Transportation Safety

We advise and defend clients on their hazardous materials transportation responsibilities under these regulations.

Transporting hazardous materials by truck, railroad, aircraft, marine vessels, and pipelines requires navigating a complex, multimodal regulatory framework, including:

Hazardous Materials Regulations issued by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) of the Department of Transportation (DOT)
Modal regulations of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)
The International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and International Air Transportation Association (IATA) Dangerous Goods Regulations

We regularly obtain special permits and approvals from DOT, participate in DOT rulemakings and transportation legislation, and negotiate and draft transportation contracts across all modes of transport.

We also represent global car and truck manufacturers in all aspects of safety regulation, interacting regularly with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), responding to agency information requests, managing safety investigations and recalls, conducting audits, and advising companies on a wide range of regulatory compliance issues.

Key contacts

Joanne Rotondi

Partner

Joanne Rotondi

Partner

Washington, D.C.

Meet the Transportation Safety team

Representative experience

Advising six clients on the complex rules governing lithium battery transportation, from large car batteries to button cells, and obtained 12 special permits and approvals for such shipments.

Obtained from PHMSA a first-ever special permit exemption from hazardous materials regulation for bulk shipments of vinegar.

Representing several automobile manufacturers involved in the Takata airbag safety crisis, filing required reports, providing regulatory counsel, consulting with NHTSA officials, and negotiating recall parameters.

Advising companies on cutting-edge issues related to autonomous driving, including state and federal regulatory developments, incident investigations, and treatment of emerging technologies.