FDLP Resource Guides: U.S. Department of Transportation: DOT Resources

Overview

DOT publishes on a variety of topics, including on cultural events and scientific data. Whether on a DOT, U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO), or an interagency website, the general public can access these publications for free.

DOT Publications

Featured DOT Digital Collections

DOT publishes on a variety of works. Click on the side arrows to see the featured digital collections available in the Repository & Open Science Access Portal (ROSA P). ROSA P is the National Transportation Library's archival repository that has "full-text digital publications, datasets, and other resources."

FAA Technical Library

The FAA Technical Library contains publications on the "FAA’s applied research, engineering, testing and evaluation, and resulting scientific solutions addressing current and future air transportation challenges in collaboration with industry, academia, and other government partners." Below are some publications from 2024 and 2025:

ITSJPO Digital Library

The ITSJPO Digital Library has publications from this research program. Below are some publications from 2024:

National Transportation Library (NTL)

This collection comprises of works by NTL Librarians, including "policies, presentations, papers, and other works." Below are some publications from 2024:

DOT Publications using GPO Resources

GPO has information and publications about DOT. Featured examples include the Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (CGP), FDLP Academy, and GovInfo. Click on the tabs of this box to learn more about these resources.

The CGP is one GPO resource to find DOT publications. The following information is about one search strategy using the Superintendent of Documents (SuDoc) class numbers.

Go to the CGP
Click on the "Advanced" button in the main menu.
Select "SuDoc Class Number."
Type in the SuDoc class number (see table below for DOT examples)
Click "Go."
Search results appear in order of publication year (newest to oldest).
- Some search results lists will include class numbers in the SuDoc column other than the number searched. This happens if a catalog record contains both old and new SuDoc numbers. The CGP displays the original SuDoc number on the search results page, and the current number is only visible once a record is opened. GPO is investigating whether this can be changed.

DOT Department or Operating Administration	SuDoc Class Number
U.S. Department of Transportation	TD
Maritime Administration	TD 11.
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration	TD 14.
Federal Highway Administration	TD 2.
Federal Railroad Administration	TD 3.

Freely available for the general public, the FDLP Academy offers webinars and webcasts for Federal Depository Libraries. Its mission is to "create and deliver enhanced educational opportunities to the FDLP community by fostering collaboration, by facilitating knowledge sharing, and through the application of new methods and use of multiple mediums" about U.S. Government resources. The following webinar contains DOT-related information that may be helpful for library professionals and the general public.

Screenshot of "Maritime Administration Information Resources: Introduction to its Economic, Maritime, & National Security Information Resources"

Maritime Administration Information Resources: Introduction to Its Economic, Maritime, and National Security Information Resources

Recorded on July 21, 2022
Length of Time: 40 minutes
Speaker: Bert Chapman (Purdue University Libraries)

Using Science.gov to Access U.S. Government Science Information

Recorded on August 1, 2022
Length of Time: 60 minutes
Speakers: Mary Moulton (DOT) and Joanna Martin (U.S. Department of Energy)

GovInfo provides free access to official publications from all three branches of the Federal government. For example, GovInfo has a collection of publications by the Federal Highway Administration, some of which are featured below.

Considerations in Managing Pavements and Bridges in Fair Condition

Date: 2023

Quoted excerpt: "Unlike Good and Poor, the Fair rating does not clearly lead to a single set of actions because of the range of conditions in this category. Potential variations in conditions leading to a Fair rating could be linked to a need for minor maintenance, preservation (such as preventive maintenance, minor rehabilitation, or more substantial rehabilitation. This suggests that assets in Fair condition need to be managed diligently so that timely, appropriate, and cost-effective strategies are used."

Highways in the River Environment: Roads, Rivers, and Floodplains

Date: 2023

Quoted excerpt: "This manual provides information for understanding, assessing, and addressing interactions between river functions and transportation infrastructure. The manual adopts a holistic approach by illustrating not only the effects of rivers on roads and bridges, but also the effects of roads and bridges on rivers and their floodplains."

Weathering Steel Performance Data Collection

Date: 2024

Quoted excerpt: "Presently, approximately 2,000 [uncoated weathering steel] UWS bridges are constructed per decade in the United States, based on data received from bridge owners. Most of these are performing well or satisfactorily, but exceptions continue to exist. The exceptions sometimes relate to accelerated corrosion on a relatively small, localized area of the structure. Such issues are easily avoided by following appropriate detailing guidance, as given in the UWS TA, and maintaining leaking joints. On the other hand, some bridges exhibit poor performance throughout the structure."

Additional U.S. Government Resources on Transportation

Resource	Information
Transportation Security Administration	See monthly passenger travel numbers and the FOIA Electronic Reading Room.
U.S. Census Bureau	Dive into commuting data, including "travel time, means of transportation, time of departure for work, vehicles available, and expenses associated with the commute."
U.S. Customs and Border Protection	Find transportation-related information concerning ports of entry and the agency's air and marine operations. Also check out the traveler and conveyance statistics.
U.S. Department of Commerce	The International Air Travel Statistics Program "provides information on international air traffic between the United States and other countries."
U.S. Department of Energy	The Vehicle Technologies Office "funds research, development, demonstration, and deployment of innovative, efficient, and affordable transportation solutions that provide consumers with more options."
U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation	Comprised of 28 senators and seven subcommittees, this committee handles a range of issues under its jurisdiction, including aviation, product safety, and technology.