PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
In order to effectively and efficiently achieve its departmental strategic goals, the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) is aware that it must anticipate the requirements of the nation's transportation system, and provide leadership to ensure that DOT will fully meet America's needs in the 21st century. To meet this challenge, the concept of ONE DOT was developed.

ONE DOT will allow all the agencies of DOT to collaborate on issues such as the Buckle Up America! campaign, so that they can work together to identify innovative strategies to energize and mobilize their partners in traffic safety. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has played an integral role in obtaining the support of the various DOT modes to help increase seat belt use nationally, and establishing intermodal Safe Communities programs.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The NHTSA Regional Offices take a leadership role in the ONE DOT initiative through their participation in regional intermodal task forces that address transportation-related issues. The Buckle Up America! campaign goals of increasing seat belt use nationwide to 85 percent by the year 2000, building public-private partnerships to educate the public about seat belts laws, encouraging them to always buckle up, and increasing the enforcement of existing occupant protection laws are more effectively supported through the concept of ONE DOT.

STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES
Specific activities promoting the ONE DOT initiative through the Buckle Up America! campaign include:

• The Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation displays a Buckle Up for Safety road sign at its visitor center site at the Eisenhower Lock in Massena, New York
• The Federal Aviation Administration has formed a partnership with Delta Airlines, which encourages its passengers to buckle up on the ground and in the air
• The United States Coast Guard has partnered with Microsoft, who will feature Vince and Larry© public service announcements on their website
• The Federal Transit Administration and NHTSA have developed Buckle Up America! posters to display on transit vehicles nationwide
• The Federal Railroad Administration Office and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railroad jointly developed a Buckle Up America! campaign video targeting BNSF employees on the importance of using seat belts
• The Federal Highway Administration and the Office of Motor Carriers received a Buckle Up America! award for achieving 95 percent employee safety belt use
• The Research and Special Programs Administration has placed Buckle Up America! banners and posters throughout the Volpe Transportation System in Cambridge, Massachusetts

RESULTS
As a result of collaborative efforts such as these, the ONE DOT initiative is providing more efficient leadership in addressing the current and future needs of our nation's transportation system. The Buckle Up America! campaign is also being more effectively promoted through the concept of ONE DOT.

SUMMER 1999