It was created on November 1, 2009, by the 186th Session of the Massachusetts General Court upon enactment of the 2009 Transportation Reform Act.

[5] Legislation consolidating all of Massachusetts' transportation agencies into one organization was signed into law on June 26, 2009.

This change included: In June 2018, The Boston Globe reported 467 current and former Massachusetts Department of Transportation employees were using the E-ZPass transponders for free.

It is not clear if MassDOT has paid taxes on the benefit or reported it to the Internal Revenue Service, or who would be responsible if a payment to the IRS is required.

[7][8] Formerly an independent state entity, which until 1992 even had its own uniformed police force for vehicular traffic law enforcement, the Registry of Motor Vehicles Division is now directly administered by MassDOT.

[13] DOT retains oversight and statewide planning authority, and also has a Rail section within the Mass Transit Division.

The Authority has an effective monopoly on car ferry service, but private companies operate various passenger routes.

[citation needed] As of September 1, 2015, the program has reduced the number of structurally deficient bridges to 408, from 543 in 2008.

The program is paid for using bonds in anticipation of future federal transportation grants to be issued to the state.