Transportation Department Launches Tech Modernization Advisory Committee

The Department of Transportation has launched a new advisory committee to provide innovation plans and approaches to the agency.

The Transforming Transportation Advisory Committee comprises 27 members from think tanks, academic institutions, the public sector and other organizations who would provide insights on various topics, including automation, cybersecurity, technology safety and technology accessibility. The TTAC will hold its first meeting on Jan. 18 to discuss issues related to the safe integration of emerging technologies, tech integration policies, workforce growth and cybersecurity, among other key topics.

TTAC members will serve for two years and may be reappointed, the Transportation Department said.

The committee’s creation comes months after the Government Accountability Office raised concerns over the department’s tech-related implementations.

In one report issued in May, the GAO said the DOT failed to use cybersecurity program reviews to implement over 60 of the oversight body’s recommendations. The GAO noted that while the DOT’s chief information officer actively communicated cyberthreats to staff members, more can be done to ensure that the department implements cybersecurity policies.

In a different report released in the same month, GAO said the DOT did not have any plans to modernize legacy IT systems. The DOT was among eight agencies criticized for lagging behind IT modernization efforts.