HR6531-119

What This Bill Does

The Bridges not Bumpers Act directs the Secretary of Transportation to establish a bridge clearance strike working group made up of federal transportation agencies, State DOTs, trucking organizations, GPS navigation producers, law enforcement, rental-vehicle companies, and Class I, II, and III rail carriers. The group must recommend ways to improve public-private sharing of bridge-clearance and truck-route data, improve commercial-vehicle information in GPS tools, address liability for inaccurate data, improve driver knowledge, require rental companies to label covered vehicles with height and weight information, provide renters with height notices and warnings, and identify funding streams for GPS integration. One year after the recommendations, DOT must issue implementing regulations. GPS administrators receive civil-liability immunity for injuries resulting from using bridge, tunnel, or underpass clearance-height information provided by a State or the federal government. The bill also encourages a national bridge-strike education campaign, requires a national clearinghouse modeled on National Cooperative Highway Research Program work, authorizes $5 million for that clearinghouse, and creates a research grant program with $5 million authorized for each fiscal year 2026 through 2030 for State DOTs, local governments, MPOs, Class II and III railroads, and transportation safety organizations.

Who Benefits and How

Commercial truck drivers benefit from better route and clearance information that can reduce bridge strikes. GPS navigation providers benefit from clearer government data channels and liability protection when they use official clearance-height information. State DOTs, local governments, MPOs, Class II railroads, Class III railroads, and transportation safety organizations benefit from grant eligibility for bridge and tunnel strike research. Communities near vulnerable bridges benefit from mitigation research and fewer disruptive crashes. Truck rental customers benefit from clearer height and weight labels and notices before driving covered rental vehicles.

Who Bears the Burden and How

DOT must convene the working group, issue regulations within one year after recommendations, run the clearinghouse, and administer grants. Rental-vehicle companies must label covered vehicles with height and weight information and provide warnings to renters if regulations adopt the recommendations. GPS producers and trucking organizations must participate in data-sharing and route-information work. Federal taxpayers bear the $5 million clearinghouse authorization and $5 million per year grant authorization for fiscal years 2026 through 2030. Grant applicants must conduct research, engineering analysis, and effectiveness assessments using the clearinghouse.

Key Provisions

• Establishes a DOT bridge clearance strike working group with federal, State, trucking, GPS, law-enforcement, rental, and railroad participants.
• Requires recommendations on GPS route data, commercial-vehicle signage, liability, driver education, rental-vehicle labeling, renter notices, and funding streams.
• Directs DOT to issue implementing regulations within one year after the working-group recommendations.
• Provides civil-liability immunity for GPS administrators using official clearance-height information.
• Encourages a national bridge-strike education campaign for commercial drivers, independent operators, and motor carrier associations.
• Establishes a national clearinghouse for bridge and tunnel clearance strikes with $5 million authorized.
• Authorizes $5 million per year for fiscal years 2026 through 2030 for research grants to eligible transportation entities.