President Donald Trump has reinstated the Regulatory Reform Task Force (RRTF) regulations. This rule published on April 27th , 2026 would also avoid the use of fishing expeditions by the Department of Transportation (DOT), when searching for potential non-compliance. In addition, it disqualifies animus DOT personnel who violate enforcement procedures.
The RRTF was disbanded by the Biden administration in response to President Trump’s Executive Order 13777 to identify and eliminate unnecessary, outdated and burdensome regulations. The rule requires DOT enforcement personnel who violate rules, as perceived by the DOT’s Office of General Counsel (OGC) be subject to, among other actions, removal of them from the case.
Reestablishing the DOT Regulatory Reform Task Force which will assist with the promulgation, repeal, replacement or modification of new and current hazardous materials regulations. Covering guidance documents, the initiation actions, conduct of enforcement personal, administrative and judicial enforcement proceedings. The rule affects the Office of the Secretary of Transportation under the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, (NHTSA) and the Federal Transit Administration(FTA).
Inspectors must identify themselves as employees of DOT and their office. Officials must present identification once contact is made and clearly articulate their intentions with reason for the contact. Enforcement personnel should be professional, fair, honest and direct.
Proceeding and communications between subspective persons with decisional personnel should be on the record, whether oral, written, or electronic. All communications should be recorded as soon as practical, with notice given to the parties being placed into the record.
It’s part of an ongoing crusade throughout the federal government to consolidate and eliminate the number of physical pages in the Code of Federal Regulations(CFR). It's not a reduction in the requirements, but an elimination of redundancy. A good example would be the proposed rule from January 9th, 2026, in my last blog called (Exploding Squids).
Be sure to read about all of the Department of Transportation, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulatory changes and updates on our federal regulatory update service. It’s fast, it’s free. It protects your rights at the same time guiding agencies through these complex regulations which will hopefully provide a better environment for future generations.
Robert J. Keegan
Publisher and President
Hazardous Materials Publishing Company
Transportation Skills Programs Inc.
Hazmat.tsp@gmail.com
** If you are located in Hawaii, Alaska, or Puerto Rico, email us directly: lisa@hazmat-tsp.com with your order information (Name, Company, ship to, bill to, number of books) and please include a phone number to call you. Thank you!
PLEASE NOTE WE CANNOT SHIP TO P.O. BOX. Thank you!
The 2025/2026 Compliance guides with the Emergency Response Guidebook contain the most up-to-date mandatory regulations covering the activities of all HAZMAT/WASTE Employees and Employers engaged in any activity, taking place in any location involving hazardous materials, chemicals, substances, or wastes.
These are the only available Compliance Guides that provide all the critical interfacing DOT/EPA/OSHA Hazard Communication and Compliance requirements for Hazardous Materials, Chemicals, Substances, and Wastes.
