U.S. Department of Transportation

DOT has an extensive history. There are two ways to learn more about the department's past: resources about DOT itself and DOT publications as primary sources. Check out some featured resources below.

One way to learn more about the DOT is its past activities. Below are some selected resources.

• Archives and DOT History
  • Visit the archives and ask librarians of the National Transportation Library research questions about DOT.
• Creation of Department of Transportation - Summary | DOT
  • Learn more about DOT's history.
• The Federal Aviation Administration: A Historical Perspective, 1903–2008 | Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
  • Dive into a detailed history of the FAA.
• Highway History | Federal Highway Administration (FHA)
  • Explore FHA's history, including on the interstate system.

Since its establishment, the DOT has documented information on a variety of topics. The following are some examples of DOT primary sources, majority of which are available in the Repository & Open Series Access Portal (ROSA P).

• General Records of the Department of Transportation (DOT) | U.S. National Archives and Records Administration
  • Request information about DOT.
• Public Roads Magazine
  • Check out this quarterly publication from 1918 to 1994 from the FHA.
• Secretary of Transportation Speeches
  • Read former DOT secretaries' speeches from 1965 to 2011.
• State Road Maps
  • Discover "historical U.S. state road system and travel maps."
• U.S. Coast Guard Circulars
  • See "guidance about the enforcement or compliance with certain Federal marine safety regulations and Coast Guard marine safety programs" from 1960 to 2000.

U.S. Department of Transportation Diagnostic Test Vehicle in 1972 (Image source: NAID: 6882632)