Department of Transportation (DOT)

On behalf of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), I am pleased to provide comments on the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) request for input regarding the agency’s review of its regulations, policy and guidance in order identify items that may cause unnecessary obstacles to transportation infrastructure projects. By way of background, TTD consists of 32 affiliate unions representing workers in all modes of transportation who are impacted by DOT regulations. [1] We therefore have a vested interested in the rulemaking.

U.S. approves new airline over objections from N.J. Republican and his union allies As reported by Jonathan D. Salant for NJ.com WASHINGTON — The Obama administration‘s approval of a new international airline over objections from organized labor and Republican ally Rep. Frank LoBiondo means new flights from Newark Airport. Norwegian Air International received final Transportation Department approval Friday. It is […]

Norwegian Air International gets final approval for flights to U.S., despite opposition As reported by Hugo Martin in Los Angeles Times Despite opposition from American carriers, the U.S. Department of Transportation issued a final permit Friday to allow Norwegian Air International to fly in and out of the U.S. from a base in Ireland. Opponents, […]

US Gives Norwegian Air OK to Expand Disputed Low-cost Flights Here As reported by Dominic Gates in The Seattle Times In a decision released Friday, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) finally granted European low-cost carrier Norwegian Air a permit that will allow it to expand flights to the U.S., despite fierce opposition from large U.S. […]

Trump’s pick for transportation secretary could be good for companies with self-driving ambitions As reported by Johana Bhuiyan on Recode Donald Trump will reportedly nominate Elaine Chao — the former secretary of labor under the Bush administration who also served as the deputy secretary of transportation under the previous Bush administration — to be the […]

President-elect Trump picks Chao to run USDOT As reported by Progressive Railroading President-elect Donald Trump’s selection of Elaine Chao as the next U.S. secretary of transportation drew praise today from several rail industry leaders and organizations. Chao served as secretary of labor under President George W. Bush from 2001 through 2009. She also served as […]

Trump’s transport chief pick has record of rolling back regs As reported by Reynolds Hutchins in Journal of Commerce WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to head the Department of Transportation, former Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, has a track record of rolling back regulation and a pro-business bent that has run afoul of labor unions. […]

Other than the lobby for the behemoth, multi-billion dollar railroad companies, almost no one believes we should permit up to 20,000-ton freight trains, many filled with things that blow up, to travel across America with a single crew member at the controls. The American people hate this idea. Across the country, in small towns and […]

As published by Keith Laing in The Hill   Unions mobilize against hair drug testing for truck drivers The AFL-CIO’s Transportation Trades Department (TTD) is trying to clip a proposal to test truck drivers’ hair for traces of drugs instead of checking their urine. Supporters of the proposal, which is included in a highway bill […]

Remember that bad joke we told you in back in 2013? The one about the Norwegian airline that plans to register in Ireland and base its employees — hired through a Singaporean agency — in Bangkok? Well, it only gets worse — or more laughable, depending upon your level of cynicism. Norwegian Air International (NAI), […]