seven years, and I've sat on the Harbor Freeway for hours in traffic jams”, implying that his firsthand knowledge of the issues regarding transportation would help him find effective solutions. He also served under Gerald Ford, but when Ford announced he intended to seek the presidency, Brinegar resigned and returned to an executive position at Union Oil. In 1980–81, Brinegar was on Ronald Reagan's transition team. 1973 oil crisis Brinegar was Secretary of Transportation during the Arab oil embargo in 1973 and was tasked with mitigating the crisis during this period. He passed the Emergency Highway Conservation Act with president Nixon which set a speed limit of 55 miles an hour on all highways in order to reduce oil usage. During this time Brinegar also promoted carpooling nation-wide in order to help reduce oil usage. Another of Brinegar’s chief legislative accomplishments was the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1973, which allocated federal funds for states to improve and maintain their highways. Death Dr. Claude Brinegar died of natural causes aged 82 at a retirement home in Palo Alto, California on March 13th, 2009. He is survived by his wife, three children, and four grandchildren. References External links White House press release, December 7, 1972., Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library Brinegar, Claude Stout . (via Google Books 1926 births Brinegar, Claude Stout United States Secretaries of Transportation United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II Military personnel from California Stanford University alumni People from Mendocino County, California Nixon administration cabinet members Ford administration cabinet members 20th-century American politicians Burials at Arlington National Cemetery California Republicans United States Army Air Forces soldiers