GAO Report: DOT's Unused Office Space Costs Taxpayers Hundreds of Millions Annually

A new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report reveals that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is drastically underutilizing its office space, costing taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars per year. Despite President Trump's 2025 executive order ending remote work, GAO auditors found that 89% of DOT's 189 office buildings were underutilized between August and September 2025, with average occupancy rates of just 37-41%—far below the 60% minimum required by the 2023 USE IT Act. The DOT and FAA headquarters alone, totaling 1.8 million square feet, cost over $100 million annually in rent and $25 million in operations, yet were only one-third full. One Aviation Plaza in Queens, NY, cost $15 million yearly but was only 13% occupied. The GAO recommends the DOT consolidate agencies, adopt desk-sharing systems, and better utilize space, noting the department has resisted such changes. The problem is not new; a 2023 GAO survey of 24 major federal agencies found occupancy rates as low as 25%.