10 times Pete Buttigieg proved he is a great Transportation Secretary

As the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg has navigated numerous challenges and implemented transformative policies that have had a profound impact on the nation’s transportation systems. From improving air travel safety and efficiency to seeking expert advice and empowering communities, Buttigieg’s tenure has been marked by significant achievements and innovative leadership.

Here are 10 instances where Buttigieg excelled as Transportation Secretary, showcasing his dedication to enhancing infrastructure, promoting safety, and ensuring that all voices are heard in the decision-making process.

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1. When he stood up for inconvenienced airline passengers.

In line with the Biden administration’s crackdown on hidden fees from businesses, Buttigieg implemented new rules that continue the trend. Airlines are now required to disclose extra costs for baggage or canceling tickets, but the biggest change involves canceled or severely delayed flights.

Currently, the Transportation Authority’s website assists passengers with getting required compensation for missing luggage, canceled or delayed flights, and other issues. Passengers are also now allowed to demand that the company compensate them before leaving the airport or at least begin the process.

Airlines have long skirted the issue by offering customers travel vouchers for another flight in the future; in most cases, the vouchers have an expiration date. The new changes will require the airlines to give passengers an automatic cash refund.

“No more having to fend for yourself and jump through hoops to get your money back,” Buttigieg wrote in a post on X. “Airlines will have to automatically do this.”

2. When he made airplane bathrooms more accessible.

It doesn’t take a genius to know that airplane bathrooms are less than ideal, but Pete is actually in a position to do something about it. In 2023 he announced a new rule requiring airlines to make bathrooms more accessible for disabled people. All new single-aisle aircraft will be fitted with fully accessible lavatories.

“Traveling can be stressful enough without worrying about being able to access a restroom; yet today, millions of wheelchair users are forced to choose between dehydrating themselves before boarding a plane or avoiding air travel altogether,” he said about the new regulations.

3. When he took advice from the right person.

When Pete became the first out LGBTQ U.S. Cabinet nominee, he turned to someone who knew the lay of the land for help: former Secretary of State and Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY).

“I wanted to ask you for advice in a way that I would be doing even if we were just on the phone instead of on a podcast,” Buttigieg said to the winner of the 2016 popular vote on his podcast The Deciding Decade. “What does it take to be a good and effective Secretary and member of the President’s Cabinet?”

It’s important to ask the right questions of the right people and Buttigieg knew just where to turn.

4. When he showed compassion over a major transport accident.

When a 95,000-ton cargo ship hit the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland causing it to collapse in March, he quickly came onto the scene and mentioned workers affected by the accident.

“That was a chilly night they were out filling potholes, mending the road… We count on so many workers in this country, many of them immigrants, to do these vitally important infrastructure jobs. They’re not glamorous, they’re not the highest-paying jobs in the country, but they’re absolutely essential,” Buttigieg emphasized.

As the investigation into the incident continues, Buttigieg has said that anyone found responsible “will be held accountable.”

5. When he made airlines improve their customer service.

A canceled flight can turn a getaway into a nightmare scramble, and Pete made sure the airlines knew he was watching in 2022.

Buttigieg warned that his department could take enforcement actions against airlines that fail to live up to consumer protection standards.

“That is happening to a lot of people,” he told the Associated Press at the time, “and that is exactly why we are paying close attention here to what can be done and how to make sure that the airlines are delivering.”

6. When he went all in on infrastructure.

Pete played a big role in the design and implementation of President Biden’s $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

He supported the legislative efforts by engaging in upwards of 300 calls and meetings with Congress to aid negotiations, participating in over 125 local news appearances, and conducting 300 press interviews to garner public support for the bill.

Buttigieg also provided technical assistance to the White House and Congress to ensure the legislation was structured to achieve its intended outcomes.

7. When he made the roads safer.

Buttigieg developed the U.S Department of Transportation’s inaugural national plan to eliminate roadway deaths.

He allocated $1.7 billion to enhance safer street designs, impacting over 70% of the U.S. population, and funded safety improvements for more than 4,500 intersections. The plan included updates to the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices to improve safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and other vulnerable road users.

Additionally, Pete proposed changes to the New Car Assessment Program to include, for the first time, the safety of people outside the vehicle, not just those inside.

8. And he made railways safer, too.

Secretary Buttigieg also advocated for the Railway Safety Act in Congress, proposing many of its provisions. The legislation funded 70 rail safety projects and called for over 7,500 focused inspections on hazardous material routes.

Pete successfully persuaded Norfolk Southern to join a Confidential Close Call Reporting System pilot program, enabling about 1,000 rail workers to confidentially report unsafe events without fear of discipline.

9. When he prevented an aviation crisis.

Pete averted a nationwide aviation crisis in 2023 by negotiating with telecommunications companies to postpone the 5G C-Band rollout near airports and mandating airlines to retrofit their altimeters.

This led to a safe and successful 5G C-Band rollout on July 1, 2023, but still doesn’t account for why you don’t have service in that one spot in your house.

10. He saw the power of community.

Buttigieg signed the first-ever Tribal transportation self-governance compacts with the Cherokee Nation and Ohkay Owingeh in 2022, empowering Tribal leaders with greater control over transportation decisions.

The compacts updated USDOT’s Tribal Consultation Policy for the first time in 20 years, establishing more clearly-defined procedures for consulting with Tribal leaders.

They also enhanced USDOT’s enforcement of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and required grant recipients to meet standards for community participation.

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