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The story of the birth of the U.S. Department of Transportation: Why was this critical department created in 1965?
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT or DOT) is one of the executive departments of the United States federal government. It is led by the Secretary of Transportation, who reports directly to the President of the United States and is also a member of the President's Cabinet. According to the Department of Transportation's strategic plan for fiscal years 2022-2026, its mission is to "provide a world-leading transportation system that serves the American people and economy by moving people and goods safely, efficiently, sustainably, and equitably."
The beginning of history
In 1965, independent FAA Administrator Najeeb Halaby strongly recommended to President Lyndon Johnson that he create a cabinet-level transportation department. Halabi proposed merging the duties of the undersecretary of transportation under the Commerce Department with the functions of the Federal Aviation Administration to achieve this goal. Although the federal government has authority over airlines and railroads under the Commerce Clause of the Constitution, the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration primarily provide funding for state and local projects and have no significant influence over road construction and operation.
Halabi stressed the need for improved coordination and expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of an overall plan. He pointed out to Johnson: "It is difficult to find a responsible agency under the president that can take a balanced, comprehensive and authoritative approach to the development of transportation policy, or even to ensure the reasonable coordination and balance of various government transportation plans." /p>
Johnson persuaded Congress to act, and the Department of Transportation was authorized in October 1966 and officially opened on April 1, 1967, with a mission to ensure that federal funds were used efficiently and effectively to support transportation programs across the nation. "Transportation has truly become an essential part of our national life," Johnson declared as he signed the bill. "As a fundamental force in our society, its progress must be accelerated to improve the quality of our lives."
Department structure and related institutions
The U.S. Department of Transportation has several agencies, including:
- 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)
Historically, the Department of Transportation has had some agencies that have been transferred or became independent, such as the Transportation Security Administration and the U.S. Coast Guard, which were transferred to the Department of Homeland Security in 2003.
Budget and Funding
According to data, in 2012, the Department of Transportation awarded $742.5 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds for 11 public transportation projects, including light rail and rail extension projects. In 2010, former President Barack Obama's budget request included $1.83 billion for major public transit projects.
In 2021, President Joe Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which included $121 billion in funding for transportation-related infrastructure projects in fiscal years 2022 to 2026.
Related regulations and assessments
Legislation and assessment related to the Department of Transportation is ongoing. According to a 2015 Center for Effective Government analysis, the Transportation Department scored 65 out of 15 federal agencies that received Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, failing to receive a satisfactory overall grade.
The Department of Transportation was established in response to the urgent need for transportation management in the 1960s, with the goal of improving the efficiency of departmental coordination and planning and using federal resources to better serve the United States' transportation infrastructure and its economic development. As such an important sector continues to grow and expand over the next few decades, it will continue to have to adjust and respond to new challenges and demands.
Has the establishment of the Ministry of Transport met its original intention, and what new opportunities and challenges will it bring to the development of the future transportation system?
