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NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.
This study was supported by Contract/Grant No. SBR-9709489 between the National Academy of Sciences and the National Science Foundation. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organizations or agencies that provided support for the project.
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Suggested citation: National Research Council (2002) Key Transportation Indicators: Summary of a Workshop. Committee on National Statistics. Janet Norwood and Jamie Casey, Editors. Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES
National Academy of Sciences
National Academy of Engineering
Institute of Medicine
National Research Council
The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Bruce M. Alberts is president of the National Academy of Sciences.
The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. Wm. A. Wulf is president of the National Academy of Engineering.
The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Kenneth I. Shine is president of the Institute of Medicine.
The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy’s purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Bruce M. Alberts and Dr. Wm. A. Wulf are chairman and vice chairman, respectively, of the National Research Council.
COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL STATISTICS 2001
JOHN E. ROLPH (Chair),
Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California
JOSEPH G. ALTONJI,
Department of Economics, Northwestern University
LAWRENCE D. BROWN,
The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
JULIE DAVANZO,
RAND, Santa Monica, California
ROBERT M. GROVES,
Joint Program in Survey Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park
HERMANN HABERMANN,
Statistics Division, United Nations, New York
JOEL HOROWITZ,
Department of Economics, The University of Iowa
WILLIAM KALSBEEK,
Department of Biostatistics, University of North Carolina
RODERICK J.A. LITTLE,
School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
THOMAS A. LOUIS,
RAND, Arlington, Virginia
DARYL PREGIBON,
AT&T Laboratories-Research, Florham Park, New Jersey
FRANCISCO J. SAMANIEGO,
Division of Statistics, University of California, Davis
RICHARD L. SCHMALENSEE,
Sloan School of Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MATTHEW D. SHAPIRO,
Department of Economics, Survey Research Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
ANDREW A. WHITE, Director
Acknowledgments
The Committee on National Statistics (CNSTAT) appreciates the time, effort, and valuable input of the many people who contributed to the Workshop on Key Transportation Indicators and to the preparation of this report. We would first like to thank the members of the various subgroups of workshop participants who presented suggestions for key indicators with a discussion of conceptual, measurement, and data issues at the workshop. Their names and affiliations are listed in the introduction to this report. We would also like to thank Ashish Sen, director of the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, for his input, interest, and funding. Thanks are due especially to Janet Norwood, who, as workshop chair, provided valuable advice during the planning stages and the leadership necessary for conducting a successful workshop.
Several CNSTAT staff members also deserve special thanks. Miron Straf served as study director for this workshop. His excellent research and planning made the workshop possible. Terri Scanlan, program associate, and Carrie Muntean, research assistant, very ably assisted Dr. Straf in the planning of the workshop. Jamie Casey served as project assistant for the workshop and was responsible for all of the logistical details; subsequently, as research assistant, she was responsible for the preparation of the report. Constance Citro, senior program officer, reviewed drafts of this report and offered excellent advice and support throughout the writing and review stages. Christine McShane edited the final draft of this report and led it
through publication. Eugenia Grohman, associate director for reports in the Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, led the report through the review process.
This report has been reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise, in accordance with procedures approved by the Report Review Committee of the National Research Council. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the institution in making the published report as sound as possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process.
We thank the following individuals for their participation in the review of this report: Joel Horowitz, Department of Economics, Northwestern University; Robert Martinez, Norford Southern Corporation, Norfolk, Virginia; and C. Kenneth Orski, Corporation for Urban Mobility, Washington, DC.
Although the reviewers listed above have provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the final draft of the report before its release. The review of this report was overseen by Thomas D. Larson, Lemont, Pennsylvania. Appointed by the National Research Council, he was responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this report was carried out in accordance with institutional procedures and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content of this report rests entirely with the authoring committee and the institution.
John Rolph, Chair
Committee on National Statistics