Agency Defines Critical Infrastructure Functions

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency last week issued guidance to states and the private sector that identifies “essential critical infrastructure” workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The agency said in a news release that the list is advisory and is intended to help state and local officials as they implement rules designed to limit the spread of the virus.

On the list are workers and job positions the agency said are crucial to conducting operations and services essential to infrastructure viability.

In the transportation field, the list included employees supporting or enabling transportation functions, including truck drivers, bus drivers, dispatchers, maintenance and repair technicians, warehouse workers, truck stop and rest area workers, and workers that maintain and inspect infrastructure (including those that require cross-jurisdiction travel. The complete list is:

• Employees of firms providing services that enable logistics operations, including cooling, storing, packaging, and distributing products for wholesale or retail sale or use.
• Mass transit workers
• Workers responsible for operating dispatching passenger, commuter and freight trains and maintaining rail infrastructure and equipment
• Maritime transportation workers – port workers, mariners, equipment operators
• Truck drivers who haul hazardous and waste materials to support critical infrastructure, capabilities, functions, and services
• Automotive repair and maintenance facilities
• Manufacturers and distributors (to include service centers and related operations) of packaging materials, pallets, crates, containers, and other supplies needed to support manufacturing, packaging staging and distribution operations
• Postal and shipping workers, to include private companies
• Employees who repair and maintain vehicles, aircraft, rail equipment, marine vessels, and the equipment and infrastructure that enables operations that encompass movement of cargo and passengers
• Air transportation employees, including air traffic controllers and maintenance personnel, ramp workers, aviation and aerospace safety, security, and operations personnel and accident investigations
• Workers who support the maintenance and operation of cargo by air transportation, including flight crews, maintenance, airport operations, and other on- and off- airport facilities workers.

DOT Seeks Opinions on Rural Transportation Program

Public opinion is being sought by the U.S. Department of Transportation to help share the agency’s Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success program.

In a news release, DOT said it wants to know how it can can better support the transportation infrastructure in rural areas.

The ROUTES Council will use the responses to guide the evaluation of rural projects and improve funding options,

The program seeks to assist public officials in rural areas better understand how to apply for and land DOT grants and to develop data-driven approaches to assess needs and benefits of rural transportation projects.

In its news release, DOT said rural transportation is particularly important for agriculture, mining and energy commodities.

Two-thirds of freight rail originates in rural areas and nearly half of all truck vehicle-miles-traveled occur on rural roads.

The program will be coordinated with the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Transit Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Federal Railroad Administration.

Transportation Infrastructure Needs Nearly $1B

Transportation infrastructure in the United States needs a $926 billion upgrade, the U.S. Department of Transportation says in a new report.

Of that, $26.4 million is needed per year to bolster the condition of rail and bus transit systems.

The report noted that transit route miles grew by more than 30 percent between 2002 and 2012

Light rail transit systems grew faster than any other mode of public transportation.

The report was given to Congress as part of DOT’s 2015 Conditions and Performance report, which is submitted on a biennial basis.

The last report, dated 2012, said that rail transit and bus systems needed a $17 billion per year upgrade.