Minorities Representation in State Department of Transportation: A Descriptive Analysis

Abstract: The transportation industry, a cornerstone of the U.S. economy, faces a growing need to enhance diversity and inclusion to address persistent representation gaps across gender, race, and other dimensions. It also faces significant demographic shifts, with many states Department of Transportation (DOT) employees nearing retirement, making the need for diversity even more pressing. Addressing this need requires a comprehensive diversity analysis of workforce representation to identify gaps, highlight areas requiring more focus, and learn from successful cases of diversity and inclusion initiatives within the industry. This paper undertakes such an analysis with a focus on the DOT workforce, providing insights into where improvements are needed and showcasing successful examples where minorities have been effectively integrated into the workforce. This research aggregates and analyzes data from 208,552 state DOT employee profiles, comparing workforce representation to American Community Survey data to quantify minority representation and identify regional patterns of underrepresentation or successful workforce integration. On average, 68.28% of DOT employees across the country are male, with the gap between the female population in each state and female representation in state DOTs ranging from 11% to 38.8%. Additionally, on average, 50.74% of DOT employees nationwide are from white ethnic groups, with the representation gap for non-white groups varying from 2.71% to 32.76% across different states, indicating varying levels of success in achieving a diverse workforce at the DOT.