How the Trump Administration Plans to Rewrite Transportation Rules — Using Technology to Speed Things Up

Imagine if complex transportation regulations — the rules that keep our airlines safe, pipelines secure, and roads regulated — could be written in a matter of days instead of months or years. That’s exactly what’s happening inside the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), according to an in-depth investigation by ProPublica.

In late 2025, DOT officials revealed an ambitious plan: to harness cutting-edge technology developed by Google to help draft new federal transportation rules faster than ever before. The idea is simple but bold — use automated systems to produce initial drafts of regulations quickly, then let human experts refine and finalize them.

“Good Enough” Over Perfect

What’s striking about this shift is the change in mindset. Traditionally, drafting federal regulations is painstaking work. Experts pore over details to ensure safety, legality, and clarity. But the DOT’s internal discussions show a different attitude: they want to move fast, even if the first drafts aren’t flawless.

Gregory Zerzan, the DOT’s general counsel, reportedly said during internal talks that the agency doesn’t need perfect rules right away. Instead, the goal is to flood the process with proposals that are “good enough” to get things moving. This approach reflects a push to drastically speed up rulemaking, aiming for drafts within 30 days — a dramatic change from the usual slow pace.

Why Now?

The Trump administration’s enthusiasm for using this technology is part of a broader effort to modernize government operations. Leveraging tools that can generate text quickly seems like an obvious way to reduce delays and keep regulations up-to-date in a fast-changing world.

But this rapid approach raises serious questions. Regulations in transportation aren’t just bureaucratic paperwork — they’re often about life-and-death safety standards. Mistakes or oversights could put people at risk or lead to legal battles that slow down enforcement.

Concerns Behind the Scenes

Not everyone inside the DOT is convinced this is the right path. Some officials worry that relying heavily on automated drafts might overlook crucial details or introduce errors that only careful human review can catch. One former official compared it to having a “high school intern” draft the rules — a reminder of the risks in cutting corners.

The challenge is clear: how to balance speed and efficiency with the careful scrutiny needed for regulations that impact millions of lives.

What’s Next?

This initiative puts the Department of Transportation at the forefront of a government experiment in speeding up regulation drafting through technology. Whether it will succeed without sacrificing safety and quality remains to be seen.

What’s certain is that this marks a new chapter in how regulations might be written in the future — faster, more automated, but also more contentious. As the DOT moves forward, the world will be watching closely to see if this high-speed approach can deliver rules that protect the public without compromise.

Source: ProPublica, “Government by AI? Trump Administration Plans to Write Regulations Using Artificial Intelligence,” by Jesse Coburn, January 26, 2026, propublica.org/article/trump-artificial-intelligence-google-gemini-transportation-regulations