{"id":51188,"date":"2017-01-06T15:48:30","date_gmt":"2017-01-06T15:48:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nationaldrugscreening.com\/?p=51188"},"modified":"2022-12-01T10:57:56","modified_gmt":"2022-12-01T15:57:56","slug":"fun-facts-about-the-department-of-transportation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nationaldrugscreening.com\/blogs\/fun-facts-about-the-department-of-transportation\/","title":{"rendered":"Fun Facts About the Department of Transportation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
If you are familiar with our past blogs<\/strong>,<\/a> you know all about the Department of Transportation (DOT) drug testing regulations. They are strict, and for good reason. The purpose of drug screening is to make the roads safer for commercial and leisure drivers alike and the department takes this very seriously. But for this blog, we want to take a look at some other fun facts about our friends at the Department of Transportation<\/a><\/strong>.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Beginning<\/strong><\/em> The First Secretary<\/strong><\/em> The Big Changes<\/strong><\/em> The Threat of Terror<\/strong><\/em> The Distractions<\/strong><\/em>
In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson signed into law the \u2018Department of Transportation Act.\u2019 As the railroads, highways and aviation expanded, he saw a need for a federal department to regulate these industries. While the nature of the industry has evolved, the DOT has stood with it and changed with the times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On April 1, 1967, Alan Boyd went into work as the very first Secretary of Transportation. He was only in office until 1969, but his contributions would be felt for much longer. His tenure was met with some controversy, but he laid the foundation for the future of the department.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 1984, major changes would come to the Department of Transportation. Secretary Elizabeth Dole led major efforts to implement safety belt laws, airbag regulations, and a national legal drinking age. Her \u2018trifecta\u2019 bill was signed into law on July 11th of that year and it has saved hundreds of thousands of lives in the years since.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After the tragic events on September 11th, the department would take on even more changes. The federal government decided there was a need for a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and a Department of Homeland Security (DHS). What many people don\u2019t know is that the TSA actually started off as a faction of the Department of Transportation. But in 2003, the U.S Coast Guard and TSA were transferred from the DOT to the Department of Homeland Security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As technology evolved, the DOT needed to evolve with it. After a series of accidents related to texting and driving, the department outlawed such behavior in 2009. In present day, there are heavy fines related to this crime and repeat offenders are at risk of losing their license. Even with these laws in place, more than 3,000 people under the age of 24 died from texting and driving accidents in 2015.<\/p>\n\n\n\n