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Transportation
Transportation
New Kid on the Block: EV Battery Recycling
Where are we seeing EV battery recycling ? Finland
Which minerals will be extracted for recycling? chiefly nickel and cobalt
How did the EV recycling begin? A letter of intent from 3 businesses
Automotive Logistics | EV battery recycling base planned for Finland
TREND study results: Ride Share pollutes more.
What’s the rational for ride share contributing more to pollution?
- 70% more polluting than average trip it replaces
- deadheading- when drivers travel to pick up a passenger or cruising the streets while waiting for a ride request
- 40% of the miles logged by Uber and Lyft vehicles in California are deadheading miles
- For every 1 mile of ride share, you add .7 miles of driving around
- Union of Concerned Scientists study says that people take ride share when they otherwise would have used lower emission options like walking, public transit or biking
Solutions:
- California Air Resources Board will promulgate rules for ride share and emissions
- Companies could offer incentives to drivers to buy EVs
- Legislation to impose rules to reduce ride share’s greenhouse gas emissions
- Taxing trips to urban centers to encourage pooled rides and public transit (see Chicago)
- Capping ride share driver licenses (see New York)
Los Angeles Times via Governing | California Says Ride-Hailing Pollutes More than Regular Trip
Business TREND. EV Chauffeurs.
Who: Go360
What: Go360 provides a subscription based new EV ride-share service
Cost: $250 a month for family & friends can take up to 124 rides/month, up to four rides per day
Sacramento Bee via Governing | Sacramentans Can Soon Have EV Chauffeurs for $250 a Month
Taxing Ride Share. Tax on Services.
Georgia’s HB 105 (2020 | GA) an omnibus tax bill, includes applying the state sales tax, 7% , to ride share.
Why? Equal and Uniform taxation. Taxis and limousines and long been paying sales tax for their services.
The revenue estimate from the sales tax on ride share in year 1? $24 million to $45 million
Fox 5 Atlanta | Georgia Senate panel eyes 50-cent tax on ride hailing, taxis
Lege TREND. Reigning In Personalized License Plates.
Where: Utah
What’s happening with personalized license plates in Utah? A brouhaha over a license plate that read: Deport Them.
How will the bill regulate personalized license plates? Prohibit license plates that disparage anyone based on race, color, national origin, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, citizenship status or a physical or mental disability.
AP | Utah Legislature passes bill to tighten license plate rules
EV Direct Sale. The Auto Dealer Amendment required in Colorado.
Excepting auto manufacturers with existing franchised dealers.
The legislation: SB20-167 (2020 | CO)
Automotive News | Auto Dealers Win Pivotal Change to COLO EV Bill
Anatomy of Robot Delivery Legislation.
Where: Missouri
What? HB 2290(2020 | MO)
What regulatory parameters does Missouri want for delivery robots?
- limit the robots’ weight to 200 pounds
- require that the robot be capable of navigating a sidewalk
- maximum speed would be 10 mph
- permitted use on roadways as long as it does not impede traffic (bike lanes)
- operators must maintain insurance policies of at least $100,000
Other states that have adopted robot delivery legislation: Washington, Idaho, & Wisconsin
St. Louis Dispatch via Governing | Missouri Bill Would Regulate but Allow Delivery Robots
New Autonomous Vehicle Data
Which state has disclosed autonomous vehicle data? California
Where can I find the data? California DMV
Big Picture for the 2019 data:
- 40% increase in miles driven
- 2.87 million miles driven
- 60 companies have testing permits (looking for clients?)
- Companies testing on public roads fell to 58%
Tech Crunch | California’s Self Driving Car Reports are Public
New Regulatory Issue. Auto pilot data for motor vehicles.
Consumer groups are pushing for data from autonomous vehicles be stored to the vehicle’s black box, and not sent separately to the manufacturer.
Why the push for auto pilot data on a car’s black box? So that causes of accidents can be more readily be known.
What other regulatory push for more autopilot information? Require accident reports to include information concerning auto pilot or autonomous features
Los Angeles Times via Governing | The Case for Black Boxes for Computerized Cars that Crash
2 Manufacturers. 1 Direct Sales Bill.
Where: Colorado
The auto manufacturers: Tesla and Rivian
Their coalition: Alliance for Automotive Innovation
What did Senate floor amendments focus on? Securing existing franchise agreements
WJR | EV Direct Sales Fight Mounting
Automotive News | Colorado EV bill sparks rift among alliance members
2 years later. EV Charging Roads Discussed in the US.
What does the Electric Interstate Highway Standards Association say are reasons to support EV charing roadways?
- By 2023 the cost of EVs will be on par with standard motor vehicles
- EV operational costs are lower than standard cars
- Fuel tax revenue will have to be addressed by policymakers
How far in the future are fully wired roads in the US?
20 years down the road.
Courthouse News | Planners Envision an Electric Highway Future
Refreshing our recollection:
EV Charging Roads. The future of transportation procurement. Just the Facts:
- April 27, 2018
Where have EV Charging roads been installed? Stockholm Sweden
What does the partnership look like to develop the road?
- eRoad Arlanda is the development partnership
- eRoad Arlanda partnered with PostNord, the first company to use the new electrified roads
How long of a stretch of road has EV charging? 2 kilometers
How does it work?
- A track is laid into the roadway to allow for charging while driving
- The track is only active when the vehicle is over it and charging
- The vehicle communicates with the road system
- Drivers or fleet managers can be billed for energy consumption
Clean Technica | 2 Kilometers of Electrified Road in Sweden — A Pilot for EV-Charging Roads
EV Bill = Direct Sale Bill?
Where: Colorado
The bipartisan legislation, SB 167 (2020 | CO) , would:
- Allow any manufacturer to sell electric vehicles directly to consumers
- Applies to automakers that already have franchised dealers
What are autodealers saying?
- solutions in search of a problem
What are supporters saying?
- levels the playing field
- ensures a level playing field for future EV companies too
- Such as Rivian, a Michigan start up
Automotive News | EV bill stirs direct-sales fear for dealers
4 Fiscal Constraints from Autonomous Vehicles
- AVs will reduce revenue from vehicle-related taxes and fees on sales, licensing, registration, and fuel
- AVs will reduce revenue from car rentals, auto repairs, vehicle financing, parking, ride-sharing and gas stations
- The impact to Texas: Vehicle revenues drop by 1/3
- Over a 15-year period revenue drops from 18.4%of total state revenue in 2025 to 12.7% in 2040
- The revenue impact to Vermont would be a 3.3% reduction in vehicle related tax revenue
Pew Charitable Trust recommendation to lessen the revenue hit from AV: Shift new taxes or fees to road use or vehicle miles traveled
+1 State Allows Tesla Leasing
The State: Connecticut
What is the background?
- Tesla operated a service center for 6 years in CT
- CT Department of Motor Vehicles denied a permit for Tesla to lease
- CT Department of Motor Vehicles reversed its decision and is permitting leasing
Why the 180 by CT Motor Vehicles? the dealer license law does not prevent Tesla from operating a leasing facility
Government Technology | Tesla Drops Vehicles Sales Lawsuit Against Connecticut
New Haven Register | Connecticut Concedes, Allows Tesla to Lease in State
2020 Cost Estimates for California High Speed Rail +$3Billion
2020 numbers for the Los Angeles to San Francisco High Speed Rail:
- $80.3 billion Total Cost in 2020
- $3 billion going to “bookend” projects in the Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay
- $64 Billion cost estimate in 2016
- 2031 estimated completion of Silicon Valley to Central Valley portion
- 2033 estimated completion of Los Angeles to San Francisco
- 2025 testing trains
- 2028-29 putting tested trains into service
What are legislators trying to do to the project? Move funds to local commuter projects
Los Angeles Times | California Train Price ‘Bullets’ Up Another $1.3 Billion
1st EV Fire Truck
Where: Los Angeles
What are the specifications for the EV fire truck?
- EV use for 2 hours
- 2 batteries with a 100-kilowatt capacity
- Back up diesel engine
The cost: Same as an aerial ladder fire truck for the $1.2 million on the Rosenbauer Concept Fire Truck, or CFT
LA Times via Governing | L.A. Invests in Electric Hybrid Fire Engine, First in Nation
Lege TREND. Prohibiting Local Airport Fees on Ride Share.
Where: Arizona
What: HB 2817 (2020 | AZ)
Are there other limits on local fees on ride share in Arizona? Yes, a constitutional prohibition that AZ Attorney General says presents Phoenix from imposing a airport surcharge on ride share
AP via NPR | Lawmaker Wants New Uber And Lyft Fees Banned At Sky Harbor
How Texas shifted from P3 Toll
What 3 elements moved Texas away from being a P3 tolling trailblazer?
- motorist opposition
- voter opposition
- lack of legislative support
Where did P3 investments move? to social infrastructure like buildings and university projects
Transport Topics | Texas No Longer a Trailblazer for P3 Tolling
New Study. EV Adoption is an Economic Driver.
The state: California
The economic benefits by 2030 to California for EV adoption:
- $142 Billion increase its Gross State Product
- $300 Billion + increase real income
- 394,000 new jobs
Governing | Will EV Adoption Become California’s Next Economic Engine?
Business TREND. Green Light. Self Driving Delivery Vehicles in Houston.
What entity approved self driving delivery vehicles? National Transportation Safety Board
What company received the first approval for a self-driving vehicle exemption? Nuro Inc., a robotics company based in Mountain View, Calif.
How many autonomous delivery trucks were approved? 5000
What do I need to know about the autonomous vehicles?
- will operate on city streets
- cannot go over 25 mph
- the deliveries: “last-mile delivery of consumer products, groceries and hot food from local stores and restaurants.”
The Detroit News | Governing | Self-Driving Delivery Vehicle Receives OK for U.S. Streets
Proposed Environmental Fee for Ride Share Rides
Who is proposing an environmental fee for ride share? The Transportation and Climate Initiative, a 12-state pact of New England and Mid-Atlantic states
What is the fee proposal? 17 cents per gallon of gas to fund public transportation
Would the fee hit all drivers and not just ride share? Yes.
What are opposition arguments?
- Ride share and delivery drivers would be hit the hardest
- The fee increase would drive up the cost of all goods including fresh fruits & vegetables at farmers markets
New Boston Post | Climate-Change Carbon-Emissions Fuel ‘Fee’ Would Whack Uber and Lyft Drivers
Model Act. Peer to Peer Car Sharing.
Who developed a model act for peer to peer car sharing? National Conference of Insurance Legislators
What does the model act cover?
- The intersection of state insurance regulation & peer to peer car sharing
- Requires coverage for the shared vehicle owner & the shared vehicle driver under a motor vehicle liability insurance policy
- Require a peer-to-peer car sharing program assume liability for bodily injury or property damage to third parties or uninsured and underinsured motorist or personal injury protection losses during the car sharing
- Require the peer-to-peer car sharing program to notify the shared vehicle owner if the shared vehicle has a lien against it
- Provides exclusions in motor vehicle liability insurance policies to exclude any and all coverage & the duty to defend or indemnify for any claim
- Consumer protection disclosure requirements
- Driver’s license verification and data retention requirements
- Require sole responsibility of the peer-to-peer car sharing program for any equipment, such as a GPS system or other special equipment put in or on the vehicle to monitor or facilitate the car sharing transaction
What is NOT covered in the model act?
- motor vehicle regulation
- airport regulation
- taxation
Business TREND. Competing Roll Outs of 10,000 EV Delivery Trucks
Who: UPS
What:
- UPS is adding 10,000 EV delivery vans from UK-based Arrival Ltd
- Adding autonomous delivery in cooperation with WAYMO
Is there competition out there? Yes, 4 months ago Amazon added 100,000 electric vans from Rivian, a Michigan startup
Reuters | UPS buying 10,000 electric delivery vans, will test Waymo self-driving vehicles next month
Future EV Charging Needs. The Numbers
Who is behind the studies about future EV charging station needs?
- International Council for Clean Transportation
- Boston University’s Initiative on Cities
- New York State Department of Public Service
What do the numbers look like?
- 3 to 5 times the cost to install chargers, than the cost of the charger ( Rocky Mountain Institute )
- 75% cost reduction if building codes change ( Pacific Gas and Electric)
- 10,000 more fast chargers are required along metro corridors (International Council for Clean Transportation)
- 9,000 and 5,000 fast chargers will be essential in California alone ( California Energy Commission)
- 80 mpg equals the average EV in comparison to traditional cars (Union of Concerned Scientists)
Governing | Lack of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations a Growing Concern
Red State + Scooter Legislation = 100% Local Control
Where: Georgia
What: SB 159 (2020 | GA)
How:
- The bill will give exclusive regulatory control over scooters to local governments
- Adds a definition of scooter to the State Transportation Code
What did Republican supporters say?
- “We didn’t want to overregulate the industry”
- “We want to encourage more development of this kind of technology.”
Was it a surprise? yes, the bill that moved last session was a bill that preempted local regulation of scooters.
Route Fifty | Leaving Scooter Regulation to Local Government
WABE | Georgia Senators Are Moving Toward A Hands-Off Approach On Scooter Rules
1st of its kind. Legislation for Emojis on License Plates.
Where: Vermont
What: HB 866 (2020 | VT)
Is there anywhere on the globe that allows emoji license plates? Yes, a state in Australia
How would this work? The emoji(s) is/are in addition to whatever combination of letters and numbers the state’s Commissioner of Motor Vehicles assigns to a car or a driver picks for themselves
Engadget | A Vermont bill would bring emoji license plates to the US
Lege TREND. Ride Share Fees to Support Sustainable Transportation.
Where: Massachusetts
What: A 20 cent fee split between the state and cities is used to support sustainable projects like:
- sidewalk repair
- crosswalk safety upgrades
- curb protected bike lanes
- bumped-out bus stops
- expanding the Blue Bikes network
- safety improvements
Current legislation proposes to increase the 20 cent fee to $1.
Streets Blog | Fees On Uber and Lyft Accelerate Local Sustainable Transport Projects
Anatomy of a Corporate Electric Vehicle (EV) Alliance
The partnership: Corporate Electric Vehicle Alliance
Who is participating? Amazon, AT&T, Ikea, DHL, Siemens, Lime & the nonprofit Ceres
Why join forces?
- together they have the purchasing power to drive broader EV adoption in the global auto market
- + it helps auto manufacturers attain price parity between EVs and fossil fuel vehicles
Win-Win.
Morning Brew | Amazon, Ikea, and More Form Corporate EV Alliance
Lege TREND. New frontier in ride share legislation: advertising
Where: Florida
What: SB 1352 (2020 | FL)
How does Florida’s SB 1352 regulate advertising in ride share?
- Regulates sign size, that it must be digital, and illuminated
- Revenues must be shared 3 ways with the ride share driver, the company, and 10% to nonprofits
- Signs can only operate when the vehicle is running
Who is behind the legisaltion? Firefly, a company that makes and sells the advertising billboards for vehicles
Flapol | Digital advertising could be coming to an Uber near you
Lege/Regulatory TREND. Regulate Climate Change via Ride Share.
The new rules on ride share to regulate climate change impact brought to you by: California Air Resources Board
How do the rules on ride share impact climate change?
- reduce the number of trips by drivers without riders
- promote multiple riders taking the same car to different drop-off points
- faster path to more zero-emission ride share vehicles in a fleet
Why did the government act? “Ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft emit 50% more greenhouse gas emissions per passenger mile traveled in California than the average car”
What is ride share saying?
- “We support the clean miles standard,” – Uber
- “We’re up to the challenge in this industry to have it apply to us first.” – Uber
Bloomberg Environment | California Moves to Regulate Climate Impact From Uber, Lyft
Deal to Allow Direct Car Delivery in Michigan
Who reached an agreement? Michigan & Tesla
Under the agreement, Tesla can directly deliver its vehicles to customers in the state
What about car titles?
- Tesla cannot issue titles in Michigan
- Another state can issue title, and the Michigan resident can transfer title in
Reuters | Michigan, Tesla reach agreement for direct car delivery: source
Yahoo Finance | Tesla Reaches Deal Clearing Way for Michigan Service Centers
Anatomy of a legislative push to move transportation funding to locals.
Where: Colorado
What: SB20-44 (20202 | CO)
How does this bill reallocate transportation funding to locals?
- reallocation of the sales and use tax of vehicle
- 22% to counties
- 18% to cities
Colorado Springs Independent | Transportation, education and justice on the legislative agenda
Business TREND. Tech + Pothole Repair = Local Government Efficiency
What tech company is helping local governments? Rock Solid, of Austin, Texas
What does Rock Solid do? offers government and citizen engagement platforms
How are the platforms used to improve government?
- report malfunctioning parking kiosks
- report full park trash cans
- submit service requests for potholes
- reply to city calls for volunteers
Independent Record | Helena Residents Now Use an App to Request City Improvements
Lege TREND. Largest EV Rebate + Tax Exemption
Where: New Jersey
What: An existing sales tax exemption for EV sales + a newly enacted $5000 rebate for EV purchase
How is the rebate funded? the state’s existing Clean Energy Fund
What other provisions are in the legislation?
- 10 year limit on the rebate
- 2025 deadline for 330,000 light-duty electric cars or trucks on the road
- 2 million by 2035
- 2040 deadline for 85% of all new light-duty vehicles sold in New Jersey are to be electric
- 400 fast chargers in 200 charging stations by the end of 2025
Philadelphia Inquirer | NJ Accelerates Its Electric Vehicle Sales with New Rebate
City + Private Sector = Tech Partnership to Improve Mobility
Where: Ann Arbor, Michigan
What’s the partnership? Ann Arbor Connected Vehicle Test Environment
What are the details?
- largest deployment of connected vehicle technology in North America
- 2,500+ connected vehicles
- “talking” to some 75 connected intersections
- 7 years old
- to deploy and test technologies
Who is in the partnership collaborating to use tech data to improve transportation?
- City of Ann Arbor
- Mcity, a research arm of the university designed to study advanced mobility research and serve as the nexus of academia, government and the private sector
- UMTRI [University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute]
What transportation issues does the partnership look to benefit?
- to understand where traffic bottlenecks occur to improve the city transportation plan
- improve transportation sustainability
- multimodal transportation
Government Technology | City Hopes to Use Car Data to Make Infrastructure Decisions
1st U.S. Pilotless Air Taxi
Where: North Carolina
What is a pilotless air taxi? a two-seat drone made by the Chinese company EHang
What North Carolina’s Transportation Secretary is saying: “We want to bring these kinds of opportunities to make sure that we’re economically competitive.”
Where is the regulatory and legislative issue: Federal Aviation Administration doesn’t permit autonomous aircraft to carry people
News & Observer | North America’s First Pilotless Air Taxi Takes Off in Raleigh
New Local & Business TREND. Adaptive Scooters. What do I need to know?
What is an adaptive scooter? Scooters targeting the population that meets 1 of 3 criteria:
- people who don’t need mobility assistance at home
- people who don’t qualify for home scooter purchase programs
- people who face limited mobility options in public
Where are the adaptive scooter pilot programs? San Francisco
Are there special considerations for adaptive scooter programs to support user adoption? Yes,
- additional personal customer service
- personal assistance
Tech Crunch | Uber kicks off adaptive electric scooter pilot in SF
Anatomy of Omnibus EV bill. Credits. Chargers. Fleets.
The legislation: S 2252 (2020 | NJ)
The EV tax credits:
- 10 year credit program
- 1 time tax credit
- $30 million funding for program
- EV incentive equal to $25 per mile of EPA-rated electric-only range, up to a maximum of $5,000 per eligible vehicle
Other provisions:
- 5 year reassessment of state EV goals and standards
- 10 year EV goal set
- EV fleet standards for NJ buses, 100% EV by 2032
- state-wide network of high-speed EV charging stations
Insider NJ | Jersey Renews: Bipartisan EV Bill Passes Senate & Assembly
Business TREND. Acting Before Ride Share Safety Legislation.
Which company? Lyft
What did Lyft do? Create a Safety Advisory Council
Who will serve on Lyft’s Safety Advisory Council?
- representatives from the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network
- representatives from “It’s On Us”, a public awareness campaign launched by former U.S. President Barack Obama in 2014
- law enforcement groups
- led by Eman Barhoumeh, its vice president of safety and customer engagement
What sparked the formation?
- Uber’s Safety report that acknowledged that Uber had received 3000 reports of sexual assault in the US in 2018
- A lawsuit concerning female passenger safety
NY Times | Lyft Forms Advisory Council to Improve Platform Safety
Engadget | Lyft forms yet another group to address passenger safety
Business TREND. Manufacturer Can’t Sell Cars. Can it lease cars? Hello Loophole.
Where: Connecticut
Which manufacturer is prohibited from selling in CT? Tesla
How is Tesla able to lease cars in the state?
The state Department of Motor Vehicles gave Tesla a license to lease vehicles
What does the state’s Auto Deal Association think? Jim Fleming, president of the Connecticut Automotive Retailers Association, said he believes leasing is little different from selling cars and that Tesla is violating Connecticut law.
Hartford Courant | Connecticut Says Tesla Can’t Sell, So Tesla Leases
Ride Share Corporate Responsibility + Local Transportation Needs.
Where: D.C.
Which ride share company? Lyft
What is Lyft’s D.C. Advisory Board doing for local transportation needs?
- awarded inaugural $25,000 in transportation grants to 5 local nonprofits
Is Lyft doing this in other cities? Yes, Los Angeles & Chicago
3 Reasons why Lyft took this step?
- Gathering civic leaders of transportation and philanthropy, activists in business, education, and the arts
- Improving D.C.’s city life
- Making D.C. more inclusive, more equitable, and more sustainable
Port Boards. Calls for Environmental Representation.
Where: Port of Corpus Christi
Why is there a call for environmental representation on Corpus Christi’s Port Board? To continue economic growth & sustain the ecosystem for future generations
What standards do they want on Port Commission appointees?
- An appointee that has scientific expertise
Who is making the call for scientific expertise? The Coastal Bend Sierra Club
EV Chargers = Plethora of Business Opportunities
Where are they talking about the user experience of EV Chargers? Wards Intelligence Focus: Electrification Conference
What type of opportunities run parallel to EV chargers?
- startups, Wattpark and Gulplug, that focus on low cost chargers
- small businesses that buy low cost chargers and can Airbnb the chargers out
- e.g. 90% of the commission on the electricity sale and Wattpark takes 10%
3 Business Opportunities. Driverless State Highways.
Georgia is opening 18 miles of Interstate 85 in southern Georgia to test next-gen driverless technology.
Here’s 3 business opportunities in this pilot project:
- The automakers who are testing vehicles
- The highway paint striping companies offering refractive bead technology
- This is a highway paint partnership between 3M & Panasonic
- Technology companies testing advanced driving systems (ADS) technology
- Communications. 6 roadside units capable of communicating with autonomous vehicle technologies
Government Technology | Georgia Makes Way for Driverless Vehicles, 18 Miles of It
Property Value Increase from More Mass Transit. New Study.
Who conducted the study? UT Arlington, College of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs
Where was the study conducted? Dallas – Fort Worth
How do property values increase align with mass transit?
- Key variable to increase housing values near transit-oriented developments is the number of college-educated residents
- More jobs around mass transit, more increases in property values
- More valuable housing nearby entrance ramp to a highway or shopping center
What negatively impacted/limited value increases for property values in transit areas?
- proximity to schools
- parks
Lege TREND. Prohibiting Minors Using Ride Share.
Where: Florida
What’s the legislation? HB 657 (2020 | FL)
How would Florida’s HB 657 prevent minors from using ride share?
- Require ride share users to submit a photo of a government-issued ID to prove their age
- Includes Human Trafficking training and notices for ride share drivers
WFTV | How lawmakers are trying to crackdown on ride-share availability for minors
Move over Red Light Cameras. Welcome Handheld Cell Phone Detectors.
Where: Montgomery County, MD
How does a cell phone detector work? stationary, automated video cameras capable of detecting when drivers are using cell phones in a moving vehicle by using artificial intelligence
Does this require legislation in Maryland? Yes.
Is this tech used elsewhere? Yes, in Australia
What results have Australian jurisdiction seen? 30% decline in traffic deaths by 2021
Governing | Like Red Light Cameras, but for Handheld Phone Driving
Business TREND. Ride Share App adds Car Rentals
Who: Lyft
Where: San Francisco and Los Angeles
Is Lyft partnering with auto manufacturers? The program will include on Volkswagen and Mazda cars to rent
Reuters | Lyft expands rental car program in San Fran Bay Area, Los Angeles
+1 State Requiring Ride Share to Switch to EV
Where else might we see California’s move to push TNCs to EVs? Washington State
Why? The move to reduce emissions needs to be robust in all sectors. The number of ride share rides is increasing.
Washington State Wire | Op-ed: “Regulation is key to reducing transportation emissions”
+1 City Free Transit within City. 4 Public Benefits of Free Transit.
Where: Kansas City MO
How: City Council approved a policy to make fixed-route public transportation free within the city
Are other cities considering the same? Yes
- Columbia, SC is
- Colorado ski communities offer free buses seasonally to improve visitor safety during ski season
- Many universities offer free service
- DC has a pilot program for free rides for low income residents
4 Benefits of free public transit:
- Improve equity
- It’s cost effective when the cost of fare collection exceeds revenue gained
- Increase ridership
- Alleviate transit employees’ enforcement responsibilities
Smart Cities Dive | Kansas City, MO to eliminate transit fares
Draft Regulatory Standards for Heavy Truck Emission
Which state agency is proposing new heavy truck emission standards?
California Air Resources Board
What’s the new proposal?
- require manufacturers to start selling electric heavy trucks in 2024
- by 2030, 4% of the commercial heavy truck fleet in the state to be zero-emission
What’s NOT in the proposed heavy truck emission standards?
- no funding for charging infrastructure
- no incentives for truckers to buy electric vehicles
San Francisco Chronicle | Heavy Trucks Are New Target for Reducing Air Pollution
3 Hyperloop Projects
- Columbus, Ohio to Chicago and Pittsburgh
- Dallas-Austin-Laredo Texas
- Kansas City and St. Louis Missouri
Company Behind the projects: Hyperloop One, a Virgin company
What 3 benefits are Ohio supporters touting?
- economic development benefits
- helps to meet sustainability goals
- makes Ohio a leader in next-generation mobility
- Allow people to live in 1 city and work in another city hundreds of miles away with a 30 minute commute
Governing | Ohio Working Fast to Finalize Hyperloop by Early Next Year
4 Local Pilot Programs for Underserved Communities + Workforce Development
Where: Los Angeles
How much funding? $500,000 from the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator
What are the pilot programs?
- growing car-share
- Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles car-share pilot project in partnership with the car-share company Envoy
- Envoy & Pick My Solar will identify payment and other barriers to EV adoption in low-income neighborhoods led by San Fernando Valley-based environmental justice organization Pacoima Beautiful
- growing bike-share
- solar-powered e-bike-share program by environmental justice organization Communities for a Better Environment
- more emissions-free delivery opportunities
- zero-emission e-cargo bike operation by the Conservation Corps of Long Beach
What push came from the Legislature: Add a workforce development angle to the Emissions Free projects
Governing | EV Companies Race to Los Angeles for Low-Income Passengers
High Speed Rail Deaths by the Numbers
Which U.S. high speed rail has the highest death rate? The Brightline Rail
What is the major cause of death?
- Suicide
- Impatient motorists, pedestrians, or bicyclists who misjudge the trains’ speed & ignored bells
What do the numbers look like?
- 40 since July 2017
- 1 death per month
- 1 death for every 29,000 rail miles traveled
- By contrast, Florida East Coast, a freight line, has 1 death for every 160,000 miles during the past 2 years
What proactive work is the rail doing to lower these numbers?
- working with suicide prevention groups
- using infrared motion detectors to identify suicide potential
- drones to patrol tracks
CBS 4 Miami | Brightline, Florida’s High-Speed Train, Has Highest U.S. Death Rate
Tolls for Trucks Only Makes Headway.
Where: Connecticut
Why tolls for trucks only?
- State looking for transportation revenue sources
- Tolling trucks only is a compromise position that limits truck tolls to 12 bridges
Local TREND. Cities looking for more authority over ride share. What’s New?
Where: San Francisco
Why does the city want more authority over ride share? To handle swelling traffic dilemmas like gridlock & double parking that blocks bike lanes
What regulatory authority are we talking about?
- How many vehicles are allowed in a city
- How deep or extensive driver criminal background checks are
- How often ride-hail vehicles should be inspected
- Who should inspect ride-hail vehicles
- Whether ride-hails are required to provide motorized wheelchair access or not
San Francisco Examiner | City officials could seek more power to regulate ride-hails
4 Novel Liability Issues. Autonomous Driving Vehicles.
Who is the liable party for an accident when a computer is driving?
Can the computer be held liable for leaving a child or pet in a vehicle?
Are self driving cars, for lawmaking purposes, like elevators, autopilot systems, or horse-drawn carriages?
Liability for a data breach or hack of a self driving vehicle?
Governing | Whose Insurance Pays in a Driverless Vehicle Crash?
Local TREND. Cities + Scooter Companies = Safety Incentives
Who: Bird
Where:The cities of Washington D.C. and Austin, TX
What: A selfie incentive program. A rider takes a selfie with a helmet on and received ride credits.
Why: Reduce the number of scooter related accidents. In a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study of fall 2019 scooter accidents, 1 of 190 injured riders was wearing a helmet.
Governing | Austin American Statesman | A Modern Exchange: Helmet Selfies for Scooter Ride Credits
TRENDING. Delivery Services + Low Emissions
What is the solution du jour for low emission delivery ? Delivery by drone
How do big trucks factor into emissions?
- 29% of US greenhouse gas emissions are transportation related
- 1/4 of the 29% are attributable to medium- and heavy-duty trucks
What is the determining factor on whether drones are clean (low emission)? whether they have clean power sources
Los Angeles Times | Drones Could Deliver Us Into Environmentally Friendly Future
Lege TREND. New ways to derail High Speed Rail
Where: California
What new inventive ways are legislators de-railing high speed rail? By deferring high speed rail funds to local transportation projects in the same geographic area
Fresno Bee | California High-Speed Rail Won’t Be Derailed by Legislative Detours
New Kid on the EV Block. Pay as you Go EVs
Who: Canoo brought to you by BMW & Uber alums
What: Subscription based EV use that cuts out dealerships and showrooms
What do you get for a monthly subscription: The vehicle, maintenance and insurance
Ownership: Resides with Canoo and do to the low maintenance nature of EVs, a Canoodled vehicle could live with several users over its lifetime
Electrek | Canoo is first EV company to rethink electric cars for new era of mobility
Local TREND. Smart Street Lights Meet Data Security.
Where: San Diego
What data security issue are smart street lights facing? San Diegoians don’t trust smart street lights
What data is being collected by San Diego’s smart street lights?
- weather like humidity & air pressure
- vehicle counts
- pedestrian counts
- parking information
How many smart street lights does San Diego have? 4,200
What protections has San Diego enacted? No 3rd party data sales
Is it the smart street light contract a campaign issue? Yes, focusing on government tracking citizen information and selling it off
San Diego Union Tribune | San Diego Can’t Quell its Smart Streetlights Controversy
Lege TREND. Bill to address auto-cycle vehicles
Where: Wisconsin
What is an auto-cycle? 3 wheeled vehicles that can seat 1-2 people
What is the legislation? SB 86 (2019 | WI)
What does the bill do?
- define auto cycle as having seating that doesn’t require straddling + a steering wheel
- $45 annual registration fee
- require a regular driver’s license to drive an autocycle
WBAY | Legislature passes “autocycle” bill, creates new fee for three-wheelers
Regulatory TREND. No EV Tax Credits for EVs over $60K
Where: California
What the regulatory limits were placed on EV credit? California Air Resources Board clarified the EV tax credit to:
- shift support from wealthy buyers to low- to moderate-income drivers
- not allow credits for vehicles over $60,000
- not allow credits for vehicles with less than 35 mile range
- use of the Urban Dynamometer Driving Schedule to calculate the all-electric range of plug-in hybrids
- only one rebate per lifetime of individual or business
How does this regulatory change match with legislation? It rejects calls for EV credit expansion like, AB1046 (2019 | CA)
Electrek | California drops EV rebates for cars over $60k, plug-ins below 35 miles of EV range
Voters Approve Ride Share Tax.
Where: San Francisco
What:
- 3.25 % surcharge on individual rideshare rides
- 1.5% tax on shared rides or for zero-emissions vehicles
- Begins January 2020 & sunsets in 2045
Passage rate: 67% of voters approved
Revenue potential: $35 million split between the Traffic Congestion Mitigation Fund & the San Francisco County Transportation Authority
Background: The surcharge is a negotiated position between the City and Ride Share. The ride share companies favored the surcharge over an increase in their tax rate.
Congestion Pricing for Ride Share. 2 Counter Proposals.
Where: Chicago is considering congestion pricing for ride share
What counter proposals are being discussed?
- Taxing the corporations directly or increasing the corporate license fee
- Cap the number of rideshare licenses
Local TREND. Airports + Ride Share.
What 2 methods are airports adopting to handle the influx of ride share traffic?
- Relocation. Moving Lyft and Uber drivers from roads around the terminals to a parking garage
- Systems. Assigning numeric codes to match drivers with passengers in line for rides
Innovative Local TREND. Street Light Data Partnership to Build EV Charger Locations
Who: StreetLight Data + Siemens
Where: Santa Clara, CA
What: Santa Clara receives this data to help with infrastructure planning:
- Where trips originated
- Where trips concluded
- Whether or not the drivers live in the local area
- +more
What infrastructure insights did Santa Clara receive?
- EV chargers need to be at apartments and multi unit residences
- How to prioritize locations for out-of-home charging
- Focus on business fleets, which typically have longer drives
Government Technology | StreetLight Data, Siemens Create New EV Planning Dashboard
Partnership Delivering 110 EV Chargers. Spurring Economic Development.
Who partnered on this EV project?
- Francis Renewables
- Western Farmers
- cooperatives
- regulated utilities
What are the economic arguments for the EV Chargers?
- create freedom of movement
- to lure “the Fords, Nissans and Chevies of the world to come sell EVs in Oklahoma.”
What are the specs for the EV rollout?
- most EDV chargers on a per-capita basis
- more geographically spread out than California’s EV charging system
- 110EV Chargers will go online in 2020
The Oklahoman | Oklahoma to Build 110 EV Charging Stations in 2020
Anatomy of A Statewide Bike Sharing Legislation. City Preemption.
Where: Florida
Enacted legislation: HB 453 92019 | FL) Micromobility
Company pushing for preemption: Ofo
Legislation supporting arguments:
- Continuity for bike riders who may ride to a neighbor city which could have different rules but for statewide legislation
Regulatory TREND. FREE Autonomous Taxis
Where: California Public Utilities Commission
What regulations were placed on the robotaxi pilot?
- no timeline
- no charging fares
What are opponents saying?
- Risk to California’s reputation as the “world leader in driverless technology”
- Waymo needs “commercial path forward” to mimic its pilot eject in Phoenix
- Zoox can’t deploy in California if they don’t know a fare structure
- AutoX “”It’s very important we’re able to charge for our service not just for us but for the entire industry in California,”
Los Angeles Times via Governing | California Allows Robotaxis, Only If They’re Free
Who. Where. How Much. Midwest HyperLoop Details.
Where: Missouri
Who is behind the Missouri hyper loop project?
- Speaker of the MO House issues 176 report calling for a 15 mile test project
- 31 member committee issued the report
- chair: Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe
- members: University of Missouri System President Mun Choi, legislators, Governor staff, and business interests
- Public-private partnership is building the project
How much will the hyper loop cost?
- $300 million and $500 million for the 15 mile test track
- $10.4 billion to link St. Louis, Columbia and Kansas City
- Funding sources: mix of federal and private dollars
3 Hyperloop location competitors:
- Ohio
- Texas
- North Carolina
St. Louis Post-Dispatch via Governing | Missouri Hyperloop’s Tab Keeps Growing
3 Ways Cities Can Lead Electric Vehicle Adoption
- proliferation of public charging stations
- 5 cities with the highest EV market share had 2.5 to 4.5 times the average amount of public chargers
- adopting EV city fleets
- creating incentives to make ride-hailing drivers choose electric
Top EV Market Share Cities:
- San Jose, Calif.
- San Francisco
- San Diego
- Los Angeles
- Sacramento, Calif.
- Seattle
- Portland, Ore.
- Riverside, Calif.
- Washington, D.C.
- Boston
Government Technology | Widespread EV Adoption Will Require Infrastructure, Education
What do I need to know about Vision Zero Transportation Funding Proposals?
Where: Congress
What does Vision Zero funding mean?
- reprioritize federal transportation spending
- favoring communities that redesigning streets to eliminate pedestrian deaths & accommodate multiple transportation methods
Which federal Transportation funding programs would be impacted?
- Surface Transportation Block Grant Program
- Highway Safety Improvement Program
- Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program
Why? National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found a 5 year uptick in pedestrian and cyclist deaths
Curbed | New bill aims to counter alarming rise in pedestrian deaths with funding for safer streets
Airport TREND. Perks to Public Transit Riders
Where: San Francisco International Airport
What perks would at SFO work? By riding public transport a passenger would get quicker security screening
Why? Public transit saw a decline in ridership to the airport due to ride sharing
Is this new? Boston Logan Airport has a similar program
Government Technology | Transit Riders May Soon Cut Lines at San Francisco Airport
Business TREND. Truck Sharing Apps.
What’s a truck sharing app? think of it like Lyft or Uber for trucks to help you move things or deliver items
Who? GoShare
Where: Delaware, New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Diego & 26 other markets
Are companies partnering with GoShare? Yes, Costco and Pier One Imports
Delaware Online | GoShare is bringing Uber-type app for trucks to Delaware
Legislative TREND. States + Car Sharing Laws
What’s the deal? States want to tax car sharing like rental cars
Where? Across the country
Who? TURO is a peer to peer car sharing platform
How does TURO platform work? Its like like Airbnb but for your vehicle. Say you park your car act the airport, someone who is visiting during that same time could pick it up in the lot and go from there.
What policy issues come into play?
- how to tax the platform
- safety standards for the vehicles, like recalls
- insurance
- can the platform operate from an airport (a sticking point for rental car companies)
Which states passed favorable laws? Colorado, Indiana and Maryland
Which states are considering car sharing legislation? Illinois, Utah and Arizona
Automotive News | Fights build over future of car-sharing
UK Aviation News | Bristol Airport will rent your car out while you’re on holiday
Waze CEO talks greater good in Carpooling
What: WAZE has a carpooling app
What 3 benefits does the CEO say support carpooling?
- Qualifying for HOV lanes
- Money in the driver’s pocket
- The environment, it’s for the great good
How many carpooling rides is Waze on track to hit? 1 million rides by early 2020
Barron’s | Never Mind Self-Driving Cars. Waze’s CEO Says Carpools Are More Important
New Transportation Legislative Caucus
What: ‘Future of Transportation’ Congressional Caucus
What are the goals of the ‘Future of Transportation’ Congressional Caucus?
- examine federal funding formulas
- promote legislation that tackles inequality, housing density, air pollution, and emerging transportation technologies
How will the caucus function?
- bipartisan
- bicameral
- open to big tent ideas
Streetsblog | Rep. Pressley Announces New ‘Future of Transportation’ Congressional Caucus
Federal Safety Requirements for Ride Share.
Where: Congress
What: South Carolina’s Sami Law making its way to Congress to help ride share riders better identify drivers.
The bill: H.R.3262 – Sami’s Law (116th Congress)
- mandates scannable QR code on ride share vehicle windows matching the one on the rider’s smartphone
- requires illuminated signs visible day and night from about 50 feet away
- prohibits the sale of signs with company logos to drivers not employed by the ride share companies
Newsday | Rep. Thomas Suozzi pushes ride-sharing regulations
Proposed Highest Ride Share Fee in Nation
Where: Chicago
What would the fee be? $3 tax on solo ride-share trips downtown
The next highest ride share fee? $2.75 in the Manhattan core
What are opponents to the $3 fee on ride share saying?
- proposed new fees will result in less demand
- tax specifically targets one of the most lucrative times, rush hour
- the tax also targets a most lucrative location, downtown
- drivers will take a big hit in revenue
Anatomy of a Private Sector EV Partnership
Who: Ford Motor Company , Volkswagen, & Amazon
What:
- largest EV charger plan in North America
- 12,000 locations
- more than 35,000 charge plugs
Who is in charge of implementation? Volkswagen’s Electrify America + Amazon for home installations
Reuters | Ford partners with Volkswagen, Amazon to build charging network for cars
Lege TREND. Adding Bikes and E-Bikes to Clean Air Programs
Where? California
What? SB 400 (2019 | CA)
What does SB 400 do? Adds bikes and e-bikes to the Clean Cars 4 All Program which provides funds to upgrade from older vehicles
Streets Blog California | Legislative Update: New Laws on Transportation Policy, Funding, Planning
Lege TREND. Local Street Access Fees for Tourism
Where: California
What? AB 1605 (2019 | CA)
What would AB 1605 have allowed? Allowed San Francisco to create a toll for use of Lombard Street, the twisty and turney fairway. Creating a “a hyperlocal congestion charge.”
Why did the Governor veto AB 1605? Inequitable to permit a fee like this
Streets Blog California | Legislative Update: New Laws on Transportation Policy, Funding, Planning
Business TREND. Bonjour Self Driving Scooters
Who? Tortoise , CtrlWorks, Ninebot, ScootBee
Where? Singapore
What are the benefits of a self driving scooter?
- independently move to a better parking spot
- independently leave a neighborhood
- independently move to a location with scooter demand
- drive themselves to pick up a rider
Anatomy of a Self Driving Partnership
Who is partnering to advance self driving vehicles?
- Lyft
- Uber
- Ford
- GM
- Toyota
- Tesla
What do they call themselves? Automated Vehicle Safety Consortium
What do I need to know about the consortium?
- worldwide
- organized, this is no joke local yokel website
- standards development
- ride share contributes knowledge gleaned from its drivers
- vehicle manufacturers contribute knowledge from building cars
Engadget | Lyft is collaborating with Uber, Ford and Toyota on self-driving safety
Lege TREND. Finance EV Chargers with a vehicle fee
Where? Washington
What’s the fee? $75 electrification fee
Is this in addition to a fee that offsets the gas tax? yes, this is on top of the $150 gas tax fee
What will the electrification fee cover?
- EV Incentives
- Build out of the charging network in Washington State
What did the legislation look like? HB 2042 (2019 | WA)
Port Moves to Zero Emission Equipment for 3 social responsibility reasons.
Where: Port of Long Beach
Who funded the zero emission equipment? $5.3 million grant from the California Air Resources Board
What are the Port’s 3 reasons for supporting zero emission equipment?
- reduce our impact on our neighborhoods
- increase trade
- reduce carbon impact to reach the Port’s zero-emissions goals
American Journal of Transportation | Zero-emissions equipment deployed to port terminals
Lege TREND. Unintended Consequence of Over Crowded DMVs
Where: California
The legislation: AB 317 (2019 | CA) signed by Gov.
What it does: Prohibits people from selling their DMV line position to others who want a high position in line
Business TREND. Lobbying TREND. Hyperloop exploration in 9 states.
Who’s hyperloop project? Virgin Hyperloop One
Which states? Missouri, Texas, Colorado, Ohio, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Washington, Illinois, & Oregon
Automotive News | Cities, states want to be first with high-speed tube travel
5 Reasons High Speed Rail Makes Sense in Texas
- Texas is flat
- Private funding of project means investors have faith in the project
- Economic Growth around train stations
- Expansion to other large Texas cities is inevitable
- “Driving and flying to Dallas sucks.“
Houston Press | 5 Reasons the Houston-Dallas High-Speed Rail Project Makes Sense
New Report: EV Tax Credits Ineligible
Who authored the report? US Department of Treasury Inspector General
What did it find?
- IRS has no process to detect false claims for the credit
- IRS has no process to prevent false claims for the EV credit
Recommendations:
- Cross check VIN numbers with 3rd party VIN databases
- Develop a compliance program at IRS to ensure EVs are the only vehicles claiming the credit
- Cross check VIN numbers of EVs leased too
- IRS should offer guidance to tax examiners for compliance
Local TREND. +1 City Council Actions Opposing High Speed Rail
Where: City of Teague, Board of Aldermen, Texas
What does Teague list as reasons to oppose high speed rail?
- No eminent domain authority & need it to complete the project
- Negative impact to property values
- Reduction in values and fewer uses of adjoining property
- Delays for emergency vehicles
- Prevents direct travel across the region.
- Serious safety concerns including: rail buckling, derailment, electromagnetic interference with freight rail, and concerns regarding proximity to natural gas facilities
- Expense and inconvenience of the proposed rail line may require future public subsidy
- “The Surface Transportation Board and the 87th District Court of Leon County have recently issued decisions against the Texas Central High-Speed Rail Project. “
Freestone County Times | CITY OF TEAGUE OFFICIALLY OPPOSED TO HIGH-SPEED RAILWAY
State Funding InterState Rail.
Where: A rail proposal between Los Angeles and Las Vegas
How much will California contribute? $0
What action will California take to financially help the privately funded train?
- approve $300 million in tax-exempt private activity bonds for Virgin Trains USA
- the private activity bonds will help Virgin Trains issue about $2.4 billion in debt
What are the touted benefits of the Los Angeles- Las Vegas high speed rail?
- The rail will remove nearly 4.5 million cars off the road each year
How long will it take? Construction to begin in 2020 and last 3 years
El Paso Inc | California to assist financing of California-Vegas train
+1 City Congestion Tax for Ride Share
Where: Vancouver Canada
What is the congestion tax? 30 cent fee for every pick-up and drop-off between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m
Who is in the opposition coalition?
- ride share companies and drivers
- Restaurant Association
Japan Bank for International Cooperation + MOU = Texas High Speed Rail
How do a Japanese bank, an MOU and Texas High Speed Rail connect?
- In 2018 Director and Governor for the Bank agreed to loan Texas Central $300 M
- In September 2019, an MOU between the Bank & the state of Texas was signed
- The MOU supports the promotion and encouragement of collaboration and development between the two regions
Does the bank invest in other Texas Projects? Yes, the Freeport LNG Project
STL News | Texas Governor Abbott Signs Memorandum Of Understanding With Japan Bank
3 States. 3 High Speed Rail Projects. 3 Different Levels of Progress.
Where are there high speed rail projects in the US? Texas, California, Florida
What are the difference in each project?
- California
- State and federal funds
- Initial plan was LA to San Francisco, & dialed back to Central Valley to San Francisco
- State Audits show the project billions over budget
- Not using existing rail, still acquiring land
- Services expected in 2028
- Texas
- Privately funded
- Houston-Dallas route
- Not using existing rail, still acquiring land
- Service expected 2024
- Florida
- Private Virgin Trains behind the project
- Proven success with the Miami and West Palm Beach train using existing track
- Orlando route expected 2022
Governing | Despite Missteps, High-Speed Rail Lines in 3 States Point to Progress
Local TREND. Cap Vehicle Leasing Fees for Ride Share + Drivers for Hire
Where: NYC
Who will benefit from the NYC cap on vehicle leasing costs?
- ride share drivers
- drivers for or-hire vehicle companies
What vehicles will it apply to?
- leased vehicles
- rental vehicles
- lease-to-own vehicles
- conditional purchase agreements of for-hire vehicles
Crains New York | Bill would cap vehicle costs for Uber and Lyft drivers
Governor Executive Order. Transportation and Climate Change.
State: California
What agency did the California Governor direct to take action? California State Transportation Agency, all state funds, including CALPERS, California Air Resources Board
What does the California State Transportation Agency have to do?
- investing in new technologies
- establish best practices
- reverse the trend of increased fuel consumption & reduce greenhouse gas emissions
What does the California Air Resources Board have to do?
- push automakers to produce even more clean vehicles
- find ways for more Californians to purchase clean vehicles
Anatomy of an Electric School Bus Proposal
Where: Virginia
How will EV school buses be funded? via VW emissions fund
Will other buses be included in the funding program? Yes, a small percentage of propane buses
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