The budget proposal sees a slimmed down DOT that will focus on safety oversight and investing in transportation infrastructure, reported American Shipper.
The Trump budget reduces or eliminates programmes that are either inefficient, duplicative of other federal efforts, or that involve activities that are better delivered by states, localities, or the private sector, said the White House document.
The scheme would scrap President Barrack Obama's Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant programme, saving US$499 million a year.
The budget proposal also contains a provision to privatise air traffic control. The plan "initiates a multi-year reauthorisation proposal to shift the air traffic control function of the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) to an independent, non-governmental organisation," according to the document.
Said American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) president Kurt Nagle: "We're apprehensive. Adequate federal investments into US port-related infrastructure are crucial for the efficient movement of goods so the nation can remain globally competitive."
Said the American Road and Transportation Builders Association: "We do not support cutting current infrastructure investment as a down payment to some future infrastructure measure. While the funds will be used later for the infrastructure package, we should be clear this proposed infrastructure spending reductions would be used now to supplement increases in defence and security spending."
Said labour federation AFL-CIO official Edward Wytkind: "The austerity measures offered for transportation in the president's budget blueprint go in the wrong direction and must be rejected. We cannot cut our way to a better and more modern transportation system.
Overall, the biggest winners in the proposed budget would be the Department of Defence, which would see funding rise by nine per cent from 2017 levels to $639 billion, the Department of Homeland Security (up seven per cent to $44.1 billion) and the Department of Veteran Affairs (up six per cent to $78.9 billion).
The Trump budget reduces or eliminates programmes that are either inefficient, duplicative of other federal efforts, or that involve activities that are better delivered by states, localities, or the private sector, said the White House document.
The scheme would scrap President Barrack Obama's Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant programme, saving US$499 million a year.
The budget proposal also contains a provision to privatise air traffic control. The plan "initiates a multi-year reauthorisation proposal to shift the air traffic control function of the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) to an independent, non-governmental organisation," according to the document.
Said American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) president Kurt Nagle: "We're apprehensive. Adequate federal investments into US port-related infrastructure are crucial for the efficient movement of goods so the nation can remain globally competitive."
Said the American Road and Transportation Builders Association: "We do not support cutting current infrastructure investment as a down payment to some future infrastructure measure. While the funds will be used later for the infrastructure package, we should be clear this proposed infrastructure spending reductions would be used now to supplement increases in defence and security spending."
Said labour federation AFL-CIO official Edward Wytkind: "The austerity measures offered for transportation in the president's budget blueprint go in the wrong direction and must be rejected. We cannot cut our way to a better and more modern transportation system.
Overall, the biggest winners in the proposed budget would be the Department of Defence, which would see funding rise by nine per cent from 2017 levels to $639 billion, the Department of Homeland Security (up seven per cent to $44.1 billion) and the Department of Veteran Affairs (up six per cent to $78.9 billion).