Department of Transportation

American  

noun

1. the department of the U.S. federal government that coordinates and institutes national transportation programs. DOT

---

Department of Transportation Cultural  

1. A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.

---

Example Sentences

“The Department of Transportation doesn’t give preferential treatment to any person, organization, or entity at any time,” she said.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026

Jet fuel costs for US airlines surged 56 percent in March from February and 30 percent from the year-ago period, the US Department of Transportation said this week.

From Barron's • May 9, 2026

This is a long-standing trend — according to the Department of Transportation, for example, vehicle miles per gallon in the U.S. improved from about 13 mpg in 1975 to about 27 mpg in 2023.

From MarketWatch • May 5, 2026

In other words, it gave itself the authority to assume oversight, specifically through the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, a unit of the Department of Transportation.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026

The Hideout is a dive bar made of wooden planks that's nestled between a factory and some Department of Transportation building.

From "Will Grayson, Will Grayson" by John Green and David Levithan