GPRA is intended to shift the focus of government decisionmaking, management, and accountability from activities and processes to the results and outcomes achieved by federal programs. New and valuable information on the plans, goals, and strategies of federal agencies has been provided since federal agencies began implementing GPRA. Under GPRA, annual performance plans are to clearly inform the Congress and the public of (1) the annual performance goals for agencies’ major programs and activities, (2) the measures that will be used to gauge performance, (3) the strategies and resources required to achieve the performance goals, and (4) the procedures that will be used to verify and validate performance information. These annual plans, issued soon after transmittal of the president’s budget, provide a direct linkage between an agency’s longer term goals and mission and day-to-day activities. Annual performance reports are to subsequently report on the degree to which performance goals were met. The issuance of the agencies’ performance reports, due by March 31, represents a new and potentially more substantive phase in the implementation of GPRA—the opportunity to assess federal agencies’ actual performance for the prior fiscal year and to consider what steps are needed to improve performance and reduce costs in the future. DOT’s mission is to ensure a safe transportation system that furthers our vital national interests and enhances the quality of life of the American people. The agency has identified five strategic goals for achieving that mission: (1) eliminating transportation-related deaths and injuries; (2) shaping an accessible, reliable transportation system; (3) supporting economic growth; (4) protecting the environment; and (5) ensuring the security of the transportation infrastructure and the country. DOT’s combined performance plan and report is organized around these strategic goals. Table 1 illustrates how the report’s four key outcomes and their supporting performance measures correspond to DOT’s strategic goals. This section discusses our analysis of DOT’s performance in achieving selected key outcomes and the strategies the agency has in place, particularly strategic human capital management and information technology, for accomplishing these outcomes. Although DOT did not include specific human capital or information technology strategies for the four outcomes we reviewed, the Department did address these strategies in other parts of its performance report. In discussing the outcomes, we have also provided information drawn from our prior work on the extent to which the agency provided assurance that the performance information it is reporting is credible. For fiscal year 2000, DOT’s progress in achieving fewer transportation- related accidents, deaths, injuries, and property losses was limited. The Department reported the least success in highway safety—it did not meet any of its goals in this area. For example, DOT failed to meet its goals for reducing highway-related fatalities and injuries, despite meeting both goals in 1999. DOT’s best performance was in marine and hazardous material transport safety—it met all of its goals in these areas. DOT’s progress in and strategies for achieving its fiscal year 2000 goals are discussed below for the areas of highway, aviation, marine, pipeline, rail, and transit safety. Regarding highway safety, DOT had expected to achieve at least three of the six key goals, but it did not meet any of them (see table 2). For example, DOT did not meet its goal of less than 4,934 large truck-related fatalities in 2000. On the basis of estimated data, DOT reported that 5,307 fatalities involving large trucks occurred in 2000, which was a slight improvement from 1999 when 5,362 large truck-related fatalities occurred. DOT provided explanations for not achieving its highway safety goals. For example, DOT attributes the increase in highway fatalities to a continued increase in motorcycle fatalities and deaths of young drivers. For three of the unmet goals, performance improved compared to 1999. For example, DOT has made progress in seatbelt use; the 71-percent rate of front seat occupants using seat belts achieved in 2000 represents the highest in our nation’s history. This rate, however, was below DOT’s goal to increase seat belt usage to 85 percent. DOT’s highway safety data for 2000 are all preliminary estimates. The report notes that timeliness of performance information is a significant limitation of data from outside the agency— highway safety data comes from police reports and state data—and preliminary estimates are based on extrapolations of partial-year data. DOT reports that its data on highway fatalities and injuries have been in use for many years and are generally accepted as accurate. However, we have reported that DOT lacks high-quality, up-to-date information on the causes of large truck crashes; and, as a result, DOT has begun to improve its data on the causes of these crashes. For the most part, DOT’s strategies to improve highway safety appear reasonable; however, they may be insufficient to meet many of the agency’s 2001 goals in this area (see table 3). Some strategies, such as improving and expanding oversight and enforcement activities and improving safety data collection concerning motor carriers, address concerns that have been raised by GAO and DOT’s IG (see app. I). The strategies also include a large-scale safety awareness program targeted at teenage drivers and the Safe Communities program, which provides grants to develop and implement community-based transportation safety programs. DOT’s evaluation of the Safe Communities program showed success in some communities, such as Dallas, TX, where the use of child safety seats more than doubled following the implementation of a child safety seat loaner program. The agency is also proposing an increase in the resources available to counter the increase in fatality and injury rates by more than $30 million in fiscal year 2002. DOT does not indicate any activities to specifically address motorcycle fatalities, which had increased 8 percent from 1999 to 2000. In the area of aviation safety, DOT reported that it met its fiscal 2000 goal for reducing the rate of fatal commercial aviation accidents but did not achieve its other two goals—to reduce the rate of runway incursions that create dangerous situations that can lead to serious accidents and reduce the rates of air traffic operational errors and deviations. (See fig. 1.) For the three unmet goals, performance worsened compared to 1999, and DOT is skeptical that it will be able to reach the goals in 2001. DOT attributed these trends to improved reporting and tracking as well as greater flight volume in congested and restricted airspace. DOT’s performance report indicated that there is no significant and/or systematic error in the counts of accidents, runway incursions, operation errors, or operational deviations. In addition, the Department reported that it regularly checks or validates these data sets. On the basis of a joint government/industry working group determination and a GAO recommendation, DOT has switched to the use of departures rather than flight hours for determining the rate of air carrier fatalities. To improve aviation safety, FAA is implementing several initiatives designed to address shortcomings in training; technology; communications; and airport signs, marking, and lighting. FAA will also investigate the use of new safety technologies. In addition, to reduce runway incursions, the agency is undertaking initiatives to improve communications among controllers, pilots, and ground crews. The aviation strategies appear reasonable. Nonetheless, DOT reported that it was unsure of meeting any of these aviation safety goals in 2001. In the marine sector, DOT reported that it met all three of its safety goals—to reduce the number of recreational boating fatalities, reduce the rate of passenger vessel fatalities, and increase the number of mariners reported in imminent danger who are rescued. Next year, DOT will simplify the passenger fatality measure because the current measure has been difficult to understand. DOT indicated that it expects to meet all three goals in 2001. The report acknowledges that the data on recreational boating fatalities are probably underreported by at least 6 percent due to the need for interpretation of what constitutes a recreational boating fatality at the state level. In addition, in 2001, DOT will switch data sources for passenger vessel fatalities. The report indicates that the new data source— the Marine Information System for Safety and Law Enforcement—will be a significant improvement, but the improved data quality may cause serious difficulties in making comparisons to prior data. The agency’s strategies for achieving its marine safety goals in 2002 appear reasonable. The strategies include increasing staffing and training at rescue stations and command centers and promoting the wearing of lifejackets by recreational boaters. In 2000, DOT’s evaluation of its Recreational Boating Safety Program concluded that wearing personal flotation devices could save the lives of about 500 boaters each year. In addition, the agency intends to work with the U.S. Navy and Air Force, which also have search and rescue responsibilities, primarily for their own vessels and aircraft. The Air Force is the lead agency for land-based search and rescue, and the Coast Guard is the lead for maritime search and rescue. Despite one of the deadliest pipeline accidents in recent years, DOT projects that it met both of its goals for hazardous material transport safety—reducing pipeline failures and serious hazardous material transport incidents—because neither goal measures the increasing number of fatalities. DOT statistics show that pipeline fatalities have been increasing steadily over the past years (See fig. 2.). However, we recognize that the overall number of fatalities from pipeline accidents remains low, and that a single major accident can result in a significant increase in the number of annual fatalities. Preliminary estimates also show that DOT will meet its performance goal for reducing serious hazardous materials incidents in 2000. However, the fact that there were more incidents in 2000 than there were in 1999 will make it challenging for DOT to meet its 2001 goal. DOT acknowledged that the number of pipeline failures is likely underreported, and federal, state, and industry teams have been formed to improve the data.