WhereTaxMoneyGoesDepartment of Transportation (DOT): federal spending, contracts and grants
In fiscal year 2026, Department of Transportation reported $130.9 billion in obligations and $125.5 billion in outlays, about 1.9% of all budgetary resources tracked on USAspending. Below: where its award money went, who received the most, and how its spending has changed since FY 2017.
FY 2026 figures are still being reported by agencies and will change as late submissions arrive.
Mission
Serve the United States by ensuring a fast, safe, efficient, accessible and convenient transportation system that meets our vital national interests and enhances the quality of life of the American people, today and into the future.
How DOT awarded money in FY 2026
Award obligations are the part of an agency's spending that goes out as contracts, grants, loans, direct payments and other awards to outside recipients. The rest pays for salaries, internal operations and transfers that are not awards.
| Award type | Amount | Relative size |
|---|---|---|
| Grants | $123.2 billion | |
| Contracts | $14.1 billion | |
| Direct payments | $1.2 billion | |
| Contract vehicles (IDVs) | $751.3 million | |
| Loans (face value) | $84.8 million | |
| Other assistance | $14.5 million |
Obligations by fiscal year
FY 2026 obligations of $130.9 billion were down 23% from FY 2025 ($169.6 billion) and compare with $91.1 billion in FY 2017.
Show the numbers
| Fiscal year | Amount |
|---|---|
| FY 2026 | $130.9 billion |
| FY 2025 | $169.6 billion |
| FY 2024 | $152.4 billion |
| FY 2023 | $139.0 billion |
| FY 2022 | $268.9 billion |
| FY 2021 | $165.3 billion |
| FY 2020 | $147.4 billion |
| FY 2019 | $98.9 billion |
| FY 2018 | $96.2 billion |
| FY 2017 | $91.1 billion |
Top recipients, FY 2026
Ranked by award obligations from DOT. "Multiple recipients" groups aggregated or redacted records, such as payments to individuals.
| # | Recipient | Amount | Relative size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | National Railroad Passenger Corporation | $8.6 billion | |
| 2 | Department of Transportation California | $6.5 billion | |
| 3 | Texas Department of Transportation | $6.2 billion | |
| 4 | Transportation North Carolina Department | $4.5 billion | |
| 5 | Pennsylvania Department of Transportation | $3.8 billion | |
| 6 | State of Florida Department of Transportation | $3.3 billion | |
| 7 | Ohio Department of Transportation | $3.0 billion | |
| 8 | Metropolitan Transportation Authority | $2.8 billion | |
| 9 | Department of Transportation New York | $2.7 billion | |
| 10 | Minnesota Department of Transportation | $2.5 billion |
Top states, FY 2026
By place of performance — where the work is done or the money is used.
| # | State | Amount | Relative size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $12.7 billion | |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $12.6 billion | |
| 3 | Texas | $8.3 billion | |
| 4 | New York | $7.3 billion | |
| 5 | Florida | $6.1 billion | |
| 6 | North Carolina | $5.9 billion | |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $5.6 billion | |
| 8 | Maryland | $4.4 billion | |
| 9 | Illinois | $4.2 billion | |
| 10 | Virginia | $3.9 billion |
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Source data last updated November 4, 2026 · Imported November 6, 2026 · Dollar figures are nominal and rounded. How these numbers are calculated · Report a problem