Transportation

State: Colorado

The transportation funding gap: 

The proposed funding mechanism: Asking for voter approval for a sales tax to fund $3.5 billion for transportation bond funding via an increase of 0.62%

The activists: Americans for Prosperity 

The activist target: 4 Republican legislators

The Response from the Denver Editorial Board: Sen. Kevin Grantham is a statesman for standing up for Colorado transportation

Colorado Statesman | Americans for Prosperity targets four GOP senators over transportation funding legislation

State: California

Newly posted rules are business friendly. Consumer advocates not as pleased. Here’s what the new rules would do:

• Removes provision that companies  test autonomous vehicles for 1 year to fully deploy
• Eases accident and autonomous vehicle-disengagement reporting requirements
• No requirement for city approval for testing
• Cities will have to be notified and companies will have to coordinate with cities

California’s March 2017 Autonomous Vehicle Rules Proposal

The Recorder | California Opens Door to Fully Autonomous Vehicle Testing

State: Nevada

What does the bill do?

• quarterly reporting of the number of independent contractor drivers
• $200 state business registration for their drivers
• makes the ride share companies enforce the driver business registration requirement

Nevada Senate Bill 226 (2017)

Las Vegas Review Journal | Nevada Legislature pushing rideshare companies to ensure compliance with state law

• HCR 108 by Zerwas triggers a provision in Proposition 7 that allows the Legislature to cut Prop. 7 funding to TXDOT by 50%
• HCR 108 would require 2/3 vote in each chamber

Austin American Statesman | Legislation would cut TxDOT funding by more than $2 billion

Waco Tribune | House proposal could claw back billions for Texas road work

• Its a misconception that fingerprinting makes the taxi industry safer
  • its like all all sqaures are rectangles but not all rectangles are squares
• Academic research doesn’t show an increase in crime since ride share become a thing
• There’s data that indicates that crime went down among taxi drivers once ride share began.
  • the competition cleaned up the taxi drivers
• Ride share drivers and passengers are tracked by GPS, that makes for one dumb criminal
• The federal background check system is “notoriuously unreliable”

The Hill | R Street Contributor | Legislators should stop mandating how Uber conducts background checks

State: Georgia

The proposed tax on ride share: 4 cent state sales tax on ride share + local governments can add their own sales tax

WTOC 11 | Proposed tax could bring changes ride-sharing apps like Uber, Lyft

Chicago will soon release recommendations from a special commission that will not recommend federal fingerprint checks of ride share drivers. 

Chicago Business Journal | Uber, Lyft drivers won’t be fingerprinted, alderman says

The state legislature that may be 1st to amend their auto insurance code: New York

A group pooling auto insurance for car sahring:  Getaround

What types of legislation are states considering on car sharing?b

• tax car sharing
• incentivize car-sharing through tax credits
• creating car-sharing partnerships

Albany Times Union | Getaround boosts car-sharing insurance bill

the State: Rhode Island

the Status of statewide ride share laws: Statewide laws passed in 2016

The impetus for the added statewide requirement for fingerprinting:

• Its from the brain of the State Attorney General
• The Attorney General wants nationwide criminal background checks that include fingerprinting for all drivers- ride share and taxis alike 
• Taxis support the requirement
• Ride Share Company Uber does not

Rhode Island via San Louis Obispo Tribune | Attorney general wants Uber, Lyft drivers fingerprinted

• In 2008, voters approved $10 billion in bonds
• On March 3, 2017 the California Finance Department approved the sale of bonds to spend $2.6 billion on rail work in the Central Valley.

El Paso Inc | California high-speed rail ready to lay some track

A millennial writing in the Daily Texan has this to say about SB 113, statewide ride share laws:

• takes away power from the city government
• overturns existing city regulations
• overturns “common-sensical safety regulations”
• this is about helping the big companies at the expense of small ride share companies
• “favor degradingly lower cuts” for ride share drivers

Daily Texan | SB 113 ignores public to make way for Uber and Lyft

Texas SB 113 (2017)

State: Montana

Legislative proposal to increase the gas tax by: 8 cents

Last time Montana increased the gas tax? 23 years ago

The pitch: Out of state drivers would pay between 25 and 40% of the new gas tax revenue

Montana HB 473 (2017)

Equipment World | Montana lawmaker introduces bill for 8-cent gas tax increase

City: Jacksonville, FL

The decline in crash and arrest statistics noticeable decrease in alcohol crimes:

• DWI arrests decined by 25%
• Alcohol related crashes declined by 14%

Are there other reasons for the decline? Maybe. There’s no way to determine what is the cause of the decline nor is there a way to determine that ride share didn’t cause the decline.

Touted in the Jacksonville, FL article: Florida’s SB 340 establishing a statewide regulatory structure for ride share

First Coast News ABC | On Your Side: Uber’s effect on Jax drunk driving

Neiman Marcus

• private investment: $5 million
• new jobs based on the $5 million investment: 0
• requested tax rebates: $1 million

Dallas to Houston High Speed Rail

• private investment: $12 billion
• new jobs: 10,000 jobs during construction & 750 during operation
• requested tax rebates: $0
• tax revenue contributed by 2040: $3 billion

Dallas Morning News | With private funding and no public incentives, how can we oppose the Texas bullet train?

State: Hawaii

Taxi industry is pushing for legislation to require: ride shar edrivers to display the excise tax certificate that Taxis must display.

What’s behind this excise tax certificate push? Taxis claim ride share companies do not pay the state’s excise tax like they do

Other issues at play: Whether drivers pay the excise tax

Hawaii Now | Taxi companies accuse Uber, Lyft of not paying millions in excise taxes

Highlights from Texas Central Rail repsonse to the high speed rail bill package:

• ” a slate of discriminatory bills”
• it is the “use the power of the state government to single out and kill a free market project”
• 10,000 jobs are represented by high speed rail project
• Billions of dollars will be invested in the Texas economy
• Collaborating with landowners 
• “a majority of Texans have been clamoring for” this project

WTAW Brazos Valley | Texas Central Partners Reaction To State Legislation Regarding High Speed Passenger Trains

informed:intel on February 21, 2017:

Which members joined forces to file bills to impede high speed rail?

• Senators Birdwell, Creighton,  Kolkhorst, Perry, & Schwertner
• Representatives Ashby, Bell, Cook, Schubert, and Wray 

The hot issues in the press release announcement:

• big bad evil #1 : foreign investments (remember Trans Texas Corridor & Cintra, anyone?)
• big bad evil #2: it will hurt family farms and private property rights
• big bad evil #3: this is going to be expensive, more expensive than they are saying
• big bad evil #4: security concerns raised by a 9/11 survivor 

Which bills are in this package. Its 9 bills + companions?

• SB 973 by Creighton/HB 2168 by Bell (Railroad Determination Before Surveys) – prohibits a high-speed rail entity from entering private property to conduct a survey unless the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) first determines that the surveying entity is, in fact, a railroad.

• SB 974 by Creighton/HB 2181 by Cook (Option Contract Protection) – voids any high-speed rail option contracts held by a high-speed rail entity upon a bankruptcy initiated by or against the entity. 

• SB 975 by Birdwell/HB 2169 by Schubert (Security Requirements) – provides a framework of minimum security requirements to be followed during the construction and operation of a private high-speed rail line. Requires the high-speed rail authority to coordinate security efforts with state and local law enforcement, as well as disaster response agencies.

• SB 977 by Schwertner/HB 2172 by Ashby (No Taxpayer Bailout) – prohibits the legislature from appropriating new funds, or allowing state agencies to utilize existing funds, to pay any costs related to a the construction, maintenance, or operation of a private high-speed rail in Texas.

• SB 978 by Schwertner/HB 2104 Bell (Property Restoration Bond) – requires a private high-speed rail entity to file a bond with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) sufficient to restore property used for the rail service to the property’s original conditions if the service ceases operation.

• SB 979 by Schwertner/HB 2179 by Cook (Right of Repurchase for Non-HSR Use) – prohibits an entity that operates or plans to operate a high-speed rail from using property acquired for purposes other than high-speed rail. If the high-speed rail authority doesn’t use the property for that specific purpose, the original landowner must be given opportunity to repurchase the land.

• SB 980 by Schwertner/HB 2167 by Schubert (Put Texas First) – prohibits any state money from being used for any purpose related to a privately owned high-speed rail, unless the state acquires and maintains a lien in order to secure the repayment of state funds. Requires that the state’s lien be superior to all other liens, effectively making Texas a priority creditor.

• SB 981 by Kolkhorst/HB 2162 by Wray (Interoperability) – requires an entity constructing a high-speed rail line in Texas to demonstrate compatibility with more than one type of train technology. 

• SB 982 by Perry/HB 2173 by Ashby (High-Speed Rail Feasibility Study) – upon request of a legislator, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) must generate a feasibility study of a proposed high-speed rail project. The study must indicate whether the project is for a public use, whether it will be financially viable, and what impact of the project will have on local communities.

Press Release | Lawmakers Take Action to Derail Bullet Train between Dallas and Houston

Houston Chronicle | Texas lawmakers move to stymie high-speed rail project
 

KHOU | Texas lawmakers lobby to derail proposed high-speed train

Ft. Worth Star Telegram | Bill package shapes fight on high-speed rail

Tyler Morning Telegraph editorial opposing Texas Centrail Rail raises these 3 points:

• This isn’t a rural-urban issue. This is a property rights issue.
• You can’t say this is a private enterprise, promoting free market when you use eminent domain, because eminent domain is the opposite of free market.
• This is crony capitalism with the government  “thumb on the scale”

Tyler Morning Telegraph | Editorial: Texas bullet train an example of crony capitalism

Considering implementing an electric vehicle fee in 2017 are:

• Indiana 
• South Carolina
• Kansas
• Tennessee
• New Hampshire
• Montana

How does this compare to the current electric vehicle fees? 10 states have electric vehcile fees which range from $50 to $300

Utility Dive | Report: Six states propose new electric vehicle fees

Sierra Club | Flurry of State Bills Introduced, Likely Backed by Oil Industry, to Penalize Electric Car Drivers

Indiana is increasing transportion funding tis year by:

• 10 cent increase in the gas tax
  • adds an annual indexing through 2024, with a cap at 1 cent per year
• $150 annual fee on electric cars
•  $15 transportation infrastructure improvement fee applied to all motor vehicles
  • excepted from the $15 fee are vehicles over 26,000 lbs

Equipement World | Indiana House approves 10-cent gas tax increase, electric vehicle fees

Indiana House Bill 1002 (2017)

Massachusetts is using technology to fix potholes: MassDOT Potholes Dashboard

Can the public participate? Yes

Benefits of the public input technology:

•  quicker response and repair times
•  safer, more efficient travel
• helps the Department of Transportation to make capital investments that focus resources on roads and “areas that require consistent pothole repair”
• helps the Department of Transportation to manage its assets in a “cost-effective manner that prevents emergency pothole repairs.”

Equipment World | Mass. DOT plans to expand digital pothole tracking program

Which members joined forces to file bills to impede high speed rail?

• Senators Birdwell, Creighton,  Kolkhorst, Perry, & Schwertner
• Representatives Ashby, Bell, Cook, Schubert, and Wray 

The hot issues in the press release announcement:

• big bad evil #1 : foreign investments (remember Trans Texas Corridor & Cintra, anyone?)
• big bad evil #2: it will hurt family farms and private property rights
• big bad evil #3: this is going to be expensive, more expensive than they are saying
• big bad evil #4: security concerns raised by a 9/11 survivor 

Which bills are in this package. Its 9 bills + companions?

• SB 973 by Creighton/HB 2168 by Bell (Railroad Determination Before Surveys) – prohibits a high-speed rail entity from entering private property to conduct a survey unless the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) first determines that the surveying entity is, in fact, a railroad.

• SB 974 by Creighton/HB 2181 by Cook (Option Contract Protection) – voids any high-speed rail option contracts held by a high-speed rail entity upon a bankruptcy initiated by or against the entity. 

• SB 975 by Birdwell/HB 2169 by Schubert (Security Requirements) – provides a framework of minimum security requirements to be followed during the construction and operation of a private high-speed rail line. Requires the high-speed rail authority to coordinate security efforts with state and local law enforcement, as well as disaster response agencies.

• SB 977 by Schwertner/HB 2172 by Ashby (No Taxpayer Bailout) – prohibits the legislature from appropriating new funds, or allowing state agencies to utilize existing funds, to pay any costs related to a the construction, maintenance, or operation of a private high-speed rail in Texas.

• SB 978 by Schwertner/HB 2104 Bell (Property Restoration Bond) – requires a private high-speed rail entity to file a bond with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) sufficient to restore property used for the rail service to the property’s original conditions if the service ceases operation.

• SB 979 by Schwertner/HB 2179 by Cook (Right of Repurchase for Non-HSR Use) – prohibits an entity that operates or plans to operate a high-speed rail from using property acquired for purposes other than high-speed rail. If the high-speed rail authority doesn’t use the property for that specific purpose, the original landowner must be given opportunity to repurchase the land.

• SB 980 by Schwertner/HB 2167 by Schubert (Put Texas First) – prohibits any state money from being used for any purpose related to a privately owned high-speed rail, unless the state acquires and maintains a lien in order to secure the repayment of state funds. Requires that the state’s lien be superior to all other liens, effectively making Texas a priority creditor.

• SB 981 by Kolkhorst/HB 2162 by Wray (Interoperability) – requires an entity constructing a high-speed rail line in Texas to demonstrate compatibility with more than one type of train technology. 

• SB 982 by Perry/HB 2173 by Ashby (High-Speed Rail Feasibility Study) – upon request of a legislator, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) must generate a feasibility study of a proposed high-speed rail project. The study must indicate whether the project is for a public use, whether it will be financially viable, and what impact of the project will have on local communities.

Press Release | Lawmakers Take Action to Derail Bullet Train between Dallas and Houston

Houston Chronicle | Texas lawmakers move to stymie high-speed rail project
 

KHOU | Texas lawmakers lobby to derail proposed high-speed train

Ft. Worth Star Telegram | Bill package shapes fight on high-speed rail

the State:  Washington

The move toward high speed rail: The Governor calling on $1 million in the Transportation budget to study high speed rail between Seattle and Vancouver

What specifics will the study include:

• Does the short ditance make rail as competitive as air travel
• Can high speed rail work with existing rail
• Proposed station sites
• Environmental impact
• Latest high-tech options
• Projected ridership demand

Construction Dive | WA governor allocates $1M for high-speed rail study

The 36th state to pass statewide ride share regulations: New Jersey

The statewide ride share regulations in New Jersey:

• insurance coverage standards of $1.5 million in commercial insurance per ride
• mandatory background checks by the ride share company with disclosures and approval by to the state attorney general
• To balance the needs of the limoisine industry it cut insurance requirements when no passanger is present and expempting rides from the sales tax
• $25,000 permit fee for companies

​GOVERNING | Christie Signs Uber, Lyft Regulations for New Jersey

NORTH JERSEY RECORD | Christie signs law regulating ride-hailing services

NJ.com | Uber, Lyft drivers must pass background checks after Christie OKs new law

New Jersey A3695 (2017)

What is FASTR? The Future of Automotive Security Technology Research

What are FASTR’s goals? 

• deliver precompetitive technological building blocks
• to assist automotive manufactures across their supply chains
• to offer multilayered security throughout vehicles to preserve data confidentiality, system integrity and system availability

What companies are members of FASTR?

• Uber
• Intel
•  internet of things (IoT) provider Aeris
• Rambus
• Karamba Security

FASTR.org

SC Media | Uber, Intel and IoT firms join coalition to secure connected cars

The State: Michigan

The contract concerning drone inspections of bridges: Beginning with a study to support the goals of saving state funds and getting more through safety inspections.

The benefits of using drones to inspect bridges:

• see the bridge in real time
• detect temperature changes in the concrete
• the ability to inspect portions of bridges that are difficult to access

The cost of traditional machinery bridge inspections: $675,000 + traffic problems

The cost of a drone bridge inspection: $40,000 + no traffic backups

Equipment World | Minnesota DOT testing drones for bridge inspections

The State: Arizona

The legislative proposal: 

• Swap 20% of the state fleet for ride share or contract with companies to manage the service
• Creates a pilot program for state workers to use rental cars, fleet management services, ride hailing services or private-public partnerships

​Has the legislator had success with cutting government vehicle costs? Yes, as a city council member in Chandler, AZ he cut the city vehicle use costs by 22%

Arizona House Bill 2440 (2017)

Since 2010:

• The number of managed lanes in the US has QUADRUPLED
• From 2014-2015 toll use increased 7%

Governing | As Gas-Tax Profits Decline, More States May Turn to Tolls

The mother country, Sweden, is your go-to way to lower pedestiran deaths, and here’s what American cities are looking to emulate:

• Sweden began Vision Zero to lower pedestrian deaths in 1997
• Focus first on rural roads by building 3 lane roads, with a middle lane used for passing only.
• Build separated bike lanes
• Lower speed limits
• Create pedestrian-only zones

Governing | The Swedish-Inspired Way American Cities Are Trying to End Pedestrian Deaths

The Mayoral Race: San Antonio mayoral race between Mayor Ivy Taylor, Manuel Medina & Ron Nirenberg

The rail stances:

• Manuel Medina supports Austin to San Antonio rail and high speed rail to Monterrey Mexico
• Mayor Ivy Taylor supports Austin to San Antonio rail suggesting it be led by the provate sector
• Ron Nirenberg supports pushing the Governor’s office to make Austin- San Antonio transportation a priority & supports connecting the Texas triangle, including the Houston to Dallas high speed rail

San Antonio Express News | Mayor’s race takes high-speed rail for a ride

A Wharton School of Business, President Trump’s Alma Matter, features an interview with Wharton’s Kevin Wherbach offering these tips and examples to foster nascent industry:

• Look to the FCC and its treatment of Skype. Skype didn’t fit neatly in industry categoried and regulations. FCC VOIP regulations were written such that the door was left open and Skype flourished by working with regulators.
• Don’t rush to impose traditional rules on ride share companies like Uber.
• Anti-trust case against Microsoft allowed other tech companies to innovate
• Data sharing can give regulators more information to achieve their goals and provide more industry friendly regulations
• Consider self-regulation with accountability standards built in

Knowledge@Wharton | How to Regulate Innovation — Without Killing It

• The “Japanese – Texas High Speed Rail Project” is too good to be true
• It is a “bullet aimed at property owners ”  to the benefit of “commercial real estate venture or for the state’s master transportation plan for the future.”
• The project is touted by “private real estate speculators”
• Reliance on Japanese rail technology has 2 problems:
  • its not compatible to existing rail in Texas
  • “future generations of Texas rail customers hostage to a monopoly railroad technology with NO competitive suppliers”
• its “disingenuous” to say the rail project won’t rely on taxpayer funding

Corsicana Daily Sun | OPINION: A Closer Look at the Japanese – Texas High Speed Rail Project

Huntsville The Item | A closer look at the Japanese Texas high-speed rail project

The city seeking ride share data: New York City

What the city did to get to the data: Adopted regulations to require ride share companies to provide the city with drop off location data

The policy goal: Combat driver fatigue by keeping taxi, Uber and other for-hire-vehicle drivers from working more than 10 hours straight.

Crains New York Business | City to Uber and Lyft: Hand over your trip data

• South Carolina launched a project viewer to show real time progress of bridge and road construction
• Connecticut launches a real time travel infromation with links to cameras and incidents

What is an Idaho stop & does it have anything to do with potatoes or mountains?  No potatoes. No mountains. An Idaho stop allows a bicyclist to treat a stop sign as a yield and a red light like a stop sign.

Which state is considering allowing cyclists to have their own interpretation of stop signs and red lights? Colorado

The Denver Post | Should legislature let Colorado cyclists use discretion at stop signs? (3 letters)

Which high speed rail projects may be financed via debt financing? Texas and California high speed rail projects.

How does the financing come to fruition? Japanese pension systems will purchase debt issued by American corporations to finance high speed rail

Nikkei Asian Review | Japan’s pension megafund to invest in US infrastructure

Indiana’s House Bill 1260 requires railroads to demonstrate public use before proceeding with eminent domain. 

WIMS AM 1420 | H.B. 1260 co-authored by State Rep. Jim Pressel goes to Senate

Chesterton Tribune | Soliday bill would require public need prior to eminent domain taking by RRs

NW Indiana | House approves rail eminent domain changes

Self driving cars estimated to help local governments by:

• Adding an “excess of half a trillion dollars” via Morgan Stanley’s Autonomous Vehicles & Municipal Bonds
• Creating more efficient roadway use
• Dramatically reducing parking garages and parking spaces
• Parking structures can be redeveloped to higher value developments, increasing property tax revenue
• Increased safety will reduce emergency room visits with the reduction in traffic accidents

There will be some revneue offsets for local governments, including:

• reduction in fuel taxes, license fees, parking fees, speeding tickets and personal property taxes

Governing | Breaking Down the Financial Impact of Self-Driving Cars

What elements do these groups need to consider in their recommendations for regulation?

• identify what’s necessary to isolate critical systems in a vehicle from the rest of its software
• relevant standards for firewalls and anomaly detection systems
• techniques to prevent or discourage malicious intrusions
• best practices for storing the data generated by connected cars
• timeline for implementing all of this

Where did these criteria for connected cars come from? The  Security and Privacy in Your Car Study Act of 2017 by Reps. Joe Wilson (R-SC) and Ted Lieu (D-CA)

Ars Technica | Worried about cybersecurity and the connected car? There’s a bill for that

• 50% over budget ($3.6 billion in excess)
• topography- dense urban areas, soggy lands, mountains
• acquiring land takes time- eminent domain is not imminent domain
• sluggish environmental approvals
• failing to unlock federal money quickly enough

National Review | TPPF’s Chueck DeVore| California’s High-Speed Rail: Slow, Expensive, and Bound for Cancellation

The State: North Carolina Legislature is considering HB 10 which would extend the authority of eminent domain by allowing it to connect customers. 

The bill’s language: “Connection of Customers. – For the public use, private condemnors, local public condemnors, and other public condemnors in subsections (a), (b), (b1), and (c) of this section shall possess the power of eminent domain and may acquire by purchase, gift, or condemnation any property for the connection of any customer or customers.”

The carrot for private property rights supperters: At the same time HB 10 would limit eminent domain, and the connection of consumers, by requiring a public use for eminent domain.

How this could help roads and rail:

• transportation has been a traditional eminent domain function, public use
• defines public use to include connecting customers. 

North Carolina HB 10 (2017)

Carolina Journal | Eminent domain amendment back in play

The State: Massachusettes

Why did the taxis sue to enjoin the law? They said the statwide regualtion of ride share companies treats taxis unequally

Why did a judge throw out a taxi lawsuit? There is no equal protection issue for taxis and ride share companies. 

The legalese: The state “differentiating between TNCs and taxicabs is rationally related to a legitimate government interest in ‘fostering a diverse’ transportation-for-hire market,” 

Boston Business Journal | Uber claims ‘victory’ after Massachusetts judge dismisses taxi group’s lawsuit

The self driving car program: The U.S. Department of Transportation’s national Automated Vehicle (AV) Proving Ground

The Texas designation as an AV Proving Ground:  Texas AV Proving Grounds Partnership 

• Texas Department of Transportation
• Texas A&M Transportation Institute
• The University of Texas at Austin’s Center for Transportation Research
• Southwest Research Institute
• 32 municipal and regional partners

Are there others in the U.S.? Yes, 9 in total

The real world roadway scenarios to be tested by self driving cars in the Texas AV Proving Grounds Partnership:

• Austin Area – Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and Riverside Drive corridor
• Houston Area – Texas Medical Center, Houston METRO HOV lanes, and Port of Houston
• Dallas/Fort Worth/Arlington Area – UTA campus, Arlington streets, I-30 corridor and managed lanes
• San Antonio Area – Fredericksburg Road/Medical Drive corridor and bus rapid transit system
• El Paso Area – Tornillo/Guadalupe Port of Entry

Texas A&M Transportation Institute | Texas Designated as Automated Vehicles Proving Ground

The BIG issue: Does the DMV need county sign off to use a 3rd party vendor?

The answer: No.

The jockeying among levels of government behind the issue: The Transportation Code gives both the state DMV and county tax assessors authority over aspects of vehicle registration.

2017 clarification forthwith…

Texas Attorney General Opinion KP-129

U.S. Treasury Department lists the top 40 transportation and water infrastructure projects with major economic significance. On the list:

Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s autonomous Freight Shuttle System

What entity awarded the 40% crash rate reduction for self driving cars? The NHTSA, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Why was NHTSA looking at self driving car crashes? As a result of a Tesla autopilot crash

What did the NHTSA conclude about the crash? No defects in design nor implementation

NHTSA Report

Tech Crunch | NHTSA’s full final investigation into Tesla’s Autopilot shows 40% crash rate reduction

Which state’s House of Representatives  swiftly passed a state wide regulatory structure for ride share companies? Missouri

What are the requirements of  Missouri’s Ride Share Bill?

•  yearly $5,000 registration fee
• local and national driver background checks
• vehicle inspections
• meeting these ​requirements exempts ride share from local or municipal taxes
• Kansas City can conduct random driver audits up to twice a year.

What arguments did the bill sponsor use?

• city regulations create a “barrier to entry”
• more than 10,000 new jobs in the first year

Opponents say:

• The tax exemptions harm local government revenue

St. Louis Dispatch | Ride-hailing regulations speed through Missouri House

The European Union Agency for Network and Information Security recommends  3rd party cybersecurity evaluations for self driving and connected cars. 

Why the need for 3rd parties? The current cybersecurity standards for vehicles is not enough.

Bonjour, new opportunities to provide cybersecurity evaluations…

The European Union Agency for Network and Information Security | Cyber Security and Resilience of smart cars

Long ago, Texas decided that repaying state funds expended on toll projects could happen, if people wanted such.

In sunny 2017, HB 303 by Pickett  wants to make repayment mandatory. 

The data trove: Movement, “a website that uses Uber’s data to help urban planners make informed decisions about our cities.”

3 Ways D.C. is using the data:

• mitigate traffic congestion
• improve infrastructure
• street safety

Governing | Uber Starts Sharing Its Traffic Data With Cities

WIRED | Uber’s Mildly Helpful Data Tool Could Help Cities Fix Streets

What group opposes self driving cars? An association of taxi and limo drivers, The Upstate Transportation Association

Where: New York

What is the anti-self-driving car group calling for? a 50 year moratorium on self driving cars in NY

Why the leap to self driving car opposition? Because the President of a Ride Share company tied to the 2 issues together in a letter 

Fortune | Taxi Drivers’ New Uber Defense: Lobby for Self-Driving Car Bans

When did Nebraska create a statewide regulatory framework for ride share? 2015

What legislation was passed? LB 629 (2015)

Tell me what I need to know about this new report on how the statewide regualtions impacted taxis?

• Report was published by the Nebraska Public Service Commission
• The NPSC regulates ride share companies & taxis  in Nebraska
• In the last 5 years, taxi ridership has “generally” increased
• Lincoln has a decrease in taxi use, but the report clarifies it existed before ride share operated in Lincoln

Omaha World Herald | Nebraska has room for traditional taxi services and Uber, report says

The proposed solution for the 1-35 rail issue? Commuter Amtrack.

What do I need to know about the Amtrack and Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization dialog? The Alamo City asked if Amtrack wanted to be its partner and Amtrack said sure.

What has to happen to make commuter rail a reality?

• Amtrack is conducting a Ridership and Revenue Study to look at:
  • cost to improve Union Pacific track
  • to allow for 90mph trains
• Cost to San Antonio for the study? 100,000
• Part of a larger vision to connect to high speed rail between San Antonio -Laredo- Monterrey, Mexico
• Timeline for Austin to San Antonio is 3-5 years

Texas Public Radio | Stuck Behind The Wheel: Amtrak Studying San Antonio-Austin Commuter Service 

Interstate Tolls  are on the minds of people from Gov. Scott Walker to the crystal ball readers deciphering public private partnerships under President Trump.

What’s the state outlook on interstate tolls? 

• A Wisconsin state study sais it could raise $14 to $41 billion in revenue. 
• But, interstate tolls will require $350-$400 million infrastructure investment & federal approval

Iron Moutnain Daily News | Wisconsin transportation study considers interstate tollways

What do people think will happen with federal interstate tolls?

• Interstate tolls are the only revenue stream large enough to meet Trump’s transportation goal of private investment
• Requires Congress to authorize $138 billion in federal tax credits
• The federal benefit: $1 trillion revenue

Bond Buyer | OUTLOOK: Interstate Tolls Could Fuel Trump’s P3 Plan

Potential Opposition:

• Rural areas and states where people drive Interstates to get to work
• Anti-toll groups
• Trucking Association

What is a smart road? A road rired with fiber optic cable, cameras and conencted devices

What are the goals of smart roads? 

• Alert drivers to accidents, weather, and adjust speed limits
• Communicate with self driving cars
• Help all cars move as quickly as possible & as safely as possible

Where are we seeing smart roads?  

• Virginia I-66 smart road  is up and running
• In 2016 Ohio pledged to spend $15 million for 35 miles of smart road on Rt. 33
• Utah is testing it on Salt Lake City’s Redwood Road

What regulatory and legsialtive issues?

•  How to communicate with the self driving cars, there is no standard communication

Wall Street Journal | States Wire Up Roads as Cars Get Smarter

2017 is set to increase parking revenues by $4 billion nationally. 

National Parking Association says the reason parking revenues will increasein 2017 are:

• population growth
• higher employment
• more commuters
• more people driving for vacations
• increased parking development

The Hill | Parking revenue set to grow $4B by 2018

Parking revenue is estimated to decline with a rise of autonomous vehicles according to some experts.

The Hill | Parking revenue set to grow $4B by 2018

The Legislative standard: No finger print requirement for ride share, if ride share comapnies could shoe regulators that their background checks were just as effective.

The regulators respond with: Increased safety measures and reporting requirements for ride share companies, such as:

• Annual background checks on all drivers

• Auditing and accrediting by an arm of the National Association of Professional Background Screeners

• Alerting regulators to any changes to their background check process.

• Annual reports to regulators that include “information on safety-related complaints, changes to internal background check processes, driver deactivations and the total number of active drivers.”

What does the regulator action mean? Did they agree that ride share background checks were just as good? Yes, regulators noted that ” neither fingerprinting-based nor commercial background checks are completely comprehensive and accurate.”

Baltimore Sun | Maryland regulators won’t force Uber, Lyft to conduct fingerprint-based background checks

• Effective 1/1/17 Deputy Port Director Peter Simons will be the interim port director
• Simons will:
  • Re-organize port staff to effectively execute Board goals
  • Broaden Galveston’s cruise business
  • Broaden Galveston’s vehcile distribution center
• The Port’s Board goals are to:
  • Grow & diversify  the cargo base
  • Use soil to fill in an unused ship slip to store cargo
  • Planning at strategic and tactical level

Houston Chronicle | Port of Galveston appoints interim director

Where: Nashville, TN

The Business Rethinking Land Use, Parking Requirements & Transportation: Tri Star Sports & Entertainment Group

What did Tri Star Sports & Entertainment Group Leverage to be granted a variance from parking space requirements for its building epxansion?  The unanimous variance was granted for TriStar to partner with ride share to “pay monthly rates for the commutes for 23 employees, equal to the number of parking spaces” lost to the building expansion

Nashville Business Journal | Celebrity company adding 60 jobs creatively solves urban parking woes

The brewing industry joins law enforcement supporting a push to extend ride share statewide in New York.

Brewers support ride share because:

• boost the local economy
• promote safety
• help minimize downtown parking concerns

The counter punch from an association representing the taxi industry:

“Calling an Uber shouldn’t be the same as calling a criminal,” said John Tomassi, president of the Upstate Transportation Association. 

WHAM ABC 13 Rochester | Brewing industry joins push for ridesharing in upstate 

The lawsuit: Federal lawsuit over whether California regulations on ride share unfairly disadvantage taxis

The issues raised by a Judge questioning whether ride share regulations harm taxi cabs:

• “In economic regulation groups are favored all the time. It’s always about favoring one over the other. Animus is the purpose of harming a group, not favoring a group.”
• favoritism toward Uber and Lyft does not equal the sort of hostility toward taxi drivers

Courthouse News Service | Judge Doubts Cabbie ‘Oppression’ in Uber-Lyft Unfair Advantage Fight

Which company is looking at a ride share for trucking? Amazon

Business goal for trucking:  global freight broker

How would ride share for rucking work?

• App based 
• Capable of matching available trucks to shipments
• Could move cargo from a seaport hub to a distribution center or move cargo from a warehouse to a parcel-delivery facility.

What other transportation moves has Amazon made in 2016?

• Leases on 40 cargo jets
• Registered to arrange ocean cargo
• Build out of its last mile delivery service

Wall Street Journal | Amazon Looks to Develop an Uber-Like App for Booking Truck Freight

• Texas is business friendly
• Texas is the leader in renewable energy
• Texas offers tax incentives and regulatory relief

Blasting News | Why Texas rather than California will have the first state space program

Business Partnership trend: Uber and MedStar are partnering to bring patients to appointments

How does this partnership stack up against using taxis to get to appointments?

• Taxis are more expensive
• Taxis are operationally more difficult to include in health care transportation
• taxi drivers are said not to go the extra mile for patients

How does the partnership address low income patients without a smart phone? Healthcare providers request & manage rides on behalf of their patients

Healthcare Dive | ‘It’s door-to-door’: MedStar, Uber detail partnership’s progress

Texas Central Rail lays out the conservative reasons to support the proposed high speed rail between Dallas and Houston.

Witout further adieu, the conservative reasons to support high speed rail:

• A Texas Conservative Coalition Research Institute report found eminent domain objections “misguided”
• Texas law “provides property owners with ample protections, ensuring they will be treated fairly and compensated properly”
• its a “market-led approach backed by private investors”
• “full discipline of private markets that drive a focus on cost, schedule and ridership.”

Texas Central Rail | Washington Examiner | Why conservatives should support high-speed rail in Texas

Michigan legislators pushed for equal footing for ride share and taxis, ending up with this:

• Both taxis and ride share would be regualted by the state
  • Annual registration
  • per vehicle fee
• Drivers register through the companies, and not the state
• Companies would have to:
  • conduct background checks
  • inspect vehicles

The details everyone wants to know- the background checks. Here’s the key requirements:

• Annual background checks
• 3rd party background checks permissible
• must use a local and national criminal background check that covers:
  • A multistate or multijurisdiction criminal records locator or similar commercial nationwide database with validation.
  • The national sex offender registry database.
• Every year get a copy of their driving record and review it 

Michigan Live | Michigan House passes bills changing Uber, Lyft, taxi regulations

Michigans HB 4637

The future is here. U.S. Department of Transportation is proposing new rules to require new cars to talk to each other.

What will cars be saying to each other? Cars will be required to broadcast data to one another about:

• speed
• location
• direction

What’s an example? To ward off collisions, cars would be able to:

• Use wireless technology to detect if another vehicle around the corner & 100s of yards away was going too fast in its direction & if they were headed for a collision

Rulemaking:

• 3 months of public comment
• 2 years before implementation would get 1/2 of all new cars to comply

NY Times | Cars Talking to One Another? They Could Under Proposed Safety Rules

The business model:

• Non-profit 
• Ride share for people who are 60 and over & any adult with a visual impairment
• Riders create a membership and fund a personal transportation account
• Drivers earn credits that can be used later for rides

Lexington Herald Leader |  It’s like Uber for seniors — complete with ‘arm-through-arm’ walk to the door

Where: Little Rock Arkansas

Why are Little Rock’s taxi regulations a monopoly? A city law required a conenience and necessity standard for new taxi cab permits, leaving just Yellow Cab as permitted

Institute for Justice | Victory for Ken’s Cab

The train route:   The Great Lakes Basin Railroad

The homestate for legislators wanting to stop eminent domain for the train: Wisconsin

The method to stop the train: End eminent domain for all private entities

Northern Public Radio | Beloit-Area State Lawmakers Try To Stop A Train By Changing State Law

The Police Chief Association in New York state supports bringing ride share to upsatte New York via the state legislature because:

• people who imbibe need transportation options
• ride share will make the streets safer
• New Yorkers should have options for safe rides

WHEC | Police Chiefs push for ridesharing services in upstate NY

With years of planning, the City of Houston launched a revamped bus system in 2015. Here’s how:

• reworked bus routes and stops
• decreased wait times
• simplified routes
• made maps easier to read

Ridership in the last 10 months is up 175,000.

Texas Tribune | Texas transit agencies eye bus changes after ridership jump in Houston

Houston Metro | How to Ride 

Texas Central Rail’s new CEO is Carlos Aguilar. He is:

• a former senior VP of Ch2M Hill
• 30 years of experience leading major infrastructure development projects
• Aguilar will handle CEO duties while Tim Kieth will take the tile President and will cover capital raising and external affairs

Dallas Business Journal | Texas Central names new CEO as bullet train focus switches

Funds above the Rainy Day (ESF) Fund cap of $7.5 billion move to transportation funding. 

Dallas Morning News | Texas highways in line for funding boost as panel sets minimum for state’s rainy day stash

How did San Francisco’s Muni system stop a ransomeware attack that held its system hostage? In 3 steps:

• Shut down electronics- opened fare gates & shut down ticket machines
• Contacted Homeland Security
• Relied on its technology team to restart the system from a backup

The success of Muni’s actions:

• Friday night the electronic ticketing shut down, by Monday the system was up and running
• No confidential information was obtained by the hackers
• Muni never communicated with the hackers during the process

Governing | How San Francisco’s Transit System Warded Off Ransomware Hackers

Ft. Worth Star Telegram editorial lays out 3 reasons speed limits should be controlled locally and not by Austin lawmakers:

• If the state lowers the default residential speed limit, there will be no funding for additional patrols
• The city would benefit from assessing street safety to determine appropriate speeds
• The city can already lower the speed limit itself, so why is a Ft. Worth citycouncil member pushing this idea?

The ride share issue: accessibility for the disability community

Do local ordinances require accessibility standards? In Austin, TX, yes.

Is it working? Not according to the former chair of Austin’s Capmetro accessibility board

Does Sen. Schwertner’s SB 176 require acessibility? Yes, and a surcharge is levied on companies that do not provide accessible service.

KXAN | Smaller TNCs struggle to fill gap in accessibility after Uber, Lyft leave

The Select Committee on Ports Interim Report recommends a fund to fund port projects, the key points:

Why a fund?  Texas ports are “responsible for over 30% of the Texas gross domestic product and are integral to the Texas manufacturing and energy miracle that sustained the Texas economy.”

How would the fund work? Provide loans similar to the Texas Mobility Fund 

What’s the fund’s timeline? 2017 should set the parameters. 2019 sets the funding amounts. 

State #3 to move toward swapping the gas tax for pay as your drive: Colorado

How is Colorado implementing as pay as you? In December Colorado’s Road Usage Charge Pilot Program will begin with 100 volunteers.

What should I know about the pilot program for pay as your drive ?

• 100 volunteers
• no money will be paid for the miles
• it will test the exchange of information of mileage reporting and revenue collection
• 4 month duration

Governing | Should a Mileage Tax Replace the Gas Tax? Colorado Is 3rd State to Wonder

Denver Post | CDOT to test taxing drivers by the mile instead of at the pump

Sunset Staff Report

Sunset timeline:

• Submit responses to staff report through Novmeber 30th.
• December 8th and 9th Sunset hearing

24 Sunset staff recommendations:

Add Plano City Council to the supporter list for Texas Central Rail Dallas to Houston high speed rail.

How did Plano City Council express support for high speed rail? By resolution, passing 7 to 1.

What reasons for supporting high speed rail were given by City Council?

• boost regional economy
• help alleviate traffic congestion

Dallas Morning News | Plano city council signals support for high-speed rail between Dallas and Houston

+26 House: 

• Valoree Swanson
  • Baylor. Concerned Women of America. Real Estate Broker.
• Shawn Thierry
  • Attorney. Howard Univ. & South TX College of Law. Big Borther Big Sisters.
• Mary Ann Perez
  • U of H. Insurance. Former HCC Trustee.
• Jarvis D. Johnson
  • Former Houston Council Member. Restraunteur & Consultant African Trade. Texas Southern.
• Tom Oliverson
  • Anesthesiologist. Home Schools. Baylor College of Medicine.
• Briscoe Cain
  • U of H. South Texas College of Law. Raised working class. 
• Kevin Roberts
  • Texas Tech. Riased by Grandparents in Amarillo. COO Lanier Lawfirm.
• Barbara Gervin-Hawkins
  • Univeristy of Eastern Michigan. Sister of NBA Player George Gervin. Together founded community center and charter school.
• Tomas Uresti
  • Former School Board member. Legal Assistant. Uresti Law Firm.
• Philip Cortez
  • UT Austin. Working on PhD in Educational Administration. Fraternal Order of the Eagles.
• Diana Arevalo
  • Executive Director for an after school affordable music program. Former DNC staff. BBA from UTSA.
• Victoria Neave
  • Attorney. Texas Southern University. Community Service focused on the elderly.
• Lina Ortega
  • UT Austin. Attorney. Helped Created El Paso Co. Code of Ethics. 
• Kyle Biedermann
  • Univ. of South Florida. Small Business Owner. Primary Win touted by Empower Texas.
• Stan Lambert
  • Abilene Christian Univ. SMU. Former Banking Exec. Athletic Director at Abilene Christian. Former School Board Trustee.
• Lynn Stucky (Mr.)
  • Veterinarian.  Kansas State. Former School Board Trustee.
• Mike Lang
  • Grew up on a farm in Illinois. TCU. Retired law enforcmeent officer.
•  Hugh Shine
  • Held the seat 30 years ago. Sam Houston State. Army retired after 30 years of service. Colonel Shine.  MBA Baylor.
• Scott Cosper
  • Former Mayor of Killeen. Former City Council member. Cosper Custom Homes and Construction. Member of the Texas Department of Transportation Policy Board for 16 years
• Gina Hinojosa
  • UT-Austin. George Washington Univ. Attorney. School Board Trustee. 
• Justin Holland
  • City Council Member. Mayor Pro Tem. Realtor.Texas Tech.
• Terry Wilson
  • Combat veteran. Retired from Army after 30 years. Touted by Empower Texas/
• Ernest Bailes
  • Texas A&M. Whitetail deer genetics company founder. Served on an Appraisal Board.
• Jay Dean
  • Former Mayor of Longview. The mayor who paid to stop Ted Nugent from performing a 4th of July concert. LSU.
• Cole Hefner
  • Former Upshur Co. Commissioner. Independent Insurance Agent. Pilot.
• Lance Gooden
  • Will be his 3rd session. UT Austin. Business Development Consultant.

+3 Senate: 

• Dawn Buckingham
  • Volunteer firefighter. UT-Austin. Lake Travis ISD trustee.
• Borris Miles
  • Sam Houston State. Former law enforcement officer. 
• Bryan Hughes
  • UT-Tyler. Baylor School of law. Supported by the Lt. Gov. during the 2016 primary.

Why does California’s high speed rail need federal permission to buy a train? Because the Federal Railroad Administration must comply with federal law’s Buy American standard.

Why not buy an American made high speed rail? They don’t exist like the easter bunny or freddy krueger.

Silicon Valley Business Journal | Here’s why California’s high-speed rail system wants permission to buy foreign train components

The 2017 Maritime Person of the Year is Janiece Longoria, Chair of the Port of Houston Commission.

Longoria’s background:

• 2013 unanimously appointed as Chairman by the City of Houston & Harris County
• 2002 began serving on the Port Commission 
• J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law in 1979

Under Longoria’s leadership the Port of Houston has:

• record high loaded container units, exceeding 2 million
• increased revenue
• improved its infrastructure
• improved the ship channel with dredging 

Business Wire | Janiece Longoria Named 2017 Maritime Person of the Year

Senate Bill 176 by Schwertner follows the trend by Palm Springs, California to require drug testing for drivers.

SB 176

Dallas Morning News | Texas lawmakers want to settle the fight over regulating Uber, Lyft

November 3, 2016 informed intel:

Comptroller Hegar highlights the $600 Billion annual trade viaTexas Ports.

The numbers from Texas Ports:

• 29 ports of entry in Texas
• ports support nearly 1.6 million Texas jobs
• ports add $224.3 billion to the gross state product
• $600 billion in total annual trade passes through Texas ports.

Comptroller Hegar | Port Data and Port Tour for November & December 2016

Where is this happening? Atlanta metro area has adopted  Seniors Go, a ride share program for persons over 55

How does the ride share program for seniors work?

• Rides are booked Uber through Common Courtesy
• Discounted fare of $2 for the first 15 miles and 85 cents per mile after that
• No restrictions on locations
• Limited to two round-trip rides a week.
• Seniors must be members of the Senior Citizen Council of Cobb County
  • ​ The Senior Council has membership fees are $12 for a single and $15 for a couple — and pay a one-time $10 fee to get started. The council offsets ride-sharing costs, which typically run from $15 to $25 for a minimum fare trip.

Atlanta Journal Constitution | Uber, Lyft fill needs gap in senior transportation

Which county filed suit? Waller County Sub-Regional Planning Commission

The suit is against: Texas Department of Transportation

Where did it file suit? Travis District Court

What claims are made? The County opposes a state law that requires it to coordinate planning on the high-speed rail, but TXDOT refused to work with the County claiming that it was ordered not to by the  Federal Rail Authority

What does the county want? Proper participation/coordination under the law

Click2 Houston | High-speed rail lawsuit filed

Where did the issue of transportation needs at Texas ports arise? The Harris County International Trade and Transportation Conference

Why is more transportation infrastucture needed? nflux of petrochemical-related cargo

What are trains saying? 

• trains take big trucks off the roads
• big trucks don’t pay their fair share for road damage

What does a petrochemical logistics manager say about the need for roads? A dedicated corridor for trucks carrying heavier loads would be an advantage

Houston Chronicle | Petrochemical growth needs more from trucks, trains

The car maker: toyota

The owenr based ride share program:   Hourly or daily rental by allowing users to unlock the cars with their smartphones via Bluetooth

How does it work: Via App

Where is it piloting? San Francisco based Get Around will pilot the App and vehicle sharing. Get Around operates also in Austin, TX.

The legislative issue: Insuring & liability issues related to personal “rental car sharing.” What happens when a car is “rented” out and the car runs a red light camera or gets a parking ticket?

Austin Business Journal | Toyota’s road to true car sharing may run through Austin

Palm Springs will be voting to allow ride share at its airport, if and only if, the drivers submit to random drug and alcohol testing.

What does the mayor think? It is “utterly ridiculous”

San Francisco Chronicle | Palm Springs weighs Uber, Lyft pickups, but with drug tests

Whose study: Texas Central Rail

80% of respondents said what? 80% said that they ” would consider using the bullet train,”

90% would save time doing what? 90% would save an hour or more getting bwtween Dallas and Houston

Bryan College Station Eagle | Poll suggests Texans want bullet train

Houston Chronicle | Texas high-speed train supporters, opponents continue jockeying

1. Texas Central Rail high speed rail will be the 1st of its kind in the US.

2. Texas Central Rail is a for-profit entity that will pay taxes. Including taxes in the communities the train travels.

3. Texas Central Rail plans on equipping rural communities with emergency services.

4. There will be public input after the environmental study is complete.

5. Construction is to begin in 2018 & service is to being in 2023.

Community Impact News | 5 things you may not know about Texas Central’s bullet train

Before voting for President, voters in Illinois will vote on a constitutional amendment to dedicate transportation funding. 

Let’s look at who has lined up where on the issue:

• For dedicated transportation funding:
  • construction
  • unions
  • Chamber of Commerce
• Opposed to dedicated transportation funding:
  • those who support social service funding, e.g.:
    • Heartland Alliance
    • Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law
  • tax groups who question the math, e.g.:
    •  The Civic Federation

Daily Herald | Opponents emerge against Illinois road fund ballot question

Uber has made its first candidate endorsement.

The endorsee: Assemblyman Derek Armstrong (R)

Why endorse? Democrats ran 3 anti ride share ads against Armstrong claiming that he opposed criinal background checks for drivers putting women and children in danger

Were the ads that sparked the Uber endorsement accurate? No. The legislation required criminal background checks but did not require FBI background checks, which taxi cab companies in NV support.

las Vegas Sun | Uber makes first political endorsement, backs a Nevada assemblyman

Who is funding wildlife protection for freeways? The Annenberg Foundation

What are these wildlife protection mechanisms? wildlife crossings/bridges

Inside Philathropy | The Funders Helping Wildlife Find Safe Passage Across Highways

New trend in the auto sharing economy: Car share.

How does it work: 

• Dolph drives his car to his enginnering job.
• Dolph logs into an App & marks his car available for sharing until 5pm.
• Brigette needs to drive to her office running the world. 
• Brigette finds available cars, selects Dolph’s car & returns it by 5pm.

What company is promiting car sharing? Lynk & Co

Legislative, Legal, and Regulatory Questions: How do you insure Brigette’s drive?

Car and Driver |  Lynk & Co Shows Offi its Car-Sharing Functionality 

How far along are self-driving 18 wheelers? This week the first test run of a self-driving big truck was completed.

Where did the 18 wheeler test drive delivering beer 120 miles away occur? Colorado

What was delivered? Budweiser. 2,000 cases.

Mashable | How alcohol is feuling the self-driving revolution

Add Montgomery County to the list of counties that oppose eminent domain for proposed high speed rail from Houston to Dallas. 

The vote: unanimous

The common theme among commissioners: An opposition to a private company seizing private property.

The resolution:

RESOLUTION AND ORDER

WHEREAS, Montgomery County finds that any high-speed rail lines and facilities crossing county roads is not desirable; and

WHEREAS, Montgomery County values the protection of real property rights in Texas; and

WHEREAS, Montgomery County supports all state legislative actions prohibiting the use of eminent domain for high speed rail activities; and

WHEREAS, Montgomery County and the City of Magnolia established a Sub-Regional Planning Commission to provide for the special planning needs of the area; and

WHEREAS, high speed rail crossings on county roads are a public safety concern and are an unwarranted risk to the traveling public; and

WHEREAS, several other counties, including Brazos, Waller, Burleson, Grimes, Leon, Madison, Robertson and Washington have opposed high speed railways, specifically the use of eminent domain to facilitate the activity; and

WHEREAS, Montgomery County finds that high speed rail lines crossing county roads would increase the maintenance costs for those roads;

On this the 25th day of October 2016, at a Regular Session meeting of the Commissioners Court, a motion was made to consider and approve the resolution and order opposing high speed rail in Montgomery County, Texas, the use of private property and/or eminent domain for high speed rail activities in Montgomery County.

NOW, THEREFORE IT IS HEREBY APPROVED AND ORDERED, that the

Commissioner’s Court of Montgomery County, Texas, opposes high speed rail in Montgomery County, Texas, the use of private property and/or eminent domain for high speed rail activities in Montgomery County, and the crossing or use of county roads to facilitate high speed rail activities in Montgomery County, Texas.

ADOPTED THIS 25TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2016

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, TEXAS

& ::::::. >>>

Montogomery County Police Reporter | Court adopts resolution opposing use of eminent domain for high-speed railway

Pennsylvania Governor signed a new ride share bill this week that will:

• A local Philadelphia tax of 1.4 percent tax on all Uber and Lyft rides will be divided up between Phila dephia’s schools and the Philadelphia Parking Authority which had imposed ride share regulations
• Creates regulatory framework for Transportation Network Companies
• $50,000 application fee
• Criminal background check for drivers. =No fingerprint requirements

PA SB 984

Philly Voice | Governor Wolf to sign bill legalizing Uber, Lyft in Philadelphia