Maybe you haven’t been paying much attention to all the hullabaloo surrounding automatic government spending cuts that could go into effect next week, known as sequestration. It’s a lot to take in, as those cuts will be across-the-board and could be a problem for a wide variety of government agencies, including the Federal Aviation Administration. As such, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is painting a potentially annoying picture for air travel in the future. [More]
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DOT Head Ray LaHood Paints Nightmarish Travel Picture If Sequestration Hits March 1
By 2.22.13 — Updated: 2.25.13
Transportation Secretary: Dreamliners Won’t Fly Again Until They’re Deemed “1,000% Safe”
By 1.18.13
Just one week after he said he would be comfortable taking a spin in a Boeing 787 Dreamliners, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has changed his tune. After numerous reports of problems with the jets’s batteries, LaHood now says none of them will take to the skies again until officials are “1,000% sure” they’re safe to fly. [More]
New DOT App Gives You Potentially Scary Info About The Bus You're Riding
By 3.20.12
When you take your seat on that bus to visit grandma in Atlantic City, you’re putting your life in the hands of a driver you don’t know and a bus company whose safety record you may not be familiar with. But a new app from the Dept. of Transportation aims to put some of that info in the palm of your hand… if you own an iPhone, that is. [More]
Spirit Adds $2 "Dept. Of Transportation Unintended Consequences Fee"
By 2.1.12
Fresh off fighting laws that require truth in advertising, Spirit Airlines, which hilariously dubbed itself the “most consumer-friendly airline,” is now taking a stand against another government regulation — one that requires airlines to allow passengers to change flights within 24 hours of booking without paying a penalty — by adding two dollars to everyone’s ticket. [More]
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood: Don't Worry Guys, Chevy Volt Is Safe To Drive
By 12.7.11
You know those battery fires that could spark up if a Chevrolet Volt crashes, the ones the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are very seriously investigating? Don’t worry about it –Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says the electric cars are safe to drive. [More]
Airlines Now Actually Have To Return Bag Fees If They Lose Your Bag
By 4.20.11
It’s sort of sad that the Department of Transportation actually had to force airlines to refund bag fees if they lose your baggage — but whatever, let’s not dwell. [More]
Transportation Secretary LaHood Answers Reader Questions
By 3.7.11
Later today, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood will be answering questions at the Consumers Union offices, where he’ll also be speaking on the topic of “Distracted Driving Shatters Lives: Helping Parents and Educators Reach Teens.” You can watch that event live on the Consumer Reports Facebook page (click the “Live” tab) at 11:00 a.m. ET. Meanwhile, Secretary LaHood accepted Consumerist’s request to answer a few reader-submitted questions. [More]
Submit Your Questions For Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood!
By 3.2.11
Hey, Consumerist readers, we got an opportunity to ask United States Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood 3-5 reader submitted questions in connection with “Distracted Driving Shatters Lives: Helping Parents and Educators Reach Teens,” a Consumers Union event taking place at our headquarters Monday, March 7, 2011, from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. ET. Please ask about any transportation-related issue that interests you! [More]
DOT: No Evidence Of Electronics Error In Toyota Acceleration Cases
By 2.8.11
The Dept. of Transportation has completed its investigation into the causes of sudden unintended acceleration in some Toyota vehicles and found no evidence that an electronic glitch could be responsible. [More]
DOT Calls BS On "Misleading And Premature" Tarmac Delay Study
By 7.21.10
Remember that study from yesterday that said there had been a significant increase in the number of flight cancellations since the DOT enacted new rules limiting the number of hours a plane can sit on the tarmac? Well, it’s not sitting with the folks behind the rule, who say it’s a bunch of hogwash. [More]
Should Peanuts Be Banned From Airplanes?
By 6.8.10
Among the new regulations under consideration by the FAA, there’s one that hasn’t gotten much press, but which we have a feeling might be something that will get at least a few travelers’ blood up — banning peanuts from airplanes. [More]
DOT: No Exemptions For New Tarmac Rules
By 4.22.10
Remember a few weeks back when a bunch of airlines asked the FAA for a temporary exemption to the new rules about how long planes can wait on a tarmac? Earlier today DOT secretary Ray LaHood told them to go take a flying leap. [More]
DOT Secretary: Spirit Airlines Doesn't Care About Their Customers
By 4.9.10
If you found yourself getting all riled up by Spirit Airlines’ announcement on Tuesday that they are now charging for carry-on bags, you were not alone. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has taken aim the move, calling it “outrageous” and “ridiculous.” [More]
Continental, ExpressJet Fined $100,000 For Tarmac Delay Incident
By 11.30.09
Back in August, Continental and its partner, ExpressJet kept 47 passengers, including some babies, on a plane for 11 hours with only some pretzels to eat. A few days later, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced that he was looking in to the issue. Last week, the DOT announced that the Aviation Enforcement Office (AEO) had fined Continental Airlines and ExpressJet Airlines $100,000 for their involvement in the incident. [More]
