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

Department of Transportation mandated that air traffic controllers rely on radar to manage aircraft flight paths, barring them from instructing pilots to avoid aircraft based on sight.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

Part of the Kuihelani Highway on Maui was temporarily closed overnight due to "fast moving water", the Hawaii Department of Transportation posted on X, but had reopened by Sunday.

From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026

Department of Transportation proposed modifying two federal vehicle-safety rules to accommodate Tesla and other companies developing robotaxis.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 17, 2026

The Department of Transportation said it is committed to making sure taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026

“There are a lot of other bridges. But the Department of Transportation says we do this one—now.”

From "Frightful's Mountain" by Jean Craighead George