Chapter 63 of Title 49, United States Code, contains most of the mandates for the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) going back to the original authorization in the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991.

Section 329 of Title 49, United States Code, contains the Department of Transportation’s basic  mandate for data collection as well as  the specific mandate for data collected by the Office of Airline Information.

A note to Section 129 of Title 23, United States Code, contains the mandate for the National Ferry Database.

A note to Section 20155 of Title 49, United States Code, contains the mandate to collect data on railroad tank cars.

Foundations of Evidence-based Policymaking Act of 2018

Statistical policy directives of the Office of Management and Budget

Section 25003 of the Investment in Infrastructure and Jobs Act of 2021 outlines specific responsibilities of BTS for the development of data analysis tools to support decision-making at all levels of government.