California high speed rail authority Chairman Dan Richard said in testimony to an Assembly transportation committee:

• its going to take longer
• we’re already 2 years behind and there is no estimate on how much longer it will take
• costs are going down

L.A. Times | Bullet train may take longer to build but cost less than originally estimated, official says

Gizmodo | California’s Bullet Train Is Delayed, and Nobody Knows How Long It Will Take

Austin Mayor Adler has a piece in Trib Talk about ride share entitled, Innovation is the way forward for Austin and Uber/Lyft. 

His main points:

• an election is costly, and that money could be spent on other projects
• forcing a hand on ordinances isn’t the Austin way
• he wants to keep Uber and Lyft in Austin
• he supports independent, third-party, cross-platform, virtual badges or validators that we call the Austin Thumbs Up! badge via 
• Austin Thumbs Up! would utilize 3rd parties to verify a person voluntarily passed a fingerprint background check
• he prefers incentives over mandates

• Texans Against High Speed Rail partnered with a lawfirm to move their land rights and enviromental concerns to court
• Public Comment will start this summer on the Texas High Speed Rail Environmental Impact Statement 

NBC DFW | Texas High-Speed Rail Facing Legal Challenge

• 27 miles of rail has an enormous price tag of $998.78 million
• local officials are aggressively pushing it & have not secured funding
• “our community” hasn’t signaled a “desire” for mass transit, even Travis County voted before they approved rail & we haven’t
• local officials are  entering into a deal with the” irrational and fiscally irresponsible federal government”
• it won’t have an impact on traffic congestion based on the environmental impact study
• rail projects attract high earners and “neglects the needs of our most vulnerable”

Ft. Worth Star Telegram | TEX Rail is moving full-speed ahead, but should it be stopped?

What state is gutting its mass transit budget? Colorado is moving a bill that would remove mass transit funding

What impact would this have on local government mass transit projects? 

• There would be no state grants to local transit agencies
• Transportation officials also say it means “lost funding opportunities for organizations that provide transportation services for the elderly and people with disabilities”

Which party is pushing this? Republican

The Gazette | Bill would gut state funding for mass transit in Colorado

• Sharon Denny
  • McKinney
  • vice president of Strategy for Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems
  • B.S. in journalism from the University of Maryland & a Master of Science in natural resource management strategy from the National Defense University in Washington D.C.
• Amy L. Gowder 
  • San Antonio
  • vice president of Supply Chain Management for Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company
  • B.S.  in bioengineering from Arizona State University & a MBA from MIT
• Cathy Kilmain, Ph. D.
  • North Richland Hills
  • executive vice president of engineering for Bell Helicopter
  • B.S. in aerospace engineering from Syracuse University & a Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy in aerospace engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology
• J.Ross Lacy 
  • Midland
  • president of Lacy Oil Corporation
  • active at UT-PB from where he received a BBA in finance
• Bob Mitchell
  • ​Pearland
  • president of the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership
  • very active : University of Texas Medical Branch Health System Advisory Board, Texas A&M University at Galveston Board of Visitors. Additionally, he serves on the boards of the Manned Spaceflight Education Foundation, Inc., HCA Gulf Coast Regional Advisory Board, Rotary National Award for Space Achievement Board of Advisors, and Gulf Coast Limestone, Inc
• Terry Stevens
  • ​Waco
  • partner of First Title Company of Waco, LLC, and President/CEO of M&I Industries, Inc.
  • former mayor of Woodway & past chairman of the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce
• John Elbon
  • ​Seabrook
  •  vice president and general manager of Space Exploration at Boeing
  • B.S. in aerospace engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology
• Robert Harless
  • ​Dallas
  •  vice president and general manager of the Gulfstream Service Facility
  • B.A.  in applied science from Thomas Edison State College in Trenton, NJ. 
• Janine K. Iannarelli
  • ​Houston
  • founder and president of Par Avion Ltd.
  • founding member of the Peace Parks Foundation of Stellenbosch, South Africa
  • B.S.  in business administration from Montclair State University, New Jersey
• Gilberto Salinas
  • ​Brownsville​
  • executive vice president of the Brownsville Economic Development Council & member of TexasOne
  • Bachelor of Journalism from the University of Texas and Master of Communication from the University of Texas Pan-American.

Governor Abbott Names Presiding Officer And Appoints 10 To The Aerospace And Aviation Advisory Committee​

Loyal subscribers will recall thge luck Georgia had when it increased its gas tax when gas prices were low and taxpayers offered little objection.

Now, Alabama wants to follow suit with this proposal to raise the gas tax:

• 5 cent increase in the gas tax
• with the seal of approval from the Alabama Legislature’s Permanent Joint Transportation Committee
• American Petroleum Institute says the total Alabama gas tax will be 44 cents, that is including 18.4 cents of federal gas tax

The Hill | Alabama considering gas tax hike

After condemning 350 pieces of property to build the first 28 miles of track in Southern California, the first segment of operational track may be moved to San Francisco Bay Area.

Why the switch in starting track? The Los Angeles portion of the high speed rail is expected to be:

• costly
• time-consuming
• geologically complex  with the Tehachapi and San Gabriel mountains and a large system of tunnels and aerial structures

East Bay Express | Monday Must Reads: Transportation Funding Hurt by Plummeting Gas Prices; Bullet Train May Connect to Bay Area First

Los Angeles Times | Bullet train’s first segment, reserved for Southland, could open in Bay Area instead

California Department of Motor Vehicles has been wokring on rules for self driving cars since 2012. Here’s everything you need to know to be informed:

• California DMV has a self driving car manufacturer & testing website 
• California is in the public input portion of rule making, on schedule to beat the feds on rules
• What did California do by statute? defintions and rule making. The defintions:
  • “Autonomous technology” means technology that has the capability to drive a vehicle without the active physical control or monitoring by a human operator.
  • “Autonomous vehicle” means any vehicle equipped with autonomous technology that has been integrated into that vehicle. An autonomous vehicle does not include a vehicle that is equipped with one or more collision avoidance systems, such as electronic blind spot assistance, automated emergency braking systems, park assist, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, and traffic jam and queuing assist.
  • An “operator” of an autonomous vehicle is the person who is seated in the driver’s seat, or if there is no person in the driver’s seat, causes the autonomous technology to engage.
  • A “manufacturer” of autonomous technology is the person that originally manufactures a vehicle and equips autonomous technology on an originally completed vehicle or, in the case of a vehicle not originally equipped with autonomous technology by the manufacturer, the person that modifies the vehicle by installing autonomous technology to convert it to an autonomous vehicle after the vehicle was originally manufactured.
• The focus of DMV rulemaking is to develop requirements for :
  • evidence of insurance
  • surety bond
  • self-insurance required for manufacturers’ testing of autonomous vehicles.
  • application process to operate an autonomous vehicle beyond testing, including:
    • any testing, equipment, performance standards, or safety standards.

Sacramento Bee | AM Alert: California jump-starts discussion on self-driving car rules

What group is doing the transportation company analysis? R Street  , it has an Austin “office” too

Did they grade by state or city? By City

How did the Texas cities do?

• On Transportation Network Company Friendliness
  • Austin           A   
  • Dallas           B
  • El Paso         B
  • Ft. Worth       B
  • Houston        D+
  • San Antonio  C
• On Taxi Friendliness
  • Austin            C
  • Dallas            A
  • El Paso          D
  • Ft. Worth       A
  • Houston        C
  • San Antonio   C
• On Limo Friendliness
  • Austin            F
  • Dallas            B
  • El Paso          B
  • Ft. Worth        B
  • Houston         F
  • San Antonio    F
• Overall Transportation Friendliness
  • Austin            C+
  • Dallas            B+
  • El Paso         C+
  • Ft. Worth       B+
  • Houston          D+
  • San Antonio    C-

R Street Institute Transportation Regulation Analysis 

Americans for Tax Reform | R Street Institute Grades 50 US Cities on Transportation Regulations

Which state is considering a new sales tax break for car manufacturers? California

What kind of the sales tax break is under consideration? eliminate sales tax on new automobiles manufactured in California for out-of-state buyers

• California is looking at switching the gas tax to a tax on mileage
• Indiana is looking to hike the gas tax and cigarette taxes for roads
• Michigan Republicans see road funding in an increase in sales tax
• Virginia is looking at a tax on mortgage filings and property lien filings to fund roads

Americans for Tax Reform | Meanwhile, in the States…

• California has  $77 billion in deferred road maintenance
• California Governor called on building a reserve transportation fund
• California Governor called on new taxes specifically dedicated for crumbling roads and bridges

Governing | California Governor Calls for New Taxes to Fund Roads

What group issued this report?  National Center for Sustainable Transportation

What roadway maintenance and building options help with air quality?

• standardized pavement & construction

National Center for Sustainable Transportation | The Role of Life Cycle Assessment in Reducing GHG Emissions from Road Construc on and Maintenance 

Sacremento Bee | AM Alert: Could fixing California roads be environmental benefit?

What university is trying its own car share program? The University of Nevada at Reno

What are the program requirements?

• Any university faculty, student or staff can use the service if over the age of 18
• Any member of thecommunity can use the service if over the age of 21
• Designated & convenient  campus parking spots for the cars

What are the goals of the university based car share program?

• transportation demand management
• decrease the drive-alone rate to campus
• delay high cost parking structure construction
• the company, Zipcar, will also offer grant programs to the university

KOLO | UNR Partners With Zipcar for Campus Carsharing

California High Speed Rail Authority is in the throws of building the first stretch of rail, here’s where the project stands:

• 305 eminent domain actions since December 2013
• Acquiring more then 1,160 acres in Fresno, Kings, Madera and Tulare counties by eminent domain

Fresno Bee | More properties up for condemnation for high-speed rail

• Lower oil prices have resulted in less revenue for transportation.
• In FY16 Texas severance taxes led to $1.1 billion in transportation funding
  • FY 17 is estimated to be $594 million
  • FY 18 is estimated to be $740 million
• As for other deposits into the State Highway Fund
  • Sales and use a $2.5B deposit is estimated in 2018
  • Motor vehicle sales and rental taxes is estimated to be $375 million transfer in 2020

Texas Tribune | Falling Oil Prices Leading to Drop in Texas Road Funding

Which group is pushing Congress to act over the states? Consumer Technology Association

Why should Congress resgulate self driving cars and not states? “transportation is a national issue”

Even without Congressional action federal regulators will tell the states what to do with new guidelines. Transportation Department & its National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will create guidelines for state policymakers to draw on when regulating self-driving cars.

What’s the timeline for federal guidance? 6 months

What stakeholders? American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators and state officials

The Hill | Tech seeks green light for self-driving cars

Who is new to Air Share?  Texas Air Shuttle

Ride Share is to Taxis like Air Share is to Air Charter Association of North America​. What’s the regulatory and legislative #1 issue? Security. Who is boarding and what they are bringing with them.

Houston Chronicle | Air services say demand there for ride sharers in the sky

What state legislature is active on ride share legislation? California

The bill’s author killed his own bill? Yes, asserting misunderstandings by all stakeholders

What groups supported the bill? Consumer Federation of California

What would the bill have done? “ Require passengers to opt in before ride-hailing apps could share their contact information or any other personally identifying data with third parties.”

California Assembly Bill 886

The Recorder | Lawmaker Drops Ride-Hailing Privacy Bill

Texas elected officials are reaching out to Japan? Indeed, 33 East TX Officials, opponents to high speed rail, have contacted the Ambassador to Japan 

Who signed the letter? Local Officials, like county judges, county commissioners and members of sub-regional planning commissions, and legislators

• 11 Republican members of the Legislature: Sens. Brian Birdwell of Granbury, Lois Kolkhorst of Brenham and Charles Schwertner of Georgetown, and Reps. Trent Ashby of Lufkin, Cecil Bell of Magnolia, Byron Cook of Corsicana, Kyle Kacal of College Station, Will Metcalf of Conroe, John Raney of College Station, Leighton Schubert of Caldwell and John Wray of Waxahachie.

​What case were they making? The rail will only burden, without any benefit, their rural communities

Star Telegram | East Texas officials write Japanese envoy to derail high-speed rail project

Where did the California Energy Commission opened a Clean Transportation Center?  San Joaquin Valley

Why? 2 reasons. 

1. accelerate the use of clean vehicles and fuels
2. assist the region quickly meet its air quality targets

What will the clean energy center provide?

• technical assistance
• project development expertise
• support with acquiring funding for San Joaquin Valley vehicle fleet owners, local governments, businesses and residents.
• Expand the use of zero-emission vehicles, clean trucks and high-efficiency non-road equipment.

NGT News | State-Funded Clean Transportation Center Opens in California

Republican House Members in Indiana have a plan, a transportation funding plan to:

• Raise fuel taxes by 4 cents a gallon to 22 cents
• Raise cigarette taxes by $1
• Raise sales tax on fuel by 4 cents a gallon (about $24 per year per motorist)
• Charge electric car owners a $100 yearly registration fee
• Allow cities to charge a “wheel tax,” which is a charge of up to $25 on car registrations to help fund local projects.
• Study turning freeways into tollways

Republican leaders say:

• this plan will end transportation funding diversions
• and increase funding to other programs, like to pay for Medicaid and health programs
• “Hoosiers want investment in roads and infrastructure.”

Opponents say now is not the time to put a burden on hardowrking Hoosiers.

Supporters include Tobacco Free Indiana.

Republican House Leadership Plan counters the Governor’s plan which calls for:

• Earmark $1 billion toward road funds from:
  • a combination of state reserves
  • new bond money
  • financial commitment from the legislature for additional spending.
  •  no additional taxes
  • fund needed highway repairs for four years

IndyStar | House Republicans outline tax plan for additional road funding

Northwest Indiana Times | House Republicans’ transport bill hits the road

• Kansas Governor Brownback wants to divert $25 million in transportation dollars
• Fill the budget funding gap with $51 million in tobacco dollars from the  Children’s Initiatives Fund

And, folks, that’s how they close a budget deficit in Kansas.

WIBW | Brownback budget plan looks to divert funds from KDOT

Americans for Prosperity, a group associated with the Koch borthers, is hitting Christie on transportation funding.

What you need to know now to be informed:

• Americans for Prosperity are Opposed to gas taxes
• Calling on a leader for transportation fudning

NJ voters will vote on dedicating the remained of the gas tax, about $40M, to transportation funding.

NJ.com | Koch Bros. group hits Christie on lack of N.J. transportation fix

Which local governmental entity is pursuing a transportation reinvestment zone? Weatherford

What’s the name of the TRZ?  Weatherford Transportation Investment Partnership

What’s Weatherford’s goals with the TRZ?

• allocate taxes for new roadway projects
• spur business development along Interstate 20
• specificallt to “promote development in specific areas near the Interstate 20 corridor that lack roadway access”

What’s the revenue breakdown in the TRZ?

• 75% of “additional property taxes on new development would be designated to cover the cost of the new infrastructure”
• 25% remainder goes to the city

Weatherford Democrat | Council pursues reinvestment zone

• Transportation Secretary  Anthony Foxx made the announcement with Google and auto manufacturers General Motors, Ford Motor Co., Volvo, Fiat Chrysler and Honda
• $4 billion pledged by the federal government to fund research and testing projects
• The supportive goals relied on by the Secretary:
  • improve the U.S .transportation system
  • improve vehicle-to-vehicle communications technology
  • safety via obstacle and accident avoidance
  • 75% of the country lives in 11 mega regions, that means self driving cars could save 25,000 lives per year.

Industry Week | US Pledges $4 Billion to Speed Self-Driving Cars

I thought east coast states ran on tollways, where is there a vote moratorium? Connecticut

Who is pushing for no new toll votes? The Senate leader

What’s the rational? First, the public needs to vote to ensure dedicated transportation funding before the Legisalture votes on tolls.

What’s the transportation fudning situation in Connecticut? The Governor is proposing a 30 year, $100 billion transportation funding plan that will:

• raise state sales tax by 1/2 a penny to 6.85%
• increase the gasoline tax by 2 cents per gallon per year for 7 years

Hartford Courant | Senate President: No Votes On Tolls Until 2017

California Legislature has a newly formed Tech Caucus. It’s full name is the Legislative Technology and Innovation Caucus. 

One would think if any state had a tech caucus, it’d be California. Such is not the case. It was founded by the legislator pushing ride share legislation in California. 

The priorities of the newly founded tech caucus are:

• Touting the sharing economy. 
  •  ride share, fly share, move share, house share
• Workforce training and workplace diversity
• Bringing together tech industries and associations

The Recorder | Tech Caucus Forms, But Hasn’t Taken Shape

Which Texas County has $358M in unpaid tolls? Harris

How much does $358M in unpaid tolls equal in toll lane miles? About the same as the cost of 15 miles of the Grand Avenue Parkway

How do these unpaid tolls break down by driver numbers?

• 84,673 vehicle owe more than $1,000
• 27 drivers who owe more than $20,000 each
• One person owes $46,000

Express News | Harris County racks up $358M in unpaid tolls

Texas Legislative Council reminds us that the 2015 Legislature passed a bunch of bills with a bunch of interim study requirements. 

The transportation related interim studies from 2015 bills:

• TXDOT Planning and Expenditure Study
  • House Bill 20, Section 8 
  • Transportation Planning Select Committee
  • Report Due:  Not later than November 1, 2016 
• Sound Mititgation on Highways
  • House Bill 790, Section 1
  • Texas A&M Transportation Institute 
  • Report Due:  Not later than November 1, 2016 
• TXDOT report on Toll roads
  • House Bill 2612, Section 1
  • Contains a laundry list of what TXDOT has to do, like:
    • report on bond financing for toll roads
    • develop a plan to eliminate toll roads
  • Report Due: Not later than September 1, 2016 

Texas Legislative Council | Interim Studies established by Enrolled Bills and Resolutions of the 84th Legislature

Governor Ricketts of Nebraska has a new transportation funding plan. It’s all centered around a new transportation infrastructure bank that will:

• Be solely funded with cash reserves
• Only fund pay as you go projects
• Will have the power to:
  • accelerate road construction projects
  • help counties with funding for expedited bridge repair
  • fund transportation projects that support industry expansion
  • fund transportation projects that attract businesses to Nebraska 

WOWT | Governor Unveils Transportation Plan

The pitch by some in Missouri is that transportation funding can increase by eliminating tax credits for economic development. 

Future economic development tax credits are possible under this proposal, if and only if the Legislature meets the funding request of the Missouri transportation agency.

KGOZ | Harrisonville state representative seeks to have public vote for transportation funding 

California is the other big state thats working on high speed rail. The Californians are further along than other high speed rail projects.

California has aquired land and has awarded bids for building.

So, let’s take a look, so we can see what’s on the horizon. Knowledge is power.

The California bids for a 22 mile stretch of high speed rail in the San Joaquin Valley:

• apparent best value bid: California Rail Builders. $347.5 million. 
  • competitors came in at $377 million; $462 million & $581 million.
  • The 1st construction contract awarded was in 2013 to build 29 miles at $1 billion
  • The 2nd was awarded in 2015 at $1.3 billion for 65 miles.

Fresno Bee | Spanish team poised to win new high-speed rail contract

Which AG Opinion is this?  Its the response to Senator Nichol’s question about Houston Metro’s participation in Uptown MMD/TIRZ  transportation project

What’s the answer from the AG? We don’t know. it’s a fact question for a court and not a question about the law that the AG can answer. 

KP-0046

Why is TxDMV warning move-share companies? TxDMV is warning Texas based move share comapnies that they may be in violation of state law requiring the licensing of “anyone moving household goods in a pick-up truck for hire

Are we talking civil violations or criminal penalties? Both, including, criminal penalties

Why do we care? Remember hair braiding in 2015? Criminalizing people who are trying to earn a living in a free market does not go over well in the Texas Legislature’s current climate

TribTalk by Dan Isett | Criminalizing moving apps hurts Texas

Why are we seeing Initiative and Referndum in Texas for Ride Share? Finger print requirements for ride share drivers sparked a move toward the traditional California mechanism of intitiative and referendum

What group is pushing this? Ridesharing Works for Austin, supported by TechNet

Statesman | Uber, Lyft support ballot initiative on Austin’s ride-hailing rules

Where is this legislative movement happening?  It is a bipartisan transportation plan in Wisconsin

Did Republicans or Democrats come up with this idea? Republicans

What stumbling blocks do they have? Convincing collegues it is not a tax increase

How do they counter this? By focusing on the local vote requirement.

What does the legislation allow?

• Allow counties, with voter approval in a referendum, to impose a half-cent sales tax
• Sales tax revenue is then distributed to local municipalities for road maintenance
• Municipalities would have to maintain pre-existing spending levels so the funds wouldn’t displace spending in another area of the budget.
• Voters would have to approve the sales tax every four years.

Reminiscent of Texas’ Transportation Reinvestment Zones? Yes,

Wisconsin State Journal | Bill allowing counties to raise half-cent sales tax for transportation has bipartisan support

• New county-wide transportation reinvestment zone approved unanymously in Cameron County
• Can raise $1.6 billion for future transportation projects over the next 50 years
• Allows Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority to pledge its funding for transportation bonds

Valley Morning Star | Economic development: Court approves new transportation reinvestment zone

What state implemented statewide ride share rules? Ohio

What city had their local ride share rules preempted? Columbus

What are the statewide ride share rules? 

•  insurance obligations

  • While drivers are logged in to the app but not providing a ride, insurance policies must provide at least $100,000 of coverage for injuries to two or more people in an accident and at least $25,000 of property-damage coverage.

  • While drivers are providing a ride, the insurance policy must bump up to $1 million for liability and property damage.

• background checks
• $5,000 permit fee to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio
•  liability insurance policy when they are logged on to the app
• Drivers must be at least 19 years old

Columbus Dispatch | Ohio’s statewide regulations void Columbus’ rules for Uber drivers

OH House Bill 237

How can ride share be linked to banks? In NY, taxicabs take out loans to pay for their taxi medallions.

The economic impact on the taxi industry by the sharing economy caused banking  “unsafe and unsound conditions” at Montauk Credit Union.

Is this happening elsewhere? Yes, the banks are underwater on taxi cab medallion lonas in Boston and Chicago too.

Governing | How Banks Are Feeling Uber’s Impact

How did addressing a business interest help bridge traffic flow problems? Senate Bill 797/House Bill 979 from 2015 created a grant program to fund pay for more agricultural inspectors at Texas’ border bridges.

The grant fund program helps the agriculture business and the traffic flow on the bridges? Yes, by not slowing bridge traffic with understaffed agriculture inspectors, the congestion at international trade bridges is alleviated.

How does the money flow? The Texas Department of Agriculture Trade Agricultural Inspection Grant Program awarded a grant to the South Texas Assets Consortium that in turn funds more agriculture inspectors for the international trade bridges.

Rio Grande Guardian | STATE PROVIDES FUNDING FOR MORE BORDER BRIDGE AG INSPECTORS

What special session? the 29th Special Session of the Nevada State Legislature

What’s the issue before the Legislature? Faraday Future wants to builda  $1 Billion manufacturing facility for electric cars north of Las Vegas.

• NV legislators will consider $ 215 million dollars in tax breaks to the company over 15 years
•  Amend laws to allow local government agencies to waive licenses or permits
• Amend laws  to allow financing for water, rail and natural gas improvements
• Revise and fund a special workforce training program for Faraday’s expected 4500 workers.

Remind me is the Governor an R or a D? Governor Sandoval is a R

Is this the 1st time Nevada changed laws for economic development purposes in special session? No, last year it did the same for Tesla. 

• Tesla received $1.3 billion in incentives to build a $5 billion gigafactory east of Reno

News4 Reno | Nev. legislature special session underway for Faraday Future deal

Sacramento Bee | Special session on Faraday incentives to continue Friday

• drivers will have to pass fingerprint-based background checks
• compliance is phased in over 1 year beginning February 1st 2016
• Councilmembers Ellen Troxclair and Don Zimmerman voted against the proposal
• Councilmember Ann Kitchen led the fight to conform requirements for ride share to those of taxi cabs
• Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo echoed a safety concern that if there is no ride share operating in Austin, due to fingerprint requirements, then the number of drunk drivers will increase.

Governing | Austin Passes Stricter Rules for Uber, Lyft

The benefits of self driving cars:

• greatly reduce crashes
• reducing congestion
• increasing mobility for the disabled
• improving land use by converting existing urban parking spaces to other uses

Legislative Proposals:

• Public-private partnerships with cities, like Somerville, MA’s partnership with Audi
• Legislation needs to address the varying environmental conditions that self driving cars will face
• Legislation should assure the reliability of the technology
• Legislatures must fund investments in infrastructure communication equipment
• Legislatures need to address  cybersecurity from cars being hacked to the data stored or transmitted to communication infratructure for self driving cars

Governing | Tailoring Our Transportation Systems for Self-Driving Cars

What’s the pitch? Colorado Business leaders are calling for a $3.5 billion bond measure.

What’s the organization backing the bond? Fix Colorado Roads

What happened to Colorado’s legislative proposal on transportation bonds in 2015? The bonds hit road blocks when Colorado Department of Transportation raised issues.

How did the agency kill bonds? CO DoT raised concerns that bond maintenance would take money away from road maintenance. 

The Durango Herald | Colorado business leaders propose transportation funding fix

Texas Central partners hosted an open house in Madisonville. Residents let their feelings be heard. Here’s what they said:

• “We’re heartbroken, we’re shocked, my sons have been crying and it’s not right,”
• “I would be upset about this issue even if it did not directly impact us, because this is the unlawful usurpation of Texans’ property.”
• “All we wanted to do is become a part of the community and be left alone, and now we have to potentially fight this,”

Bryan College Station Eagle | Residents raise concerns over proposed high-speed rail at Madisonville open house

Greater Houston Partnership Transportation Council is examining RideScout.

What’s Ride Scout? An App that “replicates the reliability and flexibility of car ownership with access to bus, rail, bikeshare, car share, taxi, carpool, walking, biking, driving and parking”

Greater Houston Partnership

How the Fees are moving through Special Commission to Legislature:

• A Commission in Washington State is moving forward with pilot programs and statewide recommendations for Road Usage Fees.
• Usage Fees are referred to as a “potential long-term sustainable funding source for transportation infrastructure”
• A full report to the Washington Legislature is due January 2016.

The road usage fee proposal:

• 1.9 cents per mile
• Average truck/suv = $6 per month
• Average Car = $10.23 per month
• Average hybrid = $10.67 per month
• Average fuel efficient car =$6.50 per month

KIRO7 | State Transportation Commission looking at road usage charge

Freight movement is entering a new, driverless world. Both 18 wheelers and train cargo are entering a new automated world. The future is now.

5 Ways driverless freight will impact  Texas:

• it will change the economics of freight shipping
• resolve truck driver shortages
• reduce the cost of freight shipping
• more fuel efficient freight shipping
• safer freight shipping

The big truck companies testing driverless big rigs:

• Freightliner/Daimler
•  Volvo
• Peterbilt

Forbes | Self-Driving Trucks Could Rewrite The Rules For Transporting Freight

Ride Share Contracts are a modern contract lawyer’s dream. Evolving, intrictate, and constantly litigated.

One ride share company is altering its contract with drivers to include fixes illuminated by a trial court judge concerning arbitration provisions. New provisions, familiar to those who read the Texas Civil Practices and Remedies Code for bed time reading are:

• allows for severability of certain state law claims
• removes the requirement that arbitration be kept confidential
• amends the driver agreement’s effective date.
   

The Recorder | Uber Rewrites Driver Contract to Force Arbitration

…Paul Allen.

Who teamed up with Paul Allen? Department of Transportation

What’s the project?Smart City Challenge

What’s the goal of the Smart City Challenge for traffic solutions?

​incentivize forward-thinking, high-tech solutions to the gridlock and inefficiencies that come part and parcel with urban living. T

What kind of traffic solutions are being grant funded?  

• smarter cars
• street lights
• public transit
• anything that makes transportation quicker, easier, and safer.

Japan seeks to invest in 2 U.S. Projects:

• Texas Central Rail, high speed rail between Dallas and Houston utilizing shinkansen bullet trains
•  a Northeast Corridor Maglev train between Washington and New York.

Details about the Texas investment:

• Funding will be from “Japan Overseas Infrastructure Investment Corporation for Transport & Urban Development”
• Funding is via a public-private fund

Nikkei Asian Review | Japan’s high-speed trains gaining interest in US

Texans Aginst High Speed Rail are advising land owners to:

• NOT signing the consent form for pre-condemnation access to survey land
• specifically deny access
• post No Trespassing Signs

Navasota & Grimes County Examiner | An open letter from TAHSR to Texans

3 New Kids Joined Texas Central Rail this week:

• New CFO: Lori Wilcox
  • 25 years in accounting and finance
  • formerly senior vice president and CFO for Balfour Beatty’s Central region
• Managing Director of Deisgn Build Program: Doug Jones
  • 38-year veteran of the construction industry
  • formerly with Balfour Beatty Construction
• Managing Director of External Affairs: Holly Reed
  • 25 years with AT&T 
  • formerly AT&T’s regional vice president of external affairs

Dallas Business Journal | Texas Central Partners names 3 new executives at high-speed rail developer

Progressive Railroading | Texas Central expands executive team with new hires

Who? Vidor Mayor Robert Viator Jr. has “trust issues” with the Texas Turnpike Authority proposed 10 mile toll road from Vidor to Beaumont

Why does the mayor have trust issues? The company altered its projections to add 25 years to reach $9 billion in profits.  The company projects that it will take a total of 75 years for the private toll company to reach $9 billion in profits.

What opposition groups and issues are emerging? 

Those challenging the project include:

• Vidor Mayor Robert Viator Jr.
• Jefferson County Judge Jeff Branick
• environmental groups concerned about the Big Thicket National Preserve

The issues challening the project:

• the use of eminent domain for the project by the private toll company, if the company partners with TXDOT or a local governmental entity
• the corporation has never successfully completed a toll road project 
• Environmental Concerns about putting a toll road through Big Thicket National Preserve

The Examiner The Indendent Voice of SE Texas | Vidor concerned about toll new toll road could take on community

Weren’t private toll roads stripped of their eminent domain power by the 2015 Texas Legislature? Yes.

So, how is a private toll road near Beaumont building a new toll road? The private toll comapny asked local governments to enter into an intrerlocular agreement. If, eminent domain needs to be exercised, it will be through the local governmental entities.

What’s the reception to the private tollroad in SE Texas? SE Texas appears to have learned from 2014 Dallas area defeat of the Texas Turnpike Authority. A group, Citizens in Southeast Texas, has been organized to oppose the project. 

Is the issue just eminent domain? No, the proposed toll will also run through Big Thicket National Preserve, drawing concerns from conservationists.

Port Arthur The News | Big Thicket National Preserve threatened by proposed 105 toll road 

 Japan Overseas Infrastructure Investment Corporation for Transportation & Urban Development (JOIN) has agreed to contribute $40 million in funding for Texas Central Partner’s high speed rail.

Texas Central funding to date?  $75 million from Texas based investors

Total Estimated cost for the Dallas to Houston segment?  $10 to $12 billion for the 240 miles

 Texans Against High-Speed Rail, an opposition group, wants:  An assurance that no taxpayer funding will go to the project.

NBCDFW | Texas High-Speed Train Receives More Cash

Google cars are maneuvering Austin roadways while Texas’ regulation of self-driving cars is laissez-faire libertarian.

4 Reasons Why the libertarian approach has prevailed:

• Texas laws & regulation have no obvious restrictions on self-driving vehicles
• Google is frustrated with a year delay in California’s state regulation of self driving cars
• DPS is reportedly working with other states on the issue
• TXDOT says it is waiting for legislative guidance

Statesman | In Texas, debate continues over Google self-driving cars

Nevada Governor Sandoval (R) wants the state’s transportation commission to include support for self driving cars in the expansion of Insterstate 15 in Las Vegas.

Reno Gazette Journal | Sandoval wants self-driving cars in freeway plans

A google car driving 24 miles per hour in a 35mph zone was pulled over in Mountain View, CA when an officer saw the traffic jam the self driving car created.

The self driving car max speed is set at 25mph.

Washington Post | Dr. Gridlock | Google self-driving car pulled over for going too slow

McAfee Labs 2016 Threats Predictions puts hacking cars as the top security risk, & here’s why:

• ” rapid increase in connected automobile hardware built without foundational security principles”
• In August 2015, a white hat hacker discovered a security flaw in GM Onstar that allowed a hacker to take over a vehicle

Findlaw | Technologist | Car Hacking Tops List of 2016 Cybersecurity Threats

Background

•  In 2013, the feds were super cautious about self driving cars. 
• States stepped up and began creating regulatory frameworks
• Then, California asked the feds for advice & the feds began rethinking their position

New Federal Guidelines Emerging for Self Driving Cars that will:

• Transportation Secretary has directed National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to get moving on self driving car rules
• The new rules will: “reflect today’s technology and his sense of urgency to bring innovation to our roads that will make them safer.”
• Feds are likely to endorse self driving cars in the new rules

State Regulation Leader:

• California will release new rules to move self driving cars to a broader use in California by the end of 2015.

APNewsBreak: Feds revising wary stance on self-driving cars

What’s the new high speed rail project? High Speed Rail from Los Angeles to Las Vegas

What group is behind the project? Nevada High-Speed Rail Authority

9 Facts to Know about the Project:

• It has an exclusive relationship with XpressWest ( a Las Vegas based company)
• no state dollars are pledged or committed 
• NV Governor’s Office of Economic Development is engaged in the project
• zero-emissions train
• cuts in half the time of the travel to 80 minutes
• tickets will cost less than $100 round-trip
• will ultimately connect with the California High Speed Rail Project
• Estimated to cut road traffic by 25%
• Partnership with a Chinese firm that has pledged $100 million for the $8 billion project

Sacramento Bee | Project to link Vegas and California with train gets boost

In 2012, Attorney General Abbott was asked by Chairman Pickett to answer questions about:

Which County is proposing a Transportation Reinvestment Zone? Cameron County

How is Cameron County moving forward with the Transportation Reinvestment Zone? The County Commissioners are voting to approve a merger of 5 TIRZ districts

What 3 benefits do they see in the Transportation Reinvestment Zone?

• “transportation projects can be completed much more quickly”
• there will be more funding as the RMA will be able to pledge the existing TIRZ funds for a bond directly
• Potential to create an economic boon for the region

4 benefits of transportation projects:

• Creates jobs
• Improves the quality of life
• Leads to economic development
• Increases the ad valorem tax base

Refreshing our Recollection: Why do TRZ districts matter?   Transportation Reinvestment Zones were raised by North Texas County Judge during an September 2015 Meeting of the Select House Committee on Transportation Planning. 

Attorney General Opinions at Play: GA-0981 lays out a way that could lead to a constitutional challenge against a TRZ for violating equal and uniform taxation. Cameron County is operating under a theory that a county-wide TRZ does not give rise to a constitutional challenge.

Brownsville Herald | County weighs combined TRZ zone

A survey of businesses in Minnesota by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce reveals how these businesses feel about filling that state’s $6 Billion, over 10 year, transportation funding deficit.

The results:

• Largely Oppose new taxes even for transportation funding
• 64%  support dedicating a sales tax on automobile parts and rental cars
• 2nd most popular funding option- fees
  •  Specifically, increasing license tab fees & dedicating those fees to roads. 

Transit Talk (Twin Cities) | Report: Businesses oppose new transportation taxes

Both the Beaumont Enterprise and the Midland Reporter-Telegram ran editorials supporting raising the gas tax. 

• 2015 Prop 7 is not enough for transportation funding
• The state still needs $5 billion per year for transportation funding
• “The only realistic answer is increasing the gasoline tax, which hasn’t changed since 1991”

Midland Reporter-Telegram | Texas highways need more funding, higher gasoline tax

Transportation

Funding | Tollroads | THE INTERIM CHARGES

• Appropriations: funding that accurately address transportation needs
• County Affairs: private roadways from 2015’s Prop 5; is it undue competition between industry and counties or expand it?
• Elections: local bond elections
• Homeland Security & Public Safety: commercial motor vehicle violations, motor vehicle “two steps, one sticker”
• Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence: examine the Texas Lemon Law
• Transportation: roadway flows in disasters; toll road designations; design-build; alternative modes of transportation (high speed rail?)

 Funding | Tollroads | YOUR INFORMED INTEL

• AG Opinion Request: Chair of Transportation Committee Asks About Design Build. 3 Points to Know Now
• 3 Ways Business is Pitching Transportation Funding in Land of Cheese Heads
• Rural Road Funding. 2 Reasons Funding Remains Inequitable. 4 Ways to Fix it
• Hyperloop Contest at Texas A&M. Who. What. Where. Why.When. How high Speed Rail is Involved
• Lege Trend: State Switches Away From User Fees to Fund Transportation to Rely on …
• Lege Trend: Sales Tax for Road Funding. County Based Funding with Pros & Cons
• 6 Poll Results on Support of Transportation Funding
• Lessons from the Peach State on When to Index the Gas Tax
• Senate Interim Charges 2015. Accountability. Eliminate Toll Roads. No Eminent Domain for Private Toll Roads
• Trend: Electronic Data to Prioritize Road Repair
• Transportation Safety & Oil Boom Costs Billions. New Report. 4 Points
• 7 Results of Texas Variable Speed Pilot Study. 3+ Procurement Opportunities Abound
• TXDOT Sunset Commission Self Evaluation. Transportation Reinvestment Zones
• Trend: 2 Texas Senators Continue Opposition to Toll Roads
• 5 Points from Gov. Abbott Transportation Talk this Week
• Lege Trend: Gas Tax Reforms in a Southern State Improve Transportation Funding
• Speaker Straus Applauds removal of Toll Lanes
• Another State Moves Toward Gas Tax Reform
• Gov. Abbott Signs Transportation Agreement with Mexico. 3 Take Aways
• House Select Transportation Committee. 4 Take Aways. TTI & Collin County Judge
• 3 Takeaways from Speaker Straus: Transportation Reforms Continue with HB 20 Report
• Track national spending on Transportation Infrastructure. Charts and Trends
• $32 Billion transportation bond approved in Red State
• TAMU Transportation Institute: Good Economy = Bad Traffic. 7 Strategies to Combat Congestion
• 3 State Regulatory Trends: Taxing Trains. Oil. Transparency
• 5 Ways Utah Reformatted its Transportation Funding. AZ looking to Follow Suit
• Funding Roads with Cigarette Taxes on the Ballot in 2015
• Golden State in Special Session on Transportation Funding & Governance. 2 Governance Proposals
• Lege Trend: New Transportation Fee for Motor Vehicles
• Local Gov Trend: Businesses Support Sales Tax. More Transportation Funding. Improves Economic Development
• One City. One Transportation Trust Fund. Pay as You Go with Sunsets

Self-Driving Cars| Rail | Ports| THE INTERIM CHARGES

• International Trade & Intergovernmental Affairs: how trade agreements impact on ports & freight infrastructure
•  Transportation: self driving car traffic safety & economic productivity

Self-Driving Cars| Rail | Ports| YOUR INFORMED INTEL

• Lt. Gov: New Advisory Board for Ports & Upcoming Interim Select Committee
• Trend: Hyperloops. Pods. Coming to Austin. Economic Development Looking
• Trend: Self Driving Cars. 2 Regulatory Hurdles
• Regulatory Trend: New Rules for Self Driving Cars in the West
• The Home of the Ducks has a new State Transportation Panel for Long Term Funding with 4 Focus Areas
• A New Revenue Generator for Texas Ports
• Self Driving Cars Coming to a Street Near You
• UPDATE: Mexico-US New Train Bridge
• New Public Private Partnership. A $10 M for Testing Grounds for Self Driving Cars
• Elon Musk. Self Driving Cars. Regulations. Sun Valley
• Congruency: Energy. Ports. Mexico Deregulation

What cause of action are contract taxi drivers bringing against ride share companies? Tortious interference with business, punitive damages, and class certification.

Where is the lawsuit filed? Missouri, St. Louis County Circuit Court.

What are the laws and ordinances for ride share in Missouri? 

• Statewide: no supportive laws
• Local ordinances: As of September 18, 2015, St. Louis Metropolitan Taxicab Commission allows for ride share operators as long as drivers are fingerprinted as part of their background check. 
  • The local ordinance is in federal court after ride share companies sued, and the Commission counter sued. 

Courthouse News Service | St. Louis cabbies take the fight to uber

Which regional planning committee meeting is drawing the attention of activists? An Ellis County Sub Regional Planning Commission (“391 commission”) on Thursday November 19th at the Ennis National Bank Event Center

What issue is the regional planning committee hearing? High speed rail

Which activists are engergizing their base? Texas TURF &  Texans Against High-Speed Rail

Eliminating all current toll roads would add $1.5 to $2 billion to Texas transportation funding needs per year.

Corpus Christi Caller Times | No tolls could mean $2 billion road funding gap

• Projected path will be San Antonio to Laredo to Monterrey
• Will carry passengers
• Will also carry cargo
• State Representative Richard Raymond has signaled confidence in the plan
• Congressman Cuellar has had talks with TXDOT and officials in Nuevo Leon, Mexico

KGNS | Richard Raymond, Henry Cuellar making rail line project a reality

• High speed rail will take the same amount of time to get to Houston or Dallas in door-to-door travel time
• Does not solve roadway traffic congestion
• high speed rail “solid embankment may interrupt agricultural operations”
• high speed rail solid embankment may interupt  migration patterns of local wildlife”
• ” disrupt the peace and quiet for families used to living in rural areas”
• Negatively impact rural proeprty values
• taxpayer subsidies 
• impair private property rights

The Battalion | Texas high speed rail meets opposition from land owners

Oregon is the only state to be testing, pay as you drive, taxing structure for its citizens.

How does it work? A green box is attached to a car’s steering column, and reports speed, braking, and distance to a 3rd party contractor. 

The fee for pay as you drive in Oregon? 1.5 cents per mile.

Unlike the gas tax a Prius and F-150 would pay equal amounts.

It changes driving habits. One Prius driver reported breaking less.

A non-GPS device option will be available for statewide use, to quell concerns of privacy advocates of a state tracking its residents.

California will begina  similar pilot program in 2017.

Governing | A Real Way to Replace the Gas Tax

What’s happening in the dark world of data collection by the government? A vendor has approached Bowie County about a license plate reader that will search if the vehicle is insured so the county can then levy fines against uninsured vehicles.

The county says we don’t know if its legal. Wants the AG to answer that question.

Oh and by the way if this data system is legal, can we use it to fine people and split fees? Because red light cameras were so popular.

RQ-0062-KP

• The question before Attorney General Paxton:  Can TXDOT enter into Design Build contracts in fiscal year 2016-2017 with funds appropriated for that year.
• Why is this a question? Design Build Rider 47 to HB 1 and the Transportation Code Conflict.
  • Rider 47 has a higher threshold, $250 million, than statute, which has a $150 million threshold
• Opposition thinks Rider 47 is unconstitutional. Can’t go changing substantive law in the budget, but you can as long as no court or parliamentarian stops you.

RQ-00063- KP

Lt. Gov. Patrick announced a new port subcommittee on the Transportation Advisory Board.

What the future holds for this subcommittee:

• tracks interim charges for Senate Transportation
• Will lead to a Interim Select Committee on Ports
• Potentially a Joint Interim Select Committee on Ports

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick Launches New Port Inititaitve

• Transportation funding is a Return on Investment:
  • it is an enhanced tax base
  • promotes new development
  • provides a safe, efficient and reliable mode of transporting raw materials, finished products and people
• Delays in transportation cost people and businesses money
• Fuel efficeint cars are good for the environment and our pocketbooks but bad for transportation funding, and we can fix that

Green Bay Press Gazette | Invest in transportation infrastructure

The Los Angeles Times in a special piece dove deep into the California high speed rail project and found it likely over budget & late.

5 reasons why:

• No Settled Route. The deadline for phase 1 is 2022, and there is no set route throught the mountains. To connect L.A. and S.F. via high speed rail will require 36 miles of tunnels into the mountains.
• Rising Costs. The 1st phase, according to a confidential 2013 report, is 31 % over budget. The state has not used the state’s main project manager report for the project, and disreagrded the cost in its 2014 high speed rail plan.
• Voters approved bonds for a $33 billion project. The estimated cost is at least $68 billion.
• Litigation delays. Eminent domain that hits the courts takes time and casues project risk.
• Permit delays.

In 2012, the cost estimate for the project had risen to $98 billion. The cost estimate was trimmed to $68 billion by elimating service from LA to Anaheim and from SF to San Jose. 

LA Times | Special Report $68-billion California bullet train project likely to overshoot budget and deadline targets

Background

• Oil producing counties are a state revenue source. Eagle Ford Shale counties alone contribute $323 million of severance tax receipts a year.
• Unfair revenue exchange with oil counties. In the same year that DeWitt county contributed $57.5 Million in severence taxes, it received $112,000 from the comptroller for money generated from gasoline tax remittances and overweight axle fees
  • Now the oil producing counties are left with dangerous roads. This was the catalyst for a county transportation infrastructure fund grant program 

Time for the state to stop getting a “free ride.” Oil counties want the Texas Legislature to:

• Establish requirements and timelines on how repairs should be made
• Establish requirements for how the money is distributed — including the loose wording that only requires a county have increased energy production
• Must be an ongoing program for transportation funding
• Must have greater trickle down to the oil producing counties

Victoria Advocate | Texas counties call for oil, gas tax distribution reform

What, the Jetson’s have arrived in Austin? personal rapid transit pod proposal is making the rounds in Austin.

What proposal? its a 5 year old study that has been in the hands of the conomic development community that focuses on pod transportation in and around UT

Funding Options? Richard Garriott, USA PRT Inc., the group behind the Austin proposal, says private funding.

What’s the initial build cost? < $100 million

Austin Business Journal | Austin’s futuristic rapid transit pod system: Can Garriott pull it off?

• “flow of traffic” programing for freeway/ highway driving, this means so the car goes with the flow of traffic at a rate of speed higher than the speed limit
  • How do you write a law to allow the car to move at the faster than the posted speed limit sign?
• Tailgating
  • Self driving cars can be closer to the cars around it without causing accidents

The Recorder | The Road Ahead for Automated Cars

What’s the ride share surcharge proposal? A ride share comapny would pay 2 cent surchage per ride, for a total of 52 cents per ride

What’s the 2 cents per ride then set to go to fund? It would offset municipal revenue losses for a lower taxi regislation

Why the shift? The 2 cent fee is a trade to allow ride share at airports in Chicago & allow the cost of chauffer and taxi cab license fees to be reduced at the municipal level

State or Municipal ride share legislation? Municipal proposal in Chicago.

What was the opposition plan? To make ride share drivers be licensed like chauffers with the same $500 license, drug testing & background checks

Other ride share regulations included in the package include:

• $500 to $40,000  fine to ride share companies if their drivers violate the airport pickup rules
• $500 to $1,000 for drivers that violate airport pickup rules
• per trip ride hailing fee of $5

Chicago Tribune | Uber would pay 2 cents a ride but get airport access under latest Emanuel plan

Ride share has come to air travel, welcome air share. 

What’s the court hubub about air share? FAA thinks air share is tantamount to an illegal sharter airline.

What’s Air Share reponse that they are a legal, new part of the sharing economy?  Federal regulations, long before the internet, have allowed pilots to share:

• the cost of fuel
• aircraft rentals
• airport fees 

What happens next? The DC Cicruit will rule and either the case will be settled or will be appealed to the US Supreme Court.

L.A. Times | Flytenow, the aviation version of Uber and Lyft, is locked in court battle with regulators

Who? Elon Musk

What? Hyperloop design challenge , featuring US Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx, who supports high speed rail & issued a report that high speed rail will be instrumental in US transportation by 2045.

Where? Texas A&M

When? January 28 & 29, 2016

Why? The A&M “qualifying teams will get a chance to test the pods on a one-mile test track at the SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, Calif. in June 2016.”

How does high speed rail factor into this? In addition to the support of the US Secretary of Transportation for high speed rail, hyperloop can be viewed as a version of high speed rail. 

Business Insider Australia | There will be a special guest at Elon Musk’s Hyperloop contest

Michigan legislature is poised to approve a transportation funding shift from user fees to general revenue funded transportation.

What does Michigan’s new transportation funding bill look like?

• $1.2-billion road funding plan
• $600 million in general fund dollars being dedicated to roads each year, starting in 2020-21
• It would “vault Michigan from 17th to 5th in the nation in terms of how much general fund money it earmarks for transportation”

What’s the opposition? Democrats, the chief opponents, say it moves money from education & public safety.

Why the move away from user fees? 

• “user fee revenues have diminished as more fuel-efficient and alternative fuel vehicles like hybrids and electrics”
• Inflation has also held down user fee revenues

Detroit Free Press | Michigan poised for big shift in how it pays for roads

What agency is talking cybersecurity & cars? The FTC

What committee heard from the FTC? Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade of the House Energy and Commerce Committee

What did the FTC testify to?

• FTC is the “the nation’s lead privacy and data security enforcement agency”
• Proposed legislation is weaker than the FTC rulemaking on “connected cars”
• Proposed safe harbor for auto manufacturers that submit privacy policies to the Department of Transportation was too broad
• The propsed legislation significantly limit consumer protections
• “Prevent the FTC from taking action related to privacy issues beyond a manufacturer’s cars, including its use of consumer data collected from its websites”
• Proposed legislation permits retoractive cahnges to privacy policies by manufacturers
• The proposal included a creation of a council to develop cybersecurity best practices for the industry with too many industry representatives

Imperial Valley News | FTC Testifies on Proposed Legislation Addressing Privacy and Security in Connected Automobiles

National Law Review | FTC Sees Disconnect on Proposed Connected Cars Legislation 

Utah voters will be asked to approve whether counties can add a 0.25 percent general sales tax, excluding food, to be used exclusively for transportation at the county level. 

Opponents Say:

• Burdens  taxpayers
• Taxpayers will soon pay more in fuel tax & property taxes
• Utah should instead advocate for a Oregon-style vehicle-miles-traveled system. 
   

Supporters Say:

• Necessary to help address population growth, deteriorating roads, and insufficient funds
• A fuel tax increase alone is not enough to keep up with transportation funding needs.
• Counties need adeqaute funding so that they don’t put off maintenance work, making it more expensive.

LandLine Mag.com | ELECTION 2015: Utah counties to decide on transportation tax 

What’s the high speed rail in Claifornia? A state backed project connecting Los Angeles and San Francisco. 

California has been looking for building partners and the responses questioned the state financing. The issues raised:

• whether fare revenues would cover operating costs
• can this be done without public subsidies, which the project is prohibited by law from using?
• can  the first 300-mile segment between the San Fernando and Central valleys turn a profit like the project claims? questionable.

What is California’s financial obligation to the project?  

• California will provide up to $500 million per year until at least 2020
• The funding source will be “from money it expects to collect from companies to offset carbon emissions”

Governing | A Bullet Train Into a Fiscal Swamp?

• NYC. NYC can’t organize anything right
• Sharing Economy isn’t Ripe for Local Regulations. Statewide regulation is important because drivers drive between cities
• Power Struggle between the state & NYC. The big issue will be wehther the state will supercede all local regulation

Governing | States, Not Cities, Should Regulate Uber, Says New York Governor 

Politico New York | Cuomo hints at a new de Blasio fight, this time over Uber

AAA released its polling information on transportation funding this week showing huge support for transportation funding:

• 70% think the federal government should invest more than it does now for roads, bridges and mass transit systems
• 91% think it important to conduct routine maintenance and repair of roads and bridges, such as fixing potholes, repaving roads, etc.: 
• 70% rate it important to expand public and shared transportation, such as busses, commuter rail and support for car-pooling
• 67% find it important to conduct traffic safety training programs on topics such as the dangers of speeding, distracted driving and driving while impaired
• 65% find it important to reduce traffic congestion and travel time by expanding lanes and adding lanes reserved for high-occupancy vehicles
• 64% think it important to improve transportation information technology, such as automated road and traffic warning signs and route mapping software

Sierra Sun Times | AAA Says Americans Overwhelmingly Support Increased Transportation Funding

California Legislature legalized motorized skateboards. The legislation would:

• require motorized skateboards, or other similar contraptions, to follow bike lane rules
• allows for local control, enabling localities to ban their use

Economic Reason behind the legislation– tech start ups working on electric skateboards.

WallStreet Journal | Electric Skateboards Legalized in California, Reversing Ban

California’s Assembly Bill 604

• $36 Billion impact over 25 years
• All counties, not just those with stations, will reap economic benefits
• Texas Central Rail will pay property taxes in all counties
• Those property taxes are going to local schools too
• Economic boon is higher in localities with stations which will see commercial and residential economic benefits
• 10,000 full time jobs during construction
• $10 bllion in eocnomic output

Houston Chronicle | Study finds high-speed rail line an economic shot for Texas

Dallas Morning News | Study: High-speed rail would spur billions in economic benefits

Texas Central Rail | Discover the Benefits

Georgia raised its gas tax before gas prices fell. Which turned into a win-win:

• gas prices went down
• revenue went up
• Transportation got an extra $74.3 million in September.

Georgia Governor Deal | September tax revenues up 4.6 percent

What city has gone techno for road repair? In Cincinnati what amounts to a larger scanner scans roadways to prioritize repairs.

How do you scan and map roads? The laser scanning of roads offers ” more comprehensive data than the random boots-on-the-ground sampling methods used in the past.”

What’s the benefit of scanning roads?

• better assessment of needed road repairs
• saves the city money
• increases by 150% the number of lanes that can be repaved per year.

Governing | Cincinnati Uses Lasers to Tackle Road Repairs

Who authored this study about transportation safety being impacted by the oil boom? Texas A&M transportation Institute

What areas did they study to conclude its costing billions? They studied crashes in 2 time frames, 2006-2009 and 2010-2013, and in 3 areas; the Permian Basin, Barnett Shale, and Eagle Ford Shale regions.

What was the conclusion? As rig counts go up so do traffic collisions, and as rig counts go down so do traffic collisions.

How much do traffic collisions in energy development areas cost Texas? $1 billion per year on state highways and an additional $1 billion on county and local roads 

TTI’s Transportation Policy Research Center

Texas Tribune | Report: Energy Boom-Related Traffic Crashes Cost Billions

Who? Alan Clark is the director of transportation planning for the Houston-Galveston Area Council & Jeff Collins, a board member for the Transportation Advocacy Group

Where? A discussion with Community Impact papers in the greater Houston Area

What did they say? 

Collins said: 

• I am a big proponent of that project just because I see the potential benefit—not only to Houston [and] Dallas—but also the state of Texas with high-speed rail in place.
• I do think it will get built.
• There’s some opposition, more in the rural areas. I own a ranch in Grimes County, and I know I’m in the minority with my neighbors. [For] these rural counties, it could be commerce for them.
• I think we could look at piggyback[ing] on that rail and putting [in] a transit line. Maybe you put [transit] underneath [it] on the same right of way. There are some advantages, and I think our area needs it.

Community Impact | Coffee with Impact: Transportation officials

1. A plan to use Japanese shinkansen technology for Texas high speed rail is moving forward as the project is acquiring land
2. Tim Keith, CEO of Texas Central Partners, said that land has been secured  in Dallas to build a station
3. construction of which is expected to start in 2017 for completion as early as 2021
4. It will be the 1st US high spped rail to use Japanese shinkansen technology
5. Texas Central Rail will seek foreign investors from ” sources such as overseas sovereign wealth funds and pension funds”
6. Texas Central Rail seeks to secure a loan from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation 

The Japan times | Texas shinkansen project moves forward