DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AT A GLANCE
History and Legislation
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is responsible for shaping and administering policies to protect and enhance the safety, adequacy, and efficiency of the Nation's transportation system and services.
Created in 1967, DOT initially included the Coast Guard, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), and the National Transportation Safety Board that became independent in 1975.
In 1968, the mass transit programs of the Department of Housing and Urban Development were transferred to DOT as the Urban Mass Transportation Administration, which was renamed the Federal Transit Administration in 1991.
In 1970, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) was created by breaking out the highway traffic safety functions of FHWA to become a separate Operating Administration. In 1977, Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA) was created by consolidating the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (in Cambridge, Massachusetts), the Materials Transportation Bureau, the Transportation Safety Institute, and several other intermodal functions that did not readily fit into any of the existing Operating Administrations.
The Maritime Administration (MARAD) was transferred from the Department of Commerce to DOT in 1981, fulfilling the original intent of the DOT Act that one cabinet department would be responsible for coordinating National programs for all modes of transportation.
The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) was established in 1992 pursuant to the Intermodal Surface Transportation Equity Act (ISTEA) of 1991. In 1995, Transportation Administrative Services Center (TASC) was established to provide fee-based administrative services that were previously provided by Office of the Secretary (OST) and financed by the Working Capital Fund, and was reverted back to OST in 2003.
In 1996, the Surface Transportation Board (STB) was created as an independent entity to carry out the functions of the former Interstate Commerce Commission and is administratively housed in DOT. In 2000, the motor carrier safety functions were removed from FHWA to create the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) pursuant to the Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act of 1999.
Following the events of September 11, 2001, the President signed into law the Aviation and Transportation Security Act (P.L. 107-71) on November 19, 2001 which established a new Transportation Security Administration (TSA) within the Department of Transportation.
In FY 2003, TSA and U.S. Coast Guard transferred to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
With this varied background, DOT has defined a vision to help guide the Department towards more streamlined and economical operations, focusing on systems and processes that fuse the various Operating Administrations at DOT.
Mission
DOT's mission, as stated in Section 101 of Title 49, United States Code, is as follows:The national objectives of general welfare, economic growth and stability, and the security of the United States require the development of transportation policies and programs that contribute to providing fast, safe, efficient, and convenient transportation at the lowest cost consistent with those and other national objectives, including the efficient use and conservation of the resources of the United States.
Our mission statement is:
To develop and administer policies and programs that contribute to providing fast, safe, efficient, and convenient transportation at the lowest cost consistent with the national objectives of general welfare, economic growth and stability, the security of the United States and the efficient use and conservation of the resources of the United States.
Our mission is also to provide the resources necessary to support our Nation's transportation system. The funding requested in 2004 will help improve transportation safety, enhance security, maintain and expand our transportation infrastructure and increase its capacity, reduce environmental degradation, improve the quality of life for all citizens, and fulfill the President's Management Agenda.
Since its first official day of operation in 1967, DOT's transportation programs have evolved to meet the economic and security demands of the Nation. The Bush Administration has proposed a $54.2 billion investment in our National transportation network in fiscal year 2004, an investment in the Nation's future.In CY 2002, the Department met 60 percent of its performance measures, an improvement from CY 2001.
DOT's priorities are illustrated in the following box.
DOT's Strategic Objectives
Safety: Enhance public health and safety by working toward the elimination of transportation-related deaths and injuries.
Security: Balance homeland and national security transportation requirements with the mobility needs of the Nation for personal travel and commerce.
Mobility: Advance accessible, efficient, intermodal transportation for the movement of people and goods.
Global Connectivity: Facilitate a more efficient domestic and global transportation system that enables economic growth and development.
Environmental Stewardship: Promote transportation solutions that enhance communities and protect the natural and built environment.
Organizational Excellence: Advance the Department's ability to manage for results and achieve the goals of the President's Management Agenda.
Operating Administrations
In FY 2003, DOT employed approximately 58,410 people. There are 12 Operating Administrations (OAs) and the Office of the Inspector General at 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.
The U.S. transportation system annually provides over 4.9 trillion passenger miles of travel and 3.8 trillion ton miles of domestic freight generated by 281 million people, 7.1 million business establishments, and 88 thousand units of government. The system includes 3.9 million miles of public roads, and 2.1 million miles of oil and natural gas pipelines. There are networks consisting of 122,000 miles of major railroads, 26,000 miles of commercially navigable waterways, over 5 thousand public-use airports and four commercial spaceports. This vast system also includes 800 public transit operators in 417 urbanized areas, 300 transit systems serving rural areas and 4,000 transit agencies that provide mobility to elderly and disabled individuals. U.S. transit systems operate 154,244 transit vehicles, 10,572 miles of rail track and 2,825 rail stations. In addition, the transportation network includes 321 ports on the coasts, Great Lakes, and inland waterways. In 2001, the highway system carried over 2.7 trillion vehicle-miles of travel, the rail system carried over 500 million rail freight train miles, and 21 million trips on Amtrak trains. More than 9.1 billion trips were made on public transit, and 630 million passengers boarded airplanes. International trade and travel have become an increasingly important part of the transportation picture. Over 1.6 billion tons of international freight, valued at $1.9 trillion, moved to and from the U.S. in 2001, accounting for over 10 percent of the nearly 16 billion tons of freight that moved on the Nation's transportation system. Over 19 million containers were used to transport imports into the U.S. in 2001, six million by ocean vessels and 13 million by truck and rail from Canada and Mexico, illustrating the challenge of maintaining transportation security while facilitating efficient freight flows. International freight volumes at these levels represent a significant source of stress for U.S. domestic transportation. A total of 366 million inbound and outbound trips were also made between the U.S. and other countries in 2000, compared to 315 million trips in 1990 with same day travel between the U.S. and Canada or Mexico accounting for the majority of these trips. Transportation is a strategic investment essential to strengthening the American economy. America needs a fully integrated domestic transportation system as well as safe and efficient connections to the rest of the world.DOT's Operating Administrations and Service Providers (FY 2003)
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 Inspector General (OIG)
Office of the Secretary (OST)
Research & Special Programs Administration (RSPA)
Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC)
Surface Transportation Board (STB)
FY 2003
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.
