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The start of the second Trump Presidency, along with a newly Republican-controlled Congress, has led to significant actions in their early weeks that impact businesses in the transportation sector. By placing key personnel in high-level positions and signing Executive Orders, President Trump has already shifted the direction of the transportation sector from his predecessor, especially for businesses in the on-road sector. Here are some of these actions impacting the on-road sector, along with a glimpse of what’s expected next.

DOT Leadership. After a seamless nomination process which resulted in a vote of 77 to 22, Sean Duffy was sworn in to be Secretary of Transportation on January 28th. That same day, Secretary Duffy rescinded the greenhouse gas emissions requirement and the national performance management measures for passenger vehicles and noted in a public statement that he instructed the agency to “identify and eliminate all Biden-era programs, policies, activities, rules, and orders that promote climate change activism and partisan goals.”

Secretary Duffy is expected to focus on safety, among other things, while serving in this role. Shortly after his confirmation, Secretary Duffy said that the agency would focus on making infrastructure more efficient and cost effective, and aim to build more projects with less money. Early senior level hires include the nomination of Jonathan Morrison, an Apple executive who in the past has worked with the California New Car Dealers Association, to be the next National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Administrator.

On the Horizon. With the Trump Administration actively issuing Executive Orders and other guidance, we are monitoring for updates that affect electric vehicles and charging stations, vehicle and highway safety, pollution and other environmental matters.

Collaborating with our International Trade colleagues, we are closely watching tariff developments, which are regularly addressed on the firm’s International Trade Law blog. Posts of particular interest include: EU-US Steel Agreement suspending tariffs expires on March 31, 2025 EU tariffs may resume and other products are affected and White House Updates Section 232 Tariffs on Steel, Aluminum.

We will continue to report on Trump Administration actions that impact the on-road sector.

Tags: Department of Transportation
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Photo of Tracy Tolk Tracy Tolk

Tracy Nagelbush Tolk is a senior policy director in Crowell & Moring’s Government Affairs Group, where she uses her more than 20 years of government affairs experience to help clients effectively communicate with the federal government on public policy matters in the areas…

Tracy Nagelbush Tolk is a senior policy director in Crowell & Moring’s Government Affairs Group, where she uses her more than 20 years of government affairs experience to help clients effectively communicate with the federal government on public policy matters in the areas of climate change, clean technology, transportation, alternative energy deployment, cybersecurity, energy efficiency, Native American affairs, and natural resources development. Tracy is well regarded on both sides of the aisle.

Prior to joining Crowell, Tracy worked as an energy policy professional and lobbyist at Van Ness Feldman LLP, a boutique D.C. law and lobbying firm. She directly represented several electric utilities, clean energy, transportation, and agriculture companies and various coalitions on Capitol Hill and before federal agencies. Tracy advocated for clients’ interests in the areas of renewable energy generation, production of alternative transportation fuels, alternative refueling infrastructure, transmission manufacturing, and manufacturing of electric vehicles. She also has assisted clients in securing federal funding for a variety of energy projects. This included crafting documents for client use on Capitol Hill, writing Congressional updates in various publications, and executing strategic plans to ensure clients’ government relations objectives were met.

Tracy’s Congressional experience includes serving as a senior advisor to Governor Jay Inslee (D-WA) while he served in congress and former Congressman Jim Davis (D-FL). She successfully managed all energy, environment, and transportation policy issues for the Congressmen who were both assigned to the House Energy and Commerce Committee. For Inslee, Tracy also managed matters before the House National Resources Committee as well as the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. In this role, Tracy created outreach programs to educate members of Congress on the latest science regarding climate change; hired and managed legislative fellows; and developed strategy to successfully execute the passage of various legislation.

While working for Congressman Davis, Tracy handled all federal and state communications before, during, and after Hurricanes Charlie, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne, including with Governor Bush, FEMA, and the counties and cities affected by the storm.

Tracy is an Adjunct Professor at George Washington University teaching a course in the masters in Legislative Affairs program.

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