American DBE Magazine - Summer 2018

Page 36

Civil/Highway

T e c h n o l o g y + I n n o v at i o n = F o r m u l a f o r S u c c e s s i n T r a n s p o r tat i o n

Former Federal Transportation Official Discusses the

Future of Transportation By Peggy Beach

M

ore investment in the nation’s transportation system is desperately needed, according to Victor Mendez, former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Transportation (2014-2017) and former Federal Highway Administrator (2009-2014). Mendez is now the principal of his own firm, VMM Consulting, which provides consulting and advisory services to clients in the transportation and technology industries.

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Mendez said that numerous studies indicate that trillions of dollars are necessary to bring the nation’s transportation system up to an efficient state. “We have had decades of underinvestment,” Mendez said. “For example, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has rated our transportation system at D- due to its state of disrepair, lack of efficiency and concerns about safety. I don’t know about you, but when I was young and in school, if I brought home a D-, that was not good news for my parents and, especially, for me!”

Mendez said that it is imperative for Congress and the Trump Administration to find ways to create new investments for the nation’s infrastructure. He said: “Many municipalities and states are using a major portion of their transportation revenues to maintain the existing system. Many opportunities to invest in new system improvements are not funded due to the lack of overall revenues.” However, the news is not all bad, Mendez said. During his term as administrator for the Federal


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