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Reduction in the Federal Workforce: Amid the waves of optional and imposed employment separations for federal employees comes the assurance that railroad safety inspectors are exempt. At a February 14 Town Hall, DOT Secretary Sean Duffy acknowledged there would be changes to the department’s workforce. By close of business, probationary employees across the department were hit with separation notices. Reports indicate that the FAA had the highest number of impacted employees, but the notices reached every agency within the DOT. Probationary employees are those with 1-to-2 years of service at an agency, regardless of their cumulative tenure as a federal employee. Formula Funds in the Crosshairs: According to an analysis conducted by Politico, about 14% of federal program spending is on the chopping block, impacting “56… agencies, and providing awards in all 50 states.” Among other programs, federal transit formula grants totaling $8.1 billion are expected to be impacted. (Politico) Secretary Duffy's January 29 "Woke Rescission" memo directed his staff to identify any possible violations of Trump's orders so he could ask Congress to slash them from laws they've already passed and funded. In the memo, Duffy promised to "initiate all lawful actions necessary to rescind, cancel, revoke, and terminate" any federal program or directive that violates Trump's executive orders aimed at purging from the federal government any reference to — or funding for — programs and laws that promote diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, or climate change mitigation. That review was due to be completed this week. (Streetsblog) More Distancing from Project 2025: As he prepared for his confirmation hearing this week, Trump’s nominee for DOT deputy secretary Steven Bradbury actively distanced himself from the transportation chapter in the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 document, in which he is credited as a contributor. In a letter to Commerce Committee Chair Ted Cruz (R-TX) and ranking member Maria Cantwell (D-WA), the former DOT general counsel said that he disagreed with some of the ideas in Project 2025’s transportation chapter, or would have “articulated [them] differently.” (Politico) Other suggestions, he said, “may have merit as a theoretical matter,” but are “so unlikely to be embraced by Congress that I would not expect to advise” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to push for them. These include… “substantially” eliminating the DOT’s “transit programs and its grant-making and lending functions, even for infrastructure projects of national importance.” Bradbury served as DOT general counsel in the previous Trump administration. Following the hearing Chairman Cruz called Bradbury “an exceptionally qualified leader who will drive intelligent change,” at DOT. Beyond Washington: President Trump has directed Secretary Duffy to rescind the department's 2024 approval for NYC’s congestion pricing program. The state’s plan had required approval of the Federal Highway Administration because highways built with federal funds cannot be tolled except in certain circumstances. (Smart Cities Dive) NY Governor Kathy Hochul and MTA chair Janno Lieber are pushing back. The MTA has filed a 50-page complaint against Duffy, and Governor Hochul insists that the toll scanners will remain in place. “The federal government cannot unilaterally terminate the program once it's begun,” Lieber said in the interview. “There are lots of ways that it can get terminated, but they always have to include the agency that's running the program.” And on Thursday, February 20, Duffy took aim at California’s high speed rail project, announcing an investigation and possible withdrawal of about $4 billion in federal funding.
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