Secretary: Rep. Ray LaHood
Department of Transportation
400 Seventh Street, SW
Washington, DC 20590
202.366.4000
www.dot.gov








Role: The Secretary of Transportation is the principal adviser to the President in all matters relating to Federal transportation programs.

Background: The Department of Transportation establishes the nation’s overall transportation policy. Under its umbrella are 11 administrators whose jurisdictions include highway planning, development and construction; motor carrier safety; urban mass transit; railroads; aviation; and the safety of waterways, ports, highways, and oil and gas pipelines. Decisions made by the Department in conjunction with the appropriate state and local officials strongly affect other programs such as land planning, energy conservation, scarce resource utilization, and technological change.

Historical Note: The Department of Transportation (DOT) was established by act of October 15, 1966, as amended (49 U.S.C. 102 and 102 note), “to assure the coordinated, effective administration of the transportation programs of the Federal Government” and to develop “national transportation policies and programs conducive to the provision of fast, safe, efficient, and convenient transportation at the lowest cost consistent therewith.” It became operational in April 1967 and was comprised of elements transferred from eight other major departments and agencies.


Agencies under Jurisdiction:

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
800 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20591
202.366.4000
www.faa.gov

Federal Highway Administration
400 Seventh Street, SW
Washington, DC 20590
202.366.0650
www.fhwa.dot.gov

Federal Railroad Administration
1120 Vermont Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20590
202.493.6000
www.fra.dot.gov

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
400 Seventh Street, SW
Washington, DC 20590
202.366.9550
www.nhtsa.gov

Federal Transit Administration
400 Seventh Street, SW
Washington, DC 20590
202.366.4043
www.fta.dot.gov

Maritime Administration
400 Seventh Street, SW
Washington, DC 20590
202.366.5807
www.marad.dot.gov

Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation
400 Seventh Street, SW
Washington, DC 20590
202.366.0091
www.seaway.dot.gov

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
400 Seventh Street, SW
Washington, DC 20590
202.366.4433
www.phmsa.dot.gov

Source: United States Government Manual