ATA’s Costello Appointed to Advisory Board
By Sean McNally, Senior Reporter
This story appears in the April 5 print edition of Transport Topics.
Bob Costello, chief economist of American Trucking Associations, was one of 10 people appointed to a new board that will advise the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics on data and research issues.
Costello told Transport Topics the Advisory Council on Transportation Statistics would “act as a sounding board and provide guidance” for BTS, which is a division of DOT’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration.
“I’m looking forward to working with BTS and representing trucking on this committee,” he said, adding that “information is going be critical, whether you’re talking about infrastructure needs or other transportation issues.”
In a statement, ATA Chairman Tommy Hodges said that the federation was “thrilled” Costello was selected.
“His knowledge greatly benefits ATA, and I am certain he brings great skills and insights to this collaborative group,” said Hodges, who is also chairman of Titan Transfer Inc.
As he announced the council appointments, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said BTS was “bringing together a knowledgeable group from diverse parts of the transportation community to provide their expertise to the department . . . [and] the new ACTS members will assist the department in coordinating data and statistics with our work on transportation systems for the future.”
RITA Administrator Peter Appel said Costello and the other nine committee members are expected to “provide recommendations to help BTS increase the quality and relevance of its data at a time when the department is working to create a 21st century transportation system.”
“These appointments are a springboard for BTS’ future as a vital factor in transportation,” Appel said.
In addition to Costello, DOT also tapped Christina Casgar, San Diego Port Authority; Elizabeth Deakin, University of California, Berkeley; George Donohue, George Mason University; John Gray, Association of American Railroads; Michael Replogle, Institute for Transportation and Development Policy; Anthony Kane, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials; Kara
Kockelman, University of Texas at Austin; Leanna Depeau, Missouri Department of Transportation; and John-Paul Clarke, Georgia Institute of Technology.
