On August 12, 2025, Alaska Marine Lines, which operates barge services to Hawaii and Alaska, announced that it will no longer ship electric vehicles (EVs) or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) on its vessels. The prohibition on EVs and PHEVs took effect immediately for barges to Hawaii, Central Alaska, and Western Alaska, and took effect on September 1 for barges to Southeast Alaska. The company attributed the change to “the increased complexity and fire risk associated with shipping large lithium-ion batteries on vessels at sea.” EV fires pose unique difficulty for firefighters, ranging from the difficulty of extinguishing the fire to the gases released. The announcement comes about two months after a cargo ship carrying thousands of new vehicles, including EVs and PHEVs, caught fire off the coast of Alaska and burned for weeks before eventually sinking.Continue Reading Alaskan and Hawaiian Barges Will No Longer Carry EVs Due to Concerns Regarding Fires

Last Thursday, the Senate confirmed three of President Trump’s picks for Department of Transportation (DOT) administrator positions:

  • Jonathan Morrison, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
  • Sean McMaster, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
  • Paul Roberti, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)

The confirmations were considered “en bloc,” meaning that the administrators, along with 45 of President

On May 14, 2025, the Department of Transportation (DOT) announced significant advancements in drone regulations. FAA’s proposed rules related to Beyond Visual Line of Sight Operations (BVLOS) and restricting UAS operations at a fixed site facility have been submitted to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) at the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) marking a significant step forward. Continue Reading DOT Announces Progress on Key Drone Regulations

On April 28, 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order for Enforcing Commonsense Rules of the Road for America’s Truck Drivers. The EO declares it “the policy of [the] Administration to support America’s truckers and safeguard our roadways by enforcing the commonsense English-language requirement for commercial motor vehicle drivers and removing needless regulatory burdens that undermine the working conditions of America’s truck drivers.” Current Federal law provides that a commercial motor vehicle driver must be able to “read and speak the English language sufficiently to converse with the general public, to understand highway traffic signs and signals in the English language, to respond to official inquiries, and to make entries on reports and records.” 49 C.F.R. § 391.11(b)(2). A June 15, 2016, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (“FMCSA”) guidance document describes circumstances in which that regulation will and will not be enforced. The new EO requires that the Secretary of Transportation rescind that guidance document within 60 days and issue new guidance with “revised inspection procedures necessary to ensure compliance with the requirements of 49 C.F.R. 391.11(b)(2).” Such guidance should ensure that “a violation of the English language proficiency requirement results in the driver being placed out-of-service.”Continue Reading New Executive Order on English Language Requirement for Commercial Vehicle Drivers

On April 24, the Department of Transportation announced the Trump Administration’s new framework for the regulation of Automated Vehicles (“AVs”). To learn more, please read our Client Alert NHTSA Announces First Actions Under Trump Administration’s New Framework for Removing Regulatory Barriers for Automated Vehicles.

Steven G. Bradbury has been appointed as the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOT) after the Senate confirmed him 51-46. Deputy Secretary Bradbury will be second in command to Secretary Sean Duffy.

Deputy Secretary Bradbury has a broad background in transportation, which includes serving as general counsel of the DOT from 2017 to 2021 and Acting Deputy Secretary of Transportation under the prior Trump Administration.Continue Reading Steven G. Bradbury Confirmed as Deputy Secretary of DOT

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has rescinded Biden-era memorandums from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) that prioritized infrastructure projects with social justice and climate goals, aligning with the Trump administration’s policy direction. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy stated these memos lacked statutory basis and will no longer influence DOT programs. Critics of the earlier policies had noted that the policy prioritized infrastructure projects intended to maintain or upgrade existing roads, highways, and bridges rather than new construction. This will also give states more autonomy in prioritizing funding allocations.  Continue Reading DOT Reverses Course and Rescinds Policy Memos Related to Infrastructure Projects

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.Continue Reading On the Road: DOT State of Play

On December 30, the Department of Transportation announced 2025 updated civil penalty amounts for the following agencies:

  • Office of the Secretary (OST)
  • Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) 
  • National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
  • Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
  • Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)
  • Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)
  • Maritime Administration (MARAD)
  • Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (GLS) 

Continue Reading DOT Announces Adjusted Civil Penalty Amounts