American Shipper

Monday, September 30, 2013

The U.S. Department of Transportation released last week a document outlining the impact of a government shutdown, finding that nearly 18,500 of the government’s 55,500 transportation employees would be affected if congressional leaders can’t reach an agreement to fund the government past midnight Monday. None of the 2,914 employees working for the Federal Highway Administration will be furloughed, and all 1,102 Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will show up in the event of a government shutdown.

At the Federal Aviation Administration, 15,514 employees of the agency’s 46,070 workers would be furloughed, necessitating a suspension of aviation rulemaking, many budgeting functions, capital planning for facilities and equipment, employee drug testing and a host of other activities.

Air traffic control services, facility maintenance, aircraft certification, hazardous material inspections and a number of other jobs deemed necessary will continue in the event of a shutdown. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will see 333 of its 597 workers take furloughs, while more than half of the Federal Railroad Administration’s employees will stay home in the event of a shutdown. The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration will say a temporary goodbye to 274 of its 441 workers, and the Maritime Administration will lose more than half its employees.