United States Secretary of Transportation Facts for Kids

"Secretary of Transportation" redirects here. For the position of the same name in the Cabinet of the Philippines, see Secretary of Transportation (Philippines).

Quick facts for kids United States Secretary of Transportation
Flag of the secretary
Seal of the Department of Transportation
Incumbent Sean Duffy since January 28, 2025
United States Department of Transportation
Style	Mr. Secretary (informal) The Honorable (formal)
Member of	the United States Cabinet
Reports to	President of the United States
Seat	Washington, D.C.
Appointer	President of the United States with Senate advice and consent
Term length	No fixed term
Constituting instrument	49 U.S.C. § 102
Formation	October 15, 1966 (58 years ago) (1966-10-15)
First holder	Alan Stephenson Boyd
Succession	Fourteenth
Deputy	Deputy Secretary of Transportation
Salary	Executive Schedule, Level I

The United States Secretary of Transportation is a very important job in the U.S. government. This person leads the United States Department of Transportation. They are the main helper and advisor to the President of the United States on all things related to transportation.

The Secretary of Transportation is part of the United States Cabinet. This means they are one of the President's top advisors. They are also 14th in line to become President if something happens to the President and Vice President.

The Department of Transportation has over 55,000 employees. It includes 13 different agencies. These agencies help manage things like air travel, highways, railroads, and car safety. For example, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) handles air travel. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) deals with roads.

As of January 28, 2025, Sean Duffy is the 20th Secretary of Transportation. President Donald Trump chose him for this role. The Senate approved his appointment with a vote of 77 to 22.

What the Secretary of Transportation Does
History of the Transportation Secretary
Who Takes Over if the Secretary Can't Serve?
Images for kids
See also

What the Secretary of Transportation Does

The Secretary of Transportation makes sure that transportation in the U.S. works well. This includes roads, bridges, airports, and railways. Their main goal is to create a safe and efficient transportation system.

They work to make travel easier and more affordable for everyone. They also consider how transportation affects the environment. This job is about planning for the future of how people and goods move across the country.

History of the Transportation Secretary

How the Job Was Created

The role of Secretary of Transportation started on October 15, 1966. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed a law to create the Department of Transportation. The department's main goal was to plan and manage a good transportation system. This system needed to be efficient and affordable. It also had to consider the environment and national defense.

Important People in the Role

The first Secretary of Transportation was Alan S. Boyd. He was chosen by President Johnson. Later, Elizabeth Dole became the first woman to hold this position. She served under President Ronald Reagan. Mary Peters was the second woman to be Secretary.

William Thaddeus Coleman Jr. was the first African American Secretary. He served under President Gerald Ford. Federico Peña was the first Hispanic person to hold the job. He worked for President Bill Clinton.

Norman Mineta served the longest as Secretary. He was in the role for over five and a half years. He was also the oldest person to retire from the job. Andrew Card served the shortest time, only eleven months. Pete Buttigieg was the youngest Secretary. He took office at 39 years old.

Recent Secretaries

Anthony Foxx was the Secretary from 2013 to 2017. He served when Barack Obama was President. Elaine Chao became Secretary in 2017. She was chosen by President Donald Trump. She resigned in January 2021. After her, Steven G. Bradbury was the acting Secretary for a short time.

Pete Buttigieg became the 19th Secretary of Transportation in February 2021. He served during President Joe Biden's time in office. After his term ended in January 2025, Judith Kaleta was the acting Secretary briefly. Then, Sean Duffy became the current Secretary.

Who Takes Over if the Secretary Can't Serve?

If the Secretary of Transportation cannot do their job, there is a clear plan for who takes over. This is called the line of succession. It ensures that the department always has a leader. Here are some of the people in line:

The Deputy Secretary of Transportation is first.
Then comes the Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy.
After that, the General Counsel.
Other assistant secretaries and administrators of different transportation agencies follow.

This plan makes sure that the important work of the Department of Transportation continues smoothly.