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The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued a final rule to revise civil penalty amounts for violations of various transportation regulations, effective December 30, 2024. These adjustments are required by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act and are meant to ensure that penalties maintain their deterrent effect by accounting for inflation. The rule covers a wide array of areas including aviation, hazardous materials, and vehicle safety, among others. The adjustments apply prospectively, meaning they will only affect violations occurring after the rule takes effect.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of Transportation is seeking public comments on their Information Collection Request (ICR) under the Paperwork Reduction Act. They are asking for feedback on the necessity and utility of the information collection activities, the accuracy of their burden estimates, and ways to improve or reduce the burden of these activities. The FRA aims to use this feedback to enhance reporting efficiency, improve information quality, and accurately assess resource expenditures. Public comments must be submitted by May 12, 2025.

The Department of Transportation has announced an increase in the rail passenger transportation liability cap. This adjustment is mandated by the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act and raises the cap from $294,278,983 to $322,864,228 to account for inflation. The new cap ensures that the total compensation for all claims from a single accident, including punitive damages, reflects current dollar value. This change will be effective 30 days after February 25, 2021.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), part of the Department of Transportation, is requesting public comments on its proposed Information Collection Request (ICR) under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This ICR is about Railroad Workplace Safety, which involves collecting data to ensure railroads have proper safety programs for roadway workers. The FRA seeks comments specifically on the necessity and accuracy of these information collection activities and ways to reduce the burden on the public. The estimated paperwork burden has increased due to new recordkeeping requirements, and the FRA invites feedback by May 27, 2025.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), part of the Department of Transportation, has issued a rule extending the prohibition on certain flights in specific areas of the Sanaa Flight Information Region (FIR) in Yemen. This prohibition, which applies to U.S. air carriers and operators, is extended until January 7, 2028, due to significant safety risks stemming from regional conflicts and the presence of advanced weapons systems. The rule aims to protect U.S. civil aviation from the dangers posed by ongoing military tensions, particularly those involving Houthi forces. The FAA has determined that swift action is needed, therefore the usual public comment process has been bypassed for this rule.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) issued a public interest waiver allowing certain infrastructure projects in the Pacific Island territories (Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and American Samoa) and the Freely Associated States (Republic of Palau, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Federated States of Micronesia) to bypass the Buy America requirements. These requirements usually mandate that materials like iron, steel, and manufactured goods used in U.S. infrastructure projects be made domestically. The waiver, lasting five years from January 10, 2025, aims to reduce costs and avoid project delays caused by shipping and sourcing issues from the mainland U.S. DOT decided on this waiver after considering public comments and addressing concerns about regional supply chains and cost impacts.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) of the Department of Transportation is asking for public comments on its Information Collection Request (ICR) concerning railroad accident and incident reports. These reports are crucial for understanding collisions, derailments, and injuries involving railroads, which are submitted monthly by 765 railroads. The FRA aims to ensure the collection process is necessary, practical, and efficient, and is also seeking ways to reduce the burden on businesses. The public can submit their feedback by April 19, 2021, as part of the approval process with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

The Department of Transportation has introduced a new rule that clarifies rules around denied boarding compensation (DBC) and domestic baggage liability for airlines. Under the new rule, airlines are prohibited from involuntarily removing passengers from flights once their boarding passes are collected or scanned. It also raises the liability limits for denied boarding compensation from $675 to $775 and from $1,350 to $1,550, reflecting changes in the Consumer Price Index. Additionally, the rule adjusts the maximum compensation for mishandled baggage from $3,500 to $3,800. These changes aim to enhance consumer protection without significantly impacting airlines' operations.

The Department of Transportation issued a final rule that updates the penalties for violations of certain DOT regulations to account for inflation, as required by legislation from 2015. These updates affect various areas such as air and motor vehicle safety, hazardous materials transportation, and railroad operations. The changes include adjustments in the minimum and maximum fines that can be imposed for different types of violations. The rule was implemented immediately and did not include a notice and comment period, as per the stipulations of the legislation enabling these adjustments.

The U.S. Department of Transportation is hosting the annual Combating Human Trafficking in Transportation Impact Award, which aims to encourage creative and effective ways to raise awareness and prevent human trafficking in the transportation industry. Open to individuals and various organizations, including NGOs and government bodies, the award offers a cash prize of up to $50,000 for the most impactful project. Participants must be U.S. citizens or entities based in the U.S., and submissions are due by March 1, 2021. Winners will be judged based on factors such as technical merit, originality, impact, and practicality.