Sharp turn ahead for US transportation policy?

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Transportation is planning a five year strategy update for improving the nation’s transportation system that’s expected to take a sharp turn away from the previous plan in how DOT prioritizes freight.

Congress requires DOT and other federal departments to update a multi-year strategic plan every four years. The plan for fiscal years 2026-2030, which the department wants to publish in February, is seeking public comment on four questions:

• What strategies or priorities should the DOT adopt to improve the nation’s transportation systems?
• How should DOT measure progress towards those priorities?
• What emerging challenges or opportunities in transportation warrant additional DOT activities, investments, research, or analysis?
• How can DOT best create value for its activities with stakeholders?

The Covid-19 pandemic gave freight goods movement a more prominent role in the 2022-2026 strategy under the Biden Administration than it had under the 2018-2022 plan under the first Trump administration because of the need to address supply chain disruptions.

But the previous strategy also linked freight and supply chain resiliency to broader themes such as climate change, sustainability, and social equity – and the administration has been clear about deemphasizing or canceling such policies.