Who is making recommendations? Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection

What are the 3 recommendations for utilties to invest in EV?

• transportation electrification
• establishing statewide sales goals
• expanding an alternative fuel investment grants program for municipalities, businesses and organizations

3 Ways the EV investment can benefit utilities:

• invest in EV infrastructure to benefit drivers and the grid
• support fleet EV purchases for government
• Innovative financing program support through utilities for storage and charging

Gavin Newsom’s first State of State called for curbing California’s high speed rail project because it:

• extending the rail would cost too much and take too long
• project’s persistent cost overruns, mismanagement and delays
• a San Diego to San Francisco train doesn’t appear viable
• little oversight
• not enough transparency

Governing | Breaking From Predecessor, California Governor to Scale Back High-Speed Rail Project

HB 663 (MD | 2019) prevents the use of eminent domain for:

• state transportation projects
• if the property is taken is residential
• and if the project is in a public-private partnership

How did this get triggered in Maryland? The Governor’s proposed plan would include toll lanes, and this  bill was filed in response.

Bethesda Magazine | Governor’s Highway Widening Plan Gets Another Potential Roadblock

• A judge in Harris County says it is
• The  Federal Railroad Administration is overseeing review of the project
• It meets the defition of “interurban electric railway” & of “rail- road company”

Leon County Today | Texas Central to appeal Leon County ruling

Researchers discovered that Xiaomi’s popular M365 scooter can be hacked to control accelerating and breaking.

Wired | A POPULAR ELECTRIC SCOOTER CAN BE HACKED TO SPEED UP OR STOP

Tennessee is considering statewide regulation of scooters that would:

• treat scooters like bikes
• reduce confusion about the rules of riding e-scooters
• promote sustainable forms of transportation
• No scooter can be used by more people that it was designed for.
• Scooters should be ridden as close as practical to the right-hand curb or edge of the road, unless passing another vehicle traveling in the same direction, making a left-hand turn or when needing to avoid an object, vehicle or pedestrian.
• Scooters should not travel faster than 15 mph.
• A person shouldn’t carry an item while riding a scooter if it prevents them from keeping at least one hand on the handlebars.
• Riders should be old enough to operate a vehicle.

SB 1107 (2019 | TN ) 

Tennesean | Bill would set electric scooter rules in Tennessee, hampering cities looking to set own regulations

Arizona’s HB 2536 (AZ | 2019)  would:

• Raise the 19 cent gas tax to 43 cents over 3 years
• Add  $80 per hybrid fee
• Add a $198 for fully electric vehicles

KOLD 13 | House bill would more than double Arizona gas tax 

The Commission recommends increasing the gas tax. A forthcoming report will include the increase and whether the increase should be indexed to inflation.

Background Ohio’s gas tax is 28 cents and was last raised in 2005.

Columbus Dispatch | Governor’s Panel agrees Ohio gas tax increase necessary

Virgin Trains USA looks to conenct Dallas, San Antonio  & Austin by high speed rail.

An SEC filing also lists a Dallas Houston high spped rail route.

From the SEC filing: “by using existing infrastructure, we believe we can plan, permit and build new rail service significantly faster and cheaper than alternative express passenger rail projects in these areas.”

KVUE | Virgin Trains USA targets Austin for high-speed rail 

Goal of Texas Department of Transportation Autonomous Vehicle Task Force:

• one-stop resource for information & coordination
• oversee all ongoing CAV projects, investments and initiatives in Texas
• document public & private entity efforts
• facilitate partnerships

Task Force Membership details being worked out.

Refreshing our recollection: the Texas AV Proving Grounds Partnership is a collaboration among:

• the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI)
• The University of Texas at Austin’s Center for Transportation Research (CTR)
• Southwest Research Institute (SwRI)
• TxDOT
• 32 municipal and regional partners

TXDOT | Texas To Form Connected And Automated Vehicle Task Force

Insurance Journal | Texas DOT Creating Connected, Autonomous Vehicle Task Force

Competing Bills in Arizona want to address how to regulate car sharing apps that treat vehicles like AirbNB treats real property.

• For car rental companies it is SB 1305 (AZ | 2019) which will:
  • treat peer to peer car sharing just like can rentals
• For the peer to peer companies,a bill that mirrors ride share v. taxi statewide regulation HB 2559 (AZ | 2019)

Elements of both bills:

• safety of the cars
• notificaiton of any recalls on cars
• insurance requirements

Arizona Capitol Times | Competing bills address new era in car rentals

Multiple state agencies in California have committed, in total, $2.46 billion* in public funds to EV programs including:

• California Utility Commission
  •  $1.048 billion
  • Focus on constructing charging stations
  • Funding from ratepayer fees collected by the three investor-owned utilities CPUC oversees
  •  2015’s Senate Bill 350
• California air resources board
  • $1.087 billion
  • More than half goes to the EV rebate program
  •  $423 million to zero-emission trucks, buses and other vehicles
• California Energy Commission
  • Funded by the Department of Motor Vehicles registration fees,
  •  $230 million through January 2024 to build refueling stations for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles
  •  $95 millionin 2019 on charging stations and other EV programs

* Excludes $800 M  from VW settlement

Transport Topics | California Commits Billions to Advance EV Programs

The State Auditor made the following recommendations about high speed rail project:

• establish formal prerequisites for beginning construction
• Prioritize contract management
• more clearly differentiate between the construction and operation phases of the high-speed rail system
• review of its compliance with its existing quality controls related to ensuring the validity and completeness of contractor-reported data.

State Auditor of California | Caliofrnia High Speed Rail Auhtority

The State Auditor in California highlts the following 3 issues with the California high speed rail project:

• Built too early without acquiring land
• Soaring contract costs
• Lax contract management and oversight

California State Auditor | California High Speed Rail Authority Novmeber 2018

• Connecticut – HB 5285
• Nebraska – LB 51
• New Mexico – SB 243
• Oklahoma – SB 790
• South Carolina – S 379
• West Virginia – HB 2219

The freemarket argument in support:  franchise laws are a “well-intended regulation is used by a group of people [auto dealers] to maintain an artificial monopoly”

Electrek | Tesla launches new multi state effort against direct sales ban 

Georgia HB 74 (GA | 2019)  would allow ride share drivers to carry firearms, overriding company policies that prohibit drivers from carrying firearms.

Atlanta Journal Constitution | North Georgia lawmaker wants to allow Uber, Lyft drivers to carry guns

• Tolls are expensive to collect
• toll technology is expensive to keep up
• Operating costs for collection are 20%, higher than say a gasoline tax

Yankee Institute | Professor and Transportation Finance Expert: Tolls “Inefficient, Regressive Tax

Fort Lauderdale chose Envision Solar International Inc.’s EV ARC product to provide emissions-free charging for electric fleet vehicles.

The city rational:

• increase energy security
• reduce carbon footprint
• works when the grid is interrupted (hurricanes and emergencies)
• includes a power panel for first responders

Next Gen Transportation | Fort Lauderdale Fleet Goes With Solar-Powered EV Charging

Where: Boise, Idaho

How much is Boise willing to pay mass transit riders to use ride share to get to mss transit?

• up to $6 of the ride’s cost

Are there limitations? Yes, the ride share ride must be within 2miles of certain mass transit stops

Other cities getting on board? yes, Minneapolis & Seattle

​Idaho Statesman | Boise wants you to ride public transit so badly, it’ll pay for your Lyft to a bus stop

Connecticut Legislature is again considering H5285 (CT | 2019) to allow direct sales of automobiles by Tesla.

Connecticut is 1 of 16 states taht do not permit direct sales.

The response from autodealer association:

• Tesla is laying off employees
• Tesla is having problems with producing its $35,000 auto

Tesla’s message:

• Tesla does not want any tax break
• Tesla wants no handouts
• Tesla wants to invest in stores and in job

Hartford Business | New governor and legislature, same Tesla bill

How did this start? Portland started a 4 month pilot program with scooter companies that involved data sharing. The report from the pilot program.

What did the data sharing report show?

• short car trips replaced in 34% of scooter use
• fewer accidents
• reduce congestion
• reduce pollution

What takeawy did Portland have? “It is better to ask permission and work with local regulators than risk being run out of a community.”

Are there examples of what happened when scooter companies didn’t ask for permission?

• San Francisco, Lime & Bird operate without permission, City Council grants permits to companies that are not Lime and Bird.

NY Times | In Portland, Scooter Start-Ups Played Nice. Regulators Took Note.

What do I need to know?

Business: Momentum Dynamics

Where it overlaps with legislative & regulatory needs: high power inductive charging for EV autos and commercial trucking. It uses high capacity charging up to 300 kW.

Truck News | Volvo invests in wireless EV charging

UK Fuel Cell company, AFC Energy, launched an of grid charging system.

This new EV charger will:

• Rapidly power up  an EV in about an hour
• Requires no  power grid connection
• Utilize fuel cell technology and battery storage

Business Green | Off-grid EV charging? AFC Energy unveils mobile hydrogen fuel cell system 

It’s happening…

The UK has 27 feasibility studies on EV charging in commercial and public spaces.

The pluses of wireless EV charging:

• allow drivers to stay in their vehicles
• safer, more secure vehicle
• greater productivity
• lower cost

Air Quality News | Could wireless charging boost EV use?

Does your regualtion or legislation have data security requirements or standards for EV chargers?

Consider this: Cyberscoop says Schneider Electric’s car charging stations get crucial patches the affected chargers are  available at offices, shopping centers, hotels and other public spaces. 

As part of a $58 million rate increase by a Sonsumers Energy, Michigan Public Service Commission approved Consumers Energy’s PowerMiDrive EV.

The EV initiative will:

•  $10 million
• 3 year plan to incentivize the deployment of EV chargers
• Focused on EV chargers at homes, apartments, schools, workplaces and other public charging sites
• Chargers will also be deployed at highway locations
• includes 2 off peak plans:
  • low off-peak electricity rates between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m.
  • super off-peak period of 11 p.m. to 6 a.m
• the utility can recover costs over 5 years

What do the incentives in this EV program look like?

•  rebates of up to $5,000 to incentivize third parties to install up to 200 Level 2 public chargers,
• up to $70,000 for up to 24 DC fast-charging stations

Greentech Media | Michigan Approves Its First Utility EV Charging Infrastructure Pilot

House Committee on Transportation makes the following recommendations on ports:

• Funding Ship Channel Improvement Revolving Fund should be funded
• Underground Facility Notification. Railroad Commission, the General Land Office and the Port Authority Advisory Committee should work with stakeholders and the appropriate federal agencies to make a recommendation to the legislature regarding the inclusion of underwater infrastructure in the Texas Underground Facility Notification
• Funding for roads near ports.  TXDOT should prioritize dedicated to the improved freight corridors proximate to the border ports of entry.

House Committee on Transportation recommends:

• TXDOT cooperation with local governments durin emergencies for evacuation routes, signage, and emergency management information systems
• comprehensive development agreements for projects which are not included in TxDOT’s Uniform Transportation Program should be OK if local governing bodies approve them
• If local governmental bodies have approved toll roads they should be able to have toll roads
• Increase to 6, from 3, the number of design-build contracts at TXDOT
• Require an annual TXDOT report on  total traffic delays caused by the fault of the contractor including both administrative costs & traffic delay costs.
• Toll penalties should be uniform across the state, regardless of the entity that controls the toll road
• Closely watch Autonomous Vehicles
• TXDOT should expand use of dynamic messaging signs to improve safety

Senate Transportation Committee:

• Combine budget strategies to accellerate projects
• Any toll sharing data chanfges should include custoemr data protections

What is the Dutch Reach? 

• When exiting your car, use your far hand to open the door
• Huh? If you’re in the driver’s seat, reach with your right hand

Which states are including the Dutch Reach?

• Illinois and Massachusetts

How are IL & MA including the Dutch Reach?

• New state laws
  • Added to road safety manuals
  • Included in driving tests

Governing | What’s the ‘Dutch Reach’? 2 U.S. States Adopt It to Save Cyclists’ Lives

California’s  AB544 (2018 | CA) gives zero emission & low emission vehicles access to HOV lanes.

What did the bill text look like to define these vehicles?

• A vehicle that meets the state’s super ultra-low emission vehicle (SULEV) standard for exhaust emissions and the federal inherently low-emission vehicle (ILEV) evaporative emission standard, as defined in Part 88 (commencing with Section 88.101-94) of Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
• A vehicle that was produced during the 2004 model year or earlier and meets the state’s ultra-low emission vehicle (ULEV) standard for exhaust emissions and the federal ILEV standard. A decal, label, or other identifier issued pursuant to this paragraph is valid until January 1, 2019.
• A vehicle that meets the state’s enhanced advanced technology partial zero-emission vehicle (enhanced AT PZEV) standard or transitional zero-emission vehicle (TZEV) standard.

Massachusetts revamped its EV incentive program for 2019 by:

• Decreasing the rebate to $1500 from $2500
• Requiring that the vehicle be fully electric/fuel cell
• sticker price of the car must be under $50,000 to qualify

Clean Technica | Massachusetts Reboots Its EV Incentive Program

Arizona regulators have finalized new EV charger policies that include:

• encourages investor-owned utilities to develop new rates
• ecourages investor-owned utilities to develop pilot programs supporting EV growth
•  ensures recovery of  “prudent costs” spent to develop charging stations
• requires development of optional rate design tariffs to encourage off-peak charging
• develop outreach and education programs focused on EVs, infrastructure and electrification of the transportation sector

What Electric Vehcile industry is saying:

• Plug in America says it will save customers money. 
  • Arizona customer annual savings of up to $176 per household by 2050, thanks to a 5.5% projected rate decrease

Follow the Arizona regulator docket here.

Utility Dive | Arizona adopts new EV policy to spur new rate designs, pilot programs from utilities

California has allocated more state funds for 2019 EV rebates that will be distributed by utilities.

Here’s how EV rebates work in California:

• customers will out an application
• backed with state funds distributed to utilities
  • SCE’s rebate has gone from $450 to $1,000
  • PG&E has upped theirs from $500 to $800
  • SDG&E’s program allows each owner to apply for the credit each year,
•  each utility has slightly different qualifications for who can apply

Electrek | California utilities are offering bigger EV rebates for 2019 – SCE $1,000, PG&E $800

An EV stakeholder group that includes:

• CleanTechnica
• GreenWay
•  EVBox
• Fortum
• Norwegian EV Association
• 12 others

10 recommendations for cities from the stakeholder group:

• outreach, be a champion for EV charging
• vision, have a plan that is adaptable
• highy visible charging stations
• aesthetics, make EV charging locations places people want to stop and charge
• EV chargers need to be easy to use and well maintained for reliability
• EV chargers shouldbe connected and smart
• Add EVs to city owned cars
• Add residential street charging stations
• Plenty of charing ports at stations, and include a reservation system
• Offer mutiple charging speeds

10 EV Charging Tips For Cities — #CleanTechnica Presentation

Where is this happening? Georgia

Why? Geogrias’ Department of Transportation says Uber owes the state $22.1 million in sales taxes and other charges. 

The ride share response? We are a tech company and not a transportation company subject to the sales tax like limos and taxis are

What is the fee proposal from the REPUBLICAN chair of the House Transportation Committee?

• 50-cent fee on all rides for hire – including taxis, limos, Uber and Lyft, etc
• Estiamted to generate $60 million a year for transportation

Atlanta Journal Constitution | Could Uber fee pay for mass transit in Georgia?

Where: Macon Georgia

What entities are involved in the partnership?

• ride share companies
• GoGoGrandparent
• Decatur-Macon County Opportunities Corp
• Community Foundation of Macon County

How is it funded? In part with anonymous grants to Community Foundation of Macon County

Herald Review | New program will offer free Uber, Lyft rides for low-income Macon County seniors

Where: Pittsburgh, PA

Why? Without a police report or accident report, there is no knowledge of accidents involving ride share and autonomous car companies

What are the parameters for local rules being considered in Pittsburgh?

• encourage autonomous vehicle companies to self-report certain non-fatal traffic incidents
• the goal: transparency

Where does the loophole come in? State laws that address TNCs but local ordinances apply to reporting to all incidents involving all subsisdiaries of a company that operates autonomous vehicles

Pittsburgh Post Gazette | Following Uber sidewalk incident, Pittsburgh drafting better reporting rules for self-driving cars 

• “rail is usually the most efficient way to move goods and people over distance”
• Private investors and the market should determine if Texas High Speed Rail is a success
  • “Legislators, that’s not your role,”.. to detemrine if the business model makes sense

Trib Talk | Tom Giovanetti,  President, Institute for Policy Innovation | A free-market “yes” to Texas high-speed rail

• congestion pricing- user fee to roads in high-traffic urban centers
  • “surcharges on single-occupancy driving could encourage the use of less-expensive carpool offerings”

Cities that implement it: Stockholm, London Singapore

Cities considering it: New York City

City lab | The Policy That Will Make the Uber/Lyft IPO Pay Off

Massachusetts’ newly released, The 213-page Comprehensive Energy Plan, recommends EVs as part of its  “clean, affordable, and resilient” in-state energy.

Mass Live | New Massachusetts energy plan zeroes in on vehicles and buildings for emissions reductions

Massachusetts Comprehensive Energy Plan

•  SB1190 (TX |1989 created the Texas High-Speed Rail Authority.
• SB1190 (TX |1989 gave the THSRA these powers:
  • eminent domain
  • 11 member panel
  • charged to determine whether high-speed rail  was in the public interest
  • award a franchise to operate a high-speed rail service to the most qualified applicant
• HB 2390 (TX | 1995) abolished the THSRA
• A final report from Executive Director Marc H. Burns stresses the need for state involvement:

  • “The State should retain planning and oversight roles in all new transportation infrastructure, particularly where new right-of-way may be required,” Burns wrote in the report. “[High-speed rail] is a mass transportation project and the role and power of safeguarding the public must be reserved to the State. Only after we have articulated how the project may be accomplished without denigrating the lives of Texans can we seek a private partner to implement a plan designed to better Texas.”

     KHOU | Dallas-Houston bullet train critics want Texas to oversee eminent domain use

WHERE: Spokane, WA

WHAT: 

• pay a $100 for-hire license fee & obtain a $113 business license
• reinstates a 10-cent surcharge on any ride

WHY: Parity with fees paid by taxi drivers

Spokesman Review | Lyft, Uber drivers will have to pay new fees, follow new rules under Spokane City Council proposal

• Last legislative session, Arizona Legislature gave a state agency power to increase vehicle registration rates.
• The agency raised car registration rates by $32
  • The agency first thought the fee would be $19 during the legislative session
• The first bill of the next legilativve session, SB1001 (AZ | 2018), repeals this autority and increase
• The Governor signed the bill and said the Legislature balanced the budget without raising taxes.
  • The fee is not considered a tax by the Governor
  • Constituent response did not reflect the same sentiment

AZ Central | Arizona lawmaker proposes repeal of $32 car registration fee 

Why should hybrids be banned from EV stations?

• Hybrids use a lower  3.7kW rate
• Hybrids will take longer to charge as a result
• Hybrids block EVs from using chargers because of the slower charge rate

Auto Express | Ban plug-in hybrids from EV charging bays, say experts

Alameda, California, in the bay area is considering banning or regulating scooters and has sparked some new anti- scooter sentiment from council members, including:

• They’re a profit-making business,” Matarrese said, “using our sidewalks to sell their products.”
• “If we are going to have these companies here, we must have the education component, as well as the punishing component,” Spencer said.

What other entity got thrown into this fight? A ban on robot delivery services

Gov Tech | Alameda, Calif., Considers Rules for E-Scooter Pilot

Who: San Jose Mayor

Where: San Jose California

How to innovate or get out?

• implment geofencing to prevent:
  • use of sidewalks
  • limit parking to designated areas

How far will San Jose take it? San Jose if it passes a geo fencing ordinance would be the first in the nation to do so

Mercury News | San Jose mayor to scooter companies: innovate or get out

• EV tax credit helps the environment and the economy
• EV tax credit caps shouldbe adjusted to account for consumer choice
• EV tax credit ecourages EV purchases nationwide

Utility Dive | White House proposal to end EV tax credit comes under fire

President George HW Bush’s interest in Texas Central Partners high speed rail included:

• asking for updates on progress
• requesting that he be a first rider, asking that a seat be reserved for him

Update your talking points accordingly.

Houston Chronicle | Last ride a fitting end for Bush funeral procession

City: New York City

The working condition ordinance: minimum wage for ride share drivers set to  $17.22 per hour (after expenses)

How does this change the current system? About $5 more per hour per driver

Are other cities doing this? NYC is the first

VOX | New York City passes nation’s first minimum pay rate for Uber and Lyft drivers

According to William J. Swinton, Temple University International Business Studies in Tokyo, a high speed rail end point becomes an economic engine by:

• Creating transportation business opportunity  for transportation companies like taxis and ride sahre
• Creating real estate development opportunities  by encouraging hotels and businesses to build nearby.

When Tokyo’s Shinagawa train station was built there was little development, within 10 years, skyscrapers had risen & the Japanese company makes revenue by leasing space at the station to restaurants, shops, and hotels.

WFAA | The Texas bullet train now looks likely. Here’s what to expect

• California.  didn’t work/isn’t working in California which has large cost overruns and delays
• Promises Break. The claim of no tax payer funds will be broken, it usually is
• Ridership is a Myth. Projections on rideership aren’t realistic
  • based on this 2017 Reason Foundation study
• Government Overreach via Eminent Domain 

Trib Talk | Tom Schatz | President, Citizens Against Government Waste | Hit the brakes on high speed rail in Texas

Where: Colorado

Legislation: SB267 (2017 | CO)  

• converted a hospital provider fee that supported expanded Medicaid  to an enterprise fund, removing it from the general fund for $500 Million under the state general-fund spending cap
• + $500 million in “lease-purchase” of state buildings
  • A dozen of the lease-purchase arrangements are prisons
  • Prisons make a good bond offering because of the necessity of prisons

Colorado Politics | How Colorado is using prisons to help fund transportation

• WHERE  can people ride scooters? on the street or the sidewalk?
  • The use of geolocation, or bluetooth beacons to require parking in designated areas or the scooter ride will not end.
• SPEED. How fast should they be able to go?
  • Require driver license scans to ensur eno kids are riding.
• WHO. What companies can operate the services, and under what circumstances?
  • safe, reliable partners with cities
• SAFETY. Are scooters even safe?
  • Helmets. Should they be mandated?
  • California cities mandated helmet use & legislators preempted the local rules.
• LOCAL POLICY DRIVERS. 
  • Scooters can replace cars on the street. A shared goal of scooter companies and local governments. 
  • Companies share data with cities so cities can address transportation needs like bike lanes aren’t protected enough for scooter riders

Governing | Scooters Are Suddenly Everywhere. What Should Cities Be Doing About It?

TRENDING is a move by electrd officials and ride sahre comapnies to move the companies away from mandatory arbitration for sexual harassment & discrimination claims.

Coming to a legislature near you soon.

Lexology | Airbnb Joins Uber And Lyft, Ending Mandatory Arbitration For Sexual Harassment And Discrimination Claims

Not acquiring land prior to beginning construction is cited as the largest cost driver according to an audit of California’s High Speed Rail project.

Rushed construction contributed to $600 million in cost overruns in a single segment of the high spped project. 

What happens if the project fails to accelerate the project? It will be forced to repay up to $3.5 billion to the federal government

Sacramento Bee | Rushed construction cost high-speed rail $600 million and delays mount, audit finds

• Producers guide transportation needs by forecasting the changing truck travel to match advances in energy development 
• Creative engeinnering. 
  • converting an existing two-way frontage road to one-way traffic
  • temporary use of bypass lanes until an overpass is built
• Data TxDOT and TTI experts study accident data to reduce accidents

Trib Talks | William R. Stockton | Texas A&M Transportation Institute | Rural Texas highways give us a reliable path to the pump

California voters approved a legislative increase in fuel taxes and vehicle fees by rejecting a rollback of those revenue sources in Propsoition 6. 

55% of voters approved the increased taxes and fees.

The 3 reasons attributed to the win? (see the reasons Missouri failed, ying and yang):

• clearly detailing how the levies would be spent to fix deteriorating roads
• fix  bridges
• improve mass transit

A clear detailed plan won.

LA Times | California voter approval of gas tax increase gives hope to other groups that want to fund state priorities

Who conducted the study?  San Francisco County Transportation Authority

What urban area was studied? average speeds

What did the study reveal:

• Slower Morning traffic. 26% decrease in average morning speeds since 2009
• Slower Night traffic. 27% for evening traffic speeds during the same time
• More traffic jams.  vehicle hour delays increased by 40,000 hours on an average day
• More road wear and tear. miles traveled on local roads jumped 630,000 miles

The Car Connection | Study: Uber, Lyft have made traffic worse in San Francisco

Colorado voters rejected by more than 20 points each 2 transportation funding mechanisms this November:

• increased funding through a sales tax increase backed by Denver Chamber of Commerce 
• $3.5 billion bond package paid through existing tax revenue and backed by a libertarian think tank

2 transportaiotn funding options that could get more Colorado support:

• more specific funding proposals
• encouraging regional solutions to provide matching funds

Thr Journal | Colorado transportation funding faces winding road ahead

Colorado residents can choose, Gender X, non binary, on their driver licenses. 

How did it happen?

• Emergency rule by the Colorado Department of Revenue
• Result of 1 year of work with  Gov. John Hickenlooper’s Joint ID Task Force to discuss adding a third gender option on the state’s driver licenses and identification cards

Governing | Gender X Comes to Colorado: Residents Can Choose Non-Binary Option on Driver’s Licenses

Missouri voters defeated a gas tax increase 54:46. The gas tax under this proposal would have increased gradually for a total 10 cent increase.

The gas tax increase had bipartisan ledership support in Missouri.

Options on the table for legislators to increase transportation funding in Missouri:

•  increasing various license and registration fees for Department of Transportation
• a gas tax increase of 2 cents that would not require voter approval
• dedicating  online sales tax revenue to transportation
• implement pay as your drive

St. louis Dispatch | Gas tax defeat means Missouri lawmakers will be seeking money for roads

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

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

The company pushing digital license plates: The 

What else can digital license plates do?

• track mileage
• set geofence notifications

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

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

NPR | Digital License Plates Roll Out In California. 

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

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

What about safety or hacking?

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

The company behind th eproduct: Envoc,

The Bill: HB481 (2016 | LA)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TAX TREND. Tax Bikes and Public Transit for Roads. Where. What. How. The Legislation to Copy.

WHERE:  Republican Chair of the U.S. Senate Transportation Committee

WHAT: Revenue source to  raise revenue for highway construction

HOW: By imposing taxes/fees on:

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

THE LEGISLATION DRAFT

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

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

How an EV rebate bill became an autonomous vehicle tax bill with this language:

California Legislature is considering AB1184 (2018 | CA). 

AB 1184 is touted as the Transportation Assistance Funding Act and intended to increase rebates for EVs and hybrids but was amended to:

• include an autonomous vehicles riding tax for San Francisco City & County
• 1 1/2% of net rider fares for riders who agree to share their ride sahre
• 1 3/4 % for riders who do not agree to sharing
• the tax revenue is dedicated to fund transportation operations and infrastructure in San Francisco County and City

Utility Dive | California passes bill to coordinate EV charger planning

California Governor Jerry Brown signed AB 2989 (2018 | CA) exempting helmet use from riding electric scooters on city streets.

Sacramento Bee | Brown exempts adults from wearing helmets on scooters

Executive Order 13 concerning autonomous vehicles will:

• Interagency Coordination to Launch and Support Autonomous Illinois Initiative
  • ​led by Illinois Department of Transportation
• Set best practices by looking at Review CAV research, pilot projects, and Federal, state, and international action 
• look for legal impedements 
• Collaborate with industry experts
• develop workforce initiaitves
• Creates the Autonomous Illinois Testing Program

Illinois Governor Rauner Executive Order 13 (2018) 

Report is by: CG/LA, a national infrastructure advocacy group

The report:  Strategic 100 North American Infrastructure Report

What analytical factors are considered?

• Contribution to global, regional, and national competitiveness;
• Contribution to local and regional economic productivity;
• Job creation potential over the lifetime of the project;
• Business opportunity in the next 3-18 months, and over the lifetime of the project;
• Carbon efficiency / Sustainability;
• Country’s track record for delivering projects on schedule and within budget.

What benefits of Texas Central rail were highlighted in the report?

• “in advancing public and business interests,”
• generating $36 billion in direct economic impact over 25 years
• creating 10,000 jobs each year of construction
• creating 500 permanent operational jobs 

Where: South Carolina

What:  State Representative Wendell Gilliard, D-Charleston is calling for all business to be treated fairly

Why: All transportation service companies, including taxis, should have the same rules to play by, sich as:

• same insurance requirements
• same licensing fees
• muncipal caps

Why now? Now we have the data about ride share

Statehouse Report | NEWS: Lawmaker wants Uber, Lyft regulations to be reviewed for fairness

How will Uber raise rates? By imposing a clean air fee

How much does Uber intend to raise? $260 million

How will the $260 million be used? to help all of its drivers in the city trade their gasoline-or diesel-powered vehicle in for an EV

Where is this happening? London, England

Future Car | Uber to Raise Prices in London to Help Drivers Switch to EVs

A Colorado ballot propsition to curb drilling near neighborhoods see trucking industry support oil and gas in opposition.

The opposition arguments from trucking industry:

• it will harm the economy, and my small trucking business
• it will harm local tax revenues when oil and gas revenues decline
• it will harm education fudning

Glennwood Springs Post Independent | Counterpoint: Opposed to Proposition 112

The researchers:

• John Barrios of the University of Chicago
• Yael Hochberg and Livia Hanyi Yi of Rice University

The numbers:

• When ride share beings operating in a city, fatal accidents increase by 2-3%

The method:

• official statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• overlaid with the dates Uber or Lyft began operating in a city
•  compared to accident rates in those cities per vehicle miles traveled 

Business Insider | The meteoric rise of Uber and Lyft may have spurred a deadly outcome, according to new research

WHERE: Santa Monica

WHAT: Passed an ordinance to permit overnight EV charging in parks

WHY: “helps make the switch to electric vehicles logistically possible for the majority of Santa Monica residents”

Canyon News | City Council Approves Overnight EV Charging

Congestion pricing initiatives in local governments saw Uber announce $10 Million in spending.

• $1 Million is dedicated to fighting NYC’s congestion pricing

Is this a reaction to anything? Yes studies that say ride share increase congestion in cities

Daily Mail | Uber plans to spend $10 million lobbying for new ‘congestion pricing’ taxes on drivers in cities across US

According to new data analytic rubic by National Association of State Energy Officials and Cadmus, government fleet incentives are the least helpfulw ith EV policies because:

• no evidence demonstrates that it improves EV adoption
• fleets are usually too small to make an impact by visibility

Utility Dive | New tool helps states identify EV policies that work, and those that don’t

Where:  Utah

The legislative compromise: The Utah Legislature and Supports of Increasing School Funding made a deal that would:

• put a 10cent gas tax question to the voters and then require legislative implementation after the vote
•  the Legislature in exchange:
  • froze the state basic property tax rate for 5 years
  • created a new tax rate for the weighted pupil unit thereby creating a $292 million increase in education funding.
  • if the gas tax is approved, funds would be divded like this:
    • 70% to schools
    • 30% to transportation projects

Park City Record | Ballot question will ask Utah voters if they support gas tax increase for public education funding

Voters in San Francisco in November 2019 can vote wehter to approve a 3,25% tax onn ride share. Thanks to AB 1184 ( 2018 | CA) .

The Heartland Institute offers reasons to oppose a ride sahre tax:

• San Francisco cost of living is already high enough
• Termites. “Taxes such as this one are like termites: They eat at the foundation of the community,”
• Taxes drivers. Drivers may get stuck paying the tax
• self-sabotaging regulation

Heartland Institute | SAN FRANCISCO VOTERS TO CONSIDER TAXING UBER

• not feasible financially 
• not feasible politically
• its a costly failure, it’d be cheaper if California bought Southwest Airlines and flew Californians around
• High Speed Rail project is a net greenhouse gas producer
• The questions outweigh the answers, we need tangible gains from the project
• let’s ask voters, again

Sacramento Bee | Should California Scrap its High Speed Rail?

• Arlington $137,835,000 for street improvements
• Austin $160,000,000 for transportation
• Cibolo $4,750,000 for projects including road repair
• Collin Co. $750,000,000 for roads and parks
• Corpus Christi $52,000,000 for street improvements
• Corpus Christi $22,000,000 for new roads
• Duncanville $6,600,000 for street improvements
• Edinurg $30,000,000 for roads and drainage
• Hutto $70,000,000 for roads and drainage
• Longview $27,090,000 for street improvements
• Pflugerville $21,100,000 for transportation
• Richwood $3,000,000 for street and road construction
• Windcrest $7,400,000 for streets, sidewalks and drainage

Texas Comptroller | Bond Roundup 

California enacted AB1184 (2018 | CA)  that:

• allows local voters, e.g. San Francisco, to vote to approve a tax on ride share
• the tax would be 3.25% tax on rides by peer-to-peer transportation network companies
• the vote would be November 2019

San Antonio, Texas pilot program for scooters will require scooter companies to:

• be permitted
• pay fees 
  • annual permit fee of $500 as well as $10 per scooter
• no scooter cap on scooter numbers nor on companies
• require data sharing of where scooters ar epicked up, dropped off and used to help city planners
•  required to have a San Antonio-based fleet manager
• 2 hour maximum for companies to address reported parking issues
• 1 hour maximum for companies to address scooters  in restricted areas like parks and trails

Riders will be required to :

• stay on streets and sidewalks
• recommends using bike lanes
• stay 2 feet from pedestrians
• be 16+
• not use scooters on trails and in parks

KUT | San Antonio Adopts Pilot Program Regulating E-Scooters

The Port: Port of San Diego

What happened in the ransomware attack?

• Administrative systems were held hostage for a certain sum
• Port staff shut down other portions of the port’s computer infrastructure
• The port continued to operate during the attack on Sept. 25, 2018
• Computer systems are not 100% as of 10.11.2018
  • no online permitting currently
  • no open records requests can be answered

3 Regulatory standards that emerged:

•  deploy a multilayered security program
• required data back up at mulitple locations
• continually test backup and recovery processes

State Tech | Port of San Diego Continues to Recover from Ransomware Attack 

5 High Speed Rail opposition rallies are planned in Texas concerning the “ill-conceived Texas Land Grab Project”:

6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 16 — Truman Kimbro Center, 111 West Trinity Street in Madisonville

•5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 23 —Jewett Civic Center, 111 Robinson Rd. in Jewett

•6:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov.  8 — Grimes County Expo Center, 5220 FM 3455 in Navasota

•6:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 15 — House Estate, 15743 House Road in Hockley

•6:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 19 — Ellis County Women’s Building, 407 W. Jefferson St. in Waxahachie

Navasota Examiner | Letters to the Editor – TAHSR

A person who:

• owns property in Leon Co. 
• is not directly impacted by Central Texas Rail 
• has been the fundraising chair for Texans Against HSR

Opposition rational:

• how Texas Central agents treat people
• critically flawed Federal Railroad Administration’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement
• bad for our natural resources
• bad for communitites
• no need for the project
• no financial viability 

Navasota Examiner | Letters to the Editor – TAHSR

In Seattle, Uber is supporting tolling for:

• congestion pricing 

Are they doing this elsewhere? Yes, $10 M committed nationally to support sustainable mobility

Why does ride share support congestion pricing tolls?

• the company supports “sustainable mobility” issues
• the company supports measures to reduce congestion

The Hill | Uber to lobby for road tolling in Seattle

In explaining how Texas Commission Environmental Quality should utilize Volkswagen emmissions funds, 3 reasons against the agency proposal:

• TCEQ is following the EPA’s favoritism for electic vehicle by offering funding up to 60 percent
  • government shouldnt pick winners and losers
• Texas should use its own resources to achieve clean air- and that’s natural gas vehicles
• “TCEQ should allow grantees to buy a vehicle to scrap”

Austin American Statesman | T Boone Pickens | Commentary: On an even field, no case ot play favorites with electric vehicles

Lubbock, Texas scooter ordinance requires:

• ride-share scooter companies need to have a connection with a higher education institution

KLBK News | City Slaps Ordinance on Ride Share Scooter Companies Coming to the Hub City 

Illinois Tollway Highway Authority is considering incorporating EV charging into its I-294 modernization. 

 EV methods being considered are:

• EV charging lanes
  • informed:intel gave you info on the lanes first tried in Sweden around Arlanda airport near Stockholm
• EV charging stations
• EV super charging stations

Roads & Bridges | Illinois Tollway may add EV charging to I-294

Where: Durham, NC

What: City Ordinance requires helmets by all riders.

The city ordinance also requires:

• $1,000 for permit application.
• $100 per scooter on the street.
• $25 per bike.
• $50 for each device the city has to relocate for the company.
•  $500 to renew annual permit.
   

Herald Sun | Durham wants scooters accessible to all

Missouri’s gas tax ballot proposition for November 2018 says:

• 10 cent per gallon increase
  • current tax rate is 17 cents per gallon
• to fund roads, bridges and Highway patrol
• Phased in at 2.5 cents per year, over 4 years

ABC 17 | Missourians to vote on controversial gas tax increase

3 businesses: 

• Ford
• Uber
• Lyft

have joined the data sharing project, SharedStreets, that focused on transportation that combines data from public and private sources.

Source of this data sharing project:  National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) and the Open Transport Partnership

Goal of the project that helps cities: help officials integrate mobility services like ride-hailing

The Drive | Ford, Uber, Lyft Join Urban Data-Sharing Project to Reduce Traffic and Pollution

State Representative Landgraf proposes a change to transportation funding to help rural west Texas that includes:

• Let oil producing areas retain a small percentage of severance taxes
  • The Rainy Day Fund has $11 Billion balance
  • $7-$8 billion is the standard for emergencies
• Dedicate the severance tax revenue “to the region where it’s generated”
• The dedicated revenue would pay for: 
  • adequate infrastructure
  • first responders
• “save lives and allow commerce to travel more freely”

Odessa American | Landgraf talks goals for legislative session

Members of the Coalition:

• automakers
• electric utilities
• cities
• consumer groups
• unions
• environmental groups

3 Recommendations:

• Continue to increase fuel-economy standards;
• extend and improve the electric-vehicle tax credit;
• invest more from the federal government in finding and deploying innovative technologies.

NRDC: Commission Unveils Plan to Cut Transportation’s Energy Use

Requestor: Liberty County Attorney

Questions for the Texas Attorney General to answer: 

• Can County law enforcement enforce weight restrictions or do they need DPS certification?
• Can DPS revoke a law enforcement’s authority to enforce weight restrictions that were granted by a county commissioners court?
• Does a county commissioner court’s grant of authority equal to authority under Texas Transportation Code§ 621.402(e)?

RQ-0251-KP

Where: Missouri Governor Parson looks to address trucker shortage

Legislative & Regulatory Options for getting more truckers on the roads:

• No penalties for unpaid child support. Allow licenses to continue when there is unpaid child support. Legislative change.
• Train Inmates. Inmates should be able to train as truckers while they serve time
• Utilize state trucks for training. Missouri Department of Transportation trucks could be used in lieu of simulators for training drivers

US News & World Report via AP | Gov. Parson Considers Ways to Address Trucker Shortage

Californai Governor Jerry Brown signed AB 2989 (2018 | CA) exempting helmet use from riding electric scooters on city streets.

Sacramento Bee | Brown exempts adults from wearing helmets on scooters 

SNCF America says Central Texas Partners high speed rail proposal in Texas will:

• Japan is not right for Texas. ” Texas Central “project is right for Japanese companies subsidized by Japanese taxpayers and wrong for Texas,””
• Texans should decide on rail.  Texas should decide whether projects are high speed rail or  fast trains
• Rail should connect to other projects. The Japanese high speed rail has an interoperability problem in that it cannot connect to other rail.

Dallas Morning News | Rival blasts Texas bullet-train firm’s private funding plan saying it’s ‘just a dream’

After ride share regulations, and the data that was shared, acquired or lost, local governments are:

• Seeing BUSINESS TREND of new software to help cities organize new sorts of transportation data
• Information cities want to know about scooters:
  • how many scooters and bikes are parked
  • where they?
  • where trips start?
  • where do trips end?
  • How much detail do cities want?  down to the census tract.
  • Who is using scooters and bikes?
  • are they taking cars off the road?

Wired | STILL SMARTING FROM UBER, CITIES WISE UP ABOUT SCOOTER DATA