Transportation

Sugarland Texas has partnered with Wisk Aero for self flying taxis to offer micro transit services. In Sugarland, land is at a premium as only 4% of its land is undeveloped. Hence, the city is looking for air solutions like flying taxis and gondolas to handle microtransit needs. 

Governing | How Sugar Land Became the Test City for Flying Taxis

The category is….Interesting legislation from the Philippines.  House Bill 11076, or the proposed “Mindful Parking Act, would penalize people who block/save parking spaces by standing in empty parking spaces. “

“The bill’s proponent, Akbayan Rep. Percival Cendaña, described this “unwholesome practice” as a violation of common courtesy and the principle that parking should be on a first-come, first-served basis.”

Daily Tribune | Bill filed to penalize parking space stand ins

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies launched their joint venture on Wednesday, November 13. The total deal size is up to $5.8 billion (up from $5 billion). Volkswagen Group will be in for “about $1.3 billion” in exchange for background IP licenses and a 50% equity stake in the venture.

Electric-vehicles | Rivian and VW Group Officially Launch JV, Expand Deal Size to $5.8 Billion

Today the California Public Utilities Commission announced that it is requiring companies to file detailed trip-level incident reports that cover both collision and non-collision incidents, including citations and stoppage events.

Reuters | California agency boosts reporting requirements for autonomous vehicle incidents

The Department of Energy has awarded Furno of Chicago “$20 million selection to construct a new circular, low carbon cement production facility. The facility will use recycled industrial waste materials as feedstock to make low-carbon Ordinary Portland Cement, reducing carbon intensity by 47%, and creating 80 total jobs with above average wages and benefits. “

TechCrunch | Cement startup Furno lands $20M grant to build low-carbon micro-kilns in Chicago

Lyft and May Mobility are partnering to launch autonomous vehicles on the Lyft app starting in Atlanta in 2025. May Mobility has made a name for itself rolling out autonomous micro-transit services mainly in geofenced areas around the U.S. universities. MarketWatch says the AV partnerships sent Lyft shares up 20%

TechCrunch | Lyft partners with May Mobility, Mobileye to bring autonomous vehicles to the app

States that have a legislative and regulatory framework for autonomous vehicles to operate on their roads include  Alabama, Kentucky and South Dakota allow for the operation of fully autonomous vehicles, while California’s new law deals with safety requirements. North Carolina’s brings the vehicles under updated dealer regulations for all cars.

Route Fifty | Self-driving cars aren’t here yet, but states are getting the rules ready

Kentucky Legislature enacted HB 7 (2024 | KY) that will require that autonomous vehicles owners file a safety and communication plan that law enforcement can use and have a minimum of $1 million in liability insurance per vehicle. That’s 10 times the liability coverage of regular vehicles in Kentucky.

Route Fifty | Self-driving cars aren’t here yet, but states are getting the rules ready

Once the Real ID is in full effect, TSA has published proposed rules to allow for mobile drivers’ licenses. Airports that seek a waiver can begin accepting mobile driver’s licenses November 25th.

Route Fifty | TSA to allow mobile driver’s licenses after REAL ID goes into effect

San Francisco’s Proposition L will place a 4.5% gross receipts tax on ride share companies to pay for transit. The projected annual tax revenue would be $25 million while San Francisco’s transit authority has a $214 million budget deficit.

Politico | A new tax on Uber and Lyft

Los Angeles is finally connecting its local rail transit service to LAX. Welcome to the rest of the world.

L.A. Metro | LAX/Metro Transit Center Station

The US DOE approved $3 billion in conditional loan guarantee commitments for 2 sustainable aviation fuel projects. $1.44 billion to Calumet in Montana &  $1.46 billion loan guarantee to renewable fuels company Gevo in South Dakota.

Reuters | US offers conditional loan guarantees worth about $3 bln for two sustainable aviation fuel projects

Florida is offering up to 10 gallons of fuel for those in need of fuel after hurricane Milton. In a surprise to no one, lines are long.

Governing | Florida Approves Free-Fuel Depots After Hurricane Milton

You know how we lower our speed or move over for law enforcement that is stopped on a shoulder? Map apps like  Waze and Google Map will be alerting drivers to roadside personnel. The goal is to reduce the number of move over fatalities. Illinois State Police will be one of the first agencies in the country to provide real-time information.

Route Fifty | Move over! Two map apps to notify drivers when state police are stopped ahead

You know how EVs use regenerative braking to generate power? A neighborhood in Barcelona is using the braking of trains to generate power. 1/3 of that train generated power is for the trains while the remainder powers the station and its amenities, including EV chargers.  Vienna, Philadelphia and São Paulo, also utilize generative power from trains.

Route Fifty | This city is turning subway trains into power stations

Officials and rail experts from texas and Mexico are joining forces to promote an Austin to Monterey rail line that roughly follows I35. There’s a letter of intent. They want  to build the first transnational train in the U.S. The goal is to grow the ecosystem of commerce, tourism, infrastructure and industry.

T21 | NUEVO LEÓN AND TEXAS SEEK THEIR OWN PASSENGER TRAIN, SIGN LETTER OF INTENT

Hoodline | TEXAS AND MEXICO UNITE TO PUSH FOR AUSTIN-MONTERREY RAIL LINE AMID LEGISLATIVE FUNDING OBSTACLES

Summit NextGen has applied for property tax incentives to build a new ethanol jet fuel production facility in Harris County. Summit NextGen’s ethanol jet fuel seeks to reduce carbon emissions for aircraft companies and airlines. The $1+ billion project would create at least 75 new jobs.

ConnectCRE | 3 Large Texas Manufacturers Apply for State Tax Breaks

San Antonio’s VIA is asking the city for a 9cent, per $100, tax on your mobile phone to fund transportation upgrades. VIA needs San Antonio’s approval. The city had cut VIA’s budget by $5million to fund firefighters and paramedics. The 9cent mobile phone tax is estimated to generate $8 million in revenue a year.

San Antonio Express News | VIA wants to add a new tax to your cell phone bill

Who doesn’t love a fresh state agency report?!  We do.  A new TXDOT report makes recommendations on heavy duty electric vehicle charging infrastructure in its glorious 51 pages of pleasure reading for policy nerds. The report recommends funding, incentives, public-private partnerships, a new advisory committee for electric trucks, and more TXDOT staff to help collaboration.

Connected vehicle technology could be utilized for nationwide e-tolling. At least that’s the thoughts of the US Department of Transportation. USDOT released its V2X deployment plan that sets forth timelines for safety and efficiency of using connected vehicle technology for things like tolls.

Utility Dive | Connected vehicle tech could help nationwide e-tolling, officials say

Ankara Solar has released walkable solar panels into U.S. and European markets. “Our photovoltaic (PV) floor systems seamlessly integrate solar energy generation into the very fabric of your living and working spaces, transforming ordinary floors into extraordinary energy producers.” @goodgoodgoodco

People who theft copper are seeking out EV chargers for their copper. Bloomberg

By 2031, sustainable jet fuel sales are estimated to reach $17.8 billion by 2031, a 61% annual rate of compound growth, according to a recent report by Coherent Market Insights.⁠ @trellis_group

Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, South Carolina, South Dakota, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming have not issued a single RFP on the nationwide EV charging program. 29 states have had 1 round of funding. 3 states (Colorado, Connecticut and Pennsylvania) are on their 3rd round of funding. Florida has the 2nd highest number of EVs and Wawa, Buc-ee’s and Busy Bee want to participate in the program.

Route Fifty | Why Buc-ee’s is picking a fight with Gov. Ron DeSantis

We’ve been talking about innovations in permeable pavement. Remember the pavement that includes oyster shells? Cleveland, Kansas City, and California’s Orange County have dipped their toes into permeable pavement to comply with the US Environmental Protection Agency’s stormwater regulations. 

Route Fifty | Could permeable pavement ease flooding woes in New York City?

Amtrak has secured $64 million for a Dallas to Houston high speed rail. Amtrak has announced that it will lead the high speed rail project.

Houston Public Media | Houston to Dallas High-Speed Rail Corridor receives $63.9 million federal grant

 For 3 consecutive nights multiple drones were seen above Arlanda Airport, Stockholm Sweden’s primary airport. The drones ultimately caused the airport to halt air traffic. Police are investigating airport sabotage. 

Reuters | Drone sightings prompt temporary air traffic halt at Stockholm Arlanda airport

Imagine a world with solar street lights or just move to Tampa Florida. Tampa has 7500 installed solar street lights. These solar street lights can power lights for 3-5 days in total cloud cover.

Remember when we talked about how street lights all improve safety? The streetlight producer, StreetLeaf, has also partnered with home builders to install solar street lights in new neighborhoods in Arizona and Texas.

Governing | Tampa’s Solar Streetlights May Soon Brighten Southern U.S.

Researchers at University of Central Lancashire are developing a concrete made with sea shells that can minimize flooding. Testing has included utilizing oyster shell aggregate. We see you Gulf Coast states with your oyster industry and your flooding. Sounds like forthcoming partnerships.

Route Fifty | A new solution for flood-prone cities? Concrete made from shellfish waste.

Meet Lightship, a Colorado based company, making electric recreational vehicles. The RV design includes solar panels that can generate 3KW of power.

Government Technology | Colorado Startup Working to Electrify Recreational Vehicles

The City of Los Angeles is studying whether to propose an outright RV parking ban. @latimes

1,219 counties in the U.S. have no public EV chargers. Most of these counties are rural; however, 14% of the counties have a population more than 25.000. This includes Cooke County, Texas, with a population of nearly 41,700.

Government Technology | In EV Charging Push, Rural Counties Likely to Be Powerless

And, Ohio makes 5. Add Ohio to the list of states that permit mobile drivers licenses. Four other states — Arizona, Colorado, Georgia and Maryland — have adopted the Apple Wallet ID system, according to Apple.

The Mayor of San Francisco issued an executive order that requires city workers to provide homeless individuals bus tickets out of San Francisco before offering other services. City shelters are currently 94% full.

San Francisco Standard | Mayor issues homeless order: Bus tickets before anything as shelters near full

A study by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health stands for improving roadway safety by narrowing lanes. Ordinary lanes hover around 12 feet wide, but lanes of 10-11 feet have been shown to reduce speeds and accident rates.

Route Fifty | The key to safer roads? Narrow the lanes.

San Francisco voters will vote on whether to adopt the The Community Transit Act, which would enact a maximum of 4.5% gross receipts tax on ride-hail companies. It is estimated that it would generate $30 million annually to fund Muni, San Francisco’s mass transit system.

StreetsBlogSF | Possible Uber/Lyft Tax Could Help Fund Muni

Since the 1980s Canada installed wildlife bridges in Banff, Yoho, and Kootenay national parks. These bridges have reduced wildlife collisions by more than 80%, and by over 96% for elk and deer alone.

Parks.Canada.ca | Making roads safer for wildlife at Parks Canada

In August Missouri voters will vote in their primary for Governor. A candidate in the Republican primary is the current Lt. Governor who supported an increase in the gas tax.

Add Pennsylvania to the list of states that are imposing fees on electric vehicles. SB 656 (2024 | PA) sets a fee at $200 for 2025 and $250 for 2026.

A new report concerning high speed rail in the U.S. says the solution is national vision for a high speed rail network. The current piecemeal approach, “risks creating a “inchoate and fragmented” system of networks that promote parochial concerns over national needs.” The report is authored by Eric Goldwyn, the program director of transportation and land use and an assistant professor at the New York University Marron Institute, who says that “Standards matter. For high-speed rail, one expert told us that codifying design standards will move the HSR market “from confusion to alignment.” CA HSR, Brightline West, and Texas Central are currently working from different standards when it comes to rails and rolling stock.”

Route Fifty | High-speed rail needs national direction to get rolling, report says

Idaho, Iowa, Massachusetts and Minnesota have deployed data bikes to relay terrain and bike lane and bike path safety and quality issues. Local officials say it has been a quicker way to identify pavement, and thus safety, issues. In Idaho they determined that 42% of the trails were in good condition, 5% were excellent, 33% o were in fair condition, 12% were in poor condition, and 9% were in very poor shape.

Route Fifty | Rough ride? Data bikes chart the condition of bike paths in more cities

The Department of Energy tells that the US has 188,600 public and private charging ports, and 67,900 charging stations.

With gas tax revenue not keeping up, states are supplementing gas tax revenue with taxes on delivery services. Colorado passed a 29 cent tax for each delivery in 2022. Colorado exempts companies with revenues less than $500,000. Other states are moving forward with their own version, including NY, MN, and WA.

Route Fifty | Gas taxes can’t pay for roads much longer, but Amazon deliveries might

As of July 1st, Florida cities can no longer require EV chargers in development plans. HB 1084 (2024 | FL) puts an end to local ordinances that create EV charger requirements in building plans.

A new study from Syracuse University looks at the indirect costs to governments from the rise in EVs. This includes the real estate if gas stations close; the impact to sales taxes with fewer purchases at convenience stores and more.

Governing | The Multibillion-Dollar Implications of EVs for State Budgets

A program in South Dallas to ensure functioning street lights is credited for reducing crime rates in the area.

Governing | Two Major Cities Are Notching Big Victories Over Crime

Add Florida to the list of US states that are adding EV charging roadways. @cleanairmoms

 Welcome to the world of smart traffic lights that can keep traffic moving, and thus limit idling vehicles. One product out there in the ethos is Green Light by Google. 14 cities are using smart traffic lights. Smart traffic lights utilize data from internet-connected vehicles and/or from navigation apps on their drivers’ phones to help adjust the timing of their traffic lights.  

WSJ | The Smart, Cheap Fix for Slow, Dumb Traffic Lights

Dallas City Council paused a proposed high speed rail corridor connecting Arlington and Fort Worth. Dallas City Council unanimously wants more time to study the economic impact. But, wait there’s more: “In their resolution, council members said, “the City Council does not support construction of any above ground passenger rail lines through downtown and adjacent areas aside from streetcar projects.” 

Fort Worth Report | Dallas throws up roadblock to high-speed rail to Arlington, Fort Worth

Virginia passed EV standards mirroring California’s. Now the state wants out. In the Republican Governor’s words, ““The idea that government should tell people what kind of car they can or can’t purchase is fundamentally wrong. Virginians deserve the freedom to choose which vehicles best fit the needs of their families and businesses.” 

WSJ | Virginia Passed a Law Adopting California’s EV Standards. Now It Wants Out.

Remember how we talked about NYC adding  $15 tolls to enter the area south of Central Park ? This week the NY Governor put the kibosh on it citing economic hardships.

Route Fifty | New York governor blocks downtown tolling plan at the last minute

Texas Attorney General is investigating several car manufacturers “that [they] have secretly been collecting mass amounts of data about drivers directly from their vehicles and then selling that data to third parties—including to insurance providers.”  

In 2025, the world’s largest wildlife bridge will open in the Los Angeles area. The bridge will allow wildlife to safely cross above the 101 Freeway in Agoura Hills and help repopulate the at-risk mountain lions. Bobcats, birds, lizards, deer, mountain lions, and coyotes will benefit from this crossing too.@goodgoodgoodco

Switzerland uses mobile overpasses that allows traffic to continue to flow while construction occurs under the mobile underpass. @thearchbishopofbanterbury

Researchers in Uruguay are formulating a permeable concrete that allows water to travel through it, thereby reducing incidences of flooding. @dw_environment

Scotland is turning unused telephone boxes to EV chargers. @worldeconomicforum

 Wired reviewed Department of Energy EV charging data and determined that “the US currently has 188,600 public and private charging ports, and 67,900 charging stations.” There are an additional 240 charging stations in the planning phase. Compared to traditional gas stations of which there are about 145,000 gas stations according to the American Petroleum Institute.  Coltura, an alternative fuel research and advocacy group, says the number of public EV chargers needs to grow by a factor of 6.

California is offering $400 to drivers willing to try a pay as you drive program, the 2024 Road Charge Collection Pilot.

 Last week we talked about the Port of San Antonio in Texas establishing a port for air taxis. Miami is also in on the action. Miami will commence vertical lift air taxi service in 2026. The Miami project is set with 20 small electric jets from Lilium, a German aviation company. These vertical lift jets hold 6 passengers and travel up to 100 miles. 

Governing | Miami Planned Air Taxi Would Be a U.S. First

Pretending to be driving for the Fast and Furious by doing driving stunts on public roads has new criminal enforcement tools in Alabama. The Legislature passed HB 474 (2024 | AL)  that allows for the impounding of vehicles caught on camera.

WVTM | Alabama legislature passed bill with stronger enforcement measures against exhibition driving

Last week we talked about how the data from the Northeast corridor supports business use of Amtrak’s high speed rail in Texas. Here’s some more data. Each day 800,000 passengers use the Northeast corridor.

Governing | How Trains Built a Cultural and Economic Megalopolis

Port San Antonio is making moves to be an autonomous air port for vertical take off air craft. It is anticipated that autonomous aircraft,  eVTOLs, will be whirling about over the city in a few years. A deal has been reached to begin construction to make it happen.  “State agencies preparing for this new mode of transportation” and, the Port is looking for business partners.

Government Technology | Port San Antonio Wants to Become Flying Car Hub

Virginia’s Republican Governor signed HB 985 (2024 | VA) that prohibits certain pavement and driveway sealants. The sealant prohibition applies to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, or PAHs, chemicals commonly found in coal tar.  Opposition from  the Pavement Coating Technology Council argued that others are doing it too, which is oddly reminiscent of many things my younger brother use to say.

News from the States | Bill banning certain driveway, pavement sealants to take effect this July

In 2000, Amtrak added high speed rail in the Northeast corridor. Amtrak ultimately gained a 75% rider share of business travel in the corridor. Amtrak is now working on developing high speed rail project between Dallas and Houston.

Railway News | Amtrak Highlights Plan for High-Speed Rail in Texas

What if a wildlife bridge was a wildlife underpass? There’s a big flaw. Once the animals cross under I-70 they have no where to go.

CBS News | I-70 wildlife overpass is open in Colorado but one thing is missing: “It’s like the bridge to nowhere”

18 states have agreed to work with the DOT to investigate airline complaints. MOUs have been signed “with the Attorneys General of California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, New York, New Hampshire, North Carolina, the Northern Mariana Islands, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, the United States Virgin Islands, and Wisconsin. In addition to the 18 attorneys general who have signed MOUs with the Department, another 7 attorneys general – Delaware, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oregon, Tennessee, Vermont, and Washington – have expressed an interest in doing so.”

Washington State is reviving its $45 million EV incentive program and aiming them ”at people making less than three times the federal poverty rate, which is about $45,000 for a single person or nearly $94,000 for a family of four.” Western States have a much higher EV purchase rates than the rest of the US. California leads the pack at 25% of vehicle purchases are EVs, and in second place is Washington State at 18% EV purchase rate.

Route Fifty | States explore new incentives to lower the cost of EVs

Minnesota legislature is considering legislation to require ride share companies to provide insurance coverage for drivers. This comes after the 2023 veto that had wide ranging ride share driver protections.

MPR News | Uber and Lyft are agreeable to one piece of Legislature’s rideshare solve

AB 2607 (NJ | 2024) opens state transportation programs for seniors and the disabled to ride share companies. This bill also opens the state programs to taxis too.

NorthJersey.com | NJ bill would let Uber, Lyft offer more rides to seniors, people with disabilities

Tesla indicates that it will proceed with its proposed 1800 mile charging corridor for semi trucks without federal funding. The corridor would offer nine electric semi-truck charging stations between Laredo, Texas and Fremont, California.

Tech Crunch | Tesla still plans to build 1,800-mile charging corridor for semi trucks despite Biden funding snub

Under a new memorandum of understanding with the feds, state Attorneys General now have authority to investigate airline complaints. State Attorneys General have been asking for the power to investigate and report airline issues for several years.

Route Fifty | Under new partnership with feds, state AGs can investigate airline complaints

Studies have found that 1/2 to 1/3 of escooter riders would have walked anyway. On the whole, e-scooters “help reduce overall transportation emissions — often preventing 20 grams of CO2 emissions per mile ridden on a scooter.” Rider Safety issues are increasing 23% a year recently according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Route Fifty | 8 years into America’s e-scooter experiment, what have we learned?

Hawaii is considering HB2748 (2024 | HI) that would establish standards for high speed pursuits. In the last year, Florida, the District of Columbia, San Francisco and Washington state have rolled back high speed pursuit restrictions. A Police Executive Research Form report from late 2023 urged policies that allow for high speed pursuits only in cases of violent crimes.

Route Fifty | In reversal, more areas allow high-speed police chases

 Minneapolis’ City Council is requiring that the ride share companies pay their drivers a higher rate inside the city limits. @abcnews

Bonjour Electreon, an Israeli startup working on roadways that charge EVs. As Stefan Tongur, Electreon’s VP of U.S. business development, says “It’s not just about the technology. It’s about, how does the technology shift impact business models? ” It’s also about stepping out of the gas station model and into thinking differently to charge EVs.

WSJ | Roads That Charge While You Drive: Can This Fuel a Future for EVs?

There isn’t data on transportation safety and disabled persons. “A 2015 Georgetown University study, one of the few of its kind available, found that 528 pedestrians using wheelchairs were killed in traffic collisions between 2006 and 2012.”

Governing | Disabled People Are Dying in America’s Crosswalks. We Need to Protect Them.

A pilot program testing a pay as you go transportation funding mechanism is coming to Kansas. What makes this interesting? 0.13% of Kansas’ vehicles are hybrid or electric. The pay as you drive program may replace the gas tax in Kansas which was last updated in 2003. While multiple states have pay as you drive pilots only Oregon, Utah, and Virginia have implemented a pay as you drive fee system. 

Governing | Kansas Wants Volunteers for Pay-By-Mile Program

Georgia is set to create new lawsuit limits for cases involving large truck accidents.  SB 426 (2024 | GA) seeks to lower insurance rates for the trucking industry by allowing for lawsuits against the insurer only if the company or driver cannot be located or if the trucking company has filed for bankruptcy protection.

US News | Lawsuits Against Insurers After Truck Crashes Limited by Georgia Legislature

WRDW | Legislature votes to limit Ga. lawsuits over truck crashes

Meet concrete made from sugar cane. The brains behind the product say this concrete utilizes “20% less steel and emits 20 times less carbon than concrete bricks.” @dw_environment

Mexico has overtaken China as the United States largest trading partner. Mexico over took China with a 5% increase in trade to a total trade value  of $475 Billion. One of the reasons why this increase in trade with Mexico is that manufacturers are working to locate closer to home. Hello I-35 and trains- we see you. @worldeconomicforum

$3.3 billion in grants are available for communities where highway projects have split communities. Grant recipients include Austin, TX; Atlanta; Dallas; Philadelphia; Syracuse, NY; Jacksonville, Florida; and Portland, Ore. It is said that mix of projects that have been awarded funding indicates that the Biden administration is focusing on fine-tuning existing infrastructure.  

Route Fifty | $3.3B in federal grants announced for communities split apart by highways

Some say Republican opposition to transit and transportation policies may be more about urban-rural transportation spending than partisanship. Look no further than Beth Osborne, director of the advocacy group Transportation for America, who says of transportation spending, ““It’s a state-local split, and it’s often a rural-urban split.”

Governing | What Drives Republican Opposition to Transit?

Texas Attorney General Opinion KP 0458 says that a deputy sheriff in Aransas County has authority to weigh a vehicle if the deputy has “reason to believe” a specific vehicle’s weight is unlawful. However, stopping and weighing all vehicles is not permitted by a deputy sheriff.

MIT Sloan School has mapped various industries AI use. For the transportation industry, AI use is at about 5% of the industry with 2% using AI intensely. @MIT Sloan

MIT Sloan School | The who, what, and where of AI adoption in America

Remember how a record breaking amount was spent to defeat driver classification ballot initiative in California? Same for Massachusetts this year. “Uber, a California-based company, donated more than $2.4 million; Instacart, based in San Francisco, donated $1.7 million; DoorDash, also out of San Francisco, donated $1.6 million; and San Francisco’s Lyft donated $1.1 million, according to state records.”

Governing | Millions from Out-of-State Fund Massachusetts Ballot Measures

CATO Institute says of California’s high speed rail that “[i]f the full high‐​speed rail phase I could somehow be implemented today, it would reduce greenhouse gas emissions statewide by less than 0.2%.” They conclude that high speed rail is not a cost effective way to address climate change.

CATO | New Figures Show That California High‐​Speed Rail Won’t Do Much about Climate Change

Last week it was robots moving cars around parking garages. This week it is wireless charging pads for your EV. @bloomberggreen

On Thursday, the federal government announced an investigation into whether Chinese motor vehicles pose a security risk. Cars are connected to road signs, toll stations, roads, other cars, use a series of cameras, etc…. @cnbc

Denver is considering subsidizing those who commute by bike. The Bicycling Rewards Program will pay bike riders for their contribution to improve the air. @goodgoodgoodco

Arizona Legislature is considering creating the Arizona Space Commission.

KJZZ | Arizona Legislature takes up elected officials’ salaries, E-Verify, Arizona Space Commission

A New York assemblywoman from Queens is proposing legislation to make protesting in roadways an act of domestic terrorism. NYPost

The 2024 Safe Roads Report ranks states by road safety laws. The Top scoring states: LA, MD, NY, OR, RI and WA – and Washington, D.C. The 10 worst states: FL, ID, MI, MO, MT, NE, NV, OK, SD, and WY. 34 states, including TX received yellow, caution.

Miami International Airport sees the most flowers pass through it in anticipation of Valentine’s Day. This year, 18,ooo tons of flowers arrived ahead of Valentine’s Day. That’s 832 MILLION stems of flowers, with more than half arriving from Ecuador and Columbia. 90% of the flowers sold on Valentine’s Day came through Miami.

AP | Love (and 460 million flowers) are in the air for Valentine’s Day, but not without a Miami layover

A New industry group focused on supporting zero-emission truck infrastructure has been created by Daimler Truck North America, Navistar and Volvo Group North America. Meet PACT: Powering America’s Commercial Transportation

What is old is new again. Transportation planning it seems is just like fashion- trends repeat cyclically. The old trend that is new again- 15 minute cities. More cities are planning on the 15 minute city concept in that you can traverse your city within 15 minutes. We can see examples in London, Paris, Philadelphia and Savannah. 

Governing | An Old Idea That’s New Again: The 15-Minute City

California Legislature is considering SB 915 (2024 | CA) that would give cities the authority to pass stronger rules for robotaxis than state regulators establish. Regulation is complex on this issues. In California’s DMV oversees vehicles, the PUC oversees passenger safety, and Department of Transportation oversees roadways.  After recent robotaxi safety incidents expect to see states address safety.

Governing | Reining in the Risks of Robotaxis

ABC 7 News | Here’s how SB 915 aims to make autonomous vehicle regulation safer at the local level

 Electric air taxis, like helicopters but with more propellers, are appearing in the NYC sky. Commercial flights are set to begin in 2025. @reuters

Connecticut is considering reducing the .08 limit to .05 to improve traffic safety. In the first 22 days of 2024, Connecticut saw 17 traffic fatalities.

Governing | Connecticut Proposes Lowering Alcohol Limit to Prevent Traffic Deaths

During the pandemic we saw a lot of free fare transit policies. This week, New Jersey Transit board proposal would increase fares 15%. If approved, it would be the first fare increase in more than a decade.

AP | New Jersey Transit is seeking a 15% fare hike that would be first increase in nearly a decade

Virgin Airways has made the word’s first Trans Atlantic flight with sustainable fuel.  The SAF, sustainable aviation fuel, was comprised of cooking oil and waste animal fat. @globalpositivenews