Tag:Transportation
Regulatory Framework for Airline Mergers: Recent Scrutiny by Regulators Leads to Splitting Antitrust Decisions by the DOJ and DOT
Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines’ proposed $1.9 billion merger has survived litigation by the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) and the Department of Transportation (“DOT”) following recent scrutiny of airlines by regulators. Earlier this year, a federal judge blocked the $3.8 billion acquisition of Spirit Airlines by JetBlue due to antitrust concerns. The DOJ successfully blocked the acquisition by arguing it would stifle competition and raise prices for consumers. The Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines merger managed to survive an inquiry by the DOT leading to split decisions by regulators.
The Future of EV Vehicles: Tesla’s EV Connector Becoming the National Standard
For the first time ever, American automotive company Tesla will open a portion of its U.S. Superchargers and Destination Charger network for non-Tesla electric vehicles (“EVs”)–including 7,500 of its chargers–following an action by the Department of Transportation and Energy. The Department of Transportation and Energy finalized the new standards to make charging EVs more convenient and reliable for consumers. Other companies in the private sector, including Hertz, bp, and General Motors, will also establish a network of chargers using the Tesla charging ports. The Biden-Harris Administration is lending its support for EV standardization, attempting to make Tesla’s charging ports the industry standard for EV charging in America. This new regulatory framework seeks to establish the Biden-Harris Administration’s “Made in America” policies, which include revolutionizing the country’s EV charging network so that the “great American road trip” can be electrified.
The Southwest Airline Debacle: What Role Should Regulators Play?
To anyone who travelled by plane this last holiday season or tuned into the news, you’re well versed in the Southwest Airlines (Southwest) issues that plagued December 2022. Southwest ended up cancelling over 15,000 flights over the Christmas season, forcing thousands of stranded passengers to sleep at the airport and miss time with loved ones. With the disruptions leading to an estimated $825 million loss for the company, federal regulators have scrutinized Southwest to ensure compliance with its customer service plan and to take mitigating steps to prevent another catastrophe. This failure presents an opportunity beyond mere investigation for the Department of Transportation (DOT) to take important regulatory steps to ensure infrastructure and technology is aligned with the modern expectations of travel.
Clean Trucks Plan: How Reducing Emissions Impacts the Nation’s Commercial Vehicles
The EPA is expected to introduce tougher heavy duty emissions rules in 2023 as part of the Clean Trucks Plan with the intent to inhibit a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The quicker these changes in the greenhouse gas rules are made, the better for the environment and the future of the efficiency of transportation. The application of these regulations will lead to more efficient transmissions across the country as it impacts a large variety of important vehicles.
The Gig is Up: Government Efforts to Regulate Gig Work and the Changing Definition of Employment
On October 11, 2022, the Department of Labor released a proposal to redefine independent contractor classifications under the Fair Labor Standards act. The change in definition, if approved, will have major implications for gig workers and companies such as Uber, Doordash, Grubhub, etc. These companies have already had a drop in stock value because of the announcement and the companies are at risk of losing more value as the gig economy destabilizes.
Considerations for Employer-Provided Abortion Benefits
Following the ruling of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization and subsequent reversal of Roe v. Wade, employers have begun to re-strategize how to help their employees legally access abortions. Several U.S. companies, including Amazon, Meta, Apple, and Microsoft, have released statements that they will cover transportation costs to other states for employees seeking an abortion.
“Get an Electric Car,” They Said, “It’s Good for the Planet,” They Said
The human impact on the environment has become increasingly more apparent, and more and more people intend to do their part to live a greener life. Over the past few years, governments and car manufacturers alike have been touting electric or hybrid cars as an easy switch anyone can make to do their part to fight emissions and climate change. Some states have even gone as far as offering financial incentives for driving hybrids or electric cars. But while electric vehicles may indeed have lower emissions than gas-powered cars overall, they are not exactly environmentally friendly either.
Delivery Drones Are Arriving
Using a machine to replace human workers is a practice that continues to grow in the electronic age. The logic of drone delivery is to provide a sustainable option for the last-minute shopper or for the caffeinato that wants to order coffee online and receive it at their doorstep within minutes. For many years, drone deliveries have just been mere speculation based on unreliable technology utilized in the drones. However, it seems that technology has advanced once again. Drone companies have recently been cleared to expand their operations across the United States, in cities and rural areas as the technology becomes more reliable and faster. But how soon should we be able to order our daily necessities and luxurious items straight to our doorstep via drone? That all depends on federal regulation.
Fly Me (Safely) to the Moon: Regulating Commercial Space Travel
The recent successful trips to the edge of space by Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson are predicted to boost consumer confidence in the possibility of using commercial spaceflight as a global transportation system. However, as interest and involvement in commercial spaceflight grows, safety regulations are failing to keep up. The Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) has the authority to regulate spaceflight, but there is currently a moratorium on regulating the industry until 2023 to encourage innovation.
The Aircraft Certification Process under the Federal Aviation Administration
Though the idea of a plane crash or any other incident with air travel is extremely unsettling, only about one accident per 2.5 million flights is fatal. Additionally, plane crashes also have about a ninety-five percent survivability rate. The regulations behind aviation are designed to implement the highest safety standards in all aircraft to prevent injury from occurring. The Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Transportation (“DOT”) that manages commercial and general aviation flights with a mission to provide safe air travel. The FAA is a crucial part of what makes air travel safe.