Program Performance

The Department prepares a strategic five-year plan and an annual performance plan (APP). In the strategic plan, the Department establishes its strategic goals, objectives, and outcomes. The APP identifies the Department's performance goals and measures that are linked to the strategic outcomes and goals. The annual goals and measures identify the progress the Department is making toward achieving its strategic goals. Each mode identifies performance goals and measures that support the Department's performance goals and measures.

Within the HTF, each mode's performance plan complements the Department's performance measures. Each fiscal year, HTF modes establish individual performance objectives, annual targets, and resources required to accomplish the goals. The objectives and goals of the HTF modes must link and contribute to the strategic objectives and goals of the Department. During the year, the modes gauge their progress toward achieving the Department goals and report on performance in both the Department's Performance and Accountability Report (PAR) and the HTF Financial Report for FY 2004.

This illustration below shows the top-down approach that the Department uses to ensure that it effectively plans, measures, manages, and reports performance.

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The Department had five strategic objectives in FY 2004. Each of the modes that received funding from the HTF aligned themselves with the Department's strategic objectives and measures as they relate to their program responsibilities. They then employed the proper strategy to meet performance expectations. The Department's Strategic Objectives in FY 2004 were:

• Safety – Promote the public health and safety by working toward the elimination of transportation-related deaths and injuries.
• Mobility and Economic Growth – Shape an accessible, affordable, reliable transportation system for all people, goods, and regions. Support a transportation system that sustains America's economic growth.
• Human and Natural Environment – Protect and enhance communities and the natural environment affected by transportation.
• Homeland and National Security – Ensure the security of the transportation system for the movement of people and goods, and support the National Security Strategy.
• Organizational Excellence – Advance the Department's ability to manage for results and innovation.

The Department is committed to embodying the President's goals of a citizen-centered, results-based, market-oriented government. Everything done at the Department is aimed at making measurable improvements in our transportation system, the security of our Nation, and the quality of American life.

Integrating FY 2004 Resource Expenditure Accounting With Achievement of HTF Goals

A fundamental strength of the programs funded by the HTF is that their activities affect multiple goal areas. By design, a dollar spent on transportation infrastructure not only advances mobility, but also safety, homeland and national security, economic growth, and the mitigation of harmful environmental impacts. The agencies funded by the HTF strive for clearer linkages between expenditures and performance.

Performance Data

A full assessment of the completeness and reliability of HTF performance data and the detailed information on the source, scope, and limitations for the performance data in this report are provided at http://www.dot.gov/PerfPlan2004/Performance_Measurement.html. This Web site also provides information to resolve the inadequacies that exist in HTF's performance data.

Preliminary vs. Final Results: Reporting FY 2004 results by November 2004 has been challenging where the Department relies on reporting by partner agencies. Often the Department has only preliminary or estimated results based on partial-year data and must wait for final data to properly verify and validate its results. In some cases where data are provided solely as an annual value and are not available in time for this report, the HTF relies on historical trend information and program expertise to generate a projected result. The HTF has been careful to point out where it has assessed its performance on a preliminary or projected basis. Preliminary estimates or projected results will be adjusted after final compilation or verification and validation. In all cases where results have changed from last year's report, it is indicated by placing an “r” with the number, indicating a revision.

Single Year Results vs. Historical Trends: Federal and state programs rarely aim to influence simple things. The programs funded by the HTF address complex national problems such as safety, pollution, and congestion. Sometimes the program's progress is overwhelmed by external factors, such as economic growth (or recession), market shifts, or extreme weather, and sometimes it gets a helping hand from those same factors. There always is a natural fluctuation from year to year.

The Department and HTF modes set annual performance targets for the outcomes they desire to influence. Targets set a mark so the HTF modes can judge their progress. They also force the HTF to focus on what it can—and can't do—to get results. In this report, the focus is on single-year results for FY 2004. There is no simple formula that ties the results in one year to the success or failure of programs.