The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is leading the Trump administration in reducing costs through regulatory streamlining, with $90 billion saved since 2017, according to DOT Secretary Elaine Chao.
“Tackling overly bureaucratic, inflexible, outdated government regulations that don’t contribute to increased safety benefits the public, helps spur economic growth and creates jobs,” Chao said in a statement on Thursday.
The hours-of-service (HOS) final rule, which the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) estimates will save the economy $274 million annually, will reduce regulatory costs by more than $4 billion, according to DOT, presumably by reducing delays and driver detention costs.
Chao also touted the department’s final rule last month that approved moving liquefied natural gas (LNG) by rail, asserting that the measure “enhances our nation’s energy infrastructure by enabling the safe transportation of [LNG] by rail to more parts of the country where this energy source is needed.”
Democrats in the U.S House of Representatives are attempting to delay or repeal both the HOS and LNG-by-rail final rules in provisions included in their $1.5 trillion infrastructure package passed earlier this month.
DOT also took into account its SAFE Vehicles Rule, which it issued with the Environmental Protection Agency in March. It estimated the rule will reduce regulatory costs by as much as $163 billion through fuel efficiency savings in passenger cars and light trucks for model years 2021 through 2026.
“DOT continues to maintain the largest number of regulatory reform actions by any Federal department or agency,” the agency asserted. “Additionally, DOT was the first Federal department to codify reforms to its rulemaking, guidance, and enforcement practices, which enhance transparency and strengthen due process.”
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