Transportation

Recent Reports

Multimodal Freight Office: DOT Should Report to Congress on Progress Toward Meeting Statutory Requirements

Published: Apr 20, 2026

Publicly Released: Apr 20, 2026

Telework and Changing Travel Patterns: Department of Transportation Should Develop Guidance to Help Communities Prioritize Investments

GAO-26-107532

Published: Mar 11, 2026

Publicly Released: Apr 10, 2026

Commercial Shipbuilding: Selected Offshore Wind Projects Used a Mix of U.S. and Foreign Vessels, Spurring Some Shipbuilding Investments

GAO-26-107769

Published: Mar 26, 2026

Publicly Released: Mar 26, 2026

Aircraft Noise: Military Helicopter Operators Should Improve Outreach to Affected Communities in the D.C. Area

GAO-26-107758

Published: Mar 23, 2026

Publicly Released: Mar 23, 2026

Transportation Demonstration Grants: DOT Should Develop and Implement a Lessons Learned Plan

GAO-26-107841

Published: Mar 12, 2026

Publicly Released: Mar 12, 2026

Puerto Rico: Information on Air Cargo Infrastructure and Operations

GAO-26-107762

Published: Feb 17, 2026

Publicly Released: Feb 17, 2026

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Open Recommendations

Multimodal Freight Office: DOT Should Report to Congress on Progress Toward Meeting Statutory Requirements

GAO-26-108554

Apr 20, 2026

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1 Open Recommendations

Agency Affected	Recommendation	Status
Department of Transportation	The Secretary of Transportation should report to Congress on the activities of the Multimodal Freight Office since September 2023, including updates of descriptions of the programs and activities administered or overseen by the Office, such as freight-related grants, and current and future staffing levels. (Recommendation 1)	Open When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Telework and Changing Travel Patterns: Department of Transportation Should Develop Guidance to Help Communities Prioritize Investments

GAO-26-107532

Apr 10, 2026

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1 Open Recommendations

Agency Affected	Recommendation	Status
Department of Transportation	The Administrator of FHWA should establish and implement a detailed plan—that contains clear steps and timelines—to complete the required travel demand data and modeling study, and guidance based on information in the study. (Recommendation 1)	Open When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Aircraft Noise: Military Helicopter Operators Should Improve Outreach to Affected Communities in the D.C. Area

GAO-26-107758

Mar 23, 2026

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4 Open Recommendations

Agency Affected	Recommendation	Status
Department of the Air Force	The Secretary of the Air Force should develop and implement a plan to engage in ongoing and continuous community awareness and outreach programs to communities affected by Air Force helicopter noise in the D.C. area. This outreach should include communicating information about military helicopter flights and the Air Force's efforts to reduce noise from its flights in the D.C. area. (Recommendation 1)	Open The Air Force concurred with GAO's recommendation. In March 2026, the Air Force stated they will work to provide consistent engagement with the public on impacts due to military helicopter flights in the D.C. area. GAO will continue to monitor the Air Force's implementation of this recommendation.
Department of the Army	The Secretary of the Army should develop and implement a plan to engage in ongoing and continuous community awareness and outreach programs to communities affected by Army and D.C. Army National Guard helicopter noise in the D.C. area. This outreach should include communicating information about military helicopter flights and efforts by the Army and D.C. Army National Guard to reduce noise from their flights in the D.C. area. (Recommendation 2)	Open The Army concurred with GAO's recommendation. In March 2026, the Army stated that it plans to interface with the D.C. area community through public forums and outreach events to create a better understanding of Army helicopter operations. In addition, in coordination with the Military District of Washington, the Army stated it plans to use its webpage, social media, and other methods to announce when scheduled training flights and/or increased levels of training are expected to occur over densely populated areas. The Army also stated it plans to coordinate with FAA to facilitate faster notification and resolution of noise complaints. GAO will continue to monitor the implementation of this recommendation.
Department of the Navy	The Secretary of the Navy, in coordination with the Commandant of the Marine Corps, should develop and implement a plan to engage in ongoing and continuous community awareness and outreach programs to communities affected by Marine Corps helicopter noise in the D.C. area. This outreach should include communicating information about military helicopter flights and Marine Corps' efforts to reduce noise from its flights in the D.C. area. (Recommendation 3)	Open The Navy concurred with GAO's recommendation. In March 2026, the Marine Corps stated that installations within the D.C. area engage and conduct outreach through each installation's Community Plans and Liaison Officer. They also noted that Marine Corps encroachment policy directs installations with aviation operations to inform local communities about their noise mitigation efforts. GAO will continue to monitor the implementation of this recommendation.
Department of Homeland Security	The Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, should develop and implement a plan to engage in ongoing and continuous community awareness and outreach programs to communities affected by Coast Guard helicopter noise in the D.C. area. This outreach should include communicating information about Coast Guard's helicopter flights in support of Operation Noble Eagle and its efforts to reduce noise from its flights in the D.C. area. (Recommendation 4)	Open DHS did not concur with GAO's recommendation. In March 2026, DHS stated that under Coast Guard's helicopter mission in the D.C. area operates under the command of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), Coast Guard defers to NORAD to conduct community outreach. However, GAO's recommendation would not preclude the development or implementation of an outreach plan under the existing mission command structure. As noted in GAO's report, recognizing Coast Guard's helicopter operations support Operation Noble Eagle in the D.C. area, DOD and DHS could collaborate to define the roles and responsibilities associated with an outreach plan for operations under this mission. GAO will continue to monitor the implementation of this recommendation.

Transportation Demonstration Grants: DOT Should Develop and Implement a Lessons Learned Plan

GAO-26-107841

Mar 12, 2026

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1 Open Recommendations

Agency Affected	Recommendation	Status
Department of Transportation	The Secretary of Transportation should direct the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology to develop and implement a lessons-learned plan that incorporates key practices including analyzing, validating, documenting, and disseminating the lessons learned from the SMART program. (Recommendation 1)	Open When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.