WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Department of Transportation last week unveiled a sweeping series of actions targeting commercial driver training, fuel economy rules, aviation modernization, and rail safety — a broad regulatory reset the Trump Administration says is aimed at restoring discipline, accountability, and affordability across the nation’s transportation system.
On Monday, Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said nearly 3,000 commercial driver’s license training providers have been removed from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Training Provider Registry for failing to meet federal standards. Another 4,500 schools were placed on notice for potential noncompliance.
“This administration is cracking down on every link in the illegal trucking chain,” Duffy said, arguing that past failures under the prior administration allowed unqualified drivers to enter the workforce. FMCSA officials cited falsified training data, inadequate facilities, and missing documentation among the violations. Training providers facing removal will have 30 days to demonstrate compliance.
The action marks the first phase of a large-scale review of roughly 16,000 CDL training providers nationwide.
By Wednesday, the administration shifted its focus to the automotive sector as President Donald J. Trump and Secretary Duffy announced a proposed overhaul of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s corporate average fuel economy standards. The “Freedom Means Affordable Cars” proposal would reverse the stricter mileage requirements set under the previous administration, which federal officials described as an unlawful “backdoor electric vehicle mandate.”
The revised standards, covering model years 2022 through 2031, are projected to save families an average of $1,000 on new vehicles and cut national vehicle costs by an estimated $109 billion over five years. NHTSA says the changes could also reduce roadway fatalities by encouraging consumers to purchase newer, safer cars.
“Those days are over,” Duffy said, standing beside the president in the Oval Office. “This administration understands the freedom of every American family starts with affordable cars.”
The proposal would also eliminate the fuel economy credit trading program in 2028 and reclassify crossovers and small SUVs as passenger cars. A 45-day comment period will follow publication in the Federal Register.
On Thursday, the administration announced a major step toward modernizing U.S. air traffic control. DOT and the Federal Aviation Administration named Peraton the prime integrator for a massive infrastructure project to replace the national system, funded with a $12.5 billion down payment from the One Big Beautiful Bill.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said replacing decades-old equipment is essential to prevent outages and reduce delays, noting that the agency will need another $20 billion to complete the overhaul.
“We are taking bold action to ensure our air traffic system is the envy of the world,” Bedford said. The administration aims to finish the project by the end of 2028.
Peraton will begin work immediately, including transitioning remaining copper wiring to fiber and developing a new digital command center.
By Friday, DOT turned to rail safety as the Federal Railroad Administration approved a temporary, five-year waiver allowing expanded field testing of automated track inspection technology. The technology is designed to detect defects that routine visual inspections may miss.
“This waiver will allow U.S. railroads to complement visual track inspections with innovative technology,” Duffy said, calling the initiative critical to preventing hazards before they threaten passengers and crew.
FRA Administrator David Fink said the data-sharing requirements built into the waiver will help regulators better assess the safety potential of automated systems.
The test program will resemble prior ATI pilots conducted by freight and commuter railroads, with added oversight and reporting requirements. More information is available in the agency’s public docket.
As the transportation landscape continues to shift, DOT officials said the week’s actions reflect a broader mandate to elevate safety, expand consumer choice, and remove regulatory burdens they argue have hindered industry performance.
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