The Basic Search
Enter one or more search terms (the words or phrase that best describe the information you want to find) into the search box and press the Search key.
Automatic "AND" Searches
By default, the search will return pages that include all of your search terms. There is no need to include "AND" between terms.
Word 1 Word 2
(example)
Phrase Searches
You can search for phrases by adding quotation marks. Words enclosed in double quotes ("like this") appear together in all returned documents. Phrase searches using quotation marks are useful when searching for specific titles or names.
"Word 1 Word 2"
(example)
"OR" Searches
To retrieve pages that include either word 1 or word 2, use an uppercase "OR" between terms. For example, to search for either Word 1 or Word 2, enter:
Word 1 OR Word 2
(example)
Excluding Words
You can exclude a word from your search by putting a minus sign ("-") immediately in front of the term you want to exclude. Make sure you include a space before the minus sign.
U.S. Department of Transportation