Introduction

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) is a component of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA). RITA coordinates the U.S. Department of Transportation's ever-increasing range of pioneering transportation and transportation-related activities, statistical programs, research efforts, and advanced technologies. RITA has several statutory missions, including comprehensive transportation research, analysis, and statistics reporting.

In response to the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of 1991, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) established BTS in 1992. BTS creates, manages, and shares transportation statistical knowledge with public and private transportation communities and the Nation. This mission is served by developing quality transportation data, promoting transportation knowledge through statistical products, and advancing effective use of this knowledge by public and private transportation decision-makers, researchers, and the American people. In sum, BTS is a high-performance, results-oriented organization committed to creating, managing, and sharing transportation statistical knowledge.

A director, appointed by the Secretary of Transportation, leads BTS and reports to the RITA Administrator. BTS staff focus their expertise in transportation, statistics, economics, information technology, library sciences, and geographic information systems on a wide-range of transportation matters - with proven results. BTS is committed to all transportation and transportation-related subject matters.

The Bureau's customers and stakeholders include:

• Members of Congress;
• The White House;
• The Secretary of Transportation;
• Federal agencies;
• State and local governments, including their departments of transportation;
• Transit agencies;
• Metropolitan planning organizations;
• Universities;
• Private industry;
• Researchers; and
• The general public.