STARTER Act 2.0

Surface Transportation Advanced through Reform, Technology, and Efficient Review Act 2.0 or the STARTER Act 2.0

This bill addresses provisions related to federal-aid highway, transit, highway safety, motor carrier, innovation, and resiliency programs of the Department of Transportation (DOT). It also sets forth requirements for the operation of railroad freight cars in the United States.

For example, the bill extends FY2020 enacted levels through FY2026 for federal-aid highway, transit, and safety programs.

DOT must

• provide competitive grants for projects to provide parking for commercial motor vehicles on the federal-aid highway system;
• establish a discretionary program to award competitive grants for eligible projects that encourage economic viability of the nation, a metropolitan area, or a region;
• create a public awareness campaign to reduce instances of driving while under the influence of prescription and over-the-counter medications; and
• promulgate regulations to implement an apprenticeship program for licensed commercial motor vehicle drivers under the age of 21.

The bill also establishes new competitive grant programs to spur innovation of connected vehicle applications into operational deployments and to test the safe integration of automated driving system technologies into the on-road transportation system.

Additionally, the bill addresses projects to improve the resiliency of federal-aid highways and bridges on and off the National Highway System.

Further, the bill prohibits the operation of railroad freight cars in the United States that have been manufactured or assembled by certain foreign countries or that contain sensitive technology from such countries.