A disaster decades in the making

Politico

04-08-2025

QUICK FIX
— Among the revelations from the NTSB's hearing into the January Washington air disaster: Nobody seemed shocked that the crash occurred.
— Congress may be gone for its August recess, but lawmakers already have plans to continue scrutinizing the FAA and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport once they return.
— The Senate confirmed a former Republican congressman from New York to be the FTA's new administrator.
IT'S MONDAY: You're reading Morning Transportation, your Washington policy guide to everything that moves. We're glad you're here. Send tips, feedback and song lyrics to Sam at [e-mail], Chris at [e-mail], Oriana at [e-mail] and Pavan at [e-mail], and follow us at @SamOgozalek, @ChrisMarquette_, @Oriana0214 and @pavanmacharya.
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Driving the day
PUSHED TO THE LIMIT: Witnesses during last week's three-day NTSB hearing into the Jan. 29 midair catastrophe in Washington described an aviation system that seemed bound to eventually fail and a paralyzed government response — with 67 lives ultimately lost in the worst U.S. aviation disaster in two decades. Oriana, Pavan, Sam and Chris have a deep dive into the major takeaways and the reactions to the marathon inquiry, which ended late Friday. (As a reminder, the independent safety board didn't determine what caused the crash. That report is expected sometime next year.)
— Key quote: 'I was chairman of the board for almost eight years. I've followed aviation for several decades. Nothing in this surprises me,' said former NTSB Chair Jim Hall of what the independent agency detailed. It 'only demonstrates that the past is prologue.'
THE MAJOR ISSUES: A slew of documents released by the safety board as well as testimony from a battery of witnesses showed, among other things: a highly complex and congested airspace, with prior concerns raised about a risky helicopter route; mistakes the night of the collision between an Army Black Hawk and PSA Airlines regional jet; and an overworked air traffic control tower.
— NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy at one point also suggested that FAA officials were interfering in the board's probe. But then she softened her language, saying it 'looks like you're trying to hide things,' even though she didn't think the regulator intended to conceal information, Pavan reports.
WHAT'S NEXT? Jeff Guzzetti, an aviation safety consultant who was a longtime official at both the FAA and NTSB, called the hearing 'the FAA's day of reckoning' and predicted that it could put pressure on the agency to finally curtail flights at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and take further action to bolster air traffic controller staffing. And, he told Sam, it may push the Army to reduce its helicopter operations in the area.
AND IN CONGRESS: Even as Washington enters the sleepy August recess, lawmakers are sure to continue digging into the issues raised last week once they return in September. Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kansas), chair of the Senate Commerce Committee's aviation panel, told Chris that he's mulling a hearing to examine why the FAA didn't act on prior safety recommendations related to Reagan National. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), the top Democrat on Moran's subcommittee, favors a hearing, too.
— Virginia's delegation in the upper chamber, Democratic Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, also seem poised to resume their scrutiny of increased congestion at the airport after they failed last year to prevent the expansion of Regan National's long-distance flight 'slots' under the 2024 FAA law. And they may have a new ally: Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), a former Navy SEAL who was elected last fall and serves on the Commerce Committee. 'We need to push more flights' to Washington Dulles International Airport, Sheehy said.
On The Hill
TRANSIT AGENCY GETS ITS LEADER: Roughly four months after he advanced out of committee, former Rep. Marc Molinaro (R-N.Y.) was confirmed 71-23 by the Senate on Saturday night to be the FTA's new administrator. Sam has the story.
— As MT readers will know, Molinaro has been serving as a senior adviser to DOT Secretary Sean Duffy while awaiting floor action. He's a former Republican congressman who represented an upstate New York district before losing his reelection bid last year and is an advocate for boosting accessibility in transit.
— In a statement, Paul Skoutelas, president and CEO of the American Public Transportation Association, said that Molinaro 'brings valuable real-world experience to the role' and understands the importance of transit to economic growth and job creation.
Rail
MOTHBALLING IT: The FRA is moving to cancel more than $26 million in federal grant dollars awarded to kick-start a high-speed, Baltimore-to-Washington magnetic levitation rail project, as well as scrapping an environmental review, essentially nixing the endeavor. Chris has the story.
— The agency argues that there isn't a viable path forward due to delays and cost overruns. The Trump administration also cites anticipated, indirect impacts to federal property, including at the NSA, NASA, Defense Department and other agencies.
— Maryland's DOT didn't seem too bothered by the announcement, with now-former Secretary Paul Wiedefeld writing that the state 'understands that FRA's decision reflects the significant challenges posed by the project.'
SOUND FAMILIAR? Under Duffy's leadership, the department has also taken aim at California's high-speed rail effort, yanking around $4 billion in funds. (This sparked a lawsuit from the state, which remains ongoing.)
Electric Vehicles
A LOSS FOR TESLA: A federal jury in Florida found Friday that the electric vehicle-maker was partly to blame for a 2019 crash involving its 'Autopilot' driver-assistance suite that killed a 22-year-old woman and injured her boyfriend, Chris reports. If the verdict is upheld, Tesla would pay $243 million in damages. Elon Musk's company in a statement said it plans to appeal.
Aviation
DEEP DIVE: Benjamin Guggenheim is out with a new look into why a bill by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), S. 1691, which aims to limit the use of facial recognition technology at airports, got yanked from the Senate Commerce Committee's markup agenda last week. The travel industry had lobbied against the legislation, but Republicans who support the measure privately say it was the TSA itself that orchestrated the campaign. An agency spokesperson didn't provide a statement in response to requests for comment.
NOT THE CASE, AIRLINE SAYS: Responding to questions from a trio of Democratic senators, Delta Air Lines' chief external affairs officer, Peter Carter, in a letter sent Friday but dated July 31 denied that the carrier deploys 'individualized' or 'surveillance' pricing for tickets, a practice that uses people's personal data to set specific amounts. Critics fear the practice could set prices at the highest level a person is willing to pay. Alfred Ng has the story.
— Context: Sens. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Warner last month inquired into the issue after Delta told investors that it aims to use artificial intelligence to set pricing for 20 percent of its domestic flights before 2025 wraps up.
Trucking
KEEP AN EYE OUT: The FHWA plans to issue a truck parking survey by year's end, an agency spokesperson told Pavan. The exact date isn't entirely clear, but the document will provide a comprehensive picture of the ongoing shortage of public spots for semi-trucks along the nation's highways.
Transit
ICYMI: Seattle late last week filed a federal lawsuit against DOT and the FTA over their implementation of a January executive order from President Donald Trump that instructed agencies to make sure grant recipients don't have diversity, equity or inclusion programs. You can check out the court papers here. (Other defendants include the Justice Department and DHS.)
— DOT didn't respond to a request for comment.
The Caboose
COLD, COLD, COLD: Oriana and Pavan soldiered through last week's marathon NTSB hearing, which featured everything from malfunctioning plumbing to 'elbowgate.' As it wrapped up Friday, temperatures at L'Enfant Plaza got chilly, dipping down into the 50s. Oriana snagged (temporarily) an NTSB fleece:
IN A GALAXY FAR, FAR AWAY: Looks like Duffy is a 'Star Wars' fan?
Shifting Gears
— Louis Sola, the former chair of the Federal Maritime Commission, is now at lobbying firm Thorn Run Partners.
— HAAS Alert, a service that warns drivers of nearby emergency responders, is joining the Alliance for Automotive Innovation.
The Autobahn
— 'Boeing sued by flight attendants over MAX 9 mid-air panel blowout.' Reuters.
— 'Panama Ports says it will discuss ports sale with Panama government.' Reuters.
— 'A Steep Mountain Drive, a Brake Failure and a Volvo Recall.' Wall Street Journal.
— 'BYD Sales Sputter as Competition, Regulatory Scrutiny Grow.' Bloomberg.
— 'European automakers despair of dodging Trump tariffs.' POLITICO Pro.
— 'Senators leave Washington without Trump nominees deal.' POLITICO.