Office of the Secretary of Transportation

Office of the Secretary of Transportation
United States Department of Transportation · Public domain · source
Name	Office of the Secretary of Transportation
Formed	1966
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Chief1 name	Secretary of Transportation
Parent agency	United States Department of Transportation

Contents

History

The office was established concurrent with creation of the United States Department of Transportation in 1966 under the Department of Transportation Act signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson, succeeding disparate functions previously held by agencies such as the Interstate Commerce Commission, the Federal Aviation Agency, and the Federal Power Commission. Early secretaries coordinated responses to crises including the 1973 oil crisis and the 1978 Airline Deregulation Act debates, while later administrations led initiatives during events like the aftermath of the September 11 attacks and the enactment of the Vision 100 – Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act. The office’s historical record intersects with legislation such as the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users, and the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act.

Reporting lines place the Secretary at the head, supported by the Deputy Secretary, the General Counsel, the Chief Financial Officer, and Assistant Secretaries responsible for policy areas connected to entities like the Federal Transit Administration and the Federal Railroad Administration. The office contains policy staffs, the Office of the Inspector General (linked by oversight to the United States Congress), and liaisons to modal agencies including the Maritime Administration and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Interagency coordination occurs with offices such as the Office of Management and Budget, the Council on Environmental Quality, and the National Security Council. Regional engagement involves coordination with state-level departments like the California Department of Transportation, the New York State Department of Transportation, and metropolitan planning organizations such as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Chicago Transit Authority.

The office provides strategic guidance to modal administrations including the Federal Aviation Administration on airspace modernization, to the Federal Railroad Administration on high-speed rail initiatives, and to the Federal Highway Administration on interstate maintenance. It represents the department before the United States Congress during budget hearings, implements statutes such as the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008, and enforces regulatory measures in coordination with the National Transportation Safety Board and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration where applicable. The office also leads responses to emergencies affecting infrastructure during incidents like hurricanes impacting the Gulf Coast, coordinates grant programs tied to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, and advances national strategies articulated with the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

Policy development from the office spans freight and passenger priorities, safety standards, environmental compliance, and innovation policy tied to technologies developed by firms such as Tesla, Inc. and initiatives like the Next Generation Air Transportation System. Regulatory authority involves issuance of rulemaking in areas governed by statutes including the Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act, coordination with the Federal Trade Commission on competition issues, and oversight of rulemaking referenced by courts such as the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The office also engages with international counterparts including the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Maritime Organization, and trade partners represented in agreements like the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement for cross-border transport.

The office prepares departmental budget proposals submitted to the Office of Management and Budget and reviewed by the United States Congress through authorizing committees such as the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the United States House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Its administrative functions oversee grant distribution for programs like the Highway Trust Fund, infrastructure investment under legislation such as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and financial audits coordinated with the Government Accountability Office and the Department of the Treasury. Personnel and procurement follow statutes including the Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990 and employ workforce strategies aligned with the Office of Personnel Management.

Major programs coordinated by the office include nationwide safety campaigns, grant programs for transit capital projects administered through the Federal Transit Administration, and multimodal freight policies tied to the National Freight Strategic Plan. Initiatives have advanced electric vehicle charging networks in partnership with companies such as ChargePoint, Inc. and standards bodies like the Society of Automotive Engineers, promoted aviation modernization via NextGen, and supported rail projects including the California High-Speed Rail program. The office also spearheads resilience efforts addressing climate impacts documented by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and collaborates with research organizations including the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center and the National Transportation Safety Board on safety and innovation.