Before the switch to Daylight Savings Time this weekend, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) issued a statement emphasizing the significance of his Sunshine Protection Act, which would make Daylight Saving Time permanent.
“We’re ‘springing forward’ but should have never ‘fallen back.’ My Sunshine Protection Act would end this stupid practice of changing our clocks back and forth,” said Rubio.
The concept of time zones and daylight saving time (DST) has a fascinating history that dates back to the late 19th century, but some, like Rubio, argue the law is antiquated.
In 2021, Senator Rick Scott stood behind Rubio in this effort, saying, “As Governor of Florida, I was proud to sign legislation to make Daylight Saving Time permanent. I am continuing this effort in the Senate with my colleague, Senator Rubio. Americans could use a little more sunshine after a long winter and an entire year of staying indoors amid the coronavirus pandemic,” Scott said. “As our state works to fully reopen and bring visitors back safely, this legislation will give families more time to enjoy all that Florida has to offer.”
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Before the establishment of time zones in 1883, there were more than 144 local times in North America. The lack of standardization in time proved to be a significant challenge for the growing railway industry, leading to missed connections and collisions.
Major railroad companies adopted a coordinated system of four time zones in 1883 to address this issue, which are still in use today.
Early Challenges and the Role of Transportation Agencies
Transportation needs primarily drove the development of standardized time. Transportation agencies initially coordinated time zones for the government.
In 1918, the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC), the federal organization in charge of railroad regulation, was given the power to address coordination concerns. That year, five time zones were officially adopted as the United States entered World War I: Eastern, Central, Mountain, Pacific, and Alaska. The coordination of time among all transportation modes became increasingly important after World War II.
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With the creation of the Department of Transportation in 1966, the responsibility of regulating, fostering, and promoting widespread and uniform adoption and observance of standardized time within each time zone was assigned to the department. This authority led to the enactment of DST as a legal requirement through the Uniform Time Act of 1966. DST was motivated by transportation improvements, and it mandated standard time within the existing time zones while establishing a permanent system of uniform DST transitions.
The Implementation of Daylight Saving Time
Daylight Saving Time is the practice of advancing clocks during the summer months to extend evening daylight. The Uniform Time Act of 1966 established the dates and times for twice-yearly DST transitions. While State governments cannot independently change time zones or the length of DST, they can exempt themselves from DST, independent of DOT authority or permission. However, DST is observed uniformly across the nation except in certain areas like American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Hawaii, and most of Arizona.
The Department of Transportation continues to oversee standard time due to its historical and contemporary importance in transportation and associated commercial activity. Time zone boundaries, established by law, can only be changed by the Secretary of Transportation upon a determination that the proposed adjustment serves the “convenience of commerce.” Requests for time zone changes must come from the highest political authorities in a State or locality.
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Time Zones in the United States
Currently, the United States and its territories have nine time zone boundaries: Atlantic, Eastern, Central, Mountain, Pacific, Alaska, Hawaii–Aleutian, Samoa, and Chamorro. These time zones are essential for coordinating transportation operations and ensuring the smooth functioning of various industries across the country.
Digital Representation of Time Zone Boundaries
In 2019, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), in coordination with the Office of the General Counsel, created a digital geographic representation of the official written time zone delineations defined in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Title 49, Subtitle A, Part 71 – Standard Time Zone Boundaries. This digital representation, known as the DOT Time Zone Boundary Geospatial layer, is part of the National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD). It offers the American public detailed and authoritative information on time zone boundaries.
The CFR delineates the official boundaries using text that describes coordinates and geographic features such as lines of longitude, state or county lines, and rivers. To provide a more user-friendly experience, an interactive web mapping application containing the time zone boundaries is also available.
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