Transportation Safety Board Could Improve Its Planning Process
CED-80-101
Published: May 28, 1980. Publicly Released: May 28, 1980.
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Highlights
The National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB) planning process could be more efficient and comprehensive. The Board is an independent Government agency designated to promote transportation safety by investigating accidents and recommending safety improvements.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Urban Mass Transportation Administration | The Chairman of NTSB should separate strategic planning from the budget process by requiring a specific long-range plan. |
Closed – Not Implemented
While NTSB has refined its long-range safety objective program to target specific objectives for study and evaluation each year, no separate long-range plan for the entire agency is to be prepared. NTSB views its current planning process as adequate for its needs.
|
| Urban Mass Transportation Administration | The Chairman of NTSB should assure that the long-range plan includes a clear definition of the Board's mission; specific, quantifiable goals and objectives; and priorities for achieving these goals and objectives. |
Closed – Not Implemented
The NTSB 1983 budget submission identifies agency authority and mission, but the objectives established are not significant. No specific priorities are set other than those implied by allocation of funds and personnel as shown in the budget process. In 1982, the occurrence of two major accidents prevented pursuit of planned priority matters.
|
| Urban Mass Transportation Administration | The Chairman of NTSB should strengthen the Board's budget process by requiring that the budget show: (1) the total resources that will be used to carry out specific Board programs, activities, or functions; (2) how Board programs and activities relate to short-term objectives; and (3) how Board programs, activities and short-term objectives relate to the long-range plan. |
Closed – Not Implemented
The 1983 NTSB budget shows resources allocation by organization, mode, and function, but does not show resources used or planned on an activity basis when the activity crosses organization, functional, or modal lines. Nothing has been done or is planned to show the relationship of programs and activities to short-term objectives or long-range plans.
|
| Urban Mass Transportation Administration | The Chairman of NTSB should assure that a formal program evaluation plan is developed for determining whether Board programs and activities are achieving established goals and objectives, meeting performance expectations, or producing other significant effects. Because the Board has only one program analysis officer, who has dual responsibilities, assure that sufficient resources are available to implement the program evaluation plan. |
Closed – Not Implemented
NTSB planned to use the Senior Executive Service and the merit pay system evaluations as a means of determining whether agency goals and objectives were being achieved. If it is found that individual executives and top managers are achieving their objectives, it follows that agency goals and objectives are being achieved.
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Topics
Agency missionsPlanningProgram evaluationProgram managementTransportation planningTransportation safetyAccidentsStrategic planningBudgetsTransportation