• Study by the W.P. Carrey School of Business at Arizona State
• Ride Share vehicles average 1.8 humans, while a normal car averages 1.1 human 
  •  1 ride share vehicle replaces 9 to 13 vehicles
• Less congestion, less fuel use, less pollution

Americans for Tax Reform | Another Win for the Sharing Economy

The peace accord reaching local governmental entity: Florida’s Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission

The peace accord: 

• 15 month trial
• Drivers will undergo a level 2 background check for criminal history, including sexual abuse
• No  fingerprinting
• Insurance responsibility: on the driver

Tampa Bay News 10

When did Uber and Lyft discuss a move into healthcare transportation?  At Boston’s U.S. DPharm Disruptive Innovation gathering

Uber‘s launch:  Circulation, an on-demand convenient and efficient ride-booking solution dedicated for the healthcare industry.

Lyft offers data: 30% wait-time reduction, a 32% cost savings & 80% improvement in patient satisfaction.

Investopedia | Uber and Lyft Eye Healthcare Transportation

What is Louisiana’s Governor’s Task Force on Transportation Infrastructure Investment​ doing these days?

• Appointed in June
• Goal is to reduce the state’s $12.7 billion transportation backlog

What ideas has the Task Force received from local leaders?

•  Higher gas tax with different rates for commercial users and individuals
• Interstate Tolls

The Advertiser | Gas tax, tolls suggested to fund La. transportation needs

California Governor signed a bill requiring the following new background checks for ride share drivers:

• Background checks must go back more than 7 years
• Prevents the following people from being ride share drivers:
  • Any violent felony conviction
  • Sex offenders
  • Any prior violent misdemeanor convictions
  • Any citation for driving under the influence of alcohol violations in the past 7 years
• Uber and Lyft supported the legislation

CNET | ​California tightens background checks on Uber, Lyft drivers

Governor Jerry Brown vetoed a bill calling for more oversight of California’s high speed rail project    for the following reasons:

• The Governor had already signed a bill to increase legislative presence in the high speed rail oversight commission
• There are existing high statutory standards of accountability and transparency

KQED | Governor Vetoes High-Speed Rail Oversight Bill

California’s AB 2847

What’s the new ride share? Hail a Honda

How is this ride share operating? As a partnership with ACL Music Festival

“Hail A Honda” Rideshare Program Comes to Austin City Limits Music Festival Thanks to Honda and the Central Texas Honda Dealers

The researchers: School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis & IndyGo

The study:“State and federal fuel taxes: The road ahead for U.S. infrastructure funding” published in January 2017 Journal of Transport Policy 

The reasons why a vehicle mileage tax is the best long term transportation funding source:

• fuel tax revenues decline with no adjustment for inflation
• taxing vehicle mileage avoids long term revenue declines

Indiana University- Perdue University Indianapolis | Study: Vehicle mileage tax is best option for long-term highway funding

The high speed rail project: Texas Central Rail, Dallas-Houston line

The court: a Harris County Court

The issue the court was considering: precondemnation access to land by the rail

Why landowners claim victory: The request for access to the land was withdrawn

Why high speed rail claims victory:  No meaningful decision was made by the court

Houston Chronicle | High-speed rail land dispute lands in Houston court

Limestone County Judge  Daniel Burkeen lists 4 reasons high speed rail isn’t foreeseable:

• No eminent domain authority- at least not yet
• No  environmental studies are completed
• No land has been acquired
• No permission to cross our county roads

Texas Central Railway’s 6 Point Repsonse:

• County policy is anti- business
• County policy is anti- innovation
• County policy is anti-private investment
• They will receive no federal subsidies
• The Company is negotiating in good faith with landowners
• Texas has a history of granting eminent domain authority to railroads

Groesbeck Journal | High-speed rail foes show up at court for vote

Add Limestone County to the list of counties establishing new eminent domain hurdles for crossing county roads and right of ways.

A local resident told the county commissioners that 3,422 signatures were gathered opposed to high speed rail.

Groesbeck Journal | High-speed rail foes show up at court for vote

Texas energy exports: The 1st oil and gas export left the Port of Corpus Christi earlier this year

Energy exports will benefit from the new Panama Canal with its 50 foot drafts.

How the new Panama Canal sets up a quagmire for Texas: Texas ports can only handle a draft of 45 feet.

The funding issue: Most coastal states fund Port maintenance and expansion. Texas does not. It uses user fees and some local property taxes. The cost to expand the Port of Houston is $55-$60 million.

Energy Wire | INFRASTRUCTURE: Texas ports pick up steam as oil and LNG exports ramp up

Which car was hacked? Tesla Model S

Who did the hacking? Researchers

Does Tesla have a bounty program to report vulnerabilities? yes

What were the hackers able to control?  

• sunroof
• central display
• door locks
• braking system
• activate the steering light
• reposition the driver’s seat
• windshield washers
• open the trunk
• fold in the side mirrors

PC World | Researchers hack Tesla Model S with remote attack

The Judge: Judge Richard Posner of the 7th Circuit of Appeals

His explanation of the differences between ride share and taxis:

• “You think there’s nothing new about Uber? That’s absurd.”
• Ride share is like what happened to horse and buggies when automobile taxis emerged
• The taxi regulations are like creating a cartel

USA Today | Chicago taxi group asks appellate court to even playing field with Uber

DNA Info Downtown South Loop North River | Shakman, Judge Clash Over Differences Between Uber, Lyft, Taxis

• voluntary 15-point “safety assessment” for automakers covering:
  • Data Recording and Sharing
  • Privacy
  • System Safety
  • Vehicle Cybersecurity
  • Human Machine Interface
  • Crashworthiness
  • Consumer Education and Training
  • Registration and Certication
  • Post-Crash Behavior
  • Federal, State and Local Laws
  • Ethical Considerations
  • Operational Design Domain
  • Object and Event Detection and Response
  • Fall Back (Minimal Risk Condition)
  • Validation Methods 
• model state regulations define state responsibility as:
  • Licensing (human) drivers and registering motor vehicles in their jurisdictions;
  • Enacting and enforcing traffic laws and regulations (including related to accidents);
  • Conducting safety inspections, where States choose to do so; 
  • Regulating motor vehicle insurance and liability. 

U.S. Department of Transportation Proposed Regulations for Autonomous Vehicles 

Where: Georgia

Why does the sapce port need eminent domain? Because of the frequency of launches, land surrounding the area may need to be condemned for safety purposes.

What state law impediment exists? In 2006, Georgia amended its eminent domain laws to require a public purpose, and it’s believed space travel does not meet that standard.

WABE Atlantat’s NPR | Safety, Legal Issues Could Ground Georgia Spaceport Plans

The Car Company & Intelligence Chief who joined forces: Volkswagen & former head of Israel’s Shin Bet intelligence agency

New Joint Venture: CyMotive Technologies

The goal: Securing automated and self driving vehicles

Reuters | Volkswagen sets up cyber security firm with ex-Israeli spy chief

The Port of Houston and researchers at Texas A&M Transportation Institute generated Freight Shuttle International entered into an agreement to start testing.

3 Ways this shuttle project will revolutionize freight, disrupting the industry: 

• It solves for freight’s most pressing quagmire: moving goods less than 500 miles
• It will make use of existing right of ways to move freight on a guideway track
• Uses 1/3 the energy of trucks

Railway Track and Structures | Freight Shuttle eyes redefinition of goods movement

A transportation funding deal in New Jersey hinges on a sales tax cut.

Governor Christie had shuttered the state’s Transportation Trust Fund. Opening the fund, and restarting construction projects, hinges on the sales tax cut.

Equipment World | New Jersey lawmakers discussing sales tax cut as part of transportation funding negotiations

Pittsburgh is home to a new fleet of Uber’s self-driving taxis. For the Ying of self driving taxis, is the Yang of safety experts.

The safety concerns:

• self driving technology is not ready for primetime.
  • It’s like the safety experts think self driving taxis are the Kaepernick of transportation world. 
• PA has no self driving car statutes or regs.
  • e.g. Who do we sue if there is an accident?
• Self driving cars have gone off bridges and Pittsburgh has a lot of bridges
  • building bridges isn’t safe or good?

Governing | As Pittsburgh Gears Up to Debut Self-Driving Ubers, Safety Experts Worry

Washington Post | For some safety experts, Uber’s self-driving taxi test isn’t something to hail

Which state received this federal grant? Delaware  Department of Transportation

What alternative to the gas tax is Delaware testing? Mileage based tax

Grant amount: $1.49 million federal grant

Are other states involved?  yes, 5 Atlantic Coast states are testing a mileage based transportation funding mechanism

What does the pilot program look like?

• Transportation officials will track the driving habits of 50 volunteer Delaware motorists
• The goal is to assess a charge based on their mileage.
• Similar projects in:
  • Pennsylvania
  • Connecticut
  • New Hampshire
  • Vermont
• Total cost for all five states is $2.98 million

Delaware Online | Feds approve grant to test gas tax replacement

Add Freestone County to the list of counties that restrict the use of eminent domain for high speed rail over county lands and right of ways.

Freestone County Times | County Adopts Budget, Sets Tax Rate, Restricts High-Speed Rail & Lifts Burn Ban

Developer of driverless freight technology:  Freight shuttle system technology developed at Texas A&M University

Announcement of the collaboration: September 9th in Bryan, TX

How will the port utilize the technology? The port will hold a  privately funded licensee of the technology

Government Technology | Electric, Driverless Freight Shuttle Might Solve Trucking-Related Problems in Texas

Which Court of Appeals? 3rd Court of Appeals in Austin

What did the Court do with the Texas Highway Beautification Act? Struck down key portions of the Act, specifically Subchapters B and C

For those who love statutes: Subchapter B REGULATION OF OUTDOOR ADVERTISING GENERALLY & Subchapter C LICENSE AND PERMIT FOR OUTDOOR ADVERTISING

Why were these subchapters struck? unconstitutional content based restrictions on free speech

Houston Chronicle | Core of Texas highway sign ban tossed by appeals court

Auspro Enterprises, LP v. Texas Department of Transportation 03-14-00375-CV

Statesman | Court voids heart of Texas Highway Beautification Act

The state: Maine

The tax proposal: Fill the $168 million annual gas tax hole with a tax on hybrid and electric cars

What opponents say:

• A tax on hybrids and electric cars is not enough to fill the $168 million annual shortfall
• Bonds are a tool, but shouldn’t be relied on for road and bridge maintenance

Bangor Daily News | Contibution by Transportation Committee Chair | Taxing hybrids and electric cars alone won’t solve Maine’s road funding problem

 Hillsborough County, Florida is proposing new ride share rules over the objections of Uber. The new rules include:

• $7 fare minimum
• 7 minute maximum wait time
• Ride Share firms would have to conduce regular vehicle inspections
• Mandatory fingerprint background checks for drivers

Tampa Bay Times | Proposed rideshare rules move forward over objections of Uber/Lyft

What‘s the lawsuit about? 8 auto title companies say the TX DMV auto title fees limits put the companies out of business

When did Texas Legislature pass a law to allow DMV to limit the fees? 2013

What’s the pro argument for private auto title processors? It will be an added cost to the counties if they begin processing all auto titles

Texas Tribune | Auto Title Companies Sue Texas DMV Over New Fee Limit

The Company: HopSkipDrive

The company’s objective: To be the Uber for kids and requires secret passwords for drives and the kids are followed via GPS

Founders: 3 mothers who needed to get their kids to soccer, football, ballet etc…

How it differs from ride share: it schedules rides and is not on demand ride service

Tech Crunch | HopSkipDrive wants to be the Uber for kids

The County: Freestone County

The County Commissioner vote: Unanimous

The requirements on high speed rail:

• require permits if high speed rail crosses any Freestone County roads and/or right-of-ways
• high speed rail must prove eminent domain

Freestone COunty Judge Grant view:  “the Surface Transportation Board states that the Federal Government lacks the authority to grant eminent domain power to Texas Central Railway”

Freestone County Times | County Adopts Budget, Sets Tax Rate, Restricts High-Speed Rail & Lifts Burn Ban

• Procurement & monitoring was all good, Standardizing the contracts is not.
• Standardizing design build contracts will “foster uniformity and potential efficiency”
• 11 specific issues were identifiied linked to the lack of TXDOT uniformity in contracts:
  • addenda to the requests for qualifications and RFPs were not always approved
  • review of qualification statements and proposals did not always include completing individual scoring worksheets
  • no evidence of past performance of a contractor
  • no consistent document retention
  • no process for adjusting price proposals
  • no process for reprocurement when a project has significantly changed
  • no template for design build contracts
  • no policy to ensure that “that descriptive information related to the alternative technical concepts is redacted”
  • no process to ensure segregation in the membershi of evaluating committees
  • no standard policy for a a postmortem review

SAO | An Audit Report on Selected Design-build Contracts at the Department of Transportation | Report Number 16-037

KP-0111 details the power of vehicle policies by commissioners courts. A Commissioners court may generally adopt vehicle tracking policies that:

• apply to county vehicle, but if its a sheriff’s vehicle the policy can’t interfere with law enforcement’s ability to do its job
• vehicle use can be audited but only as it relates to county fiscal issues

Which cities impost a transportation utility fee? Austin, Bryan, Corpus Christi

How is the transportation utility fee imposed? On a water bill

What does the transportation utility fee mitigate? Lessens reliance on on general funds for roadway maintenance and improvements

What city is considering it & how much revenue is anticpated? Killeen anticipates $4.9million in revenue.

The Final Vote by Killeen? Killeen is a solid NO on transportation utility fee

Killeen Daily Herald | Killeen council to consider transportation utility fee

KWTX 10 | Killeen: City Council votes against transportation utility fee

Massachusettes ride share legislation will tax ride share transactions via app.

What you need to know about taxing an app:

• 20 cents per trip tax, with a breakdown of:
  • 5 cents to taxi industry
  • 10 cents to local governments
  • 5 cents to a designated state transportation fund
• The app tax revenue will be given to the taxi industry as a subsidy for the purposes of:
  • new technologies
  • advanced service safety
  • operational capabilities
  • support workforce development.
• Its the first ride share app tax in the nation

Reuters | Massachusetts to tax ride-hailing apps, give the money to taxis

What companies are driving the push for driverless big trucks?

• Tesla Semi
• Otto

Why is the big truck industry moving fast toward driverless semis? Constant shortage of truck drivers

What incremental changes have occurred in trucking? Much like driver aided features in consumer cars, trucking has added “Advanced Driver Assistance Systems”

Tech Crunch | Paving the way for the autonomous truck

Which company announced its promise to deliver driverless cars within 5 years? Ford

The target audience for Ford’s driverless cars? Commercial  ride share

How will Ford’s cars differ from current self driving cars?

• No steering whell
• No gas pedal
• No breaks

New York Times | Ford Promises Fleets of Driverless Cars Within Five Years

What entity produced a ride share report? Texas A&M Transportatin Institute

What are the report highlights?

• Defines ride share or transportation network companies
• Defines the 5 Servies ride share provides:
  • ride sourcing
  • ride splitting
  • car pooling
  • taxi/car service
  • other: food delivery, courier, helicopter…
• Lays out the 6 state policy areas that cover transportation network companies:
  •   Permits and fees.
  •   Insurance and financial responsibility.
  •   Driver and vehicle requirements.
  •   Operational requirements.
  •   Passenger protections.
  •   Data reporting.
  •   Regulatory and rule-making authority. 
• Explains the 26 municipal ride share policies in Texas
• Findings: The 5 Policy Issues
  •   Ensuring safety and security for drivers, travelers, and pedestrians.
  •   Understanding the evolving role of technology and technology platforms in transportation provision.
  •   Integrating on-demand transportation options into mobility plans and programs.
  •   Managing transportation goals such as congestion reduction, air quality control, and expansion of mobility and accessibility.
  •   Addressing equity concerns about access to transportation services by those who do not have smartphones or credit cards. 

Where: Pittsburgh

When: August 2016

Who: Uber and Volvo, the wonder twins, have joined forces to form of self driving ride-share

Why Pittsburgh?

• Carnegie Mellon Robotics Program has produced the biggest names in the field. 
• A leader in their pack joined Uber in early 2015

Bloomberg | The autonomous cars, launching this summer, are custom Volvo XC90s, supervised by humans in the driver’s seat.

New ride-share rules in England require drivers to take an English reading and writing tests.

Reuters | Uber takes legal action over new rules in London

Engadget | Uber takes legal action against TfL over new taxi rules

Sacramento has built a new stadium for the Kings. part of the funding mechanism is parking meter revenue.

Sound familiar? Similar revenue sources are bandied about related to Arlington’s new stadium.

Let’s look at Sacramento’s parking meter rate plan:

• 4 Event parking zones will be established in a 12 block radius
• The closer to the Area, the pricier.
  • Parking prices ranging from $11.25, if you pre-arrange parking in a city garage to $18.75
  • Higher event night only prices will be within a 3 block radius of the stadium
  • What is the increase for Kings fans? Previously meters were free on weekends
• Parking meter normal shut down time of 6pm will be extended to 10pm
• Parking meters in midtown will be extended to 8pm
• City parking, and reservation system, will be linked through a smart phone app

Sacramento Bee | Sacramento to ring downtown arena with higher-priced parking zones

Which city is testing robot delivery systems on sidewalks? D.C.

The company: Starship Technologies

Did it require a city ordinance? Yes to rolling permit the delivery devices to operate on the sidewalks

Will it lessen traffic? Yes, it can reduce the number of delivery trucks

Should we be paying attention? Yes, D.C. was one of the first cities to embrace the sharing economy

Governing | Coming Soon to D.C. Sidewalks: Delivery Robots

California is building a state funded high speed rail system.

Is the project behind schedule? Yes. The 1st segment moved its completion date from March 31, 2018, to August 2019. 

What is causing the delay? Acquiring land which means Eminent Domain Delays.

How many land parcels are required for the Valley portion of the high speed rail first leg?1,590 parcels of property. 841 parcels were secured as of last week.

For 1 segment, the Fresno-Madera segment, what are the current cost overrages? $50 million

Fresno Bee | Time is money – $50 million – for high-speed rail delays in Fresno area

Empower Texas makes these points about Grimes County enacting county construction permits that will affect high speed rail:

• Big Business is looking to profit from eminent domain
• Rural counties oppose the project because of eminent domain
• Rural counties will not benefit from the project
• Texas Central Rail has assumed eminent domain authority

Empower Texas | Eminent Domain for High-speed Rail Faces Hurdle in Grimes County

The death knell issue: No commercial license plates for ride share drivers

The issue got squashed in substantive committee chaired by sibling to taxi industry: AB 828, which flew through the Assembly had a somber death in Senate Transportation, the chair’s brother is in the taxi industry

Will there be immediate impact to ride share? No. California’s DMV, which has adopted ride share rules, does not require commercial license plates for ride share drivers

The Recorder | Uber-Backed License Bill Fails in Calif. Legislature

Which County wants to require county permits before construction on high speed rail may begin? Grimes County, Texas

Is the proposal supported by state lawmakers? Yes. Support has been indicated by Sen. Schwertner, Rep. Schubert, Sen. Birdwell, Rep. Ashby & Sen. Kolkhorst

What would trigger a permit? Any construction crossing a county right of way

What would the application include? A requirement that the entity has state or federal authority to use eminent domain

Are other counties going to follow suit? Yes 

WTAW News Talk 1620 | State Lawmakers Support New Grimes County Requirements For Bullet Trains

A Tesla self driving car drove its owner to a hospital.

Tech Crunch | Autopilot in Tesla Model X helps driver get safely to a hospital

• Texas roadways are overly congested
• The Rio Grande Valley should be kept in the mix
• Crucial to link “major trade and energy centers in South Texas with metropolitan areas” further north

The Monitor |     EDITORIAL: RGV welcomes high-speed rail possibility

The County: Dade County Florida

The revenue deficit: In 2002, the County promised that an 8% increase in sales tax rate would build 90 miles of rail. They’ve built 3 miles.

Are property taxes going to go up? No, the property taxes near the proposed rail lines will be captured by special districts.

Are P3s involved? Yes. The transportation special districts will work with private interests to  pursue private financing & operation of new transit projects within the special districts

Governing | County Considers Raising Property Taxes to Expand Rail

Where was the new study published?  The July 2016 edition of The American Journal of Epidemiology

Did the study conclude ride share reduces drunk driving? No.

What reason did the authors give for ride share not impacitng drunk driving rates? Not enough ride share drivers yet

Washington Post | Is Uber reducing drunk driving? New study says no.

Which state is considering statewide regulation of ride share? Oregon

What does the statewide regulatory proposal look like? 

• Preemption. override local regulations that cause ride share comapnies to leave some cities
•  Indepdendent Contractors.  Codify the employee status of drivers.
• Commercial Insurance
• Annual background checks.

The Oregonian | Uber wants Oregon Legislature to allow ride-hailing apps statewide

In 2014, NTSB urged stronger regulation of hot air balloons.

In 2015, the FAA responded by saying that the chance of accident is ” so low”

In March 2016, the NTSB reissued its letter urging stronger regulations of hot air balloons.

The Wall Street Journal | U.S. Regulatory Debate About Sightseeing Balloons Spans Years

Which state legislature passed new statewide ride share rules? Massachusettes

What fee does it levy? 20-cent per ride surcharge to fund state infrastructure improvements

What requirements are placed on ride-share companies?

• insurance thresholds
• two-step background check for drivers
• no fingerprinting requirements
• decals on ride share cars will be mandatory
• cars will be required to pay commercial toll fees

What state agency will regulate ride share?  Department of Public Utilities funded by a surcharge on revenues earned by ride share companies

Is there something for taxis in the bill? Yes, 10 cents of the 20 cent surcharge will fund grant for taxi technology and workforce development

Patriot Ledger | Legislature agrees to new rules for ride-hailing companies

• Houston’s foray into the cruise ship industry included the Bayport Cruise Terminal, a $108 million project
• Critics of the Bayport Cruise Terminal called it a “boondoggle”
• Other critics said the problem was the industrial environment is not the scenery for a cruise ship terminal
• In 2012, the Port approved $6.7 million in incentives to Norwegian Cruise Line and Princess Cruises
• The numbers couldn’t compete with Galveston’s cruise data:
  • In 2016 Galveston will board 870,000
  • Generates $56 million in onshore passanger spending
  • Generates $18.1 million in port services

Houston Chronicle | With cruise ships gone, Port of Houston decides to move on at Bayport

Hyperloop travel time from Austin to San Antonio: 15 minutes

Hyperloop financing structure: Private

Hyperloop use of eminent domain: No eminent domain will be used.

Texas Monthly | Will Texas Soon Be Home To The Fastest Train In The World?

Potential Legislation for the 2017 Texas Legislature to Stop Texas Central Rail from using Eminent Domain:

• Prohibit Texas Central from exercising eminent domain authority
• Prevent Texas Central from using private lands for the project, if a 3rd party exercises eminent domain
• Rep. Metcalf’s proposal to require elected officials in every city & county along the proposed route to approve it

KHOU | High-speed rail opponents hope to block project next year

• Senator Birdwell:
  •  “I consider this issue far from resolved and I reiterate my steadfast opposition to the project — both for individual landowners who will be harmed by it in the short term and for the Texas taxpayers who will likely be asked to subsidize it in the long term.”
• State Representative Will Metcalf:
  • “Fortunately for landowners and all who value property rights, the Surface Transportation Board made the right decision and declined oversight,” Metcalf said in a statement.
• Senator Nichols:
  • ​“I think they are going to have to use eminent domain if they’re going to build it, and I think they know that the status of whether or not they do or don’t have it under current Texas law is a pretty shaky area, it’s not real clear,” said Nichols

Potential Legislation for the 2017 Texas Legislature to Stop Texas Central Rail from using Eminent Domain:

• Prohibit Texas Central from exercising eminent domain authority
• Prevent Texas Central from using private lands for the project, if a 3rd party exercises eminent domain
• Rep. Metcalf’s proposal to require elected officials in every city & county along the proposed route to approve it

KHOU | High-speed rail opponents hope to block project next year

• economic powerhouse
• will create local jobs
• will generate community tax revenue
• will create Texas’ newest industry
• rigorous study chose to connect the economic powerhouses of Houston & Dallas
• Texans will not foot the bill

Ft. Worth Star Telegram | Opinion  | Texas’ high-speed train: Right project, right way, right time

The member behind local elections to approve red light cameras? Joe Pickett

Statesman | Rep. Joe Pickett plans bill to let voters decide on red light cameras

Who is supporting self driving car testing sites? 3 Michigan lawmakers: U.S.  Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow and Representative Debbie Dingell

The propsed location: Michigan

the propsed testing site: 335-acre site, former home of General Motors Willow Run plant that  made bombers during World War II.

The purpose of a national testing site? To keep the U.S. competitive

NYTIMES | Testing Sites for Self-Driving Cars Become a Priority

• Consumer Groups support through rule making from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Administrator and not simply guidance
• Federal guidance on self driving cars has not been transparent
• Federal guidance has not involved public input

The Recorder | Consumer Advocates Wary as Regulators Near ‘Guidance’ on Driverless Cars

25% of HOV lane drivers break the rules according to  study by BYU of Utah HOV lanes.

KUTV 2 | BYU Study: 25 percent of Utah carpool lane drivers breaking the rules

The amount of debt service per biennium for transportation bonds: $2.2 Billion

The amount Texas borrowed for transportation fudning since 2005: $31 Billion

KLBK 13 | Texas Lawmakers Want New Cash to Payoff Old Construction Debt

What entities released 10 new high speed rail routes? Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)

Is there public comment on the 10 routes? Yes, a 45 day public comment period

The purpose of improved rail on these routes? “Providing efficient, more reliable and faster higher-speed passenger rail options to move between cities is crucial for the economy and the population”

Which geographic areas have new proposed routes? 

• Northern Section – Edmond, Okla., to Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas;
• Central Section – Dallas and Fort Worth to San Antonio
• Southern Section – San Antonio to south Texas (Corpus Christi, Brownsville, Laredo and the Rio Grande Valley)

RT&S | FRA; TxDOT outline south Texas HSR options

The proposed high speed rail between Houston and Dallas will not be under the oversight of the Surface Tranportation Board because:

• The project is completely within Texas precluding oversight by the federal Surface Transportation Board
• Connectivity to Amtrack, the argument for federal oversight, was not persuasive

Is this decision permanement? No, if Texas Central “develop[s] concrete plans that would make the Line part of the interstate rail network…”

Houston Chronicle | Federal board declines to oversee Houston-Dallas bullet train project

Memorial Examiner | Brady helps win first round in federal fight over Texas high-speed rail project

FTAW | Federal Agency Turns Down Oversight Of Proposed Houston To Dallas Bullet Train

Why are we concerned about legal issues related to ride share?

• Within 4 years, 40% of all American workers will be independent contractors

The top legal issues related to ride-share:

• Liability
  • Before picking up a fare, is the driver working for the ride share company?
•  Insurance coverage- whose responsible for it?
• Are drivers employees or indpendent contractors?
• Does the sharing economy, using an app, trigger products liability?
• How does ride share fit with driverless cars?

California Bar Journal | On the road to a gig economy, litigators take the wheel

The City: Sacramento, California

The bike safety proposal: Unsafe bicyclists would be sent to mandatory traffic safety school instead of fining the cyclists.  

The current fine for unsafe bicyclists: $5

The new propsoed fees:

• $25 first offense
• $100 for 2nd offense within 1 year
• $250 for 3rd offense within 1 year

Sacramento Bee | Should rule-breaking cyclists be sent to bike traffic school?

Why is port traffic increasing because of wind energy? The parts necessary to build a wind turbine are large and transported via port.

Let’s look at the impact on the Port of Corpus Christi:

•  99,300 tons of wind energy-related equipment and materials in 2015
• Wind energy parts gobbled up port space and the Port had to us a 200-acre parcel on the north side of the Corpus Christi Ship Channel for storage of wind energy parts

Corpus Christi Caller Times | Wind energy exports making port’s role more important

Which communities are considering ride share for low income communities? low income communities in California

How does the program organize?  California Air Resources Board (CARB) agreed to include bike-share in its Car Sharing and Mobility Options pilot program.

Why do advocates for bikes want into ride share? Electric bikes and non-car vehciles like golf carts are low emission vehicles that can solve transportation problems by offering neighborhood vehicles

Streetsblog California | Bike-Share Can Get State Funding to Reach Low-Income Communities

The start up:    Transonic Transportation LLC

The rail project:   A hyperloop connecting Austin & San Antonio

The use of royalties instead of eminent domain: Instead of acquiring land, the model involves giving dividends and profit sharing to landowners

The pro-private proeprty rights angle: Since hyperloop track would be build on pylons, there is no barrier to access to land, unlike when tracks are laid on the ground.

San Antonio Business Journal | Exclusive: Making way for bullet trains, SA startup’s strategy to use royalties not eminent domain

What companies are directly involved?

• BMW AG, 
• Intel Corp. 
• Israel’s Mobileye NV

Which motor vehcle companies are included via Mobile eye?

•  General Motors Co.
• Volkswagen AG.

What’s the goal of the Alliance?

• develop the necessary solutions and innovative systems
• for highly and fully automated driving

Wallstreet Journal | BMW, Intel, Mobileye Link Up in Self-Driving Tech Alliance

Which easter state legislature is confronting transparency in ride share data? Massachusettes

Included in recently passed statewide ride share laws is sharing which information with regulators?

•  financial documents
•  reports of crashes and other incidents

Is the information that ride share companies provide public? No.

Salem News | Our view: Legislature needs to make ride share information public

The states either using, testing, or moving toward transportation funding via miles driven pilot programs:

• Connecticut
• New Hampshire
• Vermont
• Pennsylvania
• Delaware
• Oregon
• California

What do Republicans in Connecticut say? Charging by miles driven is the new tollroad.

Government Technology | Connecticut Joins States in Exploring Mileage Tax

How much reduction in parking ticket funding? $2.5 million reduction in parking ticket funds

How is technology interceding to reduce parking ticket payments? A robot lawyer.

How often has the lawyer robot been utilized? 250,000 times

How often does the robot lawyer win & parking tickets are reduced?  64% of cases won

The Register | Chatbot lawyer shreds $2.5m in parking tickets

A conservative writer points to 3 “experts” to support the argument that subsidies will be involved in Texas High Speed Rail:

The Expert: Stanford University economics professor Alain Enthoven

The Subsidy angle: Eminent Domain is a subsidy

The Expert: assistant director of transportation policy for the Reason Foundation, Baruch Feigenbaum

The Subsidy angle: federal Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) loans are subsidies

The Exert: Gerard Llobet, associate professor of economics at Centro de Estudios Monetarios y Financieros (CEMFI) in Spain

The Subsidy angle:  Only 3 high speed rails in the world are profitable: Tokoyo to Osaka, Paris to Lyon, & Shanghai to Bejining. Building without subsidies is not probable.

Ft Worth Star Telegram | Crystal Wright | Is rail company lying about building Texas bullet train without subsidies?

• $60 Billion  TXDoT’s  5-10 year estimate to improve urban connectivity
• $20 Billion  TXDOT’s estimate to improve statewide connections &  border-trade projects
• $516 annual cost per car per year for poorly maintained road damage, but in Texas it is more:
  • $838 in San Antonio
  • $815 in El Paso
  • $772 in Houston
  • $716 in McAllen
  • $549 in Corpus Christi
• $70.6 billion economic impact of tourism in Texas for 2014
• 630,000 direct Texas jobs in tourism in 2014
• $6 billion in state and local tax revenues for Texas tourism in 2014
• 68% of transportation jobs are construction

Fiscal Notes | Texas Road Finance, Part II: Economic Impacts

The questions will be first answered by Attorney General Opinion request, RQ-0113-KP, and in all likelihood later answered by the courts.

• Is Texas Central Rail a railroad under Texas law, if it hasn’t built a railroad?
• Does Texas law grant Texas Central Rail eminent domain authority, if it isn’t a railroad? or, if it is a railroad?

Slate | Will Texas Law Trip Up a $10 Billion High-Speed Rail Project?

Which state will move legislation to make its pay as you drive pilot permanent? Oregon

Which cars will be hit by the proposed pay as your drive tax structure? 

• Could hit certain car types- “bonjour, electric cars,” the taxman says .
• Could hit all cars, a subset of cars, purchased after a certain future date.

The Oregonian | Oregon lawmakers could look at pay-by-the-mile transportation tax in 2017

The new ride share regulations passed this week in Chicago will:

• NO required fingerprint background checks for drivers
  • fingerprinting rules will be studied for 6 months
  • the requirement was dropped to avoid major comapnies pulling out of Chicago ride share
• Requires drivers to take a 1-day online course to get a chauffeur’s license
• No drug testing for drivers

AP | Chicago Aldermen OK Less Restrictive Ride-Hailing Rules

Chicago Tribune | Aldermen OK weaker Uber rules after Emanuel threatens to adjourn chaotic meeting

Which special district holds the overhelming majority of local transportation debt? 

What high speed rail data is factored into the calculator?

• one way fare cost
• minimum passenger rates at the fare cost to keep high speed rail economically viable
• financing costs
• rate of return
• train capacity
• revenue
• income
• costs for maintenance and operation
• costs for principle and interest finance
• costs for shareholder profit

The purpose of the calculator? If high speed rail finances go south, the State of Texas will foot the bill.

Rep. Bell Press Release | BELL LAUNCHES HIGH SPEED RAIL CALCULATOR 

Cecil Bell Jr. Campaign | High Speed Rail Calculator

Chairman Pickett suggests this compromise to address finger print requirements for ride share companies:

“riders could specifically request drivers who had undergone fingerprint-based FBI background checks”

It’s extreme local control. Let the rider control. 

El Paso Times | Pickett open to compromise on ridesharing rules

The Requestor: Chairman Byron Cook initiated RQ- 0113-KP about Texas Central Rail

The Questions asked of the Attorney General:Do the parties have eminent domain authority to condemn property for Texas High Speed Rail?

The Facts and Statutes key to whether Texas Central Rail has eminent domain power:

• surveyors have been requesting pre-condemnation access to land to survey for the purpose ofplanning, building, maintaining and operating an electric rail road.
• pre-condemnation access can only exist because the entity has the power of eminent domain
• High Speed Rail has gone so far as taken landwoners to court for not allowing pre-condemantion access
• High Speed Rail claims Sections 81.002, 112,051, 112.053, 131.011 and 131.012 of the Transportation Code support that it is a railroad that has eminent domain authority under the Transportation Code
• High Speed Rail meets neither the formation date requirement nor the current operation as a railroad requirements of Transportation Code Sections 81.002 
• High Speed Rail fails to meet the definition of interurban electric rail in Section 113.011 and 113.012 because Texas old civil statutes define interurban electric rail and it is not high speed rail for these reasons:
  • High Speed Rail is not a Section 81.002 railroad
  • Civil Statutes show interurban electric rail was to connect suburbs with their cities
  • Interurban rail has to be completed within 1 year of condemnation
  • They sell energy to the public
  • Require municipal approval for tracks that traverse a city

KOXE | Lawmaker Revives Eminent Domain Question for Dallas-Houston High Speed Rail Project

Gilmer Mirror | Lawmaker Revives Eminent Domain Question for Bullet Train

Small Ride Share companies step in to fill the void. Here’s what happened in Austin:

• 6 small ride share companies started operating
• 1 nonprofit ride share is emerging
• Business trends emerge to distinguish small ride share from large ride share by:
  • allowing preferred drivers to be selected
  • allowing for pre scheduled rides
  • company pledges to not surge price rides

Governing | When Uber Leaves, What Happens?

Colleyville officials have asked the Regional Transportation Council to “delay, destroy or disrupt” the TEX Rail project connecting Ft. Worth, Grapevine and DFW.

The reasons for saying NO to Tex Rail:

• will reduce property values
• will create a nuisance with its noise
• creates traffic and safety dangers

Ft. Worth Star Telegram | Colleyville aims to disrupt, destroy TEX Rail

The lawyer: Blake Beckham

His legal style: Rottweiler-styled lawyer

Coordination with opponents to high speed rail: Yes. He spoke to Ellis County landowners and was described as putting “wind in the sails”

The Way He Sees to Stop Eminent Domain by Texas Central Rail: By declining Congressional approval of the route, without the route approved, there can be no eminent domain

Ennis Daily News | Beckham vows to fight bullet train

Which cities wants to get into self driving cars and ride share? San Francisco, Portland, Kansas City, Columbus, Denver, Austin and Pittsburgh

What sparked local government use of slef driving cars? U.S. Department of Transportation’s Smart City Challenge

What is the Smart City Challenge? eliminating or greatly reducing congestion, traffic fatalities and carbon emissions

What grants are available? $40 million in funding to connect transportation assets into an interactive network

CBS Sf | San Francisco Seeks Funding For Autonomous Vehicle, Smart Transportation Network

Space X wants the Texas Spaceport Trust Fund funded. Here’s what you need to know:

• 2015 Legislature put $0 into the Texas Spaceport Trust Fund
• Florida funds its space fund at the rate of $20 million per year
• Florida funds are used for public-private partnerships
• SpaceX has 500 employees in Central & South Texas
• SpaceX invested $70 million at the MacGregor facility
• Space X partners with  250 Texas vendors

RioGrande Guardian | SPACEX CALLS ON LEGISLATORS TO SUPPORT TEXAS SPACEPORT TRUST FUND

The Wall Street Journal analyzed traffic camera data from Maryland, where speed cameras are used in addition to other traffic camera enforcement:

• Slower Traffic Speeds. A reduction in speed in work zones occurred
• No Deterrence. No reduction in the number of speeders or repeat speeders
• Safety Improved. Work-zone deaths fell by 38%

Wall Street Journal | Traffic Cameras: Safety Tools or Cash Grabs?

Data Security is the 1 key element missing from the 7 states that have passed self driving car laws.

Cars can be hacked. Cars contain data. The data your car’s computers contain can be used for:

• direct & targeted marketing
• cam be accessed by hackers

California is addressing vehicle data via regulation by requiring:

• notice and consent
• before information can be collected from operators
• this excludes information that is needed to operate the vehicle

The Guardian | Self-driving cars: overlooking data privacy is a car crash waiting to happen

• California
• Florida
• Michigan
• Nevada
• North Dakota
• Utah
• Tennessee
• D.C.

NCSL | AUTONOMOUS | SELF-DRIVING VEHICLES LEGISLATION

The Colorado U.S. Senate race features candidates touting new transportation funding mechanisms like:

• Cut agency costs to spend more money on road construction
• the federal government should not fund construction on state roads
• the feds should fund road maintenance of federal roads and return the remainder of gas tax revenues to the states
• switch to a vehicle miles traveled taxing system
• expand energy production to public lands and use the tax revenue for transportation

Denver Business Journal | Republican Senate candidates advocate new ways to increase funding for Colorado roads

What: Jacobs Engineering, a Fortune 500 company

What does Jacobs Engineering do? “monumental transportation and energy projects across the globe”

Where is it moving from? Pasadena, CA

Where is it moving to?  Dallas, TX

The economic Incentives?  $277,500 grant from Dallas’ economic development committee

Community Impact Newspaper | CA: Jacobs Engineering Plans to Move Jobs From Pasadena to Texas

California Assembly debate over a ride share bill that would allow companies to check criminal backgrounds of drivers in state criminal background check systems turned nasty.

The 5 reasons why debate took a mean turn:

• Legislators say the author promised to provide liability immunity for companies that did not use the state criminal background check
• The author said he never made a promise to limit liability for companies
• The nasty debate, resulting in admonishments from leadership, caused the bill to fail 32-25

Sacramento Bee | California lawmakers trade personal attacks during ride-for-hire debate

WHO IS PUSHING SAN ANTONIO TO MONTERERY HIGH SPEED RAIL? Congressman Henry Cuellar since 2008

PUBLIC OR PRIVATE FUNDING? Private

WHAT ARE ECONOMISTS SAYING?Monterrey/Saltillo and San Antonio/Austin is the largest economic generator in the world over the next 20 years

News4SA | High-speed passenger rail line could link San Antonio to Monterrey

Google is programming self driving cars with the ability to honk. Here’s what you need to know when Texas considers self-driving car bills again in 2017:

• Google is pre-programming 2 honks:
  • a friendly “quiet two pips” to alert other drivers
  • af ull-on “loud sustained honk” for emergent situations
• the human driver offers feedback to allow the honk or not
• the honking system identifies false positives like cars making 3 point turns

Trusted Reviews | Google has taught its autonomous cars proper honking etiquette
 

• Cy-Fair Houston Chamber of Commerce
• Greater Tomball Area Chamber of Commerce
• Transportation Advocacy Group-Houston Region
• Bay Area Houston Transportation Partnership
• Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership

The businesses support high speed rail in Texas because:

• high speed rail is “a catalyst for economic development “
• represents “an innovative alternative for Texans’ growing transportation demands”

Cypress Creek Mirror | Houston-area business groups support for Texas’ high-speed train

What fee does Texas DMV want to increase? DMV proposes a $5 processing and handling fee, with a $1.25 discount for online renewals

Why are county tax assessors/collectors opposed to the $5 processing fee? The move to encourage online renewals, would cause counties to lose fees. 

Houston Chronicle | Texas auto registration fees would jump $5 in DMV plan; tax collectors opposed

HOW: South Carolina legislature chose bond funding for transportation by:

• Allocating $216 million in recurring funding for $2.3 billion in bonds over 10 years
• Freeing up state funds to repair roads, interstates, and bridges

WHY did South Carolina opt for bonding?

• 399 deficient bridges
• The Governor is granted more power to appoint trasnportation commissioners, removing power from the joint legislative panel that selects commissioners
• The legislature had the backing of the state’s chamber of commerce

Greenville Online | Road-funding, DOT reform bill headed to Haley’s desk

Where did statewide ride share legislation fail? Missouri

What issues were sticking points?

• Critics wanted finger print background checks
• Ride Share wanted preemption from local ordinances

SF Gate | Uber, Lyft: Failure of Missouri bill makes growth unlikely

The Rangers are moving forward toward a new stadium.

But, how do you connect people to the stadium? Overwhelming majority of stadiums are linked to rail.

An additional spur for high speed rail to Arlington would be just the ticket.

Dallas Morning News Column | Arlington, if you retain Rangers, take me out to the ballgame on a train

The toll rate hike would cost more to implement than it would bring in.

What costs are considered when implementing a toll hike?

• cost to update internal, roadside and back-office tolling systems
• cost to purchase new permanent roadside signage
• cost to update external digital and print materials
• cost to complete testing of the tolling infrastructure system
• cost to conduct transactional audits to ensure accuracy of the system changes once implemented

Houston Chronicle | Harris County keeps toll rates unchanged