As part of the speech, Buttigieg highlights the role innovation plays in addressing the industry’s key challenges.
Earlier this month, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg addressed the industry during the Transportation Research Board’s 2024 Annual Meeting in Washington, DC. In his speech, he humanizes transportation and its vital role in connecting the country. He also touches on the progress that has been made over the three years he has been in office and the work that still needs to be done. In particular, the urgent need to improve roadway safety.
“Then, of course, there is road safety,” said Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. “The whole country rightly takes note when there is so much as a close call in aviation. Imagine if we applied that same seriousness of purpose to the crisis of road safety in America that claims more than a hundred lives, which is to say as many people as fill an airplane, every single day.”
In improving roadway safety, Secretary Buttigieg noted the importance of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS) and Safe Streets for All program (SS4A). SS4A has delivered critical safety funding to state transportation agencies, so they can implement solutions that reduce vehicular crashes.
The Secretary also emphasized the importance of innovation in improving safety, creating jobs, building climate resilient infrastructure, and increasing equity.
“Innovation is important. It’s exciting. Not for its own sake, but for its ability to advance all of those other things we are trying to work on: safety, jobs, climate, equity. And to make meaningful progress in those areas, we have to recognize that we are not going to be and shouldn’t be building infrastructure the way we did 50 or 100 or 150 years ago.”
To watch his full remarks, click here.
