HR8748-119

What This Bill Does

The Surface Transportation Research and Development Act of 2026 revises Department of Transportation research, data, and safety-study authorities. It places the Bureau of Transportation Statistics Director within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology, gives the Director exclusive authority over specified statistical functions, and requires DOT statistical activities to protect confidentiality, objectivity, integrity, and information-provider trust. It creates a Transportation Statistics Coordination Council within 90 days, with representatives from DOT operating administrations that conduct statistical activities and evaluations. The council must review DOT data inventories for duplication and fragmentation, identify opportunities to reduce reporting burden through centralized repositories, advise on data guidelines, metadata schemas, standards, and common taxonomies, and support a three-year report on statistical inventories, centralization, governance, barriers, and implementation milestones.

The bill also directs the Transportation Secretary to turn the advanced transportation research pilot program into a sustained open research initiative and report within two years. It requires a study, through the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology and in consultation with NHTSA, on high-intensity LED, matrix LED, and other emerging headlamp technologies, including driver visibility, glare exposure, older drivers, drivers with cataracts or visual impairments, vulnerable road users, photometric tests, and mitigation recommendations. It requires FHWA to submit a reclaimed asphalt pavement strategy within one year after consulting higher education institutions, state DOTs, local governments, metropolitan planning organizations, regional transportation planning organizations, nonprofit research organizations, asphalt producers, federal agencies, and other entities. It updates rail research to address modern and future infrastructure and technology, hazardous materials safety standards on freight rail, and fiscal year 2027 through 2031 authorities.

Who Benefits and How

Bureau of Transportation Statistics staff benefit from clearer placement and authority over DOT statistical work. State transportation departments and local governments benefit if duplicative DOT data collections are consolidated and reporting burden falls. Transportation researchers benefit from a sustained open research initiative. Drivers, older drivers, visually impaired drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists benefit from a headlamp safety study focused on glare and visibility. Asphalt producers and highway agencies benefit from a national reclaimed asphalt pavement strategy. Passenger rail and freight rail safety programs benefit from updated research authority.

Who Bears the Burden and How

DOT operating administrations must participate in the Transportation Statistics Coordination Council, inventory data, identify duplicative collections, and follow departmentwide standards. The Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology must manage the statistics changes, research initiative, and headlamp study. NHTSA must consult on the headlamp study. FHWA must write the reclaimed asphalt strategy and consult many public and private actors. Rail research offices must incorporate modern infrastructure, technology, and hazardous materials safety work. Private entities providing transportation data may have to adapt to new centralized repositories or standards.

Key Provisions

• Places the Bureau of Transportation Statistics Director within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology.
• Requires DOT statistical activities to protect confidentiality, objectivity, integrity, and information-provider trust.
• Creates a Transportation Statistics Coordination Council and requires a three-year report on data inventories, centralization, standards, and barriers.
• Directs a transition from the advanced transportation research pilot to a sustained open research initiative.
• Requires a study and public report on emerging headlamp technology safety effects.
• Requires a reclaimed asphalt pavement strategy within one year.
• Extends and updates rail research for modern rail technology and hazardous materials safety through 2031.