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October 2, 2013
- Roadside truck inspections will continue because FMCSA money supports the state law enforcement agencies doing the inspections.
- FMCSA Administrator Anne Ferro said in a memo to employees before the shutdown that she did not expect anyone in the agency to be furloughed.
- Most highway projects involving federal money will also be spared because funding is from the trust fund. The exception is for projects such as the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grants funded by Congress.
- Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in a Sept. 25 memo to employees that DOT had “determined which employees would continue to report to work in the event of a lapse in funding and which employees would be placed on furlough,” Foxx said.
- Airport operations around the country will continue as usual because, like highways, airports are supported with trust fund money.
- Rail will however be affected, the Federal Railroad Administration has no trust fund, so, that agency will furlough employees.
- Truckload border crossings could see delays as the Customs and Border Patrol will prioritize security of all kinds over speedy freight flows, and will depend on several other agencies’ cooperation to avoid any longer delays, so be prepared.
- Note that the federal government Customs website is now not being managed.
- The same can be said about air and ocean imports in the way of delays, since there are many government agencies involved in this process, but additional sequestration kicks up in October, regardless of a shutdown, so this could add to further delays.