PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

Create a new council called the Nontraditional and Emerging Transportation Technology Council within 180 days. It must help the Department of Transportation (DOT) work together across all travel types on new tech. The Deputy Secretary (or a designee) will be the chair and the Under Secretary for Policy (or a designee) will be the vice chair. The Office of the Secretary will support the council. The group must meet at least 4 times a year. The council will include the Secretary, other top DOT leaders, and the heads of modal agencies (for example FAA, FHWA, FMCSA, FRA, FTA, MARAD, NHTSA, and PHMSA) and any other DOT officials the Secretary names. It must find and fix gaps or conflicts in rules that slow safe deployment of new transportation technology, including safety checks, environmental review, and funding. It will coordinate DOT responses, work with outside stakeholders, and create DOT-wide processes and best practices. Within 1 year it must publish initial guidelines and start posting an annual public report; reports must be posted at least once a year through December 31, 2026. For each issue with a gap, the chair must pick a lead modal agency and arrange staff sharing.

Title 49, §313

Transportation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Establishment.—

Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary of Transportation (referred to in this section as the “Secretary”) shall establish a council, to be known as the “Nontraditional and Emerging Transportation Technology Council” (referred to in this section as the “Council”), to address coordination on emerging technology issues across all modes of transportation.

(b)Membership.—

(1)In general.—

The Council shall be composed of— (A)

(B)the Deputy Secretary of Transportation;

(C)the Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy;

(D)the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology of the Department of Transportation;

(E)the Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs of the Department of Transportation;

(F)the General Counsel of the Department of Transportation;

(G)the Chief Information Officer of the Department of Transportation;

(H)the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration;

(I)the Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration;

(J)the Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration;

(K)the Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration;

(L)the Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration;

(M)the Administrator of the Maritime Administration;

(N)the Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration;

(O)the Administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration; and

(P)any other official of the Department of Transportation, as determined by the Secretary.

(2)Chair and vice chair.—

(A)Chair.—

The Deputy Secretary of Transportation (or a designee) shall serve as Chair of the Council.

(B)Vice chair.—

The Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy (or a designee) shall serve as Vice Chair of the Council.

(c)Duties.—

The Council shall—

(1)identify and resolve jurisdictional and regulatory gaps or inconsistencies associated with nontraditional and emerging transportation technologies, modes, or projects pending or brought before the Department of Transportation to reduce, to the maximum extent practicable, impediments to the prompt and safe deployment of new and innovative transportation technology, including with respect to—

(A)safety oversight;

(B)environmental review; and

(C)funding and financing issues;

(2)coordinate the response of the Department of Transportation to nontraditional and emerging transportation technology projects;

(3)engage with stakeholders in nontraditional and emerging transportation technology projects; and

(4)develop and establish Department of Transportation-wide processes, solutions, and best practices for identifying and managing nontraditional and emerging transportation technology projects.

(d)Best Practices.—

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, the Council shall—

(1)publish initial guidelines to achieve the purposes described in subsection (c)(4); and

(2)promote each modal administration within the Department of Transportation to further test and support the advancement of nontraditional and emerging transportation technologies not specifically considered by the Council.

(e)Support.—

The Office of the Secretary shall provide support for the Council.

(f)Meetings.—

The Council shall meet not less frequently than 4 times per year, at the call of the Chair.

(g)Lead Modal Administration.—

For each nontraditional or emerging transportation technology, mode, or project associated with a jurisdictional or regulatory gap or inconsistency identified under subsection (c)(1), the Chair of the Council shall—

(1)designate a lead modal administration of the Department of Transportation for review of the technology, mode, or project; and

(2)arrange for the detailing of staff between modal administrations or offices of the Department of Transportation as needed to maximize the sharing of experience and expertise.

(h)Transparency.—

Not later than 1 year after the date of establishment of the Council, and not less frequently than annually thereafter until December 31, 2026, the Council shall post on a publicly accessible website a report describing the activities of the Council during the preceding calendar year.

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The date of enactment of this section, referred to in subsecs. (a) and (d), is the date of enactment of Pub. L. 117–58, which was approved Nov. 15, 2021.

§313 Nontraditional and Emerging Transportation Technology Council

Summary

Title 49, §313

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Citations & Metadata