filill §4uster 
<!L4airman 
Qfommitt.e.e nn Wran.spnrtatinn anh 1Jnf ra.strudur.e 
1lt.§. 311nu.s.e nf iR.epr.e.s.entatiu.e.s 
lllasijington. mm 20515 ~der 1'.. ie1Jla5io 
iRanking tlemher 
Clulstophcr P. Bertram, Staff Director July 20, 2016 Katherine W. Dedrick, Drmocralic Staff Director 
The Honorable Anthony Foxx 
Secretary 
U.S. Department of Transportation 
1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E. 
Washington, DC 20590 
The Honorable Tom Wheeler 
Chairman 
Federal Communications Commission 
445 12th Street, SW 
Washington, DC 20554 
Dear Secretary Foxx and Chainnan Wheeler: 
I strongly urge both the Department of Transportation (D01) and the Federal 
Communications Commission (FCC) to align Administration priorities before establishing rules for 
the 5.9 GHz wireless spectrum and the use of Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) in 
connected vehicles. I urge you to avoid making decisions with a short-term, narrow viewpoint and 
instead do what is in the greater public interest. 
The promises of DSRC include fewer motor vehicle fatalities, less traffic congestion and the 
resulting reduction in air pollution, and greater mobility. While I understand the desire for more 
unlicensed WiFi spectrum, the desire for better Pokemon Go play cannot be compared to the 
35,000 motor vehicle deaths every year. 
In 2015 an estimated 35,200 people were killed in motor vehicle accidents, a 7.7 percent 
increase in motor vehicle traffic deaths which reverses a decades long decline. Of these crashes, 94 
percent can be tied back to a human choice or error. DSRC connected vehicles would likely save · 
many of these lives. There is no other public interest need for this spectrum that rises to this level of 
unportance. 
Traffic congestion management opportunities offered by DSRC are of critical importance to 
urban areas. The Texas A&M Transportation Institute's 2015 Urban Mobility report found that 
congestion costs commuters $160 billion in wasted time and fuel. That is the result of 3.1 billion 
gallons of fuel wasted and 6.9 billion additional hours of travel time through delays. This costs the 
average commuter $960 per year. In areas with populations of more than 1 million the cost jumps to 
593
The Honorable Anthony Foxx and Tom Wheeler 
July 20, 2016 
Page 2 
an extra $1,440 per commuter. States and local governments could significantly reduce this 
congestion with the help of DSRC connected vehicles. 
A recent petition before the FCC calls for a delay in DSRC mandates until cybersecurity and 
privacy protections are implemented. While I agree with the petitioners on the need for 
cybersecurity and privacy protections, I do not believe a delay in DSRC is in the public interest. 
Given that the average age of vehicles is 11 years, this technology will take decades to penetrate the 
fleet of vehicles nationwide. Any delay in the mandate means lives unnecessarily lost. It also means 
that we have time to get the cybersecurity and privacy protections in place before broad DSRC 
deployment. 
Many interested parties view the debate over the 5.9 GHz spectrum as a battle between 
commercial interests. Motor vehicle safety and congestion mitigation are not commercial interests. I 
urge the FCC and DOT to not place any commercial interests above motor vehicle safety and 
congestion mitigation. States and local and governments need this tool to maximize the efficiency of 
their transportation network, make dramatic strides in safety, and reduce congestion and air 
pollution. 
Thank you for your consideration, and I look forward to your continued partnership on 
promoting safety on our roads. 
PETERDeFAZI 
Ranking Member