Ntl overview presentation_long
- 1. The National Transportation Library Virtual Reference Service Rosalyn Alleman National Transportation Library Bureau of Transportation Statistics Research and Innovative Technology Administration
- 2. The NTL Virtual Reference Team • Team answers e-mail and telephone information requests • Trained on a wide range of transportation topics • Experienced in helping customers use TranStats Intermodal Transportation Database and other BTS products • Considerable experience with DOT and other government web sites and sources • Maintains lists of subject experts within BTS/RITA and other DOT administrations • Contacts in other federal, state and local government agencies
- 3. How to contact the Virtual Reference Team • RITAInfo@dot.gov (RITA and DOT web forms) • By telephone at 800-853-1351 • Recovery Act information: tigerteam@dot.gov or 202- 366-0747
- 4. How we operate Volume • 1000-2500 questions/month for last 12 months • 70%-80% are e-mails, the rest phone calls • Average of 330/month are ARRA questions (since 3/09) • Average of 300/month are RITA-related • 30-35% of questions to our web form answered immediately by knowledgebase-suggested FAQs Timeliness • Questions answered within 4 business days (usually faster) • ARRA questions answered within 24 hours • Callers generally reach a live person right away
- 5. Who We Serve • DOT/other federal employees • State and local government Unknown Academia employees Non-profit Government Media • Businesses (especially International transportation and financial) • Academics • International customers For Profit • Non-profit organizations General Public • General public • Media outlets
- 6. Policies for Handling Special Questions • System flags .gov, .mil, .us and common media e-mails so they can be handled immediately • Media and high-priority government (Congress, White House, etc) questions are forwarded to RITA Public Affairs with the requested information • Media questions for other administrations are forwarded directly to that agency’s public affairs office, and RITA Public Affairs is notified • Security threats are forwarded to Crisis Management
- 7. Types of Questions Questions about RITA programs and products: • “How many vehicles cross the border into the US at each customs port?” • “What is Delta’s on-time arrival percentage?” • “How much freight is carried by truck rather than rail?” • “ Where can I find railroad GIS data?” • “How can I get funding from RITA for my invention?” • “How do I register for a hazmat safety class?” • “Where can I order a document I found in TRIS Online? • “How many red-light cameras are in use in the US?” • “Where can I find information about the Distracted Driving Summit?”
- 8. Types of Questions Opinions on transportation issues that are addressed to the Secretary: • Includes write-in campaigns handled automatically by rule • One campaign (fuel economy standards comments) brought in over 18,000 e-mails in one month in 2004 • Team works with ExecSec to respond to policy issues addressed to the Secretary Requests for help with transportation regulations: • Employee regulations for truckers, airlines, etc. such as driver/pilot drug testing standards • Customer service issues, such as complaints against moving companies or airlines • Government transportation issues such as uses of highway funding or standards for stoplight and signs
- 9. Types of Questions Public interest issues and general research: • “Where can I find recommendations for child safety seats?” • “How much stimulus money is going to my state?” • “What is the best place to look for Federal Highway Administration Reports?” • “How do I report noisy, low-flying aircraft in my neighborhood? Questions that should go to agencies or organizations outside DOT: • “Where do I renew my driver’s license?” • “Why don’t you fix the pot-holes in my street?” • “Where can I find a list of items that are prohibited onboard an airplane?” • “Why don’t you do something about illegal aliens?”