Requestor:  Bosque County Judge

Question to answer: is the Commissioners’ Court required to maintain this road, a public, third class road?

What’s happening in Bosque County?  A public road, the ownership of which has been litigated, has a gate across it thanks to a landowner. The commissioners court has been asked to remove the gate to allow public access. 

RQ- 0245-KP

The California High Speed Rail Project by the Numbers: 

•  $3.1 million per day cost to taxpayers over the last year
•  2033 deadline
• $77-billion budget
• $27-million-a-day outlay is questioned by outside infrastructure experts

LA Times | Inflation and delays could add billions more to bullet train project costs. 

A High Speed Rail plan in Florida now contains a financial investment by Florida’s Govenror Rick Scott. 

What’s the background? in 2011, Gov. Rick Scott cancelled a high speed rail plan that included a $2.4 billion federally funded and shovel-ready bullet train from Orlando to Tampa

Now in 2018, after his investment, Governor Scott supports the high speed rail.

Miami Herald | Rick Scott killed a high-speed rail plan. Then All Aboard rolled up and he bought it.

What group is the brainchild of the Toll Payer Protection Act? Texans for Traffic Relief

What does the proposed Act do?

• Required voter approval for all toll roads
• transparent, accurate, and no exorbitant administration fees in toll billing
• when the toll project costs are paid, tolls are removed
• no tolling on existing lanes. never ever ever.
• no Prop. 1 or 7 funds for tolling

PRESS RELEASE: TEXANS FOR TRAFFIC RELIEF ANNOUNCES NEW PLAN FOR TOLLING ACCOUNTABILITY AND TAXPAYER PROTECTION

A proposal in San Francisco would consider this when granting scooter licenses:

an applicant’s “past experience, including compliance with applicable laws and its efforts to ensure compliance by its users with applicable laws.”

SF Chronicle | Scooter wars: SF may penalize Lyft, Uber for ride-hail misdeeds

Study: AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

The numbers for the average urban driver:

• drives 10,841 miles per year
• ride share would cost $20,118 annually
• Ride share only would cost the average urbanite 2 times as much per year

What are annual ride hailing costs across major metro areas?

Atlanta$17,741

Nashville$26,397

Austin$19,821

New York $21,279

Baltimore$19,917

Philadelphia$23,201

Boston$27,545

Phoenix$17,436

Chicago$22,020

Pittsburgh$18,940

Cleveland$20,091

Salt Lake City$18,866

Dallas$16,944

San Diego$17,316

Denver$20,434

San Francisco$21,972

Los Angeles$17,951

Seattle$23,951

Miami$17,339

Washington, D.C.$21,093

Michigan is considering dedicating revenue from a new internet sales tax to transportation funding. 

What’s the revenue estimate? $200 million

Who else supports this use of the internet sales tax? 

• The Michigan Department of Transportation
• free-market think tank, the Mackinac Center

Iosco County News Herald | Michigan considers using internet sales tax revenue for road funding

WHERE: Missouri

What happened? Courts are determining whether EV charging stations are a means of obtaining a charging service or more like a gas station?

What’s the impact? If the EV charging stations are treated like gas stations then utilities can add EV charging stations in their rate base

What did the state PUC argue? That the EV charging stations offer a service, not the sale of electricity, and are not to be included in the rate base

What are Missouri courts saying? An Appellate court found that EV charging stations are like a gas station can thus costs are recoverable in the rate base

Utility Dive | Missouri court overrules regulators, finds PSC has jurisdiction over EV charging stations

WHO:  Michael Quinn Sullivan

WHAT:  Pushing local activists for primary election question on voter approval for toll roads, adding voter approval for tolls to the State GOP Party Platform, and calling for legislation

WHERE: Texas local GOP party activist, state GOP party, and Texas Legislature

Empower Texas | No Tolls without Voter Approval 

Internet Connected cars have become a tool for abusers to track their vicitims. 

Look for legislation in a state house near you addressing:

• manufacturer factory settings on internet conencted cars
• internet connected cars in restraining orders

Motherboard | Connected Car Technology Can Enable Abusers to Track Their Victims

Public Comment on the draft Mitigation Plan through October 8th at TCEQ.

Eligible mitigation actions:

Reasons the rural Texas legislators oppose the Texas Susnet Commission’s recommednation to close 87 rural DPS offices:

•  places an unfair burden on rural communities
• many counties have only 1 office, and that office would no longer exist
• long-standing tendency to shift resources away from rural areas
• No demonstrated success is shifting funding away from rural areas
• “The approach the Sunset staff has taken is penny wise and pound foolish. Reducing the services, security, and emergency response capabilities that DPS provides to the citizens of Texas just doesn’t make sense. I’m proud to stand with my colleagues in expressing our overwhelming opposition to this short-sighted proposal.”

Texas State Rep. Trent Ashby | REP. ASHBY JOINS RURAL COLLEAGUES IN LETTERS TO SUNSET COMMISSION

WHO |  DTE Energy & Consumers Energy

WHAT |  Include in their 3 year plans a reduction in utility rates for EV charging

WHERE | Michigan

HOW |  

• incentivizing EV drivers to charge at home during off-peak hours
• the shift will drive down rates for all customers by millions of dollars
• DTE’s $13 million pilot program for time of use rebates

Energy News | Michigan utilities look to lower rates through EV time of use charging

 A new report, testing 4 different smart city technology systems, call for defcon 1 (the most urgent defcon level) for these traffic related devices that are easily hackable:

•  remote traffic sensors
• traffic signals
• emergency evacuation alarms

Security Intelliegence | How to Outsmart the Smart City

• Caps the number of vehicles by prohibiting new ride share licenses
• The cap is for 1 year
• Also required is minimum wage, at a minimum for drivers
• During the year, the Taxi and Limousine Commission will study the impact of ride share
• Does not apply to disabled or disadvantaged areas

CNBC | New York City just voted to cap Uber and Lyft vehicles, and that could make rides more expensive

NYTimes | Uber Hit With Cap as New York City Takes Lead in Crackdown

 WHO |  The German Cabinet

WHAT |   Reduced by half a tax paid on business fleet cars that are EVs or Hybrids

HOW |  With the Support of German Association of the Automotive Industry 

EV Bulliten | German government to grant tax relief for electric/hybrid company cars 

What: A tax imposed on car registration by a local government & can be imposed by multiple local governments like county and city

Where:  Madison Wisconsin

How: Dane County implemented a $28 wheel tax + Madison, WI is considering a $17 wheel tax for an annual vehicle registration of $120

Supporters Say: It prevents cuts to public transit budget

Opponents Say: Raise the state gas tax.  More effective way to secure funding for the improvements the transit system and roads

WMTV | Madison considers introducing a wheel tax 

 Motor Transport Association of Connecticut opposes a toll road study because:

• studies have already been done
• funds should go to infrastructure not studies
• oppose tolls and motor fuel tax increases

Background on Toll Study:

• Created by Executive Order
• Approved by the state’s Bond Commission
• Will study how much revenue adding tolls to Connecticut highways
• Supporters say it would be $1 B in annual revenue

Freight Waves | State trucking association pushes back against need for tolls in Connecticut

Entering into partnerships with Waymo, Uber and Lyft, or creating their own programs, cities address  last mile transportation options for pulic transit riders such as:

• Waymo driverless vans taking riders to transit stops
  • A pilot program in Phoenix will start with local government employees and expand to seniors and the disabled
• Cities are partnering with ride share companies for first/last mile connections to boost public transit use
• Cities are creating their own first/last mile microservices
  • Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) tested out Bridj, an app-based way to request rides that picked up passengers in 14-person vans and dropped them off at work
• Private business solutions
  • Lyft offering discounts for rides to pulic transit stops

Curbed | Are Uber and Lyft helping or hurting public transit?

Curbed | Microtransit: How cities are, and aren’t, adapting transit technology

Curbed | Waymo’s self-driving vans will take passengers to public transit

Seattle City Council adopted a new bicylce sharing ordinance that:

• creates a 20,000 cap on sharing bicylces
• sets a nonbinding deadline for the city to build a network of protected downtown bike lanes 
• 4 companies, only 1 company, Lime has agreed to continue operating
  • $250,000 licensing fee
  • 5,000 bikes each
• Audits 2 times a year  to ensure proper bike parking
• The licensing fee is to fund up to 200 new bike-parking corrals

Seattle Times | City Council approves new bike-share rules, prompting ofo to leave Seattle

Who: State Senate candidate Ryan O’Donnell

Where: New Hampshire (inspired by a 67 cent fee on ride share in Chicago)

What: A 30-50 cent fee on all ride share rides

How: The ride share fee would fund regional transit authorities for public transportation

Daily Hampshire Gazette | O’Donnell: Help public transportation with fee on ride-hailing companies

WHERE:  Republican Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee

WHAT: Revenue source to  raise revenue for highway construction

HOW: By imposing taxes/fees on:

• fuel taxes paid by transit agencies
• 10% tax on adult bicycle tires
• 10% tax on electric batteries for cars and bikes

THE LEGISLATION DRAFT

Transportation & Infrastructure Committee | Shuster Releases Plan to Transform America’s Infrastructure

StreetsBlogUSA | House GOP Transportation Bill Would Raise Taxes on Transit and Bikes 

What groups are opposed to the legislation?

• Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety
•  Major Cities Chiefs Association

What shortcomings do opponents highlight in the legislation?

• National Transportation Safety Board’s ongoing investigations
• prohibits state regulatory action
• data insufficiency, US DOT has 3 years to revise data rules and thats too long
• “all crashes involving AVs should be reported to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration immediately and made publicly available”
• it is not enough to require that manufacturers have a written plan for identifying and reducing cybersecurity risks

WAMC | Critics Say Driverless Car Bill Has Shortcomings

Study Authors: Economic Development Research Group

Study subject: Uber’s economic impact in Florida after statewide ride share law

The numbers:

• $1 billion of Florida’s gross domestic product from Uber
• $134 million positive impact on the economy
• $870 million in payouts to FL Uber partners

The numbers from Texas:

•  $540 million in gross revenue for rdrivers in 2017
• $746 million in gross state product

Florida Politics | Uber provides billion dollar boost to Florida’s economy, study says

Uber Blog | Economic Impacts in Texas

• DC’s cap of 400 dockless bikes was onerous
• Too manydockless bikes left discarded on public sidewalks
• The pilot program never resulted in regulations that were satisfactory to dockless bike companies

Washington Post | Dockless bike-sharing company Ofo is the first to pull out of the District

Local government: Rowlett

Proposed dockless bike ordinance:

• pilot policy program
•  evaluate the magnitude of bike share systems before enacting strict enforcement
  • why? strict enforcement uses a lot of city man hours
• foster a cooperative relationship with dockless bike vendors
• partner with deveopment areas to build relationships with the dockless bike companies
• 6-9 months of data, as it is predicted that dockless bike use will peak in fall winter and spring

Rowlett Lakeshore Times | Rowlett City Council discusses pilot policy for dockless bikes  

Voyeurism meets various state and national laws on recording passengers in ride share.

In Canada, express consent is required before ride share passengers can be recorded. 

In St. Louis,  Lyft & Uber  cut ties with a driver who recorded passengers, and streamed the rides. In Missouri, consent is not required to record interactions unless one person is naked.

AP | Uber, Lyft suspend driver who recorded St. Louis passengers | Washington Post

CBC | In Canada, Uber and Lyft drivers can’t live stream riders without ‘explicit’ consent

Los Angeles regulation of dockless bikes/scooters follows this path:

• cap that limits the number of vehicles companies can deploy in the city to 3,000
• if companies move into disadvantaged areas, then they can add 2500 more
• provide ridership data to the city
• companies have responsibility related to parking of the dockless bikes

Curbed | LA moves forward with regulations for dockless bikes and scooters 

Whose study?Heartland Institute

3 Reasons High Speed Rail Won’t Work in Texas:

• “cost estimate is likely far below the actual price”
  • cost estimates in other high speed rail projects have underestimated costs
  • Reason.com says it will cost tax payers $21.5 billion
• Look at the problems California has has building its easiest leg through the Central Valley
• Almost all rail in the US is expensive and underutilitized
• “Texas Central seems hell-bent on using eminent domain to force property owners to sell their land so they can build a taxpayer-funded boondoggle.”

The Heartland Institute | RESEARCH & COMMENTARY: HIGH-SPEED RAIL WON’T WORK IN TEXAS

Miami- Dade wants to take a shot at regulating dockless bikes with these standards:

• $100 fines for obstructing right of ways AKA no blocking sidewalks
• removal by the Department of Transportation and Public Works
• studies including:
  • whether to regulate the dockless bike industry
  • whether to create designated parking areas,

This comes 1 month after Miami City Attorney issued cease and desist letters for the dockless bikes.

Miami New Times | Miami-Dade Wants to Crack Down on Shared Bikes Left on Sidewalks and Roads UPDATED 

Atlanta is working on its dockless bike ordinance and council members call for rules that  allow dockless electric bikes to be used in an “obstruction free” fashion.

What will the ordinance likely include:

• permitting fee for the platforms, an amount yet to be decided
• maintain a minimum of $3 million in liability insurance.
•  encourage helmet use
• no driving while intoxicated

Curbed | Atlanta councilmembers: Dockless bikes, scooters are crucial, but regulation needed

California’s SB 1014 (CA | 2018) would credit Ride Share use of Electric Vehicles, including the use of bikes and scooters through ride share apps.

Ride share comapnies would be encouraged to invest in and encourage bike share and scooter share programs.

Here’s California PUC’s white paper on increasing EV use.

StreetsBlogCAL | Bill to Increase Use of Zero-Emission Vehicles Could Credit Uber, Lyft for Bike Miles

City: Oakland

The proposed ride sahre tax in Oakland, Californa: 50 cent fee per trip

The ride share fee will be implemented: After voter approval on the November 2018 ballot

East Bay Express | Uber Tax and Mansion Tax Take One Step Closer Toward Oakland’s November Ballot 

City: Chicago

The ordinance that shut down dockless bike companies: all bikes in the program must have the ability to lock to a stationary object like a bike rack after use

How does htis affect dockless bikes: It excludes bikes that lack “lock-to” technology so that the bikes can be parked anywhere using a wheel lock

Governing | Dockless Bike Company Pulls Out of Chicago, Citing City’s Locking Rule

Louisiana became the first state to allow citizens to use an App to show their state ID to law enforcement.

the Louisiana App: LA Wallet app on iOS and Android platforms

What about safety or hacking?

• If the user’s phone is lost or stolen, the ID can be unlinked
• The app contains a feature similar to the holograms & seals printed on the state’s physical ID cards

The company behind th eproduct: Envoc,

The Bill: HB481 (2016 | LA)

State Scoop | Drivers in Louisiana can now show police their ID on an app, instead of a card

Where is the world’s largest autonomous vehicle testing track? Ohio’s Transportation Research Center is building it in Central Ohio

What will the facility and track include?

• 540-acre and $45 million SMART Center
• 4,500-acre campus total area
• 1.2-mile-long, six-lane-wide connected roadway, a network of movable intersections, roundabouts and oblique intersection scenarios

Funding by:

•  State of Ohio
• The Ohio State University
• JobsOhio, a private nonprofit economic-development group

State Scoop | Ohio officials break ground on world’s largest autonomous car testing facility

Tools law enforcement wants  to ineract or direct self driving cars, especially during an emergency:

• Integration with public safety officials
• Regulation of data that is shared between law enforcement and self driving vehicles
• Established cyber security standards and privacy standards 
• Address elderly and disabled population use of autonomous driving vehicles

Reuters | U.S. regulators grappling with self-driving vehicle security. 

Current federal EV incentive of $7500 is capped at a manufacturer output of 200,000 vehicles. 

H.R.  6274 (2017-2018 |  Welch of VT)   wants to convert the sales cap to a sunset date of 10 year life for the incentive program.

EV Bulletin | New bill proposes changes to country’s EV incentive structure

Eugene Oregon is requiring ride share drivers to have a current Oregon drivers license. 

Why is the state drivers license a point of concern? It eliminates potential ride share drivers who are out of state students at local universities

Register Guard | Oregon License Requirement Could Stall Uber’s Return to Eugene 

State: Oklahoma

The private rail proposal: A freight rail company  is seeking proposals from private rail carriers to provide passenger service between Tulsa and Oklahoma City

The legislative pathway:

• 2011 created a task force
• Task Force offcers ways to link northeastern Oklahoma with the existing Heartland Flyer passenger service between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth
• State of Oklahoma sold an existing rail line to Watco, the Kasnas freight rail company

US News and World Report | Company Plans Tulsa to Oklahoma City Passenger Rail Service 

Bills that criminalize hacking smart vehicles would:

• protect health and safety if the hack was to harm people
• protect economic well being if the hack was intended to obtain credit card information stored in the car’s systems, financial data or hold the vehicle for ransom

Freight Waves | Cybercrime regulations over ‘smart’ connected vehicles and its impact on civil liability 

In Colorado 140 miles out of 287miles of adopted roadway are adopted by the marijuna industry. 

Westword | Almost Half of Highway Sponsorships in Colorado Backed by Pot Businesses

State: Ohio Legislature banned local governmental entities form using speed and other traffic enforcement cameras

The legislation: HB 64 (2015 | OH). & HB 410 (2018 | OH)

The aftermath of HB 64 (2015 | OH) & HB 410 (2018 | OH):

• lawsuits. 
  • A lower court issued a permanent injunction
  • The State Supreme Court said, the injunction interfered with the Legislatures ability to pass laws
• state penalized cities that garnered revenue from the traffic enforcement cameras
  • Toledo budgeted $1.8 million in revenue from traffic enforcement cameras
• The legislature kept passing legislation to fine tune the prohibition on traffic enforcement cameras

Governing | Traffic Cameras Could Cost Ohio Cities Millions After Ruling

The study: ZEV State Policy Scorecard

Study authors:  Electrification Coalition, a nonprofit group of business leaders seeking to facilitate the deployment of EVs on a mass scale

Top 3 States for state EV purchasing policies: 

• California
• Connecticut
• Maryland

3 State policies that impact state rankings:

• how states provide consumer incentives for purchasing EVs
• how states make refueling infrastructure available
• how states educate the public about the alternative drivetrains

Automotive News | 3 states receive high scores for policies promoting EV purchases 

• In 2017 $226 Billion spent by automakers on EV & AV 
• 2017 numbers are up 47% from 2012
• By 2023, $255 billion in R&D and capital expenditures
• 22.5% of Americans are “likely” to purchase a plug-in electric vehicle

ALIX PARTNERS | A ‘pile-up of epic proportions’ awaits auto industry as investments necessary to an electric and autonomous future balloon just as market slows, according to AlixPartners study

Tech Crunch |  Automakers are burning through billions in EV, AV race

States imposing the current federal emissions standards, that match the California emissions standards:

• California
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Maine 
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• New Jersey
• New York
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• Vermont
• Washington
• + Colorado

Fox 31 Denver | via AP | Colorado to adopt California’s stricter car pollution rules

On June 19th, Colorado Governor ordered the state to comply with California emissions standards because:

• to resist the Trump administration softening of emissions rules
• to protect farmers, farming and farm land
• to protect the Colorado wilderness
• to protect communities “susceptible to air pollution and a changing climate”
• for Colorado’s health and future

The opposition: Colorado Automobile Dealers Association

What does the opposition say: 

• more Coloradoans buy large trucks and SUVs
• “We’re disappointed that the state of Colorado, the governor, or regulatory board or anybody else would cede air quality control regulation to an out-of-state, unelected board in Sacramento (California) 
  • California emissions standards are the current federal emissions standards

FOX 31 Denver | Colorado to adopt California’s stricter car pollution rules

Business: Startup Sure Inc. and underwriter Chubb

The insurance policy: 

• “RideSafe” policies for ride share passengers
• accidental medical, death and dismemberment insurance coverage for the ride

Doesn’t ride share cover liaility insurance that covers passengers? Yes, but this policy will:

• cover some of those gaps in coverage
• cover medical copayments
• cover times when the ride share libaility poliocy is not in effect
• cost is $2.40 for 24 hours of coverage on any number of rides

Availaibility: 38 states

Seattle Times | Startup launches insurance for Uber, Lyft passengers 

ABC 57 News | Startup launches insurance for Uber, Lyft passengers

CITY: San Francisco

San Francisco’s ordinance sets up:

• The Powered Scooter Share Permit Program
• 1 year pilot program
• Up to 5 e-scooter operator permits will be issued
• initial  6 months, as many as 1,250 scooters may be permitted.
• An increase can occur and allow  up to 2,500 scooters 

What are e-scooter companies’ positions?

• conciliatory
• want to operate in legal framework
• “meaningful and responsible part of your transportation landscape”
• committed to the Save Our Sidewalks Pledge to remove un or underused scooters from sidewalks
• deployed “safety ambassadors”

GovTech | Can Cities Catch Up with Fast-Moving Electric Scooters?

City: Santa Monica

The new electric scooter rules:

• 6-month pilot program
• dynamic cap the number of electric scooters and bicycles (not set yet and can be extended)
  • the 1500 cap was scrapped
• limit the number of companies that operate the vehicles
• impose a fee on the companies for operations $20,000 operation fee + $50 per vehicle

Does Santa Monica have a history with electric scooters? Yes, it was the 1st city Bird offered scooters in starting September 2017

CNET | Santa Monica hits electric scooter companies with new rules. 

Business: Domino’s Pizza

Grant Porgram: Paving for Pizza

Grant process: Customers can nominate their town to “not lose pizza because of potholes”

The Hill | Domino’s introduces ‘Paving for Pizza’ infrastructure effort

Michigan legislature approved the 3 foot safe passing space standard to pass bicylces.

The 3 foot safe passing model law is supported by League of American Bicylists

How many states do not have 3 foot passing requirements? 10ish

Does Texas? No. BikeTexas

WLNS | Michigan Legislature approves 3-foot distance to pass bikes 

What are smart stoplights?

• networked traffic lights
• connected to video cameras
• respond quickly to changing traffic conditions
• prioritize signals for emergency vehicles
• make crossings safer for cyclists and pedestrians

The Vendor: Miovision

Testing grounds: 5 intersections in Detroit

Governing | These Smarter Stoplights Could Be Lifesavers

The Study:   Who’s Riding TNCs and What Does It Mean for Public Agencies?, by  Shared-Use Mobility Center, an imprint of the Transit Cooperative Research Program at the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine in partnership with an unnamed ride share company

Key to be informed: peak ridership of TNCs occurred when public transit scales back- nights & weekend

Gov Tech | Think Uber and Lyft Are Killing Transit? Think Again

In a lawsuit over legislation that prohibits direct sales of Tesla in Michigan, the following entities have been ordered by court to turn over records:

• An attorney-lobbyist for the Autodealer Association
• specific auto dealers
• Michigan Auto Dealers Association

Detroit Free Press | Judge: Tesla can view records lobbyist wanted kept secret

City: Honolulu

What was the response from the taxi industry?  Supporters of the surge pricing cap held signs that read “equal rights for taxi drivers,”

Does the local ordinance set a cap or delegate that authority? Honolulu’s director of customer services will set the surge pricing cap

Government Technology | Honolulu Passes Bill to Cap Uber, Lyft Surge Prices

Iowa Legislature passed the largest tax cut in state history and adds sales taxes on ride share and online or app purchases.

Iowa’s Governor said the following 6 points about the tax cut:

• immediate and significant tax relief
•  It’s simple
• It’s transparent
• It’s fair for Main Street
• Most importantly, it’s sustainable for our state budget
• fiscally responsible for the long-term … ensuring that we can fund our key priorities like education, health care and public safety,” she said.

What is the tax cut? An income tax cut

SF 2417 (2018 | IA)

 Governing | Iowa Governor Signs Largest Tax Cut in State’s History

State: Iowa

The sales tax: Iowa’s 6% sales tax

KCRG | Iowa bill adds sales tax to taxi, ride sharing services: Local drivers react 

State: Washington

The State Court: Washington State Supreme Court

The standard for releasing open records: records can withheld “only if disclosure would clearly not be in the public interest and would substantially and irreparably damage a person or a vital government interest.”

What’s the big deal?

• Researchers across the country, including in Texas, want the data
• The data from taxi fares has been available for 40 years

Seattle Times | Uber and Lyft may have to disclose Seattle data they claim secret, Supreme Court rules

KUOW | WA court slams down Uber and Lyft ‘trade secrets’… for now 

Where are digital license plates being tested? Sacramento city cars are pilot testing digital license plates.

Are other locations on the horizon?  Yes, Texas & Florida

The company pushing digital license plates: The 

What else can digital license plates do?

• track mileage
• set geofence notifications

Cost of a digital license plate: $699 for individual consumers, plus installation, as well as a monthly fee of about $7.

The 2013 California legislation: A DMV bill calling for a study of  “alternatives to stickers, tabs, license plates, and registration cards.”  SB 806 (2013 | CA)

NPR | Digital License Plates Roll Out In California. 

Denver has responded to electric scooter proliferation by:

• removing scooters that are blocking sidewalks and other public spaces
• developing new rules to regulate electric scooters
• public safety is the paramount concern
• coordination with its bike share program

Government Tech | Denver Scrambles to Respond to Sudden Appearance of Electric Scooter-Share Fleet 

Empower Texas sets up itscall for state action on the economic innovation of electric scooters by  highlighting 7 problems with Austin’s electric scooter proposal:

• Requiring expensive locking mechanism on each scooter
• Engine power caps that limit scooter use on hills
• Data Sharing Requirements. Full access of scooter and customer data afforded to the city.
• Large fees for additional scooters over the first 500
• Low Incoe distribution requirements. “A plan to the city for rollout of the vehicles into low-income communities that would be unlikely to make use of the vehicles. (However, there are also stiff fees for vehicles that do not get a minimum level of use.)”
• Limit location data collection by the company  
• A 24/7 customer service line, including during times the fleet is not in operation

Empower Texas | ELECTRIC SCOOTERS RETURN TO AUSTIN WITH BIG GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS. 

Cost savings from smart roads, including smart road partnerships:

• reduce fossil fuel emissions
• reduces law enforcement time on traffic violations
• reduces traffic congestion

State Tech | Cities and States Pursue Smart Roads to Save Lives, Fuel

First of its kind partnership between railways and energy storage:  Russian Railways 85.5 thousand kilometers and renewable energy company, Enel Group.

The partnership goal: develop a “low cost strategy for improving system operations without getting into more expensive grid upgrades”

Clean Technica | A New Energy Storage Solution For A Massive Railway System 

Texas County: Brazos County

Brazos County Commissioner Court Dissent:

• 1 Commissioner
  • Commissioner Sammy Catalena
• Dissent based on:
  • Brazos County has no “dog in the fight” as the rail will not traverse Brazos County
  • Concerns of rural landowners

Statements of Brazos County Commissioners in favor of Supporting Texas Central Rail:

• “Southwest Airlines on the ground,” will be good for all texans
• “economic boon”
• it will “allow more students to commute to the Texas A&M University System’s forthcoming RELLIS Campus”

Economic benefits in the county commissioner court resolution:

• $36 billion projected to be generated toward the state’s economy
•  $2.5 billion in taxes over the next 25 years to be paid
• 10,000 full-time construction jobs annually during the peak construction period.
• 1,500 full-time jobs are expected to be created once the train goes into service

The Eagle | Brazos County Commissioners Court passes resolution to support high-speed rail

To address driver retention, LYft is dedicating $100M to build ride share driver hubs.

Why build hubs?

• to retain drivers
• infrastructure for EV charging in the future
• infrastructure for a flet of autonomous vehicles in the future

Curbed | Lyft is spending $100M on new hubs for drivers

• Helps Small Businesses.  By bringing new customers & improve quality of life
• Capitalized its own infrastructure. Unlike CA and TX, the FL project already owned its rail lines
•  Ease Traffic Congestion & Environmental Impacts. Sustainable alternative to motor vehicles

The 1st privately owned High Speed Rail details:

• began service January 13, 2018
• service runs from West Palm Beach and  Fort Lauderdale
• beginning May 19 service expands to Miami
• the entity behind high speed rail: All Aboard Florida
• phase 2 launches this year and will bring service to Central Florida

DW.com | Florida boosts high-speed rail with new regional service

Background:

• Calhoun Port Authority wants to know about whether it hired Blake Farenthold illegally.
• Independently, Calhoun Port Authority is being sued for violating the Open Meetings Act in the hiring

What’s the question for the Attorney General? Whether the hiring of Farenthold, as a lobbyist, erquired posting that the hiring was specific to services as a lobbyist

What’s the brouhaha over the Open Meetings Act? Those who say the Act was violated say there was no posting for the hiring of Farenthold

Victoria Advocate | Port seeks AG opinion as new hire Farenthold dodges questions

Colorado has a new statewide coalition supporting more transportation funding.

Coalition members:

• Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce
• Denver South Economic Development Partnership
• Club 20, an association of counties in Western Colorado

The tax increase supprted by the coalition: 0.62 increase in sales tax dedicated for transportation, raising the statewide sales tax to 3.52 percent starting Jan. 1, 2019 for 20 years.

Why are contractors supporting the coalition? maintenance and construction for Colorado roads is funded by the gas tax which has not been raised for 25 years

How would funding be distributed?

• 45% Colorado Department of Transportation
• 15% to regional projects, ( local bus, bike and pedestrian improvements)
• 40%  split evenly between cities and counties.   

KUNC | Statewide Coalition Selects Tax Increase Option For Transportation Funding Fix 

CPR | Now There Are 3 Possible Tax Hikes Focused On Fixing Colorado’s Roads

The State: Virginia

Which Virginia Governmental Agencies want to study a pay as your drive funding mechanism for transportation? state association of metropolitan planners and supported by the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization,

Which entity is being asked to study pay as you drive? The State Secretary of Transportation 

A state senator raised the following questions about pay as you drive:

• How much revenue would it bring in compared to the gas tax?
• How would you measure a vehicle’s miles – with a tracking device or odometer checks?
• How would you capture revenue from out-of-state vehicles?
• How would you bill and collect the tax?
• How would drivers react since many don’t see the gas tax broken out in the price they pay at the pump?
• Could you dedicate the revenue from certain corridors, like I-64 and I-81, to go directly back to expanding those roads?

Virginian Pilot | Paying a tax for every mile you drive? Regional boards want state to study the idea

Funding:  $40 million federal grant and $10 million from Paul G. Allen Philanthropies

Goals of Smart Cities:

• reduce collisions
• speed first responder response times
• curb freeway delays
• get products to consumers faster
• how to use data to improve city services and quality of life for residents
• easier access to healthcare services

Procurement Oppostunities:

• transportation technologies:
  • integrate self-driving cars
  • connected vehicles
  • smart sensors
  • developing transportation technologies
• data processing
  • data collection
  • data analyzation
  • data encryption

How does the smart cities initiative fit with Ohio Governor’s Order? 

• Authorized autonomous vehicle research on all public roads
• Estalished safety parameters
•  Creates a voluntary pilot program linking local governments to participating companies

Washington Post | Ohio capital launches unique ‘Smart City’ operating system

The Electric Vehicle Charging Association supports AEP Ohio’s first approved utility rebate program for electrical-vehicle charging because:

• MORE EVs. will improve Ohio’s electric vehicle adoption
•  Fewer Charging Anxieties. deployment of hundreds of charging stations where EV drivers live, work, and play
• Good for Businesses. lower barriers for businesses, workplaces, and municipalities to offer electric vehicle charging for customers, employees, and everyday drivers

Norwalk Reflector | EV charging rebate program OK’d in Ohio. 

Why did Automakers adapt their strategy?

• Concern over Trump Administration. The concern being that the Administration will pick a fight with the 12 states that follow California emission standards & automakers will be left fixing the problems
• Uniformity & Certainty.  factions of varying regulations isn’t conducive to business
•  Sales. 50 different EV car sales account for fewer sales than  F150 Ford truck sales

Governing | Long Adversaries, Automakers Now Want to Work With California on Emissions 

Texas University with new cybersecurity and autonomous vehicles research:  University of Texas at San Antonio, Institute for Cyber Security

What code words do I need to watch for in regulations or legislation? fog cloud computing 

What’s fog cloud computing?  A distributed ledger system of cloud computing being utilized to improve security of autonmous vehicles

How does it make it harder to hack an autonmous vehicle? more barriers, if the information is in packets and spread across various clouds, it is much harder to hack

San Antonio Business Jounral | UTSA researchers explore cybersecurity tools for autonomous vehicles

California Senate Bill 1014 (2018 | CA)  requires ride share vehicles to:

• 20% must be Zero Emmission by 2023
• 50% must be Zero Emission by 2026
• 100% must be zero emission by 2030
• Rule making by the regulatory agency for quarterly targets of ride share zero emission vehicles

Forbes | California May Push Uber And Lyft To Go Electric, With Far-Reaching Consequences

Where is this happening? NYC

What is happening? A locla official has proposed a cap on ride share rides to alleviate congestion in the central business district

What group is behind these 3 points of opposition to the cap?The Urban League

Why would a cap on ride share would be bad?

• It would eliminate a transportation option for the outer boroughs and minorities
• these areas are currently underserved by traditional transportation options like taxis and public transportation
• the most impacted y a cap: senior citizens & busy parents

Crain’s New York Business Op-Ed by the Urban League | Capping Uber and Lyft would bring back the bad old days

The transportation proposal:

• ambitious $5.4 billion transit expansion

The vote: 36% : 64%

Are there extenuating circumstances?

• City & County government is consolidated
• Most population lives outside the city proper
• The proposal was promoted by the mayor who resigned in March

Transportation Proposal supporters:

• the mayor
• chamber of commerce
•  Nashville Predators hockey team

What do opponetns say?

• No public input after the plan was formed
• transportation policy should be incremental not sweeping

Governing | Nashville’s Epic Transit Defeat Offers Hard Lessons for Advocates

Nashville Business Journal | Nashville jumps up list of country’s fastest-growing cities

State: Louisiana

Bill: HB 665 (2018 | LA)

What steps must a port take to except economic development records from disclosure?

• the records must be “active economic development negotiations”
•  publish in its official journal a notice that the records are being hidden, within 10 days after deciding to keep them confidential
• protection from disclosure lasts 24 months
• protection ends when negotiations are over

What records cannot be hidden from disclosure by the port?

•  hazardous waste licenses or permits

Is the open records protection modeled on another law? Yes, current protection from dislcosure of economic development negotiations at the  Louisiana Department of Economic Development

The Advocate via AP | Bills establish new records exemptions for colleges, ports

State: Arkansas

New transportation construction contract process: construction manager/general contractor (CMGC) form of contracting

Why the switch? liability and risks of cost overruns move to the contractor

What parameters did the Legislature put around the new contracting method?

• 3 projects only
• totaling no more than $200 million

How does it work?

• Design Phase: contractors submit requests for proposals

• After the design phase: contractor submits its cost estimate to build the project

• If that cost is within 10% of the DOT’s cost estimate, the contractor wins the bid

• Contract sets a ceiling price that the contractor cannot exceed.

• If the DOT and contractor’s cost estimates exceed a 10% difference, then the project goes through a competitive bidding process

Equipment World | Ark. DOT tries out new contracting process for road projects

The question the Texas Attorney General Answered: whether the Texas Transportation Commission may use Proposition 1 and Proposition 7 funds on toll projects.

What complicated the question & answer: That roads in Texas are often mixed, partially free and partially tolled. 

Why do roads that have tolled and free lanes make the answer more complicated? There is no guidance in statute and no guidance in case law for whether a “toll road” and “toll project” are the same and thus the constitutional funding ban applies.

What would clarify this in 2019 legislation: A definition of “toll project” as a “toll road” 

What wiggle room is there? The use of funds for non-tolled roads  within a toll project, with a mechanism that ensures that the funds are spent for their constitutional purpose.

KP-0197 (2018). 

Background: HB 100 (TX | 2017) establishing ride share laws does not permit local taxation of ride share

4 Supporting arguments for local taxation of ride share:

• Texas cities are losing out on millions in tax revenue occuring within their boundaries
• Other cities are doing it
• Cities are utilizing the revenue to improve transportation and safety
• Other states have allowed cities to tax ride share to cover the cost of street maintenance, vehicle traffic, and registering drivers

Rivard Report | Texas Cities Losing Out on Tax Revenue from Sharing Economy

9 states have passed model e-bike legislation, including:

• AZ HB 2266 (AZ | 2018) 
• CO
• CA
• AR (that’s Arkansas)
• IL
• MI
• TN
• UT (Utah, not any of the universities with these initials)
• WA

The model legislation does this:

• defines e-bikes as motorized electric bicycles with a watt definition
• establishes Class 1, 2, or 3 e-bikes
  • Class 3 e-bikes would be restricted to on-road usage
  • Class 1 and 2 e-bikes may be ridden on bike paths
• grants e-bikes the same rights of the road as traditional bicyclists
• requires e-bikes to display a sticker with their class
• Local jurisdictions can prohibit operation on bicycle paths

Bicycle Retailer | Arizona Legislature passes e-bike bill

Regulator: California Public Utilities Commission

What did the California Public Utilities Commission do? Reclassified Uber, because of Uber SUV and Uber Black, as partially as a charter party carrier (that’s how California regulates limos and party charters)

How was the company operating in California?  Mostly through a subsidiary, Rasier-CA, which the administrative law fact finder to be  ” “a mere instrumentality” of Uber

Appeals forthcoming? Yes

Rational of the fact finder: The company could change its stucture and avoid the cost of the reclassification

San Francisco Examiner | State regulator ruling could cost Uber ‘millions’

Where have EV Charging roads been installed? Stockholm Sweden

What does the partnership look like to develop the road?

• eRoad Arlanda is the development partnership
• eRoad Arlanda partnered with  PostNord, the first company to use the new electrified roads

How long of a stretch of road has EV charging? 2 kilometers

How does it work? 

• A track is laid into the roadway to allow for charging while driving
• The track is only active when the vehicle is over it and charging
• The vehicle communicates with the road system
•  Drivers or fleet managers can be billed for energy consumption

Clean Technica | 2 Kilometers of Electrified Road in Sweden — A Pilot for EV-Charging Roads

What I-35 high speed rail project in Texas? high-speed trains connecting Dallas, Arlington and Fort Worth — and eventually Waco, Austin, Laredo and possibly Monterrey, Mexico

Who approved funding for the 1-35 corrdior high speed rail? The Regional Transportation Council

How much funding and for what purpose? $500,000 to study the viability of the project

Ft. Worth Star Telegram | Full steam ahead for high-speed rail to Arlington, Fort Worth, Waco, Austin, Laredo

State: Oklahoma

The trucking proposal: Move trucking regulatory adjudication from the Oklahoma Corportion Commission to the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety

Oklahoma Trucking Association: Gave the appearance of opposition without stating opposition

Opposition included:

• Linking the bill author to his role as a “oboard member of HELP, a non-profit that owns PrePass, which has developed products that enable trucks to be weighed by means other than the traditional weight station.”
• Reduce revenue to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission

Supporter arguments: Streamlines trucking regulation into a single agency

Freight Waves | Proposal to alter Oklahoma trucking regulation dies, but not without some fireworks 

City: New York City

The ride share ordinance proposal would:

• A fee for drivers of $2000 per car
• A fee for transportation network companies of $20,000 per year
• Ride Share companies could operate in neighborhoods if and only if it is found that the neighborhood “a need for their service in neighborhoods where they plan to operate”
• City regulators will presume that there is no need for ride share. Companies must prove otherwise.
• Effectively limits drivers to 1 ride share company

New York Daily News  | City councilman’s proposed bill will charge e-hail drivers $2,000 a year to drive

• The New Hampshire Senate Committee on Transportation
• Considering HB 2018 (NH 2018), relating to the state 10-year transportation improvement program
• Removed from the bill provisions for $4 million in federal funding for a detailed analysis of passenger rail expansion and bus service

What was the $4 million in federal funding set to cover?

• a detailed analysis of engineering, environmental, and geotechnical aspects
• And, a firm financial plan for expanding passenger rail from Boston to Manchester

Manchester Ink Link | NH Senate Transportation Committee Strips Funding for Passenger Rail Expansion Project

Where: California

What: California Legislature passed a gas tax increase 

How is the inititiative and referendum moving to repeal the gas tax?

• California’s Congressional Delegation is Supporting the initiative & referendum by Give Voters a Voice
• State Republican party strategists fear conservative voters will stay home if the open primary doesn’t qualify a conservative candidate for the general election

Sacramento Bee | Gas tax repeal gets more cash from California GOP

Where:  Marietta, Georgia

The technology: An app that allows parents to track school buses

The messaging to parents: 

• The App will “look and operate much like ride sharing apps for Uber and Lyft.”
• The App will have privacy and security features to protect students
• The App can ” also be used to track real-time progress on student field trips”

WSB TV 2 | Parents will soon be able to use Uber-like tech to track school buses. 

Louisiana Legislature approved statewide ride share regulations, but offers these carrots to Lousiana cities:

•  local governments without fee arrangements could charge fees of up to 1% of each gross fare
• grandfather in existing fee agreements between Baton Rouge, New Orleans and other cities
• Separates airport fees from local fees

The Advocate | Bill to regulate Uber, Lyft clears House; key test in Senate

Louisiana HB749 (2018)

California Public Utilities Commission adopted new rules for self-driving taxis, and the key points are:

• The 1st pilot program will be for at least 90 days and allow:
  • “Transportation Charter-Party  (TCP) Carrier permit-holders to add test autonomous vehiclesto their passenger carrier equipment statement, where the TCP permit-holder also holds an Autonomous Vehicle Tester Program Manufacturer’s Testing Permit (AV Testing Permit) issued by the DMV, including where the service is provided free to the passenger”
• ​The 2nd pilot program will:
  • Allow TCP permit-holders that hold a DMV Manufacturer’s Testing Permit – Driverless Vehicles (DMV AV Testing Permit – Driverless Vehicle) to operate AVs in passenger service in driverless mode (Driverless AV Passenger Service) with a remote operator for at least 90 days; provided free to the passengers

• DMV regulates Autonomous Vehicles & California PUC regulates common carriers, and the rules must work together

   San Francisco Chronicle | Robot-taxi services could soon operate in California

State: Pennsylvania

The EV Bill: Pennsylvania’s HB 1446 (2018)

The EV Charging Station framework proposed by HB1446:

• Governor must set EV charging station rollout based at 50% above 2030 estimates
• the framework must set statewide goals
• the framework must also establish separate regional goals
  • developed by stakeholders including agencies, municipalities & electric distribution companies

The response by an EV charging station company:

• before HB 1446, “the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission should set rules of the road and evaluate how rate payer funds should be used by utilities in support of EV infrastructure”
• “utilities must work with private businesses in the EV industry” to “leverage matching payments when ratepayer dollars are spent.”
• “Consumers should have the ability to choose things like charging station type, manufacturer and network services.”

PennLive | Lawmakers need to level the playing field for Pa’s electric-driving future | Opinion

City: Phoenix Area

Self Driving Taxi Proposal: 

• Waymo is proposing an autonomous taxi service in 100 square miles in metro Phoenix
• In preparation, Waymo testing has:
  • driven on public roads for more than 5 million miles
  • traveled five billion miles in computer simulation

Response to the autonomous driving fatality in Phoenix: Waymo CEO John Krafcik said his company’s technology could have avoided the incident

KTAR News | Waymo plans for 100-square-mile driverless taxi service in Phoenix area 

City: Seattle

The local government proposal on minimum ride share fees: $2.40 base charge

The policy rational: 

• To help drivers make a better wage
• To support the taxi industry

HHQ Q | Seattle may set minimum base fare for ride-shares Uber, Lyft

Nebraska Legislature sent to final reading LB989 (2018) that will:

• permit self driving cars anywhere in Nebraska
• allows for no human driver as long as certain conditions are met
• allows for consultation with railroads concerning self driving vehicles and railroad crossings

How did the bill begin? As a pilot project in Lincoln on a fixed route and was expanded to anywhere in the state.

NPR | Legislature Steps Toward Allowing Self-Driving Vehicles; Senators Give Up On Property Tax Measures

The locality: West Memphis, Arkansas

The ordinance: blight ordinance banning unregistered, uncovered vehicles on private property, Ordinance 1298

The fine for property owners:  $250 and $1,000

How is inoperable vehicle defined?

• doesn’t have a current license plate
• has any wheels removed
• cannot be legally operated on the streets, e.g. “lack of proper mufflers, tires, headlights, or other mechanical defects.”
• Really anything that prevents the car from being unable to move under its own power

Jalopnik | An Arkansas Town Is Ticketing People For Having ‘Inoperable’ Cars On Their Property

Georgia is considering HB 134 (2018) that will:

• Allows voters in 13 metro counties  to vote on a 1-cent sales tax
• Allocates $100 million to expand transit
• Create the Atlanta-region Transit Link with a 16 member board that will:
  • Serve the needs of hardworking Georgians
  • Respond to the demands of our employers and workforce
  • Reduce traffic congestion

13WMAZ | What does Georgia’s new transportation bill mean for you? 

Open records requests, after the self driving Uber fatality in Arizona, reveal the following ways Governor Ducey actively promoted Uber publicly:

• He tweeted an Uber ad
• He helped Uber deal with other state officials
• He was open to wearing an Uber T-shirt at an official event

NYPost | Arizona governor, Uber kept self-driving car tests a secret

State: Missouri

The bill to repeal mandatory vehicle inspections: HB 1444

Missouri’s HB 1444 (2018) is authored by :  a Republican 

Opposition:  Missouri’s AAA which says inspections are a plank in traffic safety

Supporters say:  

• 34 states do not have mandatory inspections
• There is no causal link between inspections and traffic fatality rates

KTTS 94.7 | Bill In Legislature Would Do Away With Vehicle Inspections