U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has been making significant waves in the transportation sector since his recent confirmation by the Senate with a vote of 77 to 22. Duffy, a former Congressman from Wisconsin’s 7th District and host of the Fox Business show "The Bottom Line with Dagen and Duffy," has hit the ground running with a series of directives and policy changes aligned with the Trump administration’s agenda.
One of the key actions taken by Secretary Duffy involves the rescission of what the administration terms as "woke" Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies. On January 29, 2025, Duffy signed a memorandum directing the elimination of all Biden-era programs, policies, and rules that promote climate change activism, DEI initiatives, racial equity, gender identity policies, and environmental justice. This move is part of a broader effort to align the Department of Transportation's policies with President Trump’s executive orders, including Order 14148, and to focus on merit-based hiring and decision-making[2][4].
In addition to the policy rescissions, Secretary Duffy has issued new directives that prioritize specific administration policies. These include the use of user-pay models, direct funding to local opportunity zones, and mitigating the impacts of U.S. DOT programs on families, particularly those with young children. The directives also give preference to communities with marriage and birth rates higher than the national average and prohibit the imposition of vaccine and mask mandates. Furthermore, the orders require local compliance with federal immigration enforcement and adherence to other goals specified by President Trump or Secretary Duffy[1].
Another significant move by Secretary Duffy is the proposed rescission of the "National Performance Management Measures; Assessing Performance of the National Highway System, Greenhouse Gas Emissions Measure" Final Rule, which was enacted by the previous administration. This rule had already faced legal challenges in the United States District Courts for the Northern District of Texas and the Western District of Kentucky. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to rescind this rule is part of the broader effort to roll back what the current administration sees as burdensome and costly regulations[1].
Duffy's agenda also includes addressing critical issues within the transportation sector, such as Boeing's safety concerns, air traffic controller shortages, and consumer regulations inherited from the Biden administration. During his confirmation hearing, Duffy emphasized the need for "tough love" in dealing with Boeing's safety issues and indicated a re-evaluation of fines on space launches, which have affected companies like Elon Musk’s SpaceX[4].
The new secretary's approach to transportation policy is expected to have significant implications for the industry, with a focus on safety, efficiency, economic prosperity, and regulatory reform. As Duffy oversees the Department of Transportation, his actions are likely to shape the future of transportation infrastructure and policy in the United States, reflecting the Trump administration's commitment to reducing regulations and promoting economic growth[2][4].
