USDOT Staffing Changes: NHTSA Faces 25% Cuts, Raising Safety Concerns
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) is undergoing significant staffing changes, with several agencies facing workforce reductions of over 25%. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which is responsible for protecting consumers in the automotive market, is among those affected. Consumer groups have raised concerns about potential impacts on safety investigations and operations involving consumer cellular and other companies. The USDOT is set to lose just over 4,100 employees, including the NHTSA, which is reducing its workforce by over 25% through financial incentive programs. Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed that no safety-critical consumer cellular employees were cut, and the department is actively seeking to add air traffic controllers. The Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration are also experiencing significant staff losses, with each losing more than 25% of their staff. Several organizations under the Trump administration's financial incentive program have laid off more than 25% of their employees, with some planning further staff reductions and operational restructuring to cut costs and improve efficiency. The proposed budget cuts also include nearly $78 million of supplemental funds from the $1 billion 2021 infrastructure law. Consumer advocacy groups have expressed concern about these funding cuts, worrying that such reductions may lead to further firings or forced retirements at NHTSA, potentially impacting ongoing investigations involving consumer cellular and other companies. Groups have urged lawmakers to drop proposed cuts to NHTSA's budget, including cutting its operations and research account by over $10 million. Meanwhile, the Federal Aviation Administration is shedding 2,137 employees, falling from about 46,250 to 44,208. The USDOT's workforce reduction, including significant cuts at NHTSA, raises concerns about potential impacts on safety investigations and operations involving consumer cellular and other companies. Consumer groups have called on lawmakers to reconsider proposed budget cuts, emphasizing the importance of maintaining adequate funding for the agency's critical work.
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