Provide technical assistance to small disadvantaged businesses. In doing that, USDOT will help increase their understanding of how to navigate the USDOT contracting process, gain awareness of upcoming contract opportunities, and enhance their core competencies and skills—enabling them to more effectively compete for USDOT contracting opportunities and build wealth.
Reinvigorate USDOT’s programmatic enforcement of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. Doing that will include re-emphasizing agency review of the potential discriminatory impact of grantees’ proposed activities before awarding federal funds—as opposed to waiting until a project is delivered to enforce civil rights protections—and will prevent disparate impacts on protected classes and empower communities in transportation decision-making.
Launch a national technical assistance center. In doing so, USDOT will provide direct, hands-on technical support with local impact—providing targeted assistance in areas of planning, project development, grant applications, and project delivery to ensure that transportation investments and benefits support underserved and overburdened communities.
Develop a national transportation cost burden measure.In doing so, USDOT will have a critical tool to address barriers to accessing affordable transportation options that have consequences on economic mobility—and help bring measurable transportation benefits to disadvantaged communities per Justice40.
