[Senate Report 116-329]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


                                                        Calendar No. 635

116th Congress  }                                             {   Report
                                SENATE                          
2d Session      }                                             {   116-329
_______________________________________________________________________


                                                       

                PROMOTING SERVICE IN TRANSPORTATION ACT

                               __________

                              R E P O R T

                                 of the

           COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION

                                   on

                                S. 3303




               December 15, 2020.--Ordered to be printed
               
               
                         ______
 
             U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE 
19-010                WASHINGTON : 2020 
               
               
               
               
               
       SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
                     one hundred sixteenth congress
                             second session

                 ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi, Chairman
JOHN THUNE, South Dakota             MARIA CANTWELL, Washington
ROY BLUNT, Missouri                  AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota
TED CRUZ, Texas                      RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, Connecticut
DEB FISCHER, Nebraska                BRIAN SCHATZ, Hawaii
JERRY MORAN, Kansas                  EDWARD J. MARKEY, Massachusetts
DAN SULLIVAN, Alaska                 TOM UDALL, New Mexico
CORY GARDNER, Colorado               GARY C. PETERS, Michigan
MARSHA BLACKBURN, Tennessee          TAMMY BALDWIN, Wisconsin
SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO, West Virginia  TAMMY DUCKWORTH, Illinois
MIKE LEE, Utah                       JON TESTER, Montana
RON JOHNSON, Wisconsin               KYRSTEN SINEMA, Arizona
TODD C. YOUNG, Indiana               JACKY ROSEN, Nevada
RICK SCOTT, Florida
                       John Keast, Staff Director
               David Strickland, Minority Staff Director
               
               

                                                       Calendar No. 635
                                                       
                                                       
116th Congress  }                                             {   Report
                                 SENATE
 2d Session     }                                             {   116-329

======================================================================



 
                PROMOTING SERVICE IN TRANSPORTATION ACT

                                _______
                                

               December 15, 2020.--Ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

       Mr. Wicker, from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                Transportation, submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                         [To accompany S. 3303]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, to 
which was referred the bill (S. 3303) to amend title 49, United 
States Code, to promote transportation career opportunities and 
improve diversity in the workforce, having considered the same, 
reports favorably thereon with an amendment (in the nature of a 
substitute) and recommends that the bill (as amended) do pass.

                          Purpose of the Bill

    The purpose of S. 3303, the Promoting Service in 
Transportation Act, is to authorize the Secretary of 
Transportation to establish and administer a transportation 
outreach program seeking to help fill projected job vacancies 
and bolster diversity in the transportation sector.

                          Background and Needs

    The transportation industry represents over 8 percent of 
gross domestic product, and the transportation system itself 
serves as the backbone of the U.S. economy.\1\ Since all 
sectors of the economy rely on a fully functioning 
transportation system, the economic impact of the deepening 
workforce shortage, as well as the gap in leadership due to 
retirements, is predicted to cause wide-reaching national 
effects.\2\ In the aviation sector, air travel demand, pilot 
retirements, and high training costs have all contributed to 
projected vacancies of qualified professionals in the 
industry.\3\ Boeing predicts that North America will need 
212,000 new pilots, 176,000 new cabin crew, and 193,000 new 
technicians over the next 20 years.\4\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\Eno Center for Transportation, ``Navigating the Transportation 
Industry Workforce Shortage and Leadership Gap--The Solution Is Hiding 
in Plain Sight'', Aug. 27, 2019 (https://www.enotrans.org/article/
navigating-the-transportation-industry-workforce-shortage-and-
leadership-gap-the-solution-is-hiding-in-plain-sight/) (accessed Aug. 
17, 2020).
    \2\Id.
    \3\Tammy Waitt, ``Congress & Industry Unite for Aviation Workforce 
& National Aviation Center,'' Mar. 1, 2020, American Security Today 
(https://americansecuritytoday.com/
congress-industry-unite-for-aviation-workforce-national-aviation-
center/) (accessed Aug. 17, 2020).
    \4\Boeing, ``Pilot & Technician Outlook 2019-2038'' (https://
www.boeing.com/commercial/
market/pilot-technician-outlook/) (accessed Aug. 17, 2020).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Across surface transportation, workforce challenges are 
also contributing to vacancies of current and future qualified 
professionals. For instance, the long-distance truckload 
freight sector has traditionally experienced a high turnover 
rate, which places strain on the workforce needs within the 
industry. Transit agencies also have reported workforce 
concerns. According to the Regional Transportation District 
(RTD) in Denver, Colorado, the agency is facing an historic 
labor shortage because of the strong economy and low 
unemployment rate, coupled with rapid expansion of commuter and 
light rail lines in the past 3 years. In the past 33 months, 
RTD hired 791 new bus drivers, but lost 710.\5\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \5\Associated Press, ``Denver Area Transit System Struggles With 
Worker Shortage,'' Nov. 23, 2019, U.S. News (https://www.usnews.com/
news/best-states/colorado/articles/2019-11-23/
denver-area-transit-system-struggles-with-worker-shortage) (accessed 
Aug. 17, 2020); Aaron Short, ``Driver Shortages Causing Transit Delays 
Nationwide,'' Aug. 27, 2019, Streetsblog USA (https://
usa.streetsblog.org/2019/08/27/driver-shortages-causing-transit-delays-
nationwide/) (accessed Aug. 17, 2020).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Along with projected job vacancies, the transportation 
workforce is also less diverse than some industries. According 
to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), over 90 percent of 
professional pilots and flight engineers and over 75 percent of 
truck drivers are white males.\6\ Moreover, women and other 
minorities are historically underrepresented workers in the 
transportation industry, yet make up a large percentage of the 
U.S. labor force.\7\ According to BLS, in 2018 women made up 
nearly 47 percent of the U.S. workforce, but based on a recent 
study by the Mineta Transportation Institute, women only 
account for 15 percent of the U.S. transportation industry 
workforce.\8\ The Promoting Service in Transportation Act aims 
to reduce the shortages of professionals and promote diversity 
in the industry through a series of public service announcement 
campaigns during each of fiscal years 2021 through 2026.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \6\U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ``Labor Force Statistics From 
the Current Population Survey,'' Jan. 22, 2020 (https://www.bls.gov/
cps/cpsaat11.htm) (accessed Aug. 17, 2020).
    \7\Eno Center for Transportation, ``Navigating the Transportation 
Industry Workforce Shortage and Leadership Gap--The Solution Is Hiding 
in Plain Sight,'' Aug. 27, 2019 (https://www.enotrans.org/article/
navigating-the-transportation-industry-workforce-shortage-and-
leadership-gap-the-solution-is-hiding-in-plain-sight/) (accessed Aug. 
17, 2020).
    \8\Bureau of Labor Statistics, ``Labor Force Statistics From the 
Current Population Survey,'' Jan. 22, 2020 (https://www.bls.gov/cps/
cpsaat18.htm) (accessed Aug. 17, 2020); Roger Rudick, ``Women Account 
for 15 Percent of Transportation Workforce,'' Feb. 12, 2019, 
Streetsblog SF (https://sf.streetsblog.org/2019/02/12/women-account-
for-15-percent-of-transportation-workforce/) (accessed Aug. 17, 2020).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

                         Summary of Provisions

    If enacted, S. 3303 would do the following:
   Authorize the Secretary of Transportation to 
        establish and administer a transportation workforce 
        outreach program through public service announcement 
        campaigns during fiscal years 2021 through 2026 to 
        increase awareness of career opportunities, as well as 
        promote diversity, in the transportation sector; and
   Authorize the Secretary to use funds otherwise made 
        available, not to exceed $5 million for each fiscal 
        year, to carry out the program.

                          Legislative History

    S. 3303, the Promoting Service in Transportation Act, was 
introducted on February 13, 2020, by Senator Peters (for 
himself and Senators Sullivan, Rosen, Gardner, and Cortez 
Masto) and was referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate. On March 11, 2020, the 
Committee met in open Executive Session and, by voice vote, 
ordered S. 3303 reported favorably with an amendment (in the 
nature of a substitute).

                            Estimated Costs

    In accordance with paragraph 11(a) of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate and section 403 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee provides the 
following cost estimate, prepared by the Congressional Budget 
Office:

 


    S. 3303 would authorize the appropriation of $5 million 
annually over the 2021-2026 period for the Department of 
Transportation to create a program to increase awareness of 
career opportunities in the US. Transportation sector. Those 
opportunities would include pilots, truck drivers, safety 
inspectors, mechanics, and flight attendants, among others.
    Assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts and based 
on spending patterns for similar programs, CBO estimates that 
implementing S. 3303 would cost $24 million over the 2020-2025 
period and $6 million after 2025. The costs of the legislation 
fall under budget function 400 (transportation).
    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Robert Reese. 
The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy 
Director of Budget Analysis.

                      Regulatory Impact Statement

    In accordance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee provides the 
following evaluation of the regulatory impact of the 
legislation, as reported:

                       number of persons covered

    S. 3303, as reported, would not impose any new regulatory 
requirements on businesses.

                            economic impact

    S. 3303, as reported, is not expected to have an adverse 
impact on the Nation's economy.

                                privacy

    S. 3303, as reported, is not expected to have an adverse 
impact on the personal privacy of individuals.

                               paperwork

    S. 3303, as reported, would not increase the paperwork 
requirements for private individuals or businesses. The bill 
would establish a transportation outreach program seeking to 
help fill projected job vacancies and bolster diversity in the 
transportation sector.

                   Congressionally Directed Spending

    In compliance with paragraph 4(b) of rule XLIV of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee provides that no 
provisions contained in the bill, as reported, meet the 
definition of congressionally directed spending items under the 
rule.

                      Section-by-Section Analysis


Section 1. Short title.

    This section would provide that the bill may be cited as 
the ``Promoting Service in Transportation Act''.

Section 2. Transportation workforce outreach program.

    This section would authorize the Secretary of 
Transportation to establish and administer a transportation 
workforce outreach program through public service announcement 
campaigns during fiscal years 2021 through 2026. The purpose of 
the campaigns would be to increase awareness of career 
opportunities, as well as promote diversity, in the 
transportation sector. This section also would amend 49 U.S.C. 
chapter 55 to authorize not more than $5 million per year from 
amounts otherwise available to the Secretary of Transportation 
to carry out the program for development, production, 
advertisements, and outreach initiatives.

                        Changes in Existing Law

    In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by 
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law 
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new 
material is printed in italic, existing law in which no change 
is proposed is shown in roman):

UNITED STATES CODE

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


Subtitle III--General and Intermodal Programs

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


                 CHAPTER 55--INTERMODAL TRANSPORTATION


                          [Table of sections]

                  CHAPTER 55--INTERMODAL TRANSPORTATION

                           SUBCHAPTER I--GENERAL

Sec.
5501.  National Intermodal Transportation System policy.
5502.  Intermodal Transportation Advisory Board.
[5503.  Repealed.]
5504.  Model intermodal transportation plans.
5505.  University transportation centers program.
[5506.  Repealed.]
5506.  Transportation workforce outreach program.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


                         Subchapter I--General


Sec. 5501. * * *

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


Sec. 5505. * * *

Sec. 5506. Transportation workforce outreach program

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Transportation (referred 
to in this section as the ``Secretary'') shall establish and 
administer a transportation workforce outreach program, under 
which the Secretary shall carry out a series of public service 
announcement campaigns during each of fiscal years 2021 through 
2026.
    (b) Purposes.--The purpose of the campaigns carried out 
under the program under this section shall be--
            (1) to increase awareness of career opportunities 
        in the transportation sector, including aviation 
        pilots, safety inspectors, mechanics and technicians, 
        air traffic controllers, flight attendants, truck and 
        bus drivers, engineers, transit workers, railroad 
        workers, and other transportation professionals; and
            (2) to target awareness of professional 
        opportunities in the transportation sector to diverse 
        segments of the population, including with respect to 
        race, sex, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.
    (c) Advertising.--The Secretary may use, or authorize the 
use of, amounts made available to carry out the program under 
this section for the development, production, and use of 
broadcast, digital, and print media advertising and outreach in 
carrying out a campaign under this section.
    (d) Funding.--For each of fiscal years 2021 through 2026, 
the Secretary may use to carry out this section any amounts 
otherwise made available to the Secretary, not to exceed 
$5,000,000 for each fiscal year.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *