The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) invites public comment to inform our annual update to the DOT Equity Action Plan which aims to expand access and economic opportunity to all communities. DOT specifically seeks input regarding how our work to advance equity has impacted organizations and communities, as well as input on performance metrics, data sets, tools, and research to measure and advance transportation equity. Input can be provided by responding to the Request for Information (RFI) that is open through June 30, 2023. The responses to this RFI will help the Department understand the impact of our equity activities to date and inform what efforts we prioritize as we update DOT’s Equity Action Plan.
The Department published our initial DOT Equity Action Plan in April 2022 in response to Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. The Equity Action Plan highlights key actions that the Department will undertake to expand access and opportunity to all communities while focusing on underserved, overburdened, and disadvantaged communities. The actions fall under four focus areas – Wealth Creation; Power of Community; Proactive Intervention, Planning, and Capacity Building; and Expanding Access.
Since its publication, DOT has completed several actions to advance transportation equity, including:
Launching the DOT Justice40 Initiative
Publishing a toolkit for planning and funding rural and Tribal electric mobility
Promoting and providing technical assistance to small/disadvantaged businesses
DOT will also hold the following engagements to help the public better understand DOT’s equity work and respond to this RFI:
An in-person dialogue will be held on June 20 from 9 am -12:00 pm ET at DOT Headquarters in Washington DC. Pre-register for this event by June 13 here. Please note that this event will be limited to 200 participants due to room capacity.
A virtual dialogue will be held on June 23 from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm ET on Zoom. Register for the virtual event here.
These events are an opportunity to engage directly with DOT staff and leaders driving the Department’s equity work and key programs. They will include opening remarks and Q&A with key DOT officials, including Christopher Coes, Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy; Irene Marion, Director of the Departmental Office of Civil Rights; and Shailen Bhatt, Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration. Participants will also receive an informational overview of the DOT Equity Action Plan, the update process, and opportunities to ask questions of DOT staff involved in equity-related work.
Please refer to the DOT Equity Events page for updates and additional registration information, including accommodations for individuals with disabilities and limited English proficiency, and the DOT Equity Updates page for highlights of completed DOT equity actions and accomplishments.