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On January 28, 2025, Sean Duffy was officially sworn in as the 20th U.S. Secretary of Transportation, marking the beginning of a new chapter in transportation policy in America. During a ceremony at the U.S. Supreme Court, where he took his oath of office from Justice Clarence Thomas, Duffy wasted no time making bold moves aimed at addressing the rising costs of cars that many American families face today.
As soon as he settled into his new role, Secretary Duffy signed a memorandum to revise the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. This is a significant step because these standards regulate how fuel-efficient vehicles must be. Under his plan, existing regulations will be changed or eliminated to make cars more affordable for everyone.
In recent years, car prices have shot up dramatically, making it hard for many families to buy new vehicles. Just from March 2021 to March 2024, the average price of cars increased by over 15%, which meant consumers paid about $47,218 for a new car compared to $40,881 just three years earlier. This rise in prices created a situation where, as of March 2024, only eight out of 275 new vehicle models were priced under $25,000, a sharp drop from over 20 models in March 2021. Secretary Duffy believes that adjusting the CAFE standards is an essential step to help lower these prices and make vehicles more accessible.
The Secretary’s memorandum outlines a plan to adjust rules that currently require vehicles to reach fuel efficiency of 50.4 miles per gallon (mpg) by Model Year 2031. Duffy argues that these strict requirements significantly contribute to the high prices of cars and, by modifying them, consumers can find more affordable options. He has also pointed out that this adjustment will help reduce what he views as excessive government control over car prices.
Reactions to Secretary Duffy’s plans have been mixed. Those who support lowering car prices see this as a step in the right direction, while critics are concerned about potential environmental impacts. In his justification, Duffy highlighted that prior rules had overly complex mandates, particularly regarding electric vehicles, which, in his view, add to the financial burden on car buyers.
Moving forward, the Secretary has directed several key offices, including the Office of the General Counsel and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, to begin the rulemaking process. This means they will work out the details of these changes and how they will be implemented to ensure that the new standards are both fair to consumers and practical for car manufacturers.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Sean Duffy sworn in as USDOT Secretary | January 28, 2025 |
| Executive Orders 14148 and 14154 issued | January 20, 2025 |
As California continues to be a hub for automotive innovation and environmental initiatives, Secretary Duffy’s decisions will likely have significant implications for consumers in the state. He has expressed a strong commitment to ensuring that American families can access affordable transportation while maintaining a focus on safety and sustainability.
This new chapter in the U.S. Department of Transportation under Sean Duffy’s leadership will be watched closely by politicians, manufacturers, and, most importantly, American citizens, especially those feeling the pinch of rising car prices.
On January 28, 2025, Sean Duffy was officially sworn in as the 20th U.S. Secretary of Transportation, marking the beginning of a new chapter in transportation policy in America. During a ceremony at the U.S. Supreme Court, where he took his oath of office from Justice Clarence Thomas, Duffy wasted no time making bold moves aimed at addressing the rising costs of cars that many American families face today.
As soon as he settled into his new role, Secretary Duffy signed a memorandum to revise the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. This is a significant step because these standards regulate how fuel-efficient vehicles must be. Under his plan, existing regulations will be changed or eliminated to make cars more affordable for everyone.
In recent years, car prices have shot up dramatically, making it hard for many families to buy new vehicles. Just from March 2021 to March 2024, the average price of cars increased by over 15%, which meant consumers paid about $47,218 for a new car compared to $40,881 just three years earlier. This rise in prices created a situation where, as of March 2024, only eight out of 275 new vehicle models were priced under $25,000, a sharp drop from over 20 models in March 2021. Secretary Duffy believes that adjusting the CAFE standards is an essential step to help lower these prices and make vehicles more accessible.
The Secretary’s memorandum outlines a plan to adjust rules that currently require vehicles to reach fuel efficiency of 50.4 miles per gallon (mpg) by Model Year 2031. Duffy argues that these strict requirements significantly contribute to the high prices of cars and, by modifying them, consumers can find more affordable options. He has also pointed out that this adjustment will help reduce what he views as excessive government control over car prices.
Reactions to Secretary Duffy’s plans have been mixed. Those who support lowering car prices see this as a step in the right direction, while critics are concerned about potential environmental impacts. In his justification, Duffy highlighted that prior rules had overly complex mandates, particularly regarding electric vehicles, which, in his view, add to the financial burden on car buyers.
Moving forward, the Secretary has directed several key offices, including the Office of the General Counsel and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, to begin the rulemaking process. This means they will work out the details of these changes and how they will be implemented to ensure that the new standards are both fair to consumers and practical for car manufacturers.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Sean Duffy sworn in as USDOT Secretary | January 28, 2025 |
| Executive Orders 14148 and 14154 issued | January 20, 2025 |
As California continues to be a hub for automotive innovation and environmental initiatives, Secretary Duffy’s decisions will likely have significant implications for consumers in the state. He has expressed a strong commitment to ensuring that American families can access affordable transportation while maintaining a focus on safety and sustainability.
This new chapter in the U.S. Department of Transportation under Sean Duffy’s leadership will be watched closely by politicians, manufacturers, and, most importantly, American citizens, especially those feeling the pinch of rising car prices.
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It is a long established fact that a reader will be distracted by the readable content of a page when looking at its layout. The point of using Lorem Ipsum is that it has a more-or-less normal distribution of letters, as opposed to using ‘Content here, content here’, making it look like readable English. Many desktop publishing packages and web page editors now use Lorem Ipsum as their default model text, and a search for ‘lorem ipsum’ will uncover many web sites still in their infancy.
The point of using Lorem Ipsum is that it has a more-or-less normal distribution of letters, as opposed to using ‘Content here, content here’, making
The point of using Lorem Ipsum is that it has a more-or-less normal distribution of letters, as opposed to using ‘Content here, content here’, making it look like readable English. Many desktop publishing packages and web page editors now use Lorem Ipsum as their default model text, and a search for ‘lorem ipsum’ will uncover many web sites still in their infancy.
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