Department of Transportation in the U.S Research Paper

Department of Transportation in the U.S - Research Paper Example Department of Transportation in the U.S The US has a vast transport system that consists of modern transport infrastructures that include roads, railways, and ports. DOT offices are located in New Jersey Ave, SE Washington  District Of Columbia (DOT, 2012). This paper investigates the department of transportation on issues related to regulations and policy development. The paper also analyzes challenges and opportunities that define DOT operations. Purpose of the Agency The agency seeks to promote safety, efficiency, and convenience in transportation, in order to meet the interests of the Americans. Moreover, the agency promotes implementation of policies that concerns transport infrastructures and safety. The agency’s establishment was based on an economic agenda that sought to revitalize the US economy. According to Pucher, & Lewis (2000), the agency is an instrumental force in restructuring other economic factors such as land planning, energy conservation, utilization of scarce resources and urban planning. The agency also maintains equality in distribution of national resources, which characterize a free economy. In addition, DOT helps to create equal opportunity for all Americans through efficient transport system. The safety aspect enlisted in the agencies agenda also promotes economic prosperity. This is because the agency’s core agenda is to eliminate inconveniences associated with transport that often leads to losses (Bookman, 2010). According to Bookman (2010), the agency is consumer oriented. This is because the agency sought to promote the interests of ordinary Americans by promoting free flow of consumer goods. Evidently, the agency also has key interest energy and environmental conservation. The aim of the agency was to promote economic development through the creation of efficient transport infrastructures. These agendas are bound to misuse by businesses and individuals who are concerned with profits and gains. This created the need for regulations, which is the basis o f the agency’s operations. Indeed, the private sector views the agency as arm of the government established to oversees or promote transport regulations. DOT has various regulation options that were established to impose sanity in the transport sector. Regulation options promoted by the agency include driver regulations, vehicle regulations, company regulations, and alcohol and drug regulations (Bookman, 2010). Driver’s regulations ensure that drivers and the staff driving on American roads meet technical requirements. The regulations concerns licensing of drivers based on their qualification. The regulations also stipulate conditions under which a driver’s license may be revoked. On the other hand, vehicles regulatory options stipulates standard of vehicles used on American roads. Moreover, the regulations coincide with environmental conservation policies stipulated in DOT’s agenda. The alcohol and drug regulation outlines substance that should not be us ed by drivers. Alcohol and drug regulations promote compliance to drugs and substance regulations among drivers. The choice of these regulations is subject to review and amendment by the senate. DOT reviews the regulations to ensure that they meet the economic and social needs of the country. DOT’s executive board seems to have selected the most efficient regulations. This is because the regulations target road users and vehicles used American roads. Such regulations avoid redundancy and ensure accountability among road users. The regulations also utilize available resources in the sense that they consider drivers and vehicles as the basis for regulations policies. Although these regulations have been