Department of Transportation

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In Rural America, the Shutdown Threatens Air Travel

Hundreds of rural airports could lose service by Sunday as EAS funding dries up

(Newser) - Federal funding that keeps air travel running in rural parts of the United States will expire this Sunday if the government shutdown drags on . The Essential Air Service program , created in 1978, provides subsidies to airlines serving 177 small airports—often the only link these communities have to bigger...

Trump Administration Scraps Plan for Airline Delay Payouts

DOT reconsiders consumer protection rules, refund requirements for travelers

(Newser) - The Trump administration is reversing course on an airline passenger compensation plan introduced during the Biden presidency. The Department of Transportation announced it will withdraw a proposal that would have required airlines to pay cash—ranging from $200 to $775—to passengers facing long delays caused by the airlines...

Trump Administration Dumps Speed Limits on Big Rigs

Federal regulators cite costs, safety concerns in dropping speed cap plan

(Newser) - The Trump administration has officially scrapped an Obama-era plan that would have imposed speed limits on large trucks and buses nationwide, reports USA Today , shelving a proposal that had been in the works since 2016. The original idea was to use electronic devices called governors to cap the speed...

America's Air Traffic Control Revamp Will Cost $31.5B

Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy revealed the figure to House members

(Newser) - America's air traffic control system is on track for a redo, but it won't come cheap. Speaking before Congress Wednesday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy put the price tag at $31.5 billion—the first time a concrete figure has been given. CNN reports an initial $12.5...

New DOT Rules Change 'a Win for Tesla, a Loss for Waymo'

Tweak could allow certain automakers—namely, Tesla—to report fewer crashes with self-driving cars

(Newser) - Rule changes announced by the Trump administration this week could allow automakers to report fewer crashes involving self-driving cars, with Tesla potentially emerging as the main beneficiary. The Transportation Department announced Thursday it will no longer require automakers to report certain kinds of nonfatal crashes—but the exception will apply...

Trump's Transportation Chief Confirmed in 77-22 Vote

Sean Duffy says Elon Musk won't get special treatment

(Newser) - Sean Duffy was confirmed Tuesday as transportation secretary, giving him a key role in helping President Trump cut regulations and fix the nation's infrastructure. The former Wisconsin congressman has promised safer Boeing planes, less regulation, and help for US companies developing self-driving cars—while not giving any breaks to...

US Sues Southwest Over 'Chronically Delayed' Flights

Buttigieg says case sends a message to all airlines

(Newser) - The Transportation Department filed a lawsuit against Southwest Airlines on Wednesday, saying passengers were harmed by certain "chronically delayed" flights. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said airlines have "a legal obligation" to give customers realistic schedules to avoid deceiving them, the New York Times reports. "Today's action...

JetBlue Faces Big Fine for 'Unrealistic Scheduling'

DOT says airline operated chronically delayed flights, even after warnings

(Newser) - The Transportation Department has ordered JetBlue to pay a $2 million penalty, including $1 million to reimburse customers, following chronic flight delays triggered by "illegal unrealistic scheduling." Under department rules, routes are considered chronically delayed if they are flown at least 10 times per month and arrive more...

What Is a 'Canceled' Flight? Rule Spells It Out for First Time

It's part of new federal protections for air travelers

(Newser) - Most air travelers would seem to know the definition of a "canceled" flight, but as Quartz points out, the term can get a little squishy for airlines when it comes time to issue refunds. To counter that, the Department of Transportation has spelled out for the first time what...

American Airlines Hit With $50M Fine Over Disabled Fliers

It's a record payout over injuring passengers, damaging wheelchairs

(Newser) - The nation's largest airline has been hit with a $50 million fine for repeatedly violating rules intended to protect passengers with disabilities. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced the fine against American Airlines on Wednesday, saying it was 25 times larger than any other fine issued by the Department of...

More Passengers Complain to Government About Air Travel

Filings about airlines hit post-pandemic high, though cancellations fell last year

(Newser) - Air travel got more miserable last year, if the number of consumer complaints filed with the federal government is any measure. The Transportation Department said Friday that it received nearly 97,000 complaints in 2023, up from about 86,000 the year before. The department said there were so many...

Airline Passengers Get Good News From the DOT

New guidelines require airlines to spell out all fees, quickly issue cash refunds for canceled flights

(Newser) - Airline passengers will soon see some relief when it comes to refunds and so-called junk fees. Per new rules set out by the Biden administration on Wednesday, airlines must now show the full price of travel when passengers are booking their trip, reports NPR . That means that airlines have to...

New Federal Rule Requires 2-Person Railroad Crews

'As trains ... have grown longer, crews should not be getting smaller'

(Newser) - Major freight railroads will have to maintain two-person crews on most routes under a new federal rule that was finalized Tuesday in a milestone in organized labor's long fight to preserve the practice. The Transportation Department's Federal Railroad Administration released the details of the rule Tuesday morning after...

Feds Unamused by Highway Sign Puns
Feds Unamused by
Highway Sign Puns
Jan 20, 2024 3:10 PM CST

Feds Unamused by Highway Sign Puns

New guidance is winding down clever safety messages within the next 2 years

(Newser) - If you enjoy the occasional wild highway sign urging you to "Camp in the woods, not the left lane," sadly, you'll have to get your dad jokes elsewhere. The Federal Highway Administration (part of the Department of Transportation) has weighed in on whether electronic safety billboards on...

It's Looking Like a Record Year for US Airline Complaints

Consumer complaints doubled in first 5 months of 2023 compared to same period in 2022

(Newser) - Early data suggests this could be another record year for consumer complaints against US airlines. A report from the US Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), based on data from the Department of Transportation, finds complaints against US airlines more than doubled in the first five months of 2023 compared with...

Southwest Takes Big Hit From DOT for 2022 Holiday Fiasco

Agency levies $140M fine; airline says it's 'grateful to have reached a consumer-friendly settlement'

(Newser) - If you were caught up in Southwest's holiday chaos last year and found yourself at any point muttering, "Someone's got to pay for this," your wish has been granted. The Department of Transportation on Monday announced it's hitting the airline with a $140 million fine,...

White House Is Cracking Down on Airline Cancellations

Airlines would have to reimburse customers for delays that were within their control

(Newser) - The Biden administration is proposing new regulations that would require airlines to compensate passengers and cover their meals and hotels if they are stranded for reasons within the airline's control. As the AP reports, President Biden and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg were unveiling the plan on Monday. It continues...

In a DOT Salt Pile, a 'Most Bizarre' Find

Worker stumbles upon hardened human heart at Tennessee facility

(Newser) - Authorities are investigating the discovery of a human heart in a salt pile at a Tennessee Department of Transportation facility. Workers at the facility in McEwen were making preparations for inclement weather Thursday when they came across something unusual that was later confirmed to be a human heart, Humphreys County...

DOT in 'Crisis' Mode Over New Stats on Road Fatalities

They've hit a 15-year high, with more than 20K dead in US during first half of 2021

(Newser) - With more people back in schools and offices, that means there are more people on the road. But time stuck at home apparently hasn't done any favors for our driving skills, based on new stats from the Department of Transportation that show the highest number of traffic fatalities in...

Feds Clear Path for New Northeast Tunnel

It will replace the existing Hudson River tunnel connecting NY and NJ

(Newser) - A planned $11 billion rail tunnel key to train travel up and down the northeastern US received a boost Friday with long sought federal environmental approval. The decision by the Department of Transportation means the project to build a new Hudson River tunnel connecting New York and New Jersey can...

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