Norman Y. Mineta Research and Special Programs Improvement Act

Norman Y. Mineta Research and Special Programs Improvement Act - Amends Federal transportation law to establish, and replace the Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA) with, the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), which shall be headed by an Administrator appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.

Establishes in RITA an Office of Intermodalism.

Transfers the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) to RITA.

Establishes the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) in the Department of Transportation (DOT), headed by an Administrator with professional experience in pipeline safety, hazardous materials safety, or other transportation safety, appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.

Requires the Director of the Office of Intermodalism to develop a plan to improve the national intermodal transportation system.

Revises sanitary food transportation requirements to direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish procedures for transportation safety inspections in order to identify suspected incidents of contamination or adulteration of food, meat, and poultry products and to train DOT personnel in the appropriate use of the procedures. Requires the Secretary of Transportation to notify the Secretaries of HHS and of Agriculture of instances of potential food contamination or adulteration of a food identified during transportation safety inspections.

Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to direct the Secretary of HHS to require shippers, motor vehicle or rail vehicle carriers, receivers, and other persons engaged in the transportation of food to use sanitary transportation practices prescribed by the Secretary of HHS to avoid the adulteration of food.