Article Summary
In a joint letter to Senate leaders, a bipartisan coalition of eight former U.S. secretaries of transportation urged Congress to prioritize technological innovation and flexible, performance-based regulations over rigid mandates in the upcoming surface transportation reauthorization bill.
- Bipartisan call for innovation: Eight former U.S. secretaries of transportation from both political parties urged Senate committee leadership to prioritize technological innovation and evidence-based policymaking in the upcoming surface transportation reauthorization bill.
- Advocacy for flexible regulation: The former secretaries argued that long-term safety is best achieved through performance-based frameworks that set clear goals rather than rigid mandates, preventing today's temporary solutions from locking out future advancements.
- Proven track record of tech: The letter highlighted how previous collaborations among government, industry, and researchers successfully drove major safety milestones, such as Positive Train Control in rail, driver assistance tools on highways, and advanced data analytics in aviation.
- Embracing emerging technologies: The group emphasized that federal policy must create an environment that encourages the responsible development, testing, and deployment of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, automated inspections, and predictive analytics while maintaining strict safety oversight.
A coalition of eight former U.S. secretaries of transportation is urging Senate leaders to prioritize technological innovation and performance-based regulations as Congress negotiates the upcoming surface transportation reauthorization bill.
In a joint letter sent late last week to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, the former secretaries argued that the best way to improve safety across America's highways, railways, and skies is to avoid rigid mandates that could quickly become obsolete.
"History demonstrates that durable safety improvements are best achieved through performance-based frameworks that establish clear objectives while allowing transportation stakeholders to identify the most effective means of achieving those outcomes," the letter stated.
The letter was addressed to Committee Chairman Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and the signatories represent a broad swath of political history, having served under both Democratic and Republican administrations. They include James H. Burnley IV, Samuel K. Skinner, Andrew H. Card, Rodney E. Slater, Mary E. Peters, Ray LaHood, Anthony Foxx, and Elaine Chao.
As Congress prepares to replace expiring surface transportation authorizations, the former cabinet members noted that the nation stands at a "crossroads" where rapidly evolving technologies could drastically reduce accidents if federal policy allows them to flourish.
The letter highlighted several emerging technologies with promise for the future of transit, including artificial intelligence, automated inspection systems, connected infrastructure, and predictive analytics.
The former secretaries pointed to previous successes where federal flexibility allowed industry and regulators to collaborate on safety solutions, citing the implementation of Positive Train Control and automated track monitoring in freight rail, advanced driver assistance systems on highways, and data analytics in commercial aviation as examples of innovation driving down risks.
Rather than locking "today's solutions into tomorrow's transportation system," the group urged the committee to pass legislation that encourages the responsible development and testing of new technologies while maintaining rigorous federal safety oversight.
"The nation stands at a crossroads with abundant opportunity," the group wrote, "but technology must be harnessed responsibly to make the next leaps in safety."
