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Electronic Freedom of Information Act Guide
for the Office the Secretary of Transportation

We hope you found the information you need or want on our website. But if you don't, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Privacy Act (PA) grant you the right to access many government records about how the government operates. For more information, go to the Department's Guide for FOIA or PA Requesters.

Guide for Office of the Secretary FOIA or Privacy Act Requests

The Office of the Secretary (OST) formulates national transportation policy; prepares needed transportation legislation; helps negotiate and implement international transportation agreements; assures the fitness of U.S. airlines and enforces airline consumer protection regulations. It also issues regulations to prevent alcohol and illegal drug misuse in transportation systems; assures lack of discrimination against people with disabilities; promotes intermodal transportation; issues licenses for commercial expendable space launch vehicle operations and encourages minority enterprises in transportation.

If you are looking for information that we may have on the matters described above, please send your request to the FOIA contact for the Office of the Secretary. If you are interested in information on other areas of transportation, you must direct your request to the Department of Transportation organization that may have those records. See our description of each organization and the list of FOIA contacts.

Within a few days after receiving your request, we will send you an acknowledgment letter. This letter will include the tracking number for your request. For us to follow-up on your request, in a timely manner, you must provide the tracking number.

• Docket Management System (DMS) -- consists of dockets that are official public records relating to regulatory and adjudicatory decisions. They include documents generated by the OST or the public. This facility is part of OST's electronic reading room. The DOT FOIA Regulations refer to DMS as the "Primary Electronic Access Facility".
• Departmental Office of Civil Rights Final Agency Decisions on DBE Certification Appeals
• National Transportation Library -- contains transportation documents and databases provided from throughout the transportation community.

Visit our Conventional Reading Room located at:

400 Seventh Street, SW, Suite PL401
Washington, DC 20590
Telephone: (202) 366-9322