Tough Love for Boeing: Duffy's Vision for U.S. Transportation

Donald Trump's nominee for U.S. Transportation, Sean Duffy, emphasized the need for stringent oversight on Boeing following a mid-air emergency. He also advocated for electric vehicles to pay for road usage. The Senate Committee examined these issues during Duffy's confirmation hearing.

Donald Trump's nominee for the U.S. Transportation Department, Sean Duffy, has called for 'tough love' to bring Boeing back on course after a 2024 mid-air emergency involving a Boeing 737 MAX. Speaking at his Senate confirmation hearing, Duffy stressed the need for Boeing to adhere strictly to its safety plan and advocated for using road usage fees for electric vehicles.

Duffy reiterated the importance of Boeing as a national security interest and America's largest exporter, while urging the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to continue stringent oversight. This comes one year after a Boeing incident where a door panel missing four bolts flew off mid-air, prompting FAA restrictions on Boeing's production of its MAX planes.

With FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker stepping down soon, the agency remains leaderless as Trump has yet to announce a successor. Duffy also highlighted that federally funded road repairs rely on taxes from diesel and gasoline, which do not apply to electric vehicles. Some states are independently charging EV fees to fund road repair, given Congress's reluctance to raise fuel taxes in over three decades.

(With inputs from agencies.)