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Report on Audit of Airport Access Control
"The objective of the audit was to assess the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA)oversight of airport operators' and air carrier' implementation of airport access control requirements."
United States. Department of Transportation. Office of Inspector General
1999-11-18
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Semiannual Report to Congress, Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Transportation, April 1, 2000- September 30, 2000
"The first year of the 21st Century brought with it numerous challenges to the Office of Inspector General. During the past fiscal year, we issued 128 audit reports, testified before Congress 28 times and conducted criminal investigations that resulted in 235 convictions. These statistics indicate how seriously we take our statutory mission to detect and prevent waste, fraud and abuse while assisting DOT and Members of Congress in achieving a safe, efficient and effective transportation system. Congress has authorized and appropriated record sums of Federal funds for highway, transit and aviation infrastructure projects. In 2000, Congress enacted the Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century (AIR-21) and appropriated nearly $58.5 billion to DOT for FY2001. This significant infusion of funds for transportation presents additional challenges to our oversight responsibilities . That is the reason why we have initiated a major proactive effort to prevent and detect possible fraud in transportation infrastructure projects. We investigated 58 such cases during the reporting period."
United States. Department of Transportation. Office of Inspector General
2000
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Cybersecurity Planning Weaknesses May Hinder the Efficient Use of Future Resources
"We did not find any instances where OCIO [Department's Office of the Chief Information Officer] expended the $29 million in appropriated funds received between 2012 and 2015 on non-cybersecurity initiatives. At the time of our review, OCIO had approximately $23.4 million in expenditures out of the $29 million. We sampled 61 of 181 transactions with an expenditure amount of $18.26 million or 78.2 percent of the $23.4 million. All sampled transactions were in support of cybersecurity initiatives. However, OCIO did not consistently apply billing procedures when expending funds through the Working Capital Fund (WCF). We found that $285,352 (7.65 percent) of the $3.73 million in cybersecurity funds advanced to and expended via the WCF was used to pay for services outside of the period of performance and scope of work outlined in OCIO cybersecurity funded intra-agency agreements. Such errors make it difficult for OCIO to ensure that WCF customers are accurately and consistently charged for services as described in customer agreements. OCIO did not adequately document or plan for its cybersecurity funding needs. OCIO did not maintain adequate support documentation to justify its costs estimates for the amount of cybersecurity funds requested in budget years 2014, and 2015. Additionally, OCIO did not always follow OMB or its own acquisition planning guidance for three information technology (IT) projects that accounted for about $20 million (68 percent) of the $29 million appropriated. For example, OCIO did not provide evidence that it developed and documented alternative analyses for two of the three IT projects, or established realistic initial costs and schedule estimates."
United States. Department of Transportation. Office of Inspector General
2017-08-07
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FHWA Lacks Detailed Guidance on Infrastructure Resilience for Emergency Relief Projects and a Process to Track Related Improvements
"The Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Emergency Relief Program (ERP) provides funds for the repair and reconstruction of highways and roads that have sustained serious damage from catastrophic failures or natural disasters, including extreme weather events. Since fiscal year 2012, Congress has appropriated approximately $5.7 billion to the ERP. The Department of Transportation's (DOT) current draft strategic plan states that the Department will better ensure that infrastructure is resilient enough to withstand extreme weather that could disrupt the transportation network and require major reconstruction. Because of the importance resilience plays in ensuring a safe and reliable transportation system, we assessed FHWA's guidance and processes for incorporating resilience improvements into emergency relief projects to rebuild damaged highway infrastructure."
United States. Department of Transportation. Office of Inspector General
2018-01-10
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FISMA 2017: The Surface Transportation Board's Information Security Program Is Not Effective
"The Federal Information Security Management Act [FISMA] of 2002, requires agencies to implement information security programs, conduct annual effectiveness reviews, and report the results to OMB [Office of Management and Budget]. For 2017's review, OMB required determination of programs' maturity levels--(lowest to highest) Ad Hoc, Defined, Consistently Implemented, Managed and Measurable, or Optimized. Our objective was to determine the program's effectiveness for the 12 months prior to June 30, 2017, in five control areas--Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover. [...] We made several recommendations to serve as a roadmap for STB [Safety Transportation Board] to develop an effective information security program. STB concurred with all of our recommendations."
United States. Department of Transportation. Office of Inspector General
2017-10-26
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Quality Control Review of the Independent Auditor's Report on the Assessment of DOT's Information Security Program and Practices
From the Highlights: "This report presents the results of our quality control review (QCR) of an audit of the Department of Transportation's (DOT) information security program and practices. The Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA) requires agencies to develop, implement, and document agency-wide information security programs and practices. FISMA also requires inspectors general to conduct annual reviews of their agencies' information security programs and report the results to the Office of Management and Budget. To meet this requirement, we contracted with CliftonLarsonAllen LLP (CLA) to conduct this audit subject to our oversight. The audit objective was to determine the effectiveness of DOT's information security program and practices in five function areas--Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover."
United States. Department of Transportation. Office of Inspector General
2020-10-26
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DOT's Fiscal Year 2021 Top Management Challenges
From the Document: "As required by law, we report annually on the Department of Transportation's (DOT) most significant challenges to meeting its mission. We considered several criteria in identifying DOT's top management challenges for fiscal year 2021, including their impact on safety, documented vulnerabilities, large dollar implications, and the ability of the Department to effect change. In addition, we recognize that the Department faces the extraordinary task of meeting these challenges while also responding to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic, including implementing the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Accordingly, we included CARES Act and COVID-19 considerations in all eight of our top management challenges."
United States. Department of Transportation. Office of Inspector General
2020-10-21
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Vulnerabilities in MARAD's NSMV Program Management May Hinder Efficient Achievement of Program Goals
From the Highlights: "The Maritime Administration (MARAD) provides ships from the National Defense Reserve Fleet as training vessels for cadets at the State maritime academies to become licensed mariners. In fiscal year 2015, MARAD began the design of National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMV) to replace five training ships nearing the end of useful life. Congress directed MARAD to use an entity other than itself to contract for NSMV construction using commercial design standards and construction practices and has thus far appropriated approximately $1.3 billion for the NSMV program. Given this significant investment and MARAD's support of national security, we initiated this audit. Our objective was to assess MARAD's management of the NSMV Program, including oversight of the vessel construction manager (VCM) contract and use of commercial design standards and commercial construction practices consistent with the best interests of the Federal Government."
United States. Department of Transportation. Office of Inspector General
Neill, Susan
2021-03-02
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FAA Needs to Implement More Efficient Performance-Based Navigation Procedures and Clarify the Role of Third Parties
This Department of Transportation (DOT) Office of Inspector General (OIG) report evaluated the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) oversight of Required Navigation Performance (RNP) third-party agreements. The audit's objectives were to (1) assess the extent to which FAA is relying on third parties to develop new procedures and (2) determine whether FAA has sufficient mechanisms and staffing to provide safety oversight of third parties' procedure development process. According to the audit, "FAA has clarified its role in developing new RNP procedures, stating that it will primarily rely on its own resources rather than third parties" and "has not fully established an oversight program for third parties, defined the staffing levels needed to oversee them, or finalized key guidance to industry on qualifications to become a third-party developer."
United States. Department of Transportation. Office of Inspector General
2010-12-10
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Analysis of Loss of Control Over Sensitive Personally Identifiable Information and Follow-Up Actions to Strengthen its Protection
"This memorandum provides the results of an analysis of two incidents involving the loss of control over Sensitive Personally Identifiable Information (SPII):1 the July 27, 2006, theft of an Office of Inspector General (OIG) laptop from a special agent's vehicle in Doral, Florida, and the April 24, 2006, theft of an OIG laptop from a hotel conference room in Orlando, Florida. As a result of these two laptop thefts, the OIG lost control over a large amount of SPII. Of particular concern was information on 138,000 individuals that had been collected in connection with Florida-based OIG investigations. Normally, these data would have been encrypted. However, due to a needed system upgrade, the data were not encrypted at the time of these thefts."
United States. Department of Transportation. Office of Inspector General
2007-08-28
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Review of Staffing at FAA's Combined Radar Approach Control and Tower with Radar Facilities
"In March 2007 we issued our review of staffing at FAA combined radar approach control and tower with radar facilities. We conducted the review at the request of Representatives James Oberstar and Jerry Costello after the August 27, 2006 crash of Comair Flight 5191 in Lexington, Kentucky. FAA issued verbal guidance in August 2005 - a year prior to the crash - reiterating that two controllers should be on duty during midnight shifts at facilities with both radar and tower functions. We found that the guidance, because it was communicated orally, was misinterpreted and inconsistently applied. Since the Comair accident, FAA has formalized the verbal guidance into a written order which was, in our opinion, an appropriate and necessary action. We recommended that FAA: (1) communicate changes in air traffic policies in writing to ensure uniform implementation and compliance; and (2) develop and implement appropriate policies and procedures to ensure that facilities are complying with provisions of the new order. FAA concurred with our recommendations and is taking appropriate actions to address them."
United States. Department of Transportation. Office of Inspector General
2007
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Department of Transportation Response to Inspector General report: Issues Pertaining to the Proposed NAFTA Cross-Border Trucking Demonstration Project: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Report Number MH-2007-065
"This letter report details the actions the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is taking or has taken to address the issues raised by the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Office of Inspector General (OIG) in its report to Congress concerning DOT's project to demonstrate the ability of Mexico0domiciled motor carriers to operate safety in the United States beyond the commercial zones (Demonstration Project)."
United States. Department of Transportation. Office of Inspector General
2007-09-06
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Issues Pertaining to the Proposed NAFTA Cross-Border Trucking Demonstration Project: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Report Number MH-2007-065
"On February 23, 2007, the Secretary of Transportation announced a 1-year demonstration project (also referred to as a pilot program) that would permit up to 100 Mexican motor carriers to begin operating beyond the commercial zones. According to the Department, the demonstration project will start when the first Mexican carrier is granted provisional operating authority by FMCSA to operate throughout the United States. The demonstration project will not include carriers that transport hazardous materials or passengers. In addition, for each time a demonstration project participant crosses the border into the United States, the Department has committed to checking the driver's license and the inspection decal on the vehicle. In announcing the project, the Department referred to this process as checking 'every truck every time.' Section 6901 of the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 20072 requires the Office of Inspector General (OIG) to review FMCSA's preparations for monitoring and enforcing safety rules among the demonstration project participants. This report presents the results of our initial audit on the demonstration project. According to Section 6901, prior to the start of the demonstration project, the Secretary is to take such actions as may be necessary to address the issues raised in our report and submit a report to Congress detailing such actions."
United States. Department of Transportation. Office of Inspector General
2007-09-06
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Actions Taken and Needed to Implement Mandates and Address Recommendations Regarding Rail Safety
"On August 26, 2008, we issued our final audit report to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) on certain actions it has taken and needs to take to implement congressional mandates and address recommendations made by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Office of Inspector General regarding rail safety. We found that FRA implemented many congressional rail safety mandates over the past 18 years, but it did not have a centralized process for tracking and monitoring the implementation of such mandates. We also found that FRA addressed many of NTSB's rail safety recommendations over the past 19 years, but it did not routinely meet the Department of Transportation's requirements for providing timely written responses to NTSB. We recommended that FRA establish a centralized process for documenting, tracking, and monitoring congressional rail safety mandates that includes planned and actual milestones. We also recommended that FRA establish procedures to ensure that NTSB receives an: 1) initial response for each rail safety recommendation within 90 days of issuance and 2) implementation timetable for each rail safety recommendation that FRA agrees to implement. FRA concurred with our audit results and recommendations and agreed to take immediate corrective actions."
United States. Department of Transportation. Office of Inspector General
2008-08-26
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Review of FAA's Progress in Enhancing Air Traffic Control Systems Security
"This report presents the results of our review of FAA's renewed initiatives in addressing air traffic control (ATC) systems security weaknesses discussed in our FY 2007 audit report of the Department's information security program. [...] Our objectives were to determine FAA's progress in correcting security weaknesses previously identified in the air traffic control system by assessing (1) the status of BCP [business continuity plan] implementation and (2) the enhanced methodology used in the certification and accreditation of air traffic control systems security at operational sites. This performance audit was conducted in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards prescribed by the Comptroller General of the United States and included such tests as we considered necessary to detect fraud, waste, or abuse. Details of our scope and methodology can be found in Exhibit A. FAA has designated the William J. Hughes Technical Center in Atlantic City as the recovery site where operations would be resumed if any en route center became inoperable. It has made good progress in preparing the Technical Center to serve as the recovery site, such as establishing a duplicate en route system environment on-site and installing additional emergency power at the center. Yet several unresolved technical challenges, staffing issues, and funding requirements could delay recovery site readiness. Beyond this, FAA has not assessed how activating the recovery plan during an emergency would affect air travel and the economy across the country-a key concern in HSPD-7. Further, while FAA has enhanced the process of reviewing ATC systems security, the reviews were not properly carried out to ensure security protection of operational ATC systems."
United States. Department of Transportation. Office of Inspector General
2009-11-02
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Actions Needed to Enhance Pipeline Security
"As required by the Pipeline Inspection, Protection, Enforcement, and Safety Act of 2006, we assessed Department of Transportation (DOT) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) actions taken to implement a pipeline security annex. The annex is part of a Memorandum of Understanding, which DOT and DHS signed in 2004 to facilitate transportation security measures. Within DOT, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration (PHMSA) has responsibility for pipeline security and safety. Within DHS, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is responsible for pipeline security. In 2006, PHMSA and TSA signed the annex to establish clear lines of authority and responsibility over pipeline security matters. We found that the PHMSA and TSA have taken initial steps toward formulating an action plan to implement the provisions of the annex; however, further actions are needed as the current situation is far from an 'end state' for enhancing the security of the Nation's pipeline system. We recommended that PHMSA collaborate with TSA to complete the following actions: (1) finalize the action plan for implementing the annex provisions and program elements and effectively execute the action plan, (2) amend the annex to clearly delineate the roles and responsibilities of PHMSA and TSA in overseeing and enforcing security regulations for liquid natural gas operators, and (3) maximize the strategy used to assess pipeline operators' security plans and guidance to ensure effective and timely execution of congressional mandates in the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007."
United States. Department of Transportation. Office of Inspector General
2008-05-21
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Air Traffic Control: Potential Fatigue Factors
"This report presents the results of our audit of fatigue factors that could impact air traffic controllers. We conducted this audit at three critical Chicago air traffic control facilities at the request of Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois. These 3 facilities are among the top 10 busiest in the United States, and Senator Durbin expressed concerns that staffing shortfalls, longer hours on the job, and a growing shortage of certified controllers may be causing controller fatigue. Accordingly, our audit objectives were to (1) identify and evaluate key factors that could cause controller fatigue at Chicago O'Hare International Airport Air Traffic Control Tower, Chicago Terminal Radar Approach Control Facility, and Chicago Air Route Traffic Control Center and (2) identify what measures FAA [Federal Aviation Administration] has taken to mitigate potential controller fatigue at these locations. We identified a number of factors at these three facilities that could create potential fatigue conditions for controllers. These include minimal hours between shifts; scheduled overtime; and on-the-job training, which requires a high level of concentration and focus from the instructing controller. Facility personnel also identified other factors that could cause fatigue, including inadequate staffing levels, increased work load (i.e., traffic volume and complexity), and extended time on position or lack of position rotation. [...] While our review focused on only the three Chicago facilities, it is likely that the fatigue factors that we identified exist at other large air traffic control facilities throughout the Nation. Our recommendations focus on actions FAA needs to take at the national level to mitigate potential fatigue factors and enhance the level of safety of the National Airspace System. FAA generally concurred with our recommendations."
United States. Department of Transportation. Office of Inspector General
2009-06-29
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Enhancing the Federal Railroad Administration's Oversight of Track Safety Inspections
"This report presents the results of our audit of the Federal Railroad Administration's (FRA) oversight of track-related safety issues. The objective of this audit was to evaluate FRA's oversight of track safety on the Nation's freight rail lines. From 1998 through 2007, track defects were the second leading cause of train accidents, comprising 32 percent of the train accidents reported to FRA by the railroads. [...] Our report found that FRA's safety regulations for internal rail flaw testing did not require the railroads to report the specific track locations-milepost numbers or track miles-tested during these types of inspections. We also found FRA's inspection data system did not provide adequate information for determining the extent to which FRA's track inspectors have reviewed the railroads' records for internal rail flaw testing and visual track inspections to assess compliance with safety regulations. We recommended that FRA revise its track safety regulations for internal rail flaw testing to require the railroads to report all track locations (milepost numbers or track miles) covered during internal rail flaw testing. We also recommended that FRA revise its Track Safety Compliance Manual and inspection data system by including specific inspection activity codes for its track inspectors to report on whether the record reviews the inspectors conducted were for internal rail flaw testing or visual track inspections. FRA agreed with our recommendations and has either taken or planned corrective actions."
United States. Department of Transportation. Office of Inspector General
2009-02-24
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Top Management Challenges, Department of Transportation [2010]
"We [Office of Inspector General] have identified the Department of Transportation's (DOT) top management challenges for fiscal year 2010. The Nation's economy and the quality of life for all Americans rely heavily on a safe and vital transportation system. The Department spends about $70 billion annually on a wide range of programs and initiatives to meet this objective, and we continue to support its efforts through our audits and investigations.[…] Several criteria were considered in identifying the following ten challenges, including their impact on safety, documented vulnerabilities, large dollar implications, and the ability of the Department to effect change in these areas: 1) Maximizing the Department's Economic Recovery Investments 2) Enhancing Surface Safety Programs to Reduce Injuries and Fatalities While Defining a New Federal Role in Transit Safety 3) Maximizing Federal Surface Infrastructure Investments by Helping States Better Allocate Resources and Providing Effective Oversight 4) Addressing Human Factors and Strengthening the Regulatory and Oversight Framework for Aviation Safety 5) Moving Toward the Next Generation Air Transportation System and Improving Performance of the National Airspace System 6) Improving Contract Management and Oversight 7) Enhancing the Ability to Combat Cyber Attacks and Improving the Governance of Information Technology Resources 8) Developing a Funding Framework for the Next Surface Transportation Reauthorization 9) Strengthening the Department's Acquisition Workforce 10) Successfully Implementing the Newly Created Multi-Billion Dollar High- Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Program".
United States. Department of Transportation. Office of Inspector General
2009-11-16
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Top Management Challenges, Department of Transportation [2011]
"As required by law, we [Office of Inspector General ] have identified the Department of Transportation's (DOT) top management challenges for fiscal year 2011. […] We continue to build a body of work to assist DOT with its critical mission; improve the management and execution of programs; and protect its resources from fraud, waste, abuse, and violations of law. We considered several criteria in identifying the following nine challenges, including their impact on safety, documented vulnerabilities, large dollar implications, and DOT's ability to effect change in these areas: 1) Ensuring Transparency and Accountability in the Department's Recovery Act Programs 2) Maintaining Momentum in the Department's Oversight of Highway, Motor Vehicle, Hazardous Materials, and Transit Safety 3) Maintaining Momentum in Addressing Human Factors and Improving Safety Oversight of the Aviation Industry 4) Improving the Department's Oversight of Highway, Transit, and Pipeline Infrastructure 5) Identifying Sufficient Funding Sources To Support Future Federal Investment in Surface Transportation Infrastructure 6) Transforming the Federal Railroad Administration To Address Significantly Expanded Oversight Responsibilities 7) Advancing the Next Generation Air Transportation System While Ensuring the Safe and Efficient Operation of the National Airspace System 8) Implementing Processes To Improve the Department's Acquisitions and Contract Management 9) Improving the Department's Cyber Security".
United States. Department of Transportation. Office of Inspector General
2010-11-15
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FTA Has Not Fully Implemented Key Internal Controls for Hurricane Sandy Oversight and Future Emergency Relief Efforts
"In October 2012, Hurricane Sandy caused widespread damage to the transportation infrastructure in the mid-Atlantic and northeastern sections of the United States. In response, the President signed the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act (DRAA), appropriating more than $10 billion to the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) Public Transportation Emergency Relief Program (ERP). The ERP was established to provide funds for states and public transportation systems to protect, repair, or replace assets damaged in an emergency, such as a natural disaster. The program was also intended to improve coordination between the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) by expediting assistance to public transit providers in times of a major disaster or emergency. […] For this follow-up audit, we focused on DRAA's requirement for Federal agencies, including FTA, to employ internal control plans. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued guidance for these plans, which stressed the need for rigorous oversight of Hurricane Sandy funds beyond standard business practices. DOT's internal control plan identified FTA's strategies for mitigating potential risks for its new ERP. FTA also developed an ERP Grant Making and Grants Management Toolkit (ERP Toolkit), which included a Hurricane Sandy Oversight Plan. Accordingly, our audit objectives were to (1) determine if FTA has fully implemented the processes, including internal controls, it established to award and oversee projects receiving Hurricane Sandy funds; (2) determine whether FTA has effective controls in place to reduce the risk of it duplicating payments that Hurricane Sandy grantees receive from DHS's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and insurance companies; and (3) identify any issues that may have an impact on timely obligation and expenditure of FTA's Hurricane Sandy funds."
United States. Department of Transportation. Office of Inspector General
2015-06-12
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Office of Inspector General Audit Report: FTA Did Not Adequately Verify Path's Compliance with Federal Procurement Requirements for the Salt Mitigation of Tunnels Project
"In October 2012, Hurricane Sandy caused widespread damage to the transportation infrastructure in the mid-Atlantic and northeastern United States. In response, Congress enacted the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013 (DRAA) and appropriated over $10 billion to the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) Public Transportation Emergency Relief Program (ERP), which is intended to help States and public transportation systems fund recovery, relief, and resiliency efforts in response to an emergency, such as a hurricane. In June 2014, FTA awarded a grant to the Port Authority Trans-Hudson Corporation (PATH) 1- a rapid transit railroad serving northern New Jersey and Manhattan, NY-for a variety of repair, recovery, and resiliency projects. To date, the total value of the grant, including amendments, is $678 million-including about $310 million for the Salt Mitigation of Tunnels Project, 2 which aims to repair salt water damage caused by Hurricane Sandy.3 PATH is a relatively new FTA grantee and has had limited experience administering FTA-funded projects prior to Hurricane Sandy. FTA Region 2's Hurricane Sandy Recovery Office is responsible for overseeing PATH and other grantees to verify that they comply with FTA and other Federal requirements, use sound procurement practices, and spend Federal grant funds appropriately. As part of our DRAA mandate to support oversight of FTA's Hurricane Sandy relief funds, we evaluated whether FTA's oversight was adequate to verify that PATH's procurement practices for the Salt Mitigation of Tunnels Project comply with Federal requirements."
United States. Department of Transportation. Office of Inspector General
Langan-Feirson, Mary K.
2016-03-28
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FAA Lacks Sufficient Oversight of the Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting Program Federal Aviation Administration
From the conclusion in the report: "Although aviation accidents are rare, their potential for serious injury or fatalities require constant vigilance for airports to be prepared should an accident occur. Under the ARFF [Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting] program, FAA [Federal Aviation Administrator] is responsible for the oversight of airports that are required to have personnel, equipment, and procedures to respond to aircraft incidents. However, FAA needs to improve its management processes to ensure regions effectively oversee ARFF requirements, properly use enforcement actions, and effectively implement policies and guidance on ARFF vehicles and training. Until FAA takes these actions, the Agency may be missing opportunities to help ensure the safety of the flying public in the event of an accident or other fire emergency at an airport."
United States. Department of Transportation. Office of Inspector General
2016-05-31
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Actions Needed to Further Improve Railroad Safety: Statement of Kurt W. Hyde, Assistant Inspector General for Surface and Maritime Programs, U.S. Department of Transportation before the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security, United States Senate
"We appreciate the opportunity to testify today on the reauthorization of the Federal Railroad Safety Program. We commend this Subcommittee for its work as you consider legislation to further improve railroad safety. Improvements in safety are important because railroads transport people and freight over 790 million train miles annually-by way of 173,000 miles of track-and affect the lives of millions of Americans. Railroads employ about 232,000 workers and transport about 42 percent of the nation's freight. This industry will grow substantially in the future. The Department estimates that, between 1998 and 2020, the amount of freight transported by rail will increase by about 50 percent. As we reported in our Fiscal Year 2007 Top Management Challenges issued to the Department, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) must continue implementing its safety initiatives since train accidents are on the rise overall. As the FRA Administrator noted in a congressional hearing on May 8 of this year, the rail industry's safety record has improved, but a significant number of train accidents continue to occur and the train accident rate has not shown substantive improvement in recent years."
United States. Department of Transportation. Office of Inspector General
2007-05-22
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Information Security Program, Department of Transportation [October 10, 2007]
"This report presents the results of our annual audit of the information security program at the Department of Transportation. In accordance with the Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002 (FISMA), our objective was to determine the effectiveness of the Department's information security program, especially in the areas of (1) meeting the minimum Government security standards to protect sensitive information systems and data, (2) establishing a secure network operating environment at the Department's new Headquarters building and other key locations, (3) correcting security weaknesses identified previously in the air traffic control system, and (4) implementing earned value management to better monitor major information technology (IT) investment projects."
United States. Department of Transportation. Office of Inspector General
2007-10-10
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Actions Taken to Address Allegations of Unsafe Maintenance Practices at Northwest Airlines
"This report presents the results of our audit of the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) actions taken to address allegations of unsafe maintenance practices at Northwest Airlines (Northwest). These allegations were reported by an FAA Aviation Safety Inspector (the complainant) assigned to FAA's Northwest Airlines Certificate Management Office (CMO) in Bloomington, Minnesota. The complainant alleged that Northwest's actions during the aircraft mechanics' strike--initiated against the airline on August 20, 2005--created a public safety risk. Specifically, the complainant alleged that Northwest's replacement mechanics and management personnel transferred into maintenance roles were not appropriately trained and that processes involving receipt of aircraft parts were improperly conducted. The complainant contacted then Minnesota Senator Mark Dayton, who requested that FAA and the Office of Inspector General (OIG) evaluate the validity of these allegations."
United States. Department of Transportation. Office of Inspector General
2007-09-28
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Internal Controls over the Emergency Disaster Relief Transportation Services Contract
During times of national emergency, the Dept of Transportation is responsible for coordinating and providing transportation support. To support these responsibilities, the FAA awarded a contract to Landstar to provide the bulk of transportation services. The report found two issues of great concern which the FAA took immediate actions to address: (1) Contracting officers needed better information to evaluate contractor price quotes. Prices estimates were regularly accepted from Landstar without supporting documentation. (2) Better documentation of the actual goods and services provided was needed before authorizing payment. At the time of the visit, an overpayment to Landstar of $33 million was discovered and promptly repaid.
United States. Department of Transportation. Office of Inspector General
2006-01-20
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FAA Faces Significant Risks in Implementing the Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast Program and Realizing Benefits
This Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (OIG) report "presents the results of [an OIG] review of the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) program. ADS-B is a satellite-based surveillance technology that also uses aircraft avionics and ground-based systems to provide information on aircraft location to pilots and air traffic controllers. ADS-B has the potential to fundamentally change the way air traffic is managed in the United States, and FAA expects that it will enhance capacity, improve safety, and play a critical role in the planned transition to the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). At the request of the Chairmen of the House Committee on Transportation Infrastructure and Subcommittee on Aviation, [the OIG] examined FAA's plans for implementing ADS-B. Specifically, our objectives were to (1) examine key risks to FAA's successful implementation of ADS-B and (2) assess the strengths and weaknesses of FAA's contracting approach. This report summarizes [the OIG's] assessment of FAA's progress to date and provides our recommendations for reducing risk in developing and deploying ADS-B technology and strengthening contract oversight. [The OIG] conducted this audit in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards prescribed by the Comptroller General of the United States."
United States. Department of Transportation. Office of Inspector General
2010-10-12
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Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Lacks Core Elements for a Successful Acquisition Function
"The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) relies on the procurement of goods and services to achieve its primary mission of reducing crashes, injuries, and fatalities involving large trucks and buses. In fiscal year 2009, FMCSA received a $234 million budget for its operations and programs to support its mission--$80 million or 34 percent of which was for the procurement of goods and services. FMCSA also relies heavily on contract arrangements that place a high risk on the Agency because they tie the contractor's profit to the number of hours worked, thus imposing the risk of cost overruns on the Government. FMCSA spends about 40 percent of its dollars on such contracts compared to about 5 percent Governmentwide. Given the magnitude of FMCSA's contracted goods and services to its mission success and its significant use of high-risk contracts, it is critical that its contract practices are effective to protect the Government's interest. We performed this audit at the request of FMCSA's former Administrator. [The Office of Inspector General (OIG)] audit objectives were to determine whether FMCSA's contract award and administration practices comply with applicable laws and regulations. As a result, [the OIG] reviewed FMCSA's (1) acquisition planning and competition of contracts, (2) contract administration and oversight, and (3) acquisition infrastructure. Our audit work included a review of 27 FMCSA contracts valued at $192 million from a universe of contract actions reported between fiscal year 2005 and January 12, 2009."
United States. Department of Transportation. Office of Inspector General
2010-08-24
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Information Security and Privacy Controls over the Airmen Medical Support Systems
This Department of Transportation (DOT) Office of Inspector General Report (OIG) "presents the results of our review of the information security and privacy controls over the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Airmen Medical Support Systems (MSS). FAA requires airmen to hold a medical certification of their medical and mental fitness to operate aircraft. MSS currently stores more than 18 million medical records supporting the medical assessment of over three (3) million airmen. To ensure aviation safety and protect the privacy of airmen, it is critical that this medical information be secure. Also, coordination with other Federal agencies may improve aviation safety by identifying airmen who are receiving disability benefits and may not have disclosed potentially disqualifying medical conditions. This review was requested by the Chairmen of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and its Subcommittee on Aviation. The objectives of [this OIG] audit were to (1) determine if airmen's personally identifiable information (PII) is properly secured from unauthorized use or access, and (2) assess FAA's progress in establishing mechanisms to identify airmen holding current medical certificates while receiving disability pay. To conduct [this] work, [the OIG] interviewed officials from FAA's Civil Aerospace Medical Institute located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; FAA's Headquarters in Washington, D.C.; as well as representatives from FAA's contractor and Aviation Medical Examiners' (AME) private medical support staff at various locations. [The OIG] also spoke with officials from FAA's Office of Budget Policy Division."
United States. Department of Transportation. Office of Inspector General
2010-06-18
