On May 29, the U.S. Department of Transportation hosted what it billed as “The Great Road Trip Expo” at its Washington, D.C. headquarters – an event showcasing 40 different American-made motor vehicles as well as campers, recreational vehicles, coach bus services, travel center services, and much more – while also announcing 52 separate deregulatory efforts across three of its modal administrations.
[Above photo by AASHTO]
Speaking at the event, USDOT Secretary Sean Duffy explained that the expo – which he expects to become an annual event – highlights how his agency will help support the Trump administration’s plans to celebrate the 250th anniversary of America’s founding next year.
That effort includes the activation of a website listing 250 travel stops across the country that highlight specific American cultural touchstones, such as Mount Rushmore in South Dakota; the Gateway Arch in St. Louis; the Atlantic City Boardwalk in New Jersey; and many others.
“Nothing is more American than taking a road trip, because to truly love America, you have to go out and see America,” Duffy said. “It’s interesting that Ford [Motor Co.] introduced its Model T automobile 100 years ago. Looking at all the vehicles here today shows you how far we have come, especially in terms of safety features. It is truly remarkable. And these are all American-built vehicles; made here in America by American workers.”
Those vehicles – both all-electric and gasoline-powered – included sedans, sports cars, sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks, and minivans.
The list of manufacturers involved in the expo included General Motors; Ford Motor Co.; Stellantis, which makes Dodge, Jeep, and Ram-branded models; Hyundai and Kia; Nissan and Infiniti; Mercedes Benz; Honda and Acura; Toyota and Lexus; Tesla; Rivian; Lucid; RBW Classic Motors; BMW; Volkswagen; and Volvo.
A variety of travel support companies were present as well, including the Pilot/Flying J national travel center chain; Racetrac convenience stores; plus fast food vendors McDonalds, Chik-Fil-A, and Dunkin’.
Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, noted at the event that roads trips help fuel the $1.3 trillion travel and hospitality sector of the U.S. economy. “Air and rail move a lot of people, but the road is what carries the most travelers,” he said. “America’s roads are what strengthen the travel industry and what helps power the American economy.”
John Bozella, president and CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, added that road trips represent “one of the positive stories of social good that comes from personal mobility in America; stories that knit us together as a country but that have been largely untold.”
Bozella stressed that, as America heads into its 250th birthday celebration in 2026, “we must remember what personal mobility means to all of us and to our country.”
Coinciding with the expo, USDOT announced that it has initiated 52 deregulatory actions across the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration – a deregulatory package that will rescind, withdraw, or amend certain rules while deleting over 73,000 words from the Federal Registry.
“My department is slashing duplicative and outdated regulations that are unnecessarily burdensome, waste taxpayer dollars, and fail to ensure safety,” said USDOT’s Duffy in a statement. “These are common sense changes that will help us build a more efficient government that better reflects the needs of the American people.”
The agency added that, of those 52 deregulatory actions, 43 involve rules at the Notice Proposed Rulemaking or NPRM stage, seven final rules, and two withdrawals of rulemaking actions. All 52 deregulatory actions will increase efficiencies without compromising safety for the American people, USDOT noted.
USDOT noted these deregulation initiatives stem from its Regulatory Reform Task Force, re-established by the Trump administration provided in Executive Order 14192, “Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation,” and Executive Order 14219, “Ensuring Lawful Governance and Implementing the President’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ Deregulatory Initiative.”
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