WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Senator John Thune (R-SD), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation convened a hearing concerning the implementation of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act or FAST Act. The FAST Act is a bi-partisan five-year reauthorization of surface transportation agencies and programs and contains several provisions affecting motorcycle riders.

 

U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx testified before the committee and provided an update regarding where the Department of Transportation and its reporting agencies, including the Federal Highway Administration (FHA), and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) stood on implementing the FAST Act.

 

Primarily, Secretary Foxx was questioned on issues that have made national news as of late including long lines at airports and a consideration to privatize air traffic controllers. Safety was also a key topic during the hearing, but was limited to the safety needs of commercial vehicles and widespread concerns surrounding NHTSA’s management of safety recalls.

 

Though issues related to motorcycles were not specifically addressed in today’s hearing, they do remain a key component of the FAST Act and are referenced in provisions related to the stopping of federal funding for motorcycle checkpoints and the reestablishment of the Motorcyclist Advisory Council which aims to coordinate with and counsel the Administrator of U.S. Department of Transportation on infrastructure issues that could affect motorcyclists. The Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) continues to closely monitor the implementation of these provisions working with stakeholders to ensure the interests of motorcyclists are represented.