History and Legislation
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is a steward of the Nation’s transportation system and speaks for transportation in the Federal Government. The Department of Transportation, created in 1967, develops policies and programs that contribute to a safe, efficient, and convenient transportation system at the lowest cost—essentials to meet national objectives of economic growth, stability, and security of the United States. Its creation brought under one umbrella a myriad of transportation missions and programs, some of which date back to the 1700s.
Mission
DOT’s mission is to serve the United States by ensuring a safe transportation system that furthers our vital national interests and enhances the quality of life of the American people.
DOT’s Strategic Objectives
Safety: Promote the public health and safety by working toward the elimination of transportation-related deaths and injuries.
Homeland and National Security: Ensure the security of the transportation system for the movement of people and goods, and support the National Security Strategy.
Mobility: Shape an accessible, affordable, and reliable transportation system for all people, goods and regions.
Economic Growth and Trade: 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.
Organizational Excellence Objective: Advance the Department’s ability to manage for results and innovation.
The DOT Performance Plan implements DOT’s Strategic Plan through a series of performance goals and measures to assess the Department’s yearly progress in achieving strategic and organizational objectives. This FY 2002 Performance and Accountability Report describes DOT’s FY 2002 performance and financial results, linking back to DOT’s FY 2002 enacted budget, and to DOT’s FY 2002 Performance Plan.
DOT has been challenged in accounting for the secondary impacts of its programs. Programs typically influence more than one performance outcome. For example, building a new highway may affect travel time, congestion costs, emissions and land use, safety, and security. DOT will continue to improve our ability to link resources and results. DOT is committed to managerial cost accounting, as integral to improving overall departmental management. DOT is investing in improved financial and data systems to better associate dollars with activities, outputs, and outcomes.
Operating Administrations
In FY 2002, DOT employed approximately 118,447 full-time equivalent employees. There are 13 Operating Administrations (OAs) in DOT that are responsible for a mode of transportation or an intermodal aspect of the transportation system. In addition, the Office of the Secretary coordinates overall policy, program planning, budgeting, information management, human capital management, and administration. The DOT Inspector General audits the Department’s programs and finances to ensure efficient and economical operations and to discover and suppress waste, fraud, and abuse. The Surface Transportation Board, while formally a part of DOT, is decisionally independent, carrying out economic regulatory programs for surface transportation carriers. The Transportation Security Oversight Board ensures that transportation security regulations are soundly based.
DOT’s Operating Administrations
and Service Providers
FY 2002
Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS)
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)
Federal Transit Administration (FTA)
Maritime Administration (MARAD)
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Office of the Secretary (OST)
Research & Special Programs Administration (RSPA)
Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC)
Surface Transportation Board (STB)
Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
United States Coast Guard (USCG)
FY 2002
Financial Resources
Three types of primary revenue sources support DOT’s budget: trust funds, direct receipts, and general funds. Trust funds, derived from special fees, such as motor fuel taxes and airline ticket taxes, provide more than two-thirds of the Department’s funding. The two largest trust funds, the Highway Trust Fund and the Airport and Airways Trust Fund, account for most of DOT’s funding and support the Department’s programs for maintaining and improving transportation infrastructure and performance. Direct receipts are resources from non-Federal entities that are directly available for DOT programs. General revenue funds are obtained from the general taxes of the United States.
