigation Data Center (NDC) byvarious means, including the U.S. Coast Guard's registry, maritime service directories, and waterway sectorpublications. However, an annual survey <strong>of</strong> companies that operate inland waterway vessels is the principle source <strong>of</strong>data. More than 3,000 surveys are sent to these companies and response rates are typically above 90 percent.However, a <strong>US</strong>ACE <strong>of</strong>ficial did report that less than 10 percent <strong>of</strong> the total number <strong>of</strong> companies operating inlandwater vessels either did not receive or respond to the annual survey.Pipeline OperatorsThe Office <strong>of</strong> Pipeline Safety (OPS) in the U.S. <strong>Department</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Transportation</strong>'s Research and Special ProgramsAdministration collects annual report data from natural gas transmission and distribution operators as required by 49CFR 191.17 and 191.11, respectively. Annual data must be submitted by March 15 <strong>of</strong> the following calendar year. Noannual report is required for hazardous liquid pipeline operators. However, information is available through thepipeline safety program. Since 1986, the program has been funded by fees assessed to each OPS-regulated pipelineoperator based on per-mile <strong>of</strong> hazardous pipeline operated. Data for each operator and each mile <strong>of</strong> pipeline arestored in the OPS user-fee database, which is revised annually as updated fees are assessed.Totals for pipeline operators in this table will differ from those in other tables due to differences in the regulatoryauthority <strong>of</strong> <strong>US</strong>DOT and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). FERC regulates only interstatepipelines, whereas DOT regulates both interstate and intrastate pipelines, except for rural gathering lines and some<strong>of</strong>fshore pipelines, which fall under jurisdiction <strong>of</strong> the U.S. Coast Guard or the U.S. <strong>Department</strong> <strong>of</strong> the Interior'sMinerals Management Service. An OPS <strong>of</strong>ficial stated that FERC regulates about two-thirds the amount <strong>of</strong> pipelinemileage that <strong>US</strong>DOT regulates.TABLE 1-3. Number <strong>of</strong> U.S. AirportsThe Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Office <strong>of</strong> Airport Safety and Standards Administrator's Fact Book (annualissues) furnished the data shown in this table and includes airports certified for air carrier operations with aircraft thatseat 30 or more passengers. These airports include civil and joint civil-military use airports, heliports, STOLports(short take<strong>of</strong>f and landing), and seaplane facilities. The FAA obtained this data via physical inspections and mail

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