United States Secretary of Transportation

head of the United States Department of Transportation

The United States Secretary of Transportation is the head of the United States Department of Transportation. The Secretary is a member of the President's Cabinet.

United States Secretary of Transportation
Seal of the Department of Transportation
Flag of the secretary
Incumbent
Sean Duffy

since January 28, 2025
United States Department of Transportation
StyleMr. Secretary (informal)
The Honorable (formal)
Member ofthe United States Cabinet
Reports tothe President of the United States
SeatWashington, D.C.
AppointerPresident of the United States
with Senate advice and consent
Term lengthNo fixed term
Constituting instrument49 U.S.C. § 102
FormationOctober 15, 1966
(58 years ago)
 (1966-10-15)
First holderAlan Stephenson Boyd
SuccessionFourteenth[1]
DeputyDeputy Secretary of Transportation
SalaryExecutive Schedule, Level I
Websitetransportation.gov

List of secretaries of transportation

change
Parties

  Democratic (8)   Republican (11)

Status

  Denotes acting Secretary of Transportation

No. Portrait Secretary State of residence Took office Left office President
1   Alan S. Boyd Florida January 16, 1967 January 20, 1969 Lyndon B. Johnson
(1963–1969)
2   John Volpe Massachusetts January 22, 1969 February 2, 1973 Richard Nixon
(1969–1974)
3   Claude Brinegar California February 2, 1973 February 1, 1975
Gerald Ford
(1974–1977)
4   William Thaddeus Coleman Jr. Pennsylvania March 7, 1975 January 20, 1977
5   Brock Adams Washington January 23, 1977 July 20, 1979 Jimmy Carter
(1977–1981)
6   Neil Goldschmidt Oregon September 24, 1979 January 20, 1981
7   Drew Lewis Pennsylvania January 23, 1981 February 1, 1983 Ronald Reagan
(1981–1989)
8   Elizabeth Dole Kansas February 7, 1983 September 30, 1987
9   James H. Burnley IV North Carolina December 3, 1987 January 20, 1989
10   Samuel K. Skinner Illinois February 6, 1989 December 13, 1991 George H. W. Bush
(1989–1993)
11   Andrew Card Massachusetts February 24, 1992 January 20, 1993
12   Federico Peña Colorado January 21, 1993 February 14, 1997 Bill Clinton
(1993–2001)
13   Rodney E. Slater Arkansas February 14, 1997 January 20, 2001

  Mortimer L. Downey III
Acting
Virginia January 20, 2001 January 25, 2001 George W. Bush
(2001–2009)
14   Norman Mineta California January 25, 2001 August 7, 2006

  Maria Cino
Acting
New York August 7, 2006 October 17, 2006
15   Mary E. Peters Arizona October 17, 2006 January 20, 2009
16   Ray LaHood Illinois January 23, 2009 July 2, 2013 Barack Obama
(2009–2017)
17   Anthony Foxx North Carolina July 2, 2013 January 20, 2017
  Michael Huerta
Acting
California January 20, 2017 January 31, 2017 Donald Trump
(2017–2021)
18   Elaine Chao Kentucky January 31, 2017 January 11, 2021
  Steven G. Bradbury
Acting
Oregon January 12, 2021 January 20, 2021
  Lana Hurdle
Acting
Virginia January 20, 2021 February 3, 2021 Joe Biden
(2021–2025)
19   Pete Buttigieg Indiana February 3, 2021 January 20, 2025
  Judith Kaleta
Acting
January 20, 2025 January 28, 2025 Donald Trump
(2025–present)
20   Sean Duffy Wisconsin January 28, 2025 Incumbent

References

change
  1. 3 U.S.C. § 19: Vacancy in offices of both President and Vice President; officers eligible to act.