A Republican bill with 4 Democratic cosponsors · See all 8 cosponsors
Last activity — Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Runway SAFE-T Act aims to improve training for drivers operating vehicles in airport movement areas at commercial service airports. The bill directs the FAA Administrator to establish a task force to develop recommendations for modernizing and enhancing driver training programs. This task force will consider various factors, including existing technologies and potential barriers to adopting new systems. Additionally, the legislation provides for grants to airport sponsors for projects involving vehicle movement area technology and training systems. These funds are available for fiscal years 2027 through 2031. The ultimate goal is to reduce the frequency and severity of surface safety incidents.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Increased Safety in Movement Areas: The bill seeks to develop recommendations to reduce the frequency and severity of vehicle-involved surface events, vehicle and pedestrian deviations, and other surface safety incidents (Section 2(c)(5)).
-
Improved Training Standards: The task force is tasked with considering ways to improve the consistency of movement area driver safety training across part 139 airports nationwide and enhancing recurrent training requirements (Section 2(c)(1) and (2)).
-
Access to New Technology: The bill allows for grants to help airports purchase hardware, software, sensors, and other technology designed to improve safe vehicle operation in movement areas (Section 3(B)(i)).
-
Enhanced Situational Awareness: Funding and recommendations are directed toward technology that can improve situational awareness for vehicle operators and radio communications in the movement area (Section 3(C)(ii)).
-
Support for Training Systems: The bill provides for the acquisition, deployment, and maintenance of technology-enabled training systems and services for vehicle operators (Section 3(B)(ii)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Barriers to Implementation: The bill acknowledges that there may be barriers such as cost, accessibility, and workforce availability that could limit airports from adopting emerging training technologies (Section 2(c)(6)).
- 9/16/2026
- Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
- 8/4/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- 8 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
Lisa Blunt RochesterDemocrat · Delaware
Catherine Cortez MastoDemocrat · Nevada
Deb FischerRepublican · Nebraska
John HickenlooperDemocrat · Colorado
Amy KlobucharDemocrat · Minnesota
John KennedyRepublican · Louisiana
Tim SheehyRepublican · Montana
Roger WickerRepublican · Mississippi