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• The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is Cabinet-level federal agency. It was created in 1966 to oversee all matters concerning national transportation. The DOT is comprised of multiple subsidiary agencies which oversee road, air, and sea travel.

  On March 3, 2009, President Barack Obama visited the department. During his visit, Obama and Vice President Joe Biden spoke about the money in the stimulus package which will be used for transportation, including $27.6 billion for highways.Bloomberg: Obama Releases Billions of Dollars as ‘Shovels Hit the Ground’ (March 3, 2009)

• Fast Facts

  1. Formed: October 15, 1966
  2. Established by an act of Congress
  3. Preceding agency: Department of Commerce
  4. Headquarters: Washington, D.C.
  5. Department of the Presidential Cabinet
  6. Employees: 58,622
  7. Secretary: Ray LaHood
  8. Budget: $58 billion

• Major Subsidiary Agencies

  1. Federal Aviation Administration
  2. Federal Highway Administration
  3. Federal Railroad Administration
  4. Federal Transit Administration
  5. Maritime Administration

• Early History

  The responsibilities eventually delegated to the Department of Transportation were originally under the jurisdiction of the Department of Commerce. In 1965 the director of the Federal Aviation Agency (later renamed the Federal Aviation Administration) suggested to President Johnson that the issue of transportation deserved its own Cabinet department.

• Transportation Funds

  Billions of dollars in the stimulus package will be devoted to transportation, including $27.6 billion for highways, $8.4 billion for public transportation and $8 billion for high-speed rail and intercity passenger lines. Obama is also proposing an increase in the general transportation budget in 2010, from $70.5 billion proposed in 2009 to $72.5 billion proposed in 2010.Bloomberg: Obama Releases Billions of Dollars as ‘Shovels Hit the Ground’ (March 3, 2009)

• Fuel Economy Standards

  On January 26, 2009, President Barack Obama ordered the Department of Transportation to begin drawing up higher fuel economy standards on cars and light trucks, to require a 40% increase in fuel efficiency by 2010.New York Times: Obama Directs Regulators to Tighten Auto Rules (January 26, 2009)

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Delta | John F. Kennedy International Airport | LAX | Homeland Security | Amtrak | U.S. Coast Guard | U.S. Department of Commerce | Ray LaHood | Jill Zuckman | How to Become a Sport Pilot | How to Get a Drivers License

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