trucking

Federal Transportation Bill Includes Framework for Autonomous Truck Regulation

A bipartisan agreement on the five-year Surface Transportation Reauthorization bill includes provisions establishing national guidelines for autonomous commercial vehicles, marking the first federal framework for regulating self-driving trucks. The Build America 250 Act was announced by House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair Sam Graves and ranking member Rick Larsen. The legislation directs billions in federal funding toward road, highway and rail infrastructure projects through fiscal 2031. Lawmakers negotiated the compromise over 18 months to balance competing interests. The legislation aims to reach the president's desk before the current transportation authorization expires in September. The bill was introduced to the House on Tuesday, with committee markup expected Thursday. Industry officials view the framework as essential for enabling scaled deployment of autonomous commercial vehicles under regulatory oversight.