1. U.S. Code
  2. title 49
  3. subtitle III
  4. chapter 63
  5. § 6306

Collapse to view only § 6306. Transportation statistical collection, analysis, and dissemination

§ 6301. Definitions
In this chapter, the following definitions apply:
(1)Bureau.—The term “Bureau” means the Bureau of Transportation Statistics established by section 6302(a).
(2)Department.—The term “Department” means the Department of Transportation.
(3)Director.—The term “Director” means the Director of the Bureau.
(4)Library.—The term “Library” means the National Transportation Library established by section 6304(a).
(5)Secretary.—The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Transportation.
(Added Pub. L. 112–141, div. E, title II, § 52011(a), July 6, 2012, 126 Stat. 887.)

CITE AS: 49 USC 6301

§ 6302. Bureau of Transportation Statistics
(a)In General.—There shall be within the Department of Transportation the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
(b)Director.—
(1)Appointment.—The Bureau shall be headed by a Director, who shall be appointed in the competitive service by the Secretary.
(2)Qualifications.—The Director shall be appointed from among individuals who are qualified to serve as the Director by virtue of their training and experience in the collection, analysis, and use of transportation statistics.
(3)Duties.—
(A)In general.—The Director shall—
(i) serve as the senior advisor to the Secretary on data and statistics; and
(ii) be responsible for carrying out the duties described in subparagraph (B).
(B)Duties.—The Director shall—
(i) ensure that the statistics compiled under clause (vi) are designed to support transportation decisionmaking by—(I) the Federal Government;(II) State and local governments;(III) metropolitan planning organizations;(IV) transportation-related associations;(V) the private sector, including the freight community; and(VI) the public;
(ii) establish on behalf of the Secretary a program—(I) to effectively integrate safety data across modes; and(II) to address gaps in existing safety data programs of the Department;
(iii) work with the operating administrations of the Department—(I) to establish and implement the data programs of the Bureau; and(II) to improve the coordination of information collection efforts with other Federal agencies;
(iv) continually improve surveys and data collection methods of the Department to improve the accuracy and utility of transportation statistics;
(v) encourage the standardization of data, data collection methods, and data management and storage technologies for data collected by—(I) the Bureau;(II) the operating administrations of the Department;(III) State and local governments;(IV) metropolitan planning organizations; and(V) private sector entities;
(vi) collect, compile, analyze, and publish a comprehensive set of transportation statistics on the performance and impacts of the national transportation system, including statistics on—(I) transportation safety across all modes and intermodally;(II) the state of good repair of United States transportation infrastructure;(III) the extent, connectivity, and condition of the transportation system, building on the national transportation atlas database developed under section 6309;(IV) economic efficiency across the entire transportation sector;(V) employment in the transportation sector;(VI) the effects of the transportation system, including advanced technologies and automation, on global and domestic economic competitiveness;(VII) demographic, economic, and other variables influencing travel behavior, including choice of transportation mode and goods movement;(VIII) transportation-related variables that influence the domestic economy and global competitiveness;(IX) economic costs and impacts for passenger travel and freight movement;(X) intermodal and multimodal passenger movement;(XI) intermodal and multimodal freight movement; and(XII) consequences of transportation for the human and natural environment;
(vii) build and disseminate the transportation layer of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure developed under Executive Order 12906 (59 Fed. Reg. 17671) (or a successor Executive Order), including by coordinating the development of transportation geospatial data standards, compiling intermodal geospatial data, and collecting geospatial data that is not being collected by other entities;
(viii) issue guidelines for the collection of information by the Department that the Director determines necessary to develop transportation statistics and carry out modeling, economic assessment, and program assessment activities to ensure that such information is accurate, reliable, relevant, uniform, and in a form that permits systematic analysis by the Department;
(ix) review and report to the Secretary on the sources and reliability of—(I) the statistics proposed by the heads of the operating administrations of the Department to measure outputs and outcomes as required by the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (Public Law 103–62; 107 Stat. 285); and(II) at the request of the Secretary, any other data collected or statistical information published by the heads of the operating administrations of the Department; and
(x) ensure that the statistics published under this section are readily accessible to the public, consistent with applicable security constraints and confidentiality interests.
(c)Access to Federal Data.—In carrying out subsection (b)(3)(B)(ii), the Director shall be given access to all safety data that the Director determines necessary to carry out that subsection that is held by the Department or any other Federal agency upon written request and subject to any statutory or regulatory restrictions.
(d)Independence of Bureau.—
(1)In general.—The Director shall not be required—
(A) to obtain the approval of any other officer or employee of the Department with respect to the collection or analysis of any information; or
(B) prior to publication, to obtain the approval of any other officer or employee of the United States Government with respect to the substance of any statistical technical reports or press releases lawfully prepared by the Director.
(2)Budget authority.—The Director shall have a significant role in the disposition and allocation of the authorized budget of the Bureau, including—
(A) all hiring, grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts awarded by the Bureau to carry out this section; and
(B) the disposition and allocation of amounts paid to the Bureau for cost-reimbursable projects.
(3)Exceptions.—The Secretary shall direct external support functions, such as the coordination of activities involving multiple modal administrations.
(4)Information technology.—The Department Chief Information Officer shall consult with the Director to ensure decisions related to information technology guarantee the protection of the confidentiality of information provided solely for statistical purposes, in accordance with section 3572 of title 44.
(Added Pub. L. 112–141, div. E, title II, § 52011(a), July 6, 2012, 126 Stat. 887; amended Pub. L. 114–94, div. A, title I, § 1446(b), title VI, §§ 6011(d)(2), 6017, Dec. 4, 2015, 129 Stat. 1438, 1570, 1575; Pub. L. 115–435, title III, § 302(c)(3)(A), Jan. 14, 2019, 132 Stat. 5553; Pub. L. 117–58, div. B, title V, § 25004(b), Nov. 15, 2021, 135 Stat. 839.)

CITE AS: 49 USC 6302

§ 6303. Intermodal transportation database
(a)In General.—In consultation with the Under Secretary Transportation for Policy, the Assistant Secretaries of the Department, and the heads of the operating administrations of the Department, the Director shall establish and maintain a transportation database for all modes of transportation.
(b)Use.—The database established under this section shall be suitable for analyses carried out by the Federal Government, the States, and metropolitan planning organizations.
(c)Contents.—The database established under this section shall include—
(1) information on the volumes and patterns of movement of goods, including local, interregional, and international movement, by all modes of transportation, intermodal combinations, and relevant classification;
(2) information on the volumes and patterns of movement of people, including local, interregional, and international movements, by all modes of transportation (including bicycle and pedestrian modes), intermodal combinations, and relevant classification;
(3) information on the location and connectivity of transportation facilities and services; and
(4) a national accounting of expenditures and capital stocks on each mode of transportation and intermodal combination.
(Added Pub. L. 112–141, div. E, title II, § 52011(a), July 6, 2012, 126 Stat. 890.)

CITE AS: 49 USC 6303

§ 6304. National Transportation Library
(a)Purpose and Establishment.—To support the information management and decisionmaking needs of transportation officials at the Federal, State, and local levels, there is established in the Bureau a National Transportation Library which shall—
(1) be headed by an individual who is highly qualified in library and information science;
(2) acquire, preserve, and manage transportation information and information products and services for use by the Department, other Federal agencies, and the general public;
(3) provide reference and research assistance;
(4) serve as a central depository for research results and technical publications of the Department;
(5) provide a central clearinghouse for transportation data and information of the Federal Government;
(6) serve as coordinator and policy lead for transportation information access;
(7) provide transportation information and information products and services to—
(A) the Department;
(B) other Federal agencies;
(C) public and private organizations; and
(D) individuals, within the United States and internationally;
(8) coordinate efforts among, and cooperate with, transportation libraries, information providers, and technical assistance centers, in conjunction with private industry and other transportation library and information centers, with the goal of developing a comprehensive transportation information and knowledge network that supports the activities described in section 6302(b)(3)(B)(vi); and
(9) engage in such other activities as the Director determines to be necessary and as the resources of the Library permit.
(b)Access.—The Director shall publicize, facilitate, and promote access to the information products and services described in subsection (a), to improve the ability of the transportation community to share information and the ability of the Director to make statistics and other information readily accessible as required under section 6302(b)(3)(B)(x).
(c)Agreements.—
(1)In general.—To carry out this section, the Director may enter into agreements with, award grants to, and receive amounts from, any—
(A) State or local government;
(B) organization;
(C) business; or
(D) individual.
(2)Contracts, grants, and agreements.—The Library may initiate and support specific information and data management, access, and exchange activities in connection with matters relating to the Department’s strategic goals, knowledge networking, and national and international cooperation, by entering into contracts or other agreements or awarding grants for the conduct of such activities.
(3)Amounts.—Any amounts received by the Library as payment for library products and services or other activities shall be made available to the Director to carry out this section, deposited in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology of the Department of Transportation’s general fund account, and remain available until expended.
(Added Pub. L. 112–141, div. E, title II, § 52011(a), July 6, 2012, 126 Stat. 890; amended Pub. L. 113–76, div. L, title I, Jan. 17, 2014, 128 Stat. 574.)

CITE AS: 49 USC 6304

§ 6305. Advisory council on transportation statistics
(a)In General.—The Director shall establish and consult with an advisory council on transportation statistics.
(b)Function.—The advisory council established under this section shall advise the Director on—
(1) the quality, reliability, consistency, objectivity, and relevance of transportation statistics and analyses collected, supported, or disseminated by the Bureau and the Department; and
(2) methods to encourage cooperation and interoperability of transportation data collected by the Bureau, the operating administrations of the Department, States, local governments, metropolitan planning organizations, and private sector entities.
(c)Membership.—
(1)In general.—The advisory council shall be composed of not fewer than 9 and not more than 11 members appointed by the Director.
(2)Selection.—In selecting members for the advisory council, the Director shall appoint individuals who—
(A) are not officers or employees of the United States;
(B) possess expertise in—
(i) transportation data collection, analysis, or application;
(ii) economics; or
(iii) transportation safety; and
(C) represent a cross section of transportation stakeholders, to the greatest extent possible.
(d)Terms of Appointment.—
(1)In general.—Except as provided in paragraph (2), members of the advisory council shall be appointed to staggered terms not to exceed 3 years.
(2)Additional terms.—A member may be renominated for 1 additional 3-year term.
(3)Current members.—A member serving on an advisory council on transportation statistics on the day before the date of enactment of the Transportation Research and Innovative Technology Act of 2012 shall serve until the end of the appointed term of the member.
(e)Applicability of Chapter 10 of Title 5.—Chapter 10 of title 5 shall apply to the advisory council established under this section, except that section 1013 of title 5 shall not apply.
(Added Pub. L. 112–141, div. E, title II, § 52011(a), July 6, 2012, 126 Stat. 891; amended Pub. L. 117–286, § 4(a)(304), Dec. 27, 2022, 136 Stat. 4339.)

CITE AS: 49 USC 6305

§ 6306. Transportation statistical collection, analysis, and dissemination
To ensure that all transportation statistical collection, analysis, and dissemination is carried out in a coordinated manner, the Director may—
(1) use the services, equipment, records, personnel, information, and facilities of other Federal agencies, or State, local, and private agencies and instrumentalities, subject to the conditions that the applicable agency or instrumentality consents to that use and with or without reimbursement for such use;
(2) enter into agreements with the agencies and instrumentalities described in paragraph (1) for purposes of data collection and analysis;
(3) confer and cooperate with foreign governments, international organizations, and State, municipal, and other local agencies;
(4) request such information, data, and reports from any Federal agency as the Director determines necessary to carry out this chapter;
(5) encourage replication, coordination, and sharing of information among transportation agencies regarding information systems, information policy, and data; and
(6) confer and cooperate with Federal statistical agencies as the Director determines necessary to carry out this chapter, including by entering into cooperative data sharing agreements in conformity with all laws and regulations applicable to the disclosure and use of data.
(Added Pub. L. 112–141, div. E, title II, § 52011(a), July 6, 2012,

CITE AS: 49 USC 6306

§ 6307. Furnishing of information, data, or reports by Federal agencies
(a)In General.—Except as provided in subsection (b), a Federal agency requested to furnish information, data, or reports by the Director under section 6302(b)(3)(B) shall provide the information to the Director.
(b)Prohibition on Certain Disclosures.—
(1)In general.—An officer, employee, or contractor of the Bureau may not—
(A) make any disclosure in which the data provided by an individual or organization under section 6302(b)(3)(B) or section 6314(b) can be identified;
(B) use the information provided under section 6302(b)(3)(B) or section 6314(b) for a nonstatistical purpose; or
(C) permit anyone other than an individual authorized by the Director to examine any individual report provided under section 6302(b)(3)(B) or section 6314(b).
(2)Copies of reports.—
(A)In general.—No department, bureau, agency, officer, or employee of the United States (except the Director in carrying out this chapter) may require, for any reason, a copy of any report that has been filed under section 6302(b)(3)(B) or section 6314(b) with the Bureau or retained by an individual respondent.
(B)Limitation on judicial proceedings.—A copy of a report described in subparagraph (A) that has been retained by an individual respondent or filed with the Bureau or any of the employees, contractors, or agents of the Bureau—
(i) shall be immune from legal process; and
(ii) shall not, without the consent of the individual concerned, be admitted as evidence or used for any purpose in any action, suit, or other judicial or administrative proceedings.
(C)Applicability.—This paragraph shall apply only to reports that permit information concerning an individual or organization to be reasonably determined by direct or indirect means.
(3)Informing respondent of use of data.—If the Bureau is authorized by statute to collect data or information for a nonstatistical purpose, the Director shall clearly distinguish the collection of the data or information, by rule and on the collection instrument, in a manner that informs the respondent who is requested or required to supply the data or information of the nonstatistical purpose.
(c)Transportation and Transportation-related Data Access.—The Director shall be provided access to any transportation and transportation-related information in the possession of any Federal agency, except—
(1) information that is expressly prohibited by law from being disclosed to another Federal agency; or
(2) information that the agency possessing the information determines could not be disclosed without significantly impairing the discharge of authorities and responsibilities which have been delegated to, or vested by law, in such agency.
(Added Pub. L. 112–141, div. E, title II, § 52011(a), July 6, 2012, 126 Stat. 892; amended Pub. L. 114–94, div. A, title VI, § 6018(b), Dec. 4, 2015, 129 Stat. 1577.)

CITE AS: 49 USC 6307

§ 6308. Proceeds of data product sales

Notwithstanding section 3302 of title 31, amounts received by the Bureau from the sale of data products for necessary expenses incurred may be credited to the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit Account) for the purpose of reimbursing the Bureau for those expenses.

(Added Pub. L. 112–141, div. E, title II, § 52011(a), July 6, 2012, 126 Stat. 893.)

CITE AS: 49 USC 6308

§ 6309. National transportation atlas database
(a)In General.—The Director shall develop and maintain a national transportation atlas database that is comprised of geospatial databases that depict—
(1) transportation networks;
(2) flows of people, goods, vehicles, and craft over the transportation networks; and
(3) social, economic, and environmental conditions that affect or are affected by the transportation networks.
(b)Intermodal Network Analysis.—The databases referred to in subsection (a) shall be capable of supporting intermodal network analysis.
(Added Pub. L. 112–141, div. E, title II, § 52011(a), July 6, 2012, 126 Stat. 894.)

CITE AS: 49 USC 6309

§ 6310. Limitations on statutory construction
Nothing in this chapter—
(1) authorizes the Bureau to require any other Federal agency to collect data; or
(2) alters or diminishes the authority of any other officer of the Department to collect and disseminate data independently.
(Added Pub. L. 112–141, div. E, title II, § 52011(a), July 6, 2012, 126 Stat. 894.)

CITE AS: 49 USC 6310

§ 6311. Research and development grants
The Secretary may make grants to, or enter into cooperative agreements or contracts with, public and nonprofit private entities (including State transportation departments, metropolitan planning organizations, and institutions of higher education) for—
(1) investigation of the subjects described in section 6302(b)(3)(B)(vi);
(2) research and development of new methods of data collection, standardization, management, integration, dissemination, interpretation, and analysis;
(3) demonstration programs by States, local governments, and metropolitan planning organizations to coordinate data collection, reporting, management, storage, and archiving to simplify data comparisons across jurisdictions;
(4) development of electronic clearinghouses of transportation data and related information, as part of the Library; and
(5) development and improvement of methods for sharing geographic data, in support of the database under section 6310 1
1 So in original. Probably should be “section 6309”.
and the National Spatial Data Infrastructure developed under Executive Order 12906 (59 Fed. Reg. 17671) (or a successor Executive Order).
(Added Pub. L. 112–141, div. E, title II, § 52011(a), July 6, 2012, 126 Stat. 894.)

CITE AS: 49 USC 6311

§ 6312. Transportation statistics annual report
The Director shall submit to the President and Congress a transportation statistics annual report, which shall include—
(1) information on the progress of the Director in carrying out the duties described in section 6302(b)(3)(B);
(2) documentation of the methods used to obtain and ensure the quality of the statistics presented in the report; and
(3) any recommendations of the Director for improving transportation statistical information.
(Added Pub. L. 112–141, div. E, title II, § 52011(a), July 6, 2012, 126 Stat. 894.)

CITE AS: 49 USC 6312

§ 6313. Mandatory response authority for freight data collection
(a)Freight Data Collection.—
(1)In general.—An owner, official, agent, person in charge, or assistant to the person in charge of a freight corporation, company, business, institution, establishment, or organization described in paragraph (2) shall be fined in accordance with subsection (b) if that individual neglects or refuses, when requested by the Director or other authorized officer, employee, or contractor of the Bureau to submit data under section 6302(b)(3)(B)—
(A) to answer completely and correctly to the best knowledge of that individual all questions relating to the corporation, company, business, institution, establishment, or other organization; or
(B) to make available records or statistics in the official custody of the individual.
(2)Description of entities.—A freight corporation, company, business, institution, establishment, or organization referred to in paragraph (1) is a corporation, company, business, institution, establishment, or organization that—
(A) receives Federal funds relating to the freight program; and
(B) has consented to be subject to a fine under this subsection on—
(i) refusal to supply any data requested; or
(ii) failure to respond to a written request.
(b)Fines.—
(1)In general.—Subject to paragraph (2), an individual described in subsection (a) shall be fined not more than $500.
(2)Willful actions.—If an individual willfully gives a false answer to a question described in subsection (a)(1), the individual shall be fined not more than $10,000.
(Added Pub. L. 112–141, div. E, title II, § 52011(a), July 6, 2012, 126 Stat. 895.)

CITE AS: 49 USC 6313

§ 6314. Port performance freight statistics program
(a)In General.—The Director shall establish, on behalf of the Secretary, a port performance statistics program to provide nationally consistent measures of performance of, at a minimum—
(1) the Nation’s top 25 ports by tonnage;
(2) the Nation’s top 25 ports by 20-foot equivalent unit; and
(3) the Nation’s top 25 ports by dry bulk.
(b)Reports.—
(1)Port capacity and throughput.—Not later than January 15 of each year, the Director shall submit an annual report to Congress that includes statistics on capacity and throughput at the ports described in subsection (a).
(2)Port performance measures.—The Director shall collect port performance measures for each of the United States ports referred to in subsection (a) that—
(A) receives Federal assistance; or
(B) is subject to Federal regulation to submit necessary information to the Bureau that includes statistics on capacity and throughput as applicable to the specific configuration of the port.
(c)Recommendations.—
(1)In general.—The Director shall obtain recommendations for—
(A) port performance measures, including specifications and data measurements to be used in the program established under subsection (a); and
(B) a process for the Department to collect timely and consistent data, including identifying safeguards to protect proprietary information described in subsection (b)(2).
(2)Working group.—Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of the Transportation for Tomorrow Act of 2015, the Director shall commission a working group composed of—
(A) operating administrations of the Department;
(B) the Coast Guard;
(C) the Federal Maritime Commission;
(D) U.S. Customs and Border Protection;
(E) the Marine Transportation System National Advisory Council;
(F) the Army Corps of Engineers;
(G) the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation;
(H) the Bureau of Labor Statistics;
(I) the Maritime Advisory Committee for Occupational Safety and Health;
(J) the Advisory Committee on Supply Chain Competitiveness;
(K) 1 representative from the rail industry;
(L) 1 representative from the trucking industry;
(M) 1 representative from the maritime shipping industry;
(N) 1 representative from a labor organization for each industry described in subparagraphs (K) through (M);
(O) 1 representative from the International Longshoremen’s Association;
(P) 1 representative from the International Longshore and Warehouse Union;
(Q) 1 representative from a port authority;
(R) 1 representative from a terminal operator;
(S) representatives of the National Freight Advisory Committee of the Department; and
(T) representatives of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
(3)Recommendations.—Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of the Transportation for Tomorrow Act of 2015, the working group commissioned under paragraph (2) shall submit its recommendations to the Director.
(d)Access to Data.—The Director shall ensure that—
(1) the statistics compiled under this section—
(A) are readily accessible to the public; and
(B) are consistent with applicable security constraints and confidentiality interests; and
(2) the data acquired, regardless of source, shall be protected in accordance with section 3572 of title 44.
(Added Pub. L. 114–94, div. A, title VI, § 6018(a), Dec. 4, 2015, 129 Stat. 1576; amended Pub. L. 115–435, title III, § 302(c)(3)(B), Jan. 14, 2019, 132 Stat. 5553; Pub. L. 116–260, div. AA, title V, § 512(c)(7)(A)(ii), Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 2757.)

CITE AS: 49 USC 6314