Audit to Scrutinize $332 Million in DOT Employee Travel Expenses
A new federal audit is set to scrutinize more than $332 million in travel expenses charged by Department of Transportation employees over a two-year period, as watchdog officials take a closer look at whether internal safeguards are strong enough to prevent misuse or abuse of Government travel cards.
During calendar years 2024 and 2025, DOT travel account cardholders conducted 1,620,759 transactions totaling approximately $332.7 million. Those charges covered official Government travel expenses, including airfare, lodging, meals and authorized cash advances. The scale of the spending underscores how heavily the department relies on travel cards to carry out its mission across agencies responsible for aviation, highways, rail, maritime safety and transit oversight.
Federal law requires employees to use Government-issued travel accounts for official travel-related expenses. The Travel and Transportation Reform Act of 1998 mandates that Federal employees charge authorized travel costs to their Government travel cards, rather than using personal funds. The system is designed to streamline reimbursements, improve tracking and provide accountability for taxpayer-funded travel.
Oversight requirements were strengthened further by the Government Charge Card Abuse Prevention Act of 2012. That law requires Executive Branch agencies to establish and maintain internal controls to ensure the proper, efficient and effective use of Government charge cards. It also mandates that agency Offices of Inspector General conduct periodic audits when annual travel card expenditures exceed $10 million—a threshold the Department of Transportation surpasses many times over.
The DOT Office of Inspector General last conducted a comprehensive audit of the department’s travel card program in 2020 and followed up with a program risk assessment in 2022. Now, in accordance with statutory requirements and scheduled oversight responsibilities, the OIG is initiating a new audit focused specifically on whether DOT’s travel card program effectively prevents and detects misuse or abuse.
The upcoming review will evaluate internal controls, monitoring practices and enforcement mechanisms tied to travel card activity. With more than 1.6 million transactions logged in just two years, even a small percentage of improper charges could represent significant financial exposure.
While the vast majority of travel card transactions are expected to be legitimate, the audit signals the importance of ongoing vigilance. Government charge cards offer convenience and operational efficiency, but without strong oversight systems, they can also create opportunities for waste, fraud or abuse.
The findings of the audit will determine whether DOT’s controls are keeping pace with the volume and complexity of employee travel spending—and whether additional safeguards are needed to protect taxpayer dollars.
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