The National Transportation Library Virtual Reference Service

Rosalyn AllemanNational Transportation Library

Bureau of Transportation StatisticsResearch and Innovative Technology

Administration

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

How we operateHow to contact us:• RITAInfo@dot.gov (RITA and DOT web forms)• By telephone at 800-853-1351• Recovery Act information: tigerteam@dot.gov or 202-366-0747

Volume• 900-1500 questions/month for last 12 months• 70%-80% are e-mails, the rest phone calls• Average of 300/month are RITA-related• 10-15% 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

Who We Serve

• DOT/other federal employees• State and local government

employees• Businesses (especially

transportation and financial)• Academics• International customers• Non-profit organizations• General public• Media outlets

For ProfitGeneral Public

International

Media

Non-profit

Unknown

GovernmentAcademia

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

Types of Questions

• Questions about RITA programs and products• Opinions on transportation issues that are addressed to

the Secretary• Requests for help with transportation regulations• Public interest issues and general research• Questions that should go to agencies or organizations

outside DOT