# United States Department of Transportation *Cabinet-level executive department of the United States federal government* The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT or DOT) is an executive department of the U.S. federal government.[^1] Its head, the secretary of transportation, answers directly to the president and sits in the president's Cabinet.[^1] The department's strategic plan for fiscal years 2022–2026 gives its mission as "to deliver the world's leading transportation system, serving the American people and economy through the safe, efficient, sustainable, and equitable movement of people and goods."[^1] The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, signed in 2021, carried more than $660 billion for transportation-related infrastructure over the same fiscal years, 2022 through 2026.[^2] On public-records access, a Center for Effective Government review published in 2015 graded the department D, at 65 of 100 points.[^3] Congress authorized the department in October 1966, and it began operating on 1 April 1967.[^4] ## History In 1965, Najeeb Halaby, who then led the independent Federal Aviation Agency, pressed President [[Lyndon Johnson]] to create a Department of Transportation at cabinet level.[^4] Under his proposal, the Federal Aviation Agency would be combined with the transportation duties held by the Commerce Department's undersecretary for transportation.[^4] Federal authority over aviation and railroads rested on the Constitution's commerce clause.[^4] By contrast, the Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration chiefly funded state and local projects and had little say over how roads were built or run.[^4] Halaby told Johnson that the government lacked an overall plan and needed better coordination. "One looks in vain," he said, for a point of responsibility below the President able to take a comprehensive approach to transportation policy.[^4] Johnson persuaded Congress to act. The department was authorized in October 1966 and began operations on 1 April 1967, charged with ensuring that federal funds effectively supported the national transportation program.[^4] The establishing act appears in the legislative record as Pub. L. 89–670, 80 Stat. 931.[^5] At the signing, Johnson declared that "Transportation has truly emerged as a significant part of our national life."[^4] ## Agencies The department's current components are:[^6] - Advanced Research Projects Agency–Infrastructure (ARPA-I) - Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) - Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) - Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) - Federal Transit Administration (FTA) - Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (GLS) - Maritime Administration (MARAD) - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) - [[Office of Inspector General]] (OIG) - Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST). Its units include the John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).[^6] ### Former agencies Four former components have left the department:[^7] - Transportation Security Administration: moved to the [[Department of Homeland Security]] in 2003.[^7] - United States Coast Guard: also moved to the Department of Homeland Security in 2003.[^7] - Surface Transportation Board (STB): made an independent federal agency in 2015.[^7] - Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA): dissolved on December 4, 2015, under the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act.[^7] ## Budget In 2012 the department distributed $742.5 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act among 11 transit projects.[^8] The recipients included light rail projects, a commuter rail extension and a subway project in New York City, and a bus rapid transit system in Springfield, Oregon.[^8] The funds also went to a heavy rail project in northern Virginia. That project completed the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's Metro Silver Line between Washington, D.C., and Washington Dulles International Airport. The department had earlier agreed to fund the Silver Line as far as Reston, Virginia.[^8] President Barack Obama's 2010 budget request sought $1.83 billion for major transit projects. More than $600 million of that went to ten new or expanding projects.[^9] The request added money for every project then receiving Recovery Act funds except the bus rapid transit project. It also kept funding 18 other transit projects that were under construction or about to be.[^9] The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2014 later set aside $600 million for Infrastructure Investments, known as Discretionary Grants.[^9] For fiscal year 2016, the department's authorized budget was $75.1 billion.[^10] President Joe Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in 2021. Of the act's $1.2 trillion, more than $660 billion was directed to transportation-related infrastructure over fiscal years 2022–2026.[^2] ## Related legislation The enactments listed for the department and its predecessors include the following:[^5] - the Federal Airport Act of 1946 (Pub. L. 79–377, 60 Stat. 170); - the 1956 Federal-Aid to Highway/Interstate Highway Act (Pub. L. 84–627, 70 Stat. 374); - the Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1964 (Pub. L. 88–365); - the 1966 act establishing the department (Pub. L. 89–670, 80 Stat. 931); - the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982 (PL 97–424); - the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (PL 102–240); - the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century of 1998 (PL 105–178).[^5] ## Freedom of Information Act processing performance The Center for Effective Government examined the 15 federal agencies that receive the most Freedom of Information Act requests. Its analysis was published in 2015 and drew on 2012 and 2013 data, the latest then available.[^3] The Department of Transportation received a D in that analysis, scoring 65 of a possible 100 points.[^3] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *United States Department of Transportation* (revision 1368562701, retrieved 2026-10-26) — lead: status as an executive department, the secretary's reporting line and Cabinet membership, and the fiscal year 2022–2026 strategic plan mission statement. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Transportation [^2]: Wikipedia contributors, *United States Department of Transportation*, Budget section (revision 1368562701, retrieved 2026-10-26) — the 2021 signing of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, its $1.2 trillion total and over $660 billion for transportation over FY2022–2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Transportation [^3]: Wikipedia contributors, *United States Department of Transportation*, Freedom of Information Act processing performance section (revision 1368562701, retrieved 2026-10-26) — the Center for Effective Government 2015 analysis, the D grade and the 65-point score. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Transportation [^4]: Wikipedia contributors, *United States Department of Transportation*, History section (revision 1368562701, retrieved 2026-10-26) — Halaby's 1965 proposal, his remarks to Johnson, the commerce clause context, the October 1966 authorization, the 1 April 1967 launch and Johnson's signing statement. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Transportation [^5]: Wikipedia contributors, *United States Department of Transportation*, Related legislation section (revision 1368562701, retrieved 2026-10-26) — the listed enactments with public law and Statutes at Large citations. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Transportation [^6]: Wikipedia contributors, *United States Department of Transportation*, Agencies section (revision 1368562701, retrieved 2026-10-26) — current operating administrations and the units within the Office of the Secretary. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Transportation [^7]: Wikipedia contributors, *United States Department of Transportation*, Former agencies section (revision 1368562701, retrieved 2026-10-26) — the 2003 transfers, the 2015 STB spin-off and RITA's dissolution on December 4, 2015. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Transportation [^8]: Wikipedia contributors, *United States Department of Transportation*, Budget section (revision 1368562701, retrieved 2026-10-26) — the 2012 award of $742.5 million in Recovery Act funds to 11 transit projects and the projects named. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Transportation [^9]: Wikipedia contributors, *United States Department of Transportation*, Budget section (revision 1368562701, retrieved 2026-10-26) — the 2010 budget request figures, the 18 continuing projects, and the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2014 Discretionary Grants figure. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Transportation [^10]: Wikipedia contributors, *United States Department of Transportation*, Budget section (revision 1368562701, retrieved 2026-10-26) — the fiscal year 2016 budget authorization of $75.1 billion. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Transportation