WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy last week unveiled a sweeping set of initiatives aimed at reshaping how Americans move, travel, and experience the nation’s infrastructure, rolling out new grant funding, a nationwide road-trip app, and the first-ever National Strategy for Advanced Air Mobility.
At the center of the announcement is a $1.5 billion Notice of Funding Opportunity for Fiscal Year 2026 under the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development, or BUILD, grant program. The competitive grants will support major surface transportation projects nationwide, including highways, rail, ports, and truck parking facilities.
Under the Trump administration, the Department of Transportation said BUILD grants will prioritize safety, expanded transportation options for families, improved roadway capacity, and affordability. The revised criteria also emphasize infrastructure designs that enhance the travel experience, support tourism, improve accessibility for people with disabilities, and advance U.S. energy dominance.
“Under President Trump, America is building again,” Duffy said, arguing that the program has been refocused away from what he described as climate and social priorities of the previous administration and redirected toward practical investments that lower costs and modernize aging transportation networks.
Applications for the BUILD grants are due February 24, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern. Since its creation in 2009, the program has awarded more than $18 billion across 18 funding rounds.
The department also introduced Explore250, a new mobile app developed in partnership with General Motors and HERE Technologies, designed to encourage Americans to travel the country ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026. Available for free on Apple and Google platforms, the app allows users to plan road trips, discover more than 250 historic and cultural destinations, and collect digital “stamps” along the way.
Duffy promoted the app as a modern tool to reconnect families with the country’s geography and history, while GM Chair and CEO Mary Barra said the project reflects the automaker’s role in supporting travel, jobs, and American manufacturing.
In a more forward-looking move, Duffy also released the nation’s first Advanced Air Mobility National Strategy, outlining a roadmap for integrating highly automated aircraft into U.S. airspace. The strategy includes 40 recommendations across six pillars, including airspace integration, infrastructure, workforce development, automation, and security.
Advanced Air Mobility, or AAM, refers to a new generation of aircraft designed to operate primarily below 5,000 feet, with potential uses ranging from passenger transport and cargo delivery to medical response and defense applications. The department said the strategy aligns with President Trump’s America First agenda and builds on recent executive actions aimed at strengthening U.S. aviation leadership.
Industry groups, airport operators, aviation manufacturers, and technology firms praised the plan, calling it a critical step toward ensuring the United States remains competitive in next-generation aerospace innovation.
Rounding out the week’s announcements, the Department of Transportation said the Federal Railroad Administration is tightening oversight of cross-border freight rail operations after inspectors identified safety concerns tied to limited English proficiency among some inbound train crews. The FRA clarified that foreign crews may not operate more than 10 miles into the United States without proper certification and language ability, citing safety risks for inspectors, dispatchers, and first responders.
Taken together, the initiatives mark an aggressive push by the Department of Transportation to combine large-scale infrastructure investment, tourism promotion, emerging aviation technology, and stricter safety enforcement as part of a broader effort to redefine how Americans travel by road, rail, and air.
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