Texas road construction workers die at a higher rate than in any other state, and some believe it's because contractors aren't held accountable for accidents.

Over a seven-year period ending in 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recorded 143 deaths at Texas road construction sites.

Josephine Lee, a reporter with the Texas Observer, investigated last year's death of Juan Simental from a fall while helping build a new toll road. The contractor had been hired by the Texas Department of Transportation or TxDOT. She said Texas is among states that allow private companies to operate under their own safety plan.

"TxDOT kept awarding contracts to the same equity group and its subsidiaries and so, they've made millions from Texas highways, but while they were doing it the injuries kept on racking up," she explained.

The AFL-CIO says over the last 50 years, there has been significant progress toward improving working conditions and protecting workers. But now, that progress is challenged as employers' opposition to workers' rights and protections has grown and attacks on unions have intensified.

Texas has more than 50 toll roads, and private contractors are building more. In public-private partnerships, design, construction, operation and maintenance is handed over to the for-profit entity. That also allows private firms to charge drivers high tolls, and many drivers avoid using the pricey roads.

Transportation activist Terri Hall has been organizing against toll roads since 2001.

"They call them 'privatized' toll roads, but they really are backed by the taxpayer, and when the traffic doesn't show up, it's going to be you and I that take the hit for that, not the company," Hall asserted. "And they've put very little of their own money at risk on these deals."

Lee notes that OSHA is not a preventive agency, and typically only investigates a construction fatality, not injuries. She believes Texas' policy of allowing private companies to report injuries themselves is highly-problematic because they are also concerned about their bottom line.

"How often is the state going out to investigate? You know, are they keeping their safety records, especially when there are debilitating injuries and hospitalizations and especially deaths?" she asked.

Following its investigation of Simental's death, OSHA elected not to fine the contractor, and levied only a $5,000 fine against the subcontractor, noting federal safety standards had been violated.

President Donald Trump's budget bill took another step forward Tuesday by passing in the U.S. Senate.

The bill would end some tax credits one Kansas manufacturer said are vital to American competitiveness abroad.

Kurt Neutgens, cofounder and president of Kansas City-based Orange EV, which manufactures electric yard hostlers, chargers and battery storage systems, explained his industrial customers use a $40,000 tax credit to help purchase his all-electric yard hostlers for loading and unloading cargo.

Senate Republicans voted to cut the tax credit by September. Neutgens pointed out EV manufacturers, and renewable energy companies in general, frequently compete with Chinese manufacturers, which are subsidized by the government.

"If we don't support clean energy, from materials to manufacturing to assembly to even clean energy products all the way up to vehicles, in this bill then we are really handing dominance to China for all of that," Neutgens asserted.

Policies like the EV tax credits from President Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act have been in the Trump administration's crosshairs. Republican lawmakers have argued market competition should be the driving force on which vehicles -- electric or gas -- people drive.

Neutgens, who employs more than 300 people, said tax credits help the electric vehicle manufacturers increase their volume, which will allow them to compete with China.

"We need these incentives to be able to get ourselves to a level where we have enough volume so that we can compete," Neutgens emphasized. "Even though they're getting government subsidies."

A study by Princeton University found if electric vehicle tax credits are cut and clean air regulations for vehicles are curtailed, EV sales could drop up to 40% by 2030, compared to what they'd be if the Biden-era policies continued.


get more stories like this via email

The U.S. Department of Transportation has frozen millions in grant dollars awarded by the Biden administration, leaving those counting on them in limbo.

Powell County, Montana was set to receive more than $6.3 million for its Parks to Passes project, a collaboration with neighboring groups and governments to close gaps in a pedestrian and biking corridor spanning roughly 230 miles between Butte and the Idaho border. The trail is part of the larger Great American Rail-Trail route.

Kevin Mills, vice president of policy for the Rails to Trails Conservancy, said the eventual coast-to-coast trail will stretch 3,700 miles from Washington, D.C., to Washington state.

"It's really stalling an important connection in that nationwide trail," Mills pointed out. "That puts at risk Montana's potential to tap into what we've calculated to be $16 million in new economic development."

The grant was part of President Joe Biden's Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity program. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the Biden administration delayed construction with, quote, "leftist social requirements" including the consideration of a project's climate change and social justice impacts.

In addition to economic and climate benefits, effective trail corridors improve safety. Mills noted 9,000 pedestrians and cyclists die on roads each year in the U.S. and 130,000 more are injured.

"This is a problem that's really grown over the last decade because we don't really provide safe places to walk and bike," Mills explained. "These federal grants that are on hold are sorely needed to make the situation better."

In Montana, he added, about $200 million in grants have been frozen, including $10 million for trail projects.

New data show Arizona's two largest airports have fared well for on-time departures and arrivals but the same cannot be said about U.S. airlines in general.

Air travelers filed about 67,000 complaints last year, up 9% from 2023, according to a new report from the Public Interest Research Group Education Fund. The top grievances were cancellations and delays, not receiving refunds and luggage being lost or damaged.

Teresa Murray, consumer watchdog director for the group's Arizona education fund, said the number of travelers was expected to increase by about 7% this year but economic uncertainty and concerns from international travelers has curbed it. She noted Delta, Southwest and United have all indicated they will cut their number of flights in the months ahead.

"Then you throw in the safety issue," Murray added. "We don't have any way of knowing -- and I don't think the airlines really know for sure -- what to expect in the months ahead, although it is certainly expected that maybe we won't see a 7% increase in passengers this year."

Murray pointed out travelers have more rights this year than they did a year ago. For instance, complaints about refunds and delays prompted action from Congress on an FAA reauthorization bill, which mandates airlines to issue fast, no-hassle refunds if a flight is canceled for any reason. Online, people can visit pirg.org/flighttips for more information.

Murray noted overall, cancellations and delays across the nation increased last year. Just this week, Newark Airport saw many delays and cancellations after the FAA issued a ground stop following an outage at one of its air traffic control facilities. Murray argued flyers need to be in the know and on alert about where they are flying through.

"Pay attention to the news," Murray urged. "Because there are going to be other hot spots where, because of the air traffic control shortages and because of equipment, there may be some airports that are just a little bit more headache-inducing than what we've seen."

Murray realizes some are on edge about the current state of the airline industry but emphasized being courteous and respectful to fellow passengers and airline representatives goes a long way.