https://www.scmp.com/rss/523804/feed The latest news and top stories on the US Transportation Department. A Washington DC-based cabinet-level executive department of the US federal government, the US Transportation Department is dedicated to ensuring the nation has the safest, most efficient and modern transportation system. Its main areas of focus include overseeing national transportation infrastructure, developing federal policies and regulations and administering funding for projects. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft A Discovery Bay resident has lodged a complaint with the city’s ombudsman over authorities’ handling of a proposal to allow unrestricted taxi access to the resort-style seaside community in Hong Kong. A petition bearing 1,700 signatures from concerned residents has also been submitted to the Transport Department calling for proper public consultation and wider communications on the measures. Taxis have had limited access to Discovery Bay since 2014, restricted to the north plaza of the sprawling... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3348792/discovery-bay-resident-files-ombudsman-complaint-over-plan-full-taxi-access?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3348792/discovery-bay-resident-files-ombudsman-complaint-over-plan-full-taxi-access?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 08:36:44 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft Some Discovery Bay residents have expressed frustration over a proposal to allow unrestricted taxi access to the seaside resort-like neighbourhood in Hong Kong, with a petition calling for greater public consultation garnering more than 1,100 signatures. In a reply to the South China Morning Post on Saturday, the Transport Department also confirmed it had received a taxi proposal from Discovery Bay’s management company, as well as “different views” from residents. Taxis have had limited access... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3347439/plan-full-taxi-access-discovery-bay-sparks-anger-among-some-residents?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3347439/plan-full-taxi-access-discovery-bay-sparks-anger-among-some-residents?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 12:50:36 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Some among hundreds of Guangdong motorists who have signed up for a southbound travel scheme have driven into Hong Kong’s urban areas during the Lunar New Year holiday for offbeat sightseeing and festive shopping. Authorities said bookings under the “Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles” scheme were “favourable”, with about 500 cars expected to enter the city in the early days of the holiday. Visitors were spotted in left-hand drive vehicles with FT-prefixed number plates. Among them were a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3343960/how-guangdong-drivers-are-celebrating-lunar-new-year-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3343960/how-guangdong-drivers-are-celebrating-lunar-new-year-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 04:00:01 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A regional passenger aircraft carrying 11 people lost contact with ground control on Saturday while approaching a mountainous region between Indonesia’s main island of Java and Sulawesi island, officials said. A search and rescue operation is under way. The turboprop ATR 42-500 operated by Indonesia Air Transport was on the way from Yogyakarta to the capital city of South Sulawesi when it vanished from radar, said Endah Purnama Sari, a spokesperson for the transportation ministry. The plane was... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3340279/indonesian-plane-11-people-missing-search-and-rescue-under-way?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3340279/indonesian-plane-11-people-missing-search-and-rescue-under-way?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Jan 2026 15:12:41 +0000 Ambrose Li Ambrose Li Hong Kong’s transport chief has urged caution from drivers after the Yau Ma Tei section of the Central Kowloon Bypass recorded its first accident on Tuesday, just three days after opening. Police said a medium-sized truck crashed into a car at 9.16am while both vehicles were heading west towards Kwai Chung, after the truck changed lanes. No one was injured. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan said on Tuesday that the Transport Department had promptly responded to road users’... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3337541/hong-kongs-new-central-kowloon-bypass-records-first-crash-3-days-after-opening?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3337541/hong-kongs-new-central-kowloon-bypass-records-first-crash-3-days-after-opening?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Dec 2025 14:34:21 +0000 Harvey Kong Harvey Kong More than 700 mainland Chinese drivers have applied to enter Hong Kong’s urban areas under a new scheme starting on Tuesday, with transport authorities stressing that vehicles arriving through the policy will not worsen traffic conditions. Hong Kong’s Transport Department said on Thursday that the mainland car owners were among the 1,700 winners of a ballot that allowed them to apply for the scheme and was conducted by Guangdong authorities on November 23. “The booking quota is now set at 100... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3336872/over-700-mainland-chinese-drivers-apply-enter-hong-kong-under-travel-scheme?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3336872/over-700-mainland-chinese-drivers-apply-enter-hong-kong-under-travel-scheme?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Dec 2025 05:50:04 +0000 Reuters Reuters US President Donald Trump’s administration said on Friday it was formally withdrawing a plan by his predecessor to require airlines to pay passengers cash compensation when US flight disruptions are caused by carriers. In December 2024, the US Transportation Department (DOT) under then-president Joe Biden sought public comment on writing rules to require airlines to pay US$200 to US$300 for domestic delays of at least three hours and up to US$775 for longer delays. In September, the USDOT first... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3332883/trump-administration-scraps-bidens-airline-compensation-plan-delayed-flights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3332883/trump-administration-scraps-bidens-airline-compensation-plan-delayed-flights?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Nov 2025 15:02:47 +0000 Reuters Reuters US President Donald Trump on Monday demanded air traffic controllers return to work as travellers endured another day of flight cancellations, which the administration ordered to manage staff shortages during the government shutdown. Trump’s comment came after the US aviation system has suffered serious disruptions in recent days as air traffic controller absences soared while they work without pay. Some are absent as they need to work second jobs or cannot afford child care. An airline trade... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3332257/trump-tells-air-traffic-controllers-return-work-flight-cancellations-jump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3332257/trump-tells-air-traffic-controllers-return-work-flight-cancellations-jump?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Nov 2025 21:14:46 +0000 Ambrose Li Ambrose Li Children under the age of eight or shorter than 1.35 metres (4.43 feet) are required to use devices such as seat belt adjusters or child safety seats in private vehicles starting from Saturday, with serious violations potentially resulting in a HK$2,000 (US$257) fine. The Transport Department said on Wednesday that the rules would apply regardless of which seat the passenger was sitting in, with anyone above the age and height thresholds expected to wear a suitable device or a seat belt for... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3330752/hong-kong-adjust-seat-belt-rules-children-under-8-saturday?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3330752/hong-kong-adjust-seat-belt-rules-children-under-8-saturday?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Oct 2025 07:42:58 +0000 Reuters Reuters Air travel turmoil deepened as nearly 7,000 flights were delayed in the United States on Monday, with air traffic controller absences surging as the federal government shutdown reached its 27th day. The Federal Aviation Administration cited staffing shortages and imposed ground delay programmes affecting Newark Airport in New Jersey, Austin Airport in Texas and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. Flights in the southeast were delayed earlier because of significant staffing shortages at the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3330540/flight-delays-soar-past-4300-us-government-shutdown-continues?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3330540/flight-delays-soar-past-4300-us-government-shutdown-continues?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Oct 2025 22:18:59 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A passenger bus in northeastern Brazil crashed into a sand embankment and flipped on its side, killing 15 people, local authorities said Saturday. The bus was carrying about 30 passengers, police said. The number of injured, who were taken to nearby hospitals, was not immediately clear. The vehicle departed from the state of Bahia and crashed in Saloa, a city in the neighbouring state of Pernambuco. Police said the driver lost control of the bus, crossed into the opposite lane and hit rocks on... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3329540/15-dead-after-brazil-bus-crashes-and-flips-side?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3329540/15-dead-after-brazil-bus-crashes-and-flips-side?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Oct 2025 17:12:32 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li All major Chinese airlines operating flights to the United States have formally opposed or asked for reconsideration of a US government proposal that could bar them from flying over Russian airspace on US routes as early as next month. In a filing to the US Department of Transportation on Tuesday, Air China said it “opposes” the proposal because it would make travel more inconvenient for passengers. “Air China estimates that at least 4,400 passengers holding Air China tickets for travel in... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3329182/chinese-airlines-formally-oppose-us-plan-stop-them-flying-over-russia-way-america?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3329182/chinese-airlines-formally-oppose-us-plan-stop-them-flying-over-russia-way-america?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Oct 2025 03:00:15 +0000 Meredith Chen Meredith Chen Beijing on Friday criticised the Trump administration’s proposal to ban Chinese airlines from using Russian airspace on US routes, warning that Washington’s policies could hurt American businesses. US transport regulators proposed the ban on Thursday in a bid to eliminate what they described as an unfair advantage enjoyed by Chinese carriers flying shorter, cheaper routes via Russia. The Chinese foreign ministry said such restrictions would be detrimental to people-to-people exchanges with the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3328585/china-hits-out-us-proposal-ban-chinese-carriers-russian-airspace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3328585/china-hits-out-us-proposal-ban-chinese-carriers-russian-airspace?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Oct 2025 11:45:16 +0000 Reuters Reuters The Trump administration on Thursday proposed banning Chinese airlines from flying over Russia on flights to and from the United States, saying the practice puts American carriers at a disadvantage. US airlines have long criticised the decision to allow Chinese carriers to fly over Russia on some flights because it gives them the advantage of decreased flying time and lower fuel consumption. Russia has barred US airlines and other foreign carriers from flying over its airspace in retaliation for... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3328443/trump-admin-proposes-barring-chinese-airlines-flying-over-russia-us-flights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3328443/trump-admin-proposes-barring-chinese-airlines-flying-over-russia-us-flights?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Oct 2025 22:26:42 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The US Transportation Department will immediately tighten requirements for non-citizens to get commercial drivers licences after three fatal crashes this year that officials say were caused by immigrant truck drivers who never should have received licences. The nationwide audit of these licences began after a fatal U-turn crash in Florida that killed two people, caused by a truck driver who officials said was in the country illegally. But Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said fatal crashes... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3327054/trump-administration-tightens-trucker-licence-rules-non-us-citizens-after-fatal-crashes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3327054/trump-administration-tightens-trucker-licence-rules-non-us-citizens-after-fatal-crashes?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Sep 2025 16:00:09 +0000