Title 49 — TransportationRelease 119-73

§6504 Incorporation of Department of Transportation research

Title 49 › Subtitle SUBTITLE III— - GENERAL AND INTERMODAL PROGRAMS › Chapter CHAPTER 65— - RESEARCH PLANNING › § 6504

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of Transportation must review research done by the Department of Transportation by December 31, 2021 and at least once every 5 years after that, together with the strategic plan under section 6503. The review must find research-based innovations that could make transportation safer or more efficient and identify what changes to laws, rules, guidance, or policies are needed to use those innovations. For each review, the Secretary must list the new practices, materials, or technologies with clear benefits, decide if law or rule changes are needed, and if so prepare a proposal and say how the changes will go into the Unified Regulatory Agenda or be added to existing rules quickly. If no law or rule changes are needed, the Secretary must explain how the innovations will be put into DOT or modal administration policy or guidance, including the Technology Transfer Program of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology. After each review, the Secretary must send a report to the appropriate committees of Congress naming the new items and any required or made law or rule changes during the period.

Full Legal Text

Title 49, §6504

Transportation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Not later than December 31, 2021, and not less frequently than once every 5 years thereafter, in concurrence with the applicable strategic plan under section 6503, the Secretary of Transportation shall—

(1)conduct a review of research conducted by the Department of Transportation; and

(2)to the maximum extent practicable and appropriate, identify modifications to laws, regulations, guidance, and other policy documents to incorporate any innovations resulting from the research described in paragraph (1) that have the potential to improve the safety or efficiency of the United States transportation system.

(b)In conducting a review under subsection (a), the Secretary of Transportation shall—

(1)identify any innovative practices, materials, or technologies that have demonstrable benefits to the transportation system;

(2)determine whether the practices, materials, or technologies described in paragraph (1) require any statutory or regulatory modifications for adoption; and

(3)(A)if modifications are determined to be required under paragraph (2), develop—

(i)a proposal for those modifications; and

(ii)a description of the manner in which any such regulatory modifications would be—

(I)incorporated into the Unified Regulatory Agenda; or

(II)adopted into existing regulations as soon as practicable; or

(B)if modifications are determined not to be required under paragraph (2), develop a description of the means by which the practices, materials, or technologies described in paragraph (1) will otherwise be incorporated into Department of Transportation or modal administration policy or guidance, including as part of the Technology Transfer Program of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology.

(c)On completion of each review under subsection (a), the Secretary of Transportation shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report describing, with respect to the period covered by the report—

(1)each new practice, material, or technology identified under subsection (b)(1); and

(2)any statutory or regulatory modification for the adoption of such a practice, material, or technology that—

(A)is determined to be required under subsection (b)(2); or

(B)was otherwise made during that period.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

49 U.S.C. § 6504

Title 49 — Transportation

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73