Latest news with #SeanP.Duffy
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
California's High Speed Rail Project Could Lose All of Its Federal Funding, New Report Says
California's High Speed Rail Project Could Lose All of Its Federal Funding, New Report Says originally appeared on L.A. Mag. The U.S. Department of Transportation released a report revealing issues with California's high-speed rail project. The project is in default of its federal grant terms, which consist of $4 billion in taxpayer dollars, according to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). The California High-Speed Rail project surfaced in 2008 as a two-phase system that would cover 800 miles, connecting Los Angeles to San Francisco, and later extending north to Sacramento and south to San report outlines several issues with the California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA)'s project, including construction delays, mismanagement, unsustainability and high costs. The findings are based on the FRA's investigation, where they visited construction sites, contacted CHSRA officials and oversight entities and reviewed thousands of documents. The administration cited missed deadlines, budget shortfalls and overrepresented ridership projections. According to the report, there has been nearly $7 billion dollars in federal funding put toward the high-speed rail project in the last 15 years, and no track has been laid. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy has expressed his concern about the direction of the project."I promised the American people we would be good stewards of their hard-earned tax dollars,' Secretary Duffy said in a statement. 'This report exposes a cold, hard truth: CHSRA has no viable path to complete this project on time or on budget.'Secretary Duffy also warned the CHSRA, "If they can't deliver on their end of the deal, it could soon be time for these funds to flow to other projects that can achieve President Trump's vision of building great, big, beautiful things again.'CHSRA has just 37 days to respond to the report. If they fail to provide a satisfactory response, they could lose all of their federal grants, and the money would be reallocated to other projects. This story was originally reported by L.A. Mag on Jun 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
DOT Secretary Duffy announces $1.5B for Hurricane Helene, other disaster recovery
Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced Wednesday that the Department of Transportation will provide more than $1.5 billion in federal funding to help states and U.S. territories repair roads, bridges and other transportation infrastructure damaged by natural disasters, with $683 million targeted to Hurricane Helene recovery efforts. The funding, part of the Federal Highway Administration's Emergency Relief program, will support repair projects in 36 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Duffy, who visited the hardest-hit areas as one of his first official actions upon taking office, said the administration is committed to expediting recovery. 'Under President Trump's leadership, this Department will leave no state behind. We are expediting the process to remove unnecessary barriers for urgent projects so communities can rebuild in real time,' he said. 'Within the first 100 days of the Administration, we announced repairs to North Carolina's I-40 highway, washed out by Hurricane Helene, that are projected to save two-thirds in both cost and time — amounting to hundreds of millions of hard-earned tax dollars.' Hurricane Helene, which struck in September 2024, caused catastrophic damage across the Southeast, particularly affecting transportation networks in North Carolina and Tennessee. The storm destroyed sections of key highways, including I-40 and I-26, both critical routes for freight transportation in the hurricane's impact was especially severe on railroad infrastructure. More than 40 miles of CSX's former Clinchfield Railroad between Erwin, Tennessee, and Spartanburg, South Carolina, was washed away, including two bridges. Norfolk Southern also suffered extensive damage, with many sections along 50 miles of its line between Marshall and Old Fort, North Carolina, through Asheville destroyed by flooding. I-40, which straddles the North Carolina-Tennessee border, has been particularly affected. While some sections have recently reopened with limited capacity — including the stretch between Exit 7 in North Carolina and Exit 447 in Tennessee — many areas remain under construction. Currently, only one lane is open in each direction between exits 15 and 20 in North Carolina. Of the $1.5 billion allocated, North Carolina will receive $415 million, with more than $400 million dedicated to Hurricane Helene recovery. Tennessee will get $227 million, including more than $178 million for Helene-related repairs. Additional allocations include $68.8 million to South Carolina (with over $50 million for Helene), $44.6 million to Florida (including $43 million for damage from hurricanes Milton, Helene and Debby), and $26.4 million to Georgia (with $23 million for Helene recovery). This emergency funding builds on previous allocations, including a $352.6 million 'quick release' package and $167 million initially provided to North Carolina and Tennessee for emergency relief following the funds will be used to restore transportation routes that are essential to regional productivity and economic recovery. Projects include rebuilding damaged sections of I-40 and I-26, repairing bridges, and restoring roads that support tourism by connecting Americans to the region's natural resources. 'The Federal Highway Administration has been working closely with states across the country to restore vital transportation networks and provide safe travel for the public,' said FHWA Chief Counsel Jay Payne. 'As we continue to provide disaster relief, we remain steadfast in our commitment to provide the federal resources needed until all highway transportation links are restored.' The damage from Helene has had significant economic impacts beyond just infrastructure. CSX reported losing approximately $1 million per day in revenue during the first quarter due to hurricane damage and related network constraints. The railroad continues to rebuild its 60-mile line through eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina, with reconstruction expected to continue 'through the better part of this year' before completion in October or November, according to CSX Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Sean Pelkey. Duffy emphasized that the Department of Transportation will continue assisting affected states throughout the recovery process. 'We will continue to support impacted states and regions every step of the way as they make emergency repairs and get critical transportation infrastructure back up and running as quickly and safely as possible,' he said. The post DOT Secretary Duffy announces $1.5B for Hurricane Helene, other disaster recovery appeared first on FreightWaves.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
NHTSA Loosens Safety Rules While Waymo, Tesla Gear Up for AV Expansion
The U.S. government is moving to relax key safety regulations to speed up the rollout of self-driving vehicles, as domestic tech and automotive firms accelerate autonomous driving plans. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy on Thursday announced the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) updated Automated Vehicle Framework, a set of reforms aimed at cutting regulatory barriers for commercial deployment. The changes include allowing certain vehicles without traditional featureslike rearview mirrorsto legally operate on U.S. roads. These reforms reflect how seriously we take innovation leadership, especially as we compete with China, Duffy said during the rollout. NHTSA also plans to simplify crash reporting for self-driving software and expand its exemption program to include non-compliant vehicles built in the U.S.a shift from the current focus on imported models. Still, the agency confirmed it will maintain its general order requiring crash disclosures from vehicles using advanced driver-assistance and automated driving systems. The timing aligns with growing momentum from companies like Alphabet's (NASDAQ:GOOG) Waymo, Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA), and Amazon's (NASDAQ:AMZN) Zoox. Waymo, which currently operates the only paid robotaxi service in the U.S., plans to expand into Washington, DC by 2026 and is already serving more than 250,000 paid trips weeklyup fivefold from a year ago. CEO Sundar Pichai recently hinted that personal ownership of Waymo vehicles could be on the table in the future. Tesla is also scaling up fast. During its earnings call, CEO Elon Musk confirmed that paid rides using Tesla robotaxis will launch in Austin by June and spread to multiple cities by year-end. Musk noted that Tesla's approach allows far more affordability and scalability compared to rivals like Waymo, whose vehicles are high-cost and low-volume. As the policy environment becomes more supportive, the U.S. robotaxi race is quickly moving from tests and pilots to broader rollout plans. For the industry, a regulatory green light could open the door for faster adoptionand fierce competition. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Sign in to access your portfolio
Epoch Times
25-04-2025
- Automotive
- Epoch Times
Department of Transportation Eases Safety Regulations for Self-Driving Cars
The Department of Transportation (DOT) said on Thursday that it would ease some safety regulations for the development of self-driving vehicles in a move to maintain U.S. global dominance in the industry. The DOT stated that it would expand the Automated Vehicle Exemption Program (AVEP)—which currently applies only to imported AVs—to include domestically-produced automated vehicles (AVs). The program will exempt U.S. automakers from safety regulations for AVs intended for research or demonstration purposes, 'This Administration understands that we're in a race with China to out-innovate, and the stakes couldn't be higher,' Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said in a Duffy stated that the move is part of the DOT's innovation agenda to move the United States 'closer to a single national standard' that promotes innovation by removing barriers while also maintaining safety. To maintain safety, NHTSA said that it will continue requiring vehicles with certain advanced driver assistance and automated driving systems to report crash incidents, and streamline the reporting process to remove 'unnecessary and duplicative requirements.' Related Stories 2/7/2025 1/21/2025 NHTSA's chief counsel, Peter Simshauser, said the move would allow AV manufacturers to 'develop faster and spend less time on unnecessary process, while still advancing safety.' The Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association (AVIA) said in a 'We look forward to working with Secretary Duffy and his team to implement smart, forward-looking policies that will make our roads safer, expand mobility, strengthen supply chains, and drive American economic growth for generations to come,' AVIA CEO Jeff Farrah stated. John Bozzella, president and CEO of Alliance for Automotive Innovation, said that the new framework would help ensure that the United States will not 'cede AV leadership to China and other countries.' Bozzella added that the new framework for self-driving cars is 'overdue.' He said that the AV industry has been 'hamstrung by government inaction' in the past years. 'This technology works. It will help improve safety on the roads and increase mobility,' he said in a Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety voiced disappointment with the administration's move, emphasizing the need to enhance information on the safety of using self-driving cars on public roadways. 'The AV industry has been offering a myriad of promises, such as a reduction in crashes, more accessibility, less congestion and lower carbon emissions,' the agroup said in a 'However, troubling incidents have already occurred in the small number of cities in which they are currently deployed ... Without safeguards, safety regulations, transparency and accountability, the success of AV deployment is imperiled at best and could result in deadly consequences at worst.' The Epoch Times has reached out to the DOT for comment on the group's concerns but did not receive a response by publication time. In 2022, General Motors (GM) filed a petition with NHTSA seeking permission to deploy up to 2,500 self-driving vehicles annually without human controls such as brake pedals or mirrors. The automaker subsequently withdrew the petition last year after a lengthy government review had not been completed. In December 2024, GM Reuters contributed to this report.
New York Times
19-04-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Many Have Tried to Fix Penn Station. Can Trump Get the Job Done?
Political leaders in New York have been promising an overhaul of Pennsylvania Station in Manhattan for so long that the saga has started to resemble the Arthurian legend of the sword in the stone. One by one, officials have tried to pull off ambitious renovation schemes, and one by one they have failed. On Thursday, President Trump's transportation secretary, Sean P. Duffy, joined the list. Asserting federal control of the station in a surprise announcement, he vowed to transform it into a safe, clean station that 'reflects America's greatness.' In all the years of political wrangling, consensus building and master planning, the many obstacles to a new Penn Station have never been challenged so directly by the power of a president. Nor has anyone tried the strong-arm tactics that have defined the first few months of Mr. Trump's second term. Now, Mr. Trump's methods — aggressive demands, bullying, bluster, disregard for legal and bureaucratic structures — will be put to the test against a problem that has for years been mired in a tangle of political cross-pressures and conflicting priorities. Transportation experts say that under normal circumstances, a thorough renovation of the nation's busiest transit hub, which serves three different railroads, would most likely take several years and cost several billion dollars. This isn't China, where a rail station can be upgraded seemingly overnight, they say. But Mr. Trump has been smashing norms since he retook office just three months ago and could take a similar approach to the Penn Station puzzle, said Mitchell Moss, a professor of urban policy and planning at the New York University Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. 'If the federal government is in charge of the project, they can adapt the regulations to fit the special needs of Penn Station,' Mr. Moss said in an interview on Friday. 'Trump calls everything an emergency. He just has to declare this an emergency and they would be able to do this without the delays of every community board and hearing.' The administration has dominion over Penn Station because the federal government controls Amtrak, which owns it and the main rail line that runs through it. Two years ago, though, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which oversees the city's subway and buses, took the lead on redesigning the station. Mr. Duffy said he would hand Amtrak back the responsibility for developing a plan for rebuilding and expanding the station. In its announcement on Thursday, the federal Transportation Department said it would recommend working with private investors to reduce the cost to taxpayers. New York's governor, Kathy Hochul, had committed $1.3 billion toward a renovation that was expected to cost $7 billion. But on Thursday, she indicated in a tart statement that she would gladly withdraw the state's financial support and let the federal government come up with the financing. Thomas K. Wright, chief executive of the Regional Plan Association, endorsed the use of a public-private partnership, saying that model had worked effectively on the new terminals at LaGuardia Airport and the Moynihan Train Hall across the street from Penn Station. He said he expected Amtrak to seek bids for the renovation and give private partners 'a powerful incentive' to finish quickly. 'Any delay in delivery,' he added, 'would cut into the profits of the entity that builds it.' An Amtrak spokesman declined to comment on Mr. Duffy's announcement, referring questions to the federal Transportation Department. Amtrak has been operating without a chief executive since the White House pressured Stephen Gardner to resign a few weeks ago. Mr. Wright said he now thought that the project would be completed sooner than it would have been under the M.T.A. But, he said, he still expected that it would take at least three years and possibly as many as seven years. 'The delay in this is because it's just hard to get to consensus,' he said. Ten years ago, Mr. Wright said, the transformation of the Farley building from a post office into the Moynihan Train Hall 'would have been the Holy Grail, and it got done.' That project had been discussed for many years before any progress was made. Eventually, former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, who is now running for mayor of New York City, struck a deal with two major developers that turned the building into a cavernous train hall four years ago. But rebuilding Penn Station into an inviting portal to the city is much more complex. Mr. Moss, the N.Y.U. professor, said he doubted that the federal intervention could overcome all of the obstacles that slow building big things in New York. There also remains the critical question of who is going to pay for the renovation, he said. He said that the federal government had already committed more than $10 billion toward building new Hudson River tunnels, which would most likely absorb any discretionary federal funding for transportation projects in the metropolitan area. 'We should not expect the Department of Transportation to now make the rebuilding of Penn Station one of their showpieces,' Mr. Moss said. 'I don't know if this administration has the skill, the patience and the kind of commitment to deal with all of the forces in New York.' Another big problem is that Madison Square Garden, a concert venue that is also the home of the Knicks and Rangers, sits on top of the station and its owner does not want to move. Making changes at the station is also complicated by its crowded conditions. Along with being Amtrak's busiest station, it is the main destination for commuter trains operated by the Long Island Rail Road and New Jersey Transit. Before the Covid pandemic, the station and its old, narrow platforms were accommodating far more passengers than they were designed for. The tunnels under the Hudson River that connect the station to New Jersey were handling as many trains as possible during rush hours. So Amtrak and New Jersey Transit devised a plan to add two tracks under the Hudson, effectively doubling the number of trains that could cross the river. Those tunnels, part of a sprawling program of upgrades to the region's rail network known as Gateway, are under construction. But there is no room for additional trains as the station is currently configured and the railroads have traditionally operated. Amtrak has been studying how it could add tracks to increase the station's capacity. Its executives have concluded that it would need to take up more space in Midtown, but community activists and some elected officials have tried to head off the displacement of residents and businesses in the neighborhood. The new tunnels will not be completed for several years, so there is time to make decisions about expanding the station, Mr. Wright said. But 'the sooner the station can be renovated, the better,' he said. He said he did not want the administration to cut corners or rush while rebuilding the station, though. Amtrak should manage a 'transparent process, so the community will have an opportunity to weigh in,' he said.
