DOT’s Air Cargo Blind Spots: GAO Urges Data Transparency and Infrastructure Focus to Support Growing Sector

In July 2025, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a comprehensive review of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) oversight and data management related to air cargo operations and infrastructure. The report, titled “Air Cargo: DOT Should Communicate Data Limitations and Identify Stakeholder Challenges,” finds that while air cargo is vital to the U.S. economy—supporting over one million jobs and accounting for more than $100 billion in economic output—DOT has not sufficiently assessed or communicated the reliability of the data it collects. These shortcomings have significant consequences for infrastructure planning, safety, and operational efficiency across the air cargo sector.

GAO’s findings reveal that DOT’s air cargo data, particularly those published through the Freight Analysis Framework (FAF) and the National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD), suffer from reliability concerns and lack sufficient transparency. Although some data were adequate for assessing overall volume trends, estimates regarding cargo value, commodity types, and warehouse infrastructure were found to be unreliable or inadequately documented. This undermines their usefulness for stakeholders such as state planners and emergency responders who rely on accurate data to guide investment and preparedness decisions.

Compounding this issue is DOT’s failure to engage regularly with air cargo stakeholders. The Office of Multimodal Freight Infrastructure and Policy, established to coordinate freight-related policies and investments, has not systematically used existing data sources—such as state freight plans—or reached out directly to stakeholders like air carriers, ground handlers, or logistics firms. GAO observed that without these crucial connections, DOT lacks a complete understanding of the physical and operational challenges confronting the air cargo industry, limiting its ability to proactively address them.

The report also highlights widespread problems with aging infrastructure at key air cargo facilities. Of the 28 warehouses GAO inspected across nine airports, many were over 40 years old and plagued by physical deficiencies such as blocked doors, inadequate ceiling clearance, and poor truck access. Two-thirds of the 37 stakeholders interviewed reported problems related to warehouse conditions, insufficient truck parking, and unsafe or congested roadways. These ground-based bottlenecks are particularly troubling given that air cargo spends 80 to 90 percent of its time on the ground, making infrastructure efficiency a critical determinant of throughput.

Market shifts are also placing new demands on infrastructure. GAO found that from 2004 to 2023, cargo volume increased overall, with significant growth concentrated at secondary airports, foreign carriers, and large freight aircraft. Notably, demand for temperature-controlled cargo—such as pharmaceuticals and perishable foods—rose steeply, requiring modern warehouse features like cold storage and improved ventilation. Yet, DOT’s planning and grant programs have not adequately targeted or supported these changing needs.

In response to these findings, GAO issued two key recommendations. First, DOT should rigorously assess and clearly communicate the limitations of its air cargo data products to ensure users understand their constraints. Second, DOT should regularly engage with stakeholders and evaluate existing information sources to identify and address operational and infrastructure challenges. DOT agreed with both recommendations, signaling a potential course correction toward a more data-driven and collaborative approach.

In a global economy increasingly reliant on time-sensitive and high-value goods—from e-commerce to emergency supplies—air cargo remains a strategic asset. But as this GAO report makes clear, its potential cannot be realized without reliable data, modern infrastructure, and direct dialogue with the stakeholders who keep the system running. The call to action is clear: the time has come for DOT to move beyond collection and into connection, ensuring America’s air cargo network is not only growing, but resilient, safe, and well-informed.

Disclaimer: This blog post is a summary of the publicly available U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report GAO-25-107334, published in July 2025. While every effort has been made to accurately represent the report’s findings, this post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or regulatory advice.