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 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

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

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:• “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?”

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

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?”