DOT: An Introduction
The US Department of Transportation is the Federal overseer of the Nation's transportation system and speaks for transportation in the Federal government. Created in 1967, DOT brought under one umbrella a multitude of transportation missions and programs, some of which have been in existence since the 1700s. The Department employs about 100,000 civilian and military people deployed across the country and the world. The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) is composed of ten operating administrations including the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration NHTSA), Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), Maritime Administration (MARAD), St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC), Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA), and the United States Coast Guard (USCG).
Transit safely and efficiently moves millions of people every day, reducing congestion, facilitating economic development, connecting people to their jobs and communities, and helping to protect the environment. Promoting the security of America’s public transportation assets, and the safety and security of the people, who depend upon them, is the responsibility of every transit agency. The events of September 11, 2001, have proven that this responsibility must receive even more attention so as to keep our communities safe and moving. The budget addresses this vital issue, and, when combined with State and local funding, preserves and increases investment in the Nation’s public transit infrastructure. The proposed budget is $7.2 billion, 5 percent above 2002, promotes mobility and access, addresses important security vulnerabilities, and furthers the President’s Management Agenda. Nevertheless, Traffic congestion, poor air quality, suburban sprawl, and urban decay have prompted a movement referred to as “smart growth.” The extensive developments across the United States are consuming land and generating congested highways. They are also leading to a host of other economic, environmental, and social problems. (Renne et al, 2002).
