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

Which state is at the forefront of pay by the mile policies? Oregon has pursued this option for  the last 10 years & charges 1.5 cents per mile driven with a gas tax credit

Which state begins a pay as you drive pilot program in July 2016? California
 

Why is California looking for gas tax alternatives for transportation funding?

• By 2035, California will lose 1/2 of its gas tax revenue to fuel efficieincy
• Federal Funding
  •  The FAST Act offers $95 million in funding availability to test gas tax alternatives

What will the California pilot program look like?

•  Drivers will choose either a decal for an allotment of miles or using GPS-enabled systems to tally miles

Governing | Oregon Gets Company in Testing Gas Tax Alternatives

Which Texas Congressman wrote to the Surface Transportation Board about opposing high speed rail in Texas? Congressman Brady

What is Congressman Brady’s opposition to high speed rail in Texas? 

• Congressman Brady opposes accelerated use of eminent domain or construction
• Congressman Brady says the route is wrong
• Congressman Brady opposes financial loans for high speed rail from the federal government

What is Congressman Brady’s opposition to the high speed rail route? 

• The route “splits and really damages our rural communities”
• The route will devalue land 

Is this a consistent position for Congressman Brady? Yes, he opposed a similar project as a state senator

Madsonville Meteor | Brady comes out against rail plan

Cleveland Advocate | Brady: Yes to tax cuts and troops, no to high-speed rail

• More likely Democrats
• 15% of Americans
• young
• well-educated
•  well-off
•  urban
• 56% use ride share less than once a month
• 26% use ride share monthly
• 14% use ride share weekly

Washington Post | Wonkblog | So, we’re learning a lot of interesting things about who uses Uber

• Land Use decisions will be front and center. Limited Land. Lots of Transportation projects.
• Wider streets can be less appealing
• Not every street needs a bike lane
• Light rail should be where people want it, not in neighborhoods that don’t want light rail
• Buses will be the backbone of mass transit
• 2 Way HOV lanes on ALL freeways
• Culture Change– remove the stigma that buses are for the poor & hipsters

Mass Transit | TX: Seven Points of Conversation From Mayor Turner’s Houston Mobility Plan

Minnesota Governor’s new transportation funding plan moved off the gas tax and now wants to raise trasnportation funding how? 

• increase license tab fees
• Use  government coffers to pay for $600 million/year  

Republican response?

• No, thank you.
• Its a tax
• The state has a $900 Million surplus

Minneapolis Star Tribune | Gov. Mark Dayton relents on gas tax; House GOP still says no

• By 2015 the federal transportation funding gap to maintain transportation infrastructure will be  $1.4 trillion gap
• U.S. Roads fell from #1 in the world to #11

What and who is to blame?

• President Obama blames Republicans
• Democratic Congressmen blame the stimulus package
  • too little transportation funds
  • too long wait to start projects
• Fear of raising the gas tax according to Transportation Secretary
• Republicans say a lack of faith in the federal government makes it difficult to raise a gas tax when it collects less revenue with electric vehicles and improved fuel efficiency
• Ban on earmarks halted local transportation project funding

The Hill | How politics are getting in the way of better roads and bridges

• 40,000 jobs to be created during construction
• 1 subsidiary of the Japanese company created in Dallas to oversee the High Speed Rail
• 20 technical and operations experts in Dallas
• $10 to $12 billion project
• 1,000 employees for the high speed rail
• 2021 completion 

Dallas Business Journal | Japanese company to create Dallas subsidiary for Texas bullet train

The Hill | Texas rail project poised to generate local jobs, economic benefits, choice for travelers

How long will California’s high speed rail be delayed? An additional 4 years

The reason for the delay? Federal funding was contringent on a portion of the high speed rail being completed by 2017.That portion is not finished. The original deadline was set in 2009.

Does the delay impact federal funding? No, federal funding keeps flowing. The project was originally funded through the Recovery and Reinvestment funds. 

What other funding sources fund high speed rail in California?

• $500 million a year from state greenhouse gas fees
• an additional $1 billion federal grant approved in  2010

Is there a shortfall in the project?  Yes, the project is  $43.5-billion short to complete the San Francisco to Anaheim system by 2029

Los Angeles Times | Key construction deadline for California bullet train pushed back four years

What comapny is offering ride share of self-driving cars? Tesla

How does long range ride share work? 

• Instead of ride share drivers, Tesloop uses “pilots”
• Las Vegas to Los Angeles is less than $100 each way

Where is tesloop operating? Southern California, Southern Nevada and Arizona

Tech Crunch | Tesloop offers city-to-city autonomous travel in a Tesla

One conservative voice describes Texas Central Rail high speed rail from Dallas to Houston like this:

• 10,000 jobs created, mostly in Japan
• 9 of the 11 counties oppose it 
• 49 U.S.C § 10901 may allow Texas Central Rail to be exempt from Texas eminent domain laws
• May 10, 2016, 12+ Texas state Senators and Representatives write the Chairman of the Surface Transportation Board opposing an exemption to state eminent domain laws

The Hill | Texas high speed train project takes land from Texans and jobs to Japan

4 ways Uber and Lyft are winning at the California Capitol:

• Power in Numbers. They can rally drivers, riders, and have lots of hired consultants and lobbyists
• Both parties like Ride Share.
  • ​California Democrats like the innovation
  • Texas Conservatives like the free market business aspect
• Neither State nor Cities want to regulate ride share. Power struggle is to the state’s advantage
• Delay is good for Ride Share. Ride share market share grows during times of delay and the taxi cab market share shrinks.

Uber and Lyft are winning at the state Capitol — here’s why | Los Angeles Times

Add Limestone County Commissioners to the opposition list for high speed rail.

Limestone Commissioners and residents oppose high speed rail | Groesbeck Journal 

What’s the issue about Ports and trucking companies? Whether drivers of trucks at ports are employees of the trucking companies or independent contractors

What’s the big deal whether truckers at ports are employees or not? 

• It is a legal issue that has wrapped up ride share companies & FEDEX
• Uber paid more than $100 M to settle claims
• FedEx settled at $228 Million on a driver classification suit

Where is this issue hitting the cost of goods at ports & trucking costs? 

• Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles
• The American Trucking Association says the trend will spread to other ports

Wall Street Journal | Port-Trucking Firms Run Into Labor Dispute

The May issue of Fiscal Notes from the Office of the Comptroller concerning greater transportation infrastructure by the numbers:

• 38% of Texas  major roads are poor or fair condition 
• 800 million daily vehicle miles by 2040
  • 455 million daily vehicle miles in 2014
• 19% of Texas bridges are deemed “structurally deficient” or “functionally obsolete” in 2015
• $2.5 billion of net revenue from the sales tax will be moved to the State Highway Fund beginning in Fiscal Year 2018 (Prop. 7)
•  $375 million in highway revenue, 1st transfer of 35 percent of state motor vehicle sales tax revenue above the first $5 billion (Prop. 7)
• $60 billion the amount TXDOT says is needed for urban transportation & border trade projects

The Comtroller publication highlights 4 issues in transportation funding:

• population growth
• deteriorating infrastructure
• rapidly rising road construction costs
• mobility supports commerce & industry
   

Fiscal Notes | Texas Road Finance (Part I) | May 2016

Which County Commissioners voted to oppose Texas Central Rail high speed rail plan? Navarro County Commissioners 

The number of counties staking claim to official opposition: 7

The basis for the opposition in Navarro County? Oppose the granting of eminent domain authority to the private high speed rail

County Judge names legislators who support the County Commissioner opposition resulation: Representative Byron Cook and Senator Brian Birdwell

Corsicana Daily Sun | County Commissioners oppose High Speed Rail

The Winning Side (No on the Austin Proposition):

• 56% of the vote
• 17% voter turnout
• $125,000 Spent
• $40 cost of finger print background check

The Losing Side (Yes on the Austin Ride Share Proposition):

• 44% of the vote
• 17% voter turnout
• $8 Million Spent
• $223.15 per vote
• 05/09/2016 the date Uber and Lyft may stop service in Austin

KUT | Proposition 1 Ride-hailing Measure is Soundly Defeated

Statesman | Prop 1 goes down as activist proclaims: ‘Austin made Uber an example’

Engadget | Uber and Lyft to shut down in Austin after failed vote

Which local governmetns voted to support Texas Central Rail high speed rail project between Dallas & Houston?

• Waco City Council
• Waco Metropolitan Planning Organization

On what is the Waco support based?

• high speed rail project will be an p​economic catalyst
• high speed rail is an efficient way to reduce traffic congestion

Waco High Speed Rail Resolution

Waco MPO High Speed Rail Resolution

News 25 Waco | Waco city council endorses Texas high-speed rail project

The Ellis County Press published an Op-Ed from Texans Against High Speed Rail.

What points does Texans Against High Speed Rail make in its Op-Ed?

• Texas Central Rail doesn’t have its funding in place
• Texas Central Rail has no problems using eminent domain to take land it doesn’t need
• Texas Central Rail is asking the federal government whether it has to comply with Texas eminent domain laws

Ellis County Press | TCR proposes to acquire land it ultimately won’t use to satisfy investors

Which state moved to data based funding for transportatin projects? North Carolina

When did North Carolina make the move to data based funding? 2013

Why did North Carolina adopt data based funding for transportation? To give highest priority to congestion, safety and economic development

What happened since adopting data based funding? A repeal was “snuck” into the 2015 budget.

What is North Carolina doing to strenthen data based funding?

• House Bill 988 repeals the 2015 change
• The proposal strengthens the conenction between urban and rural North Carolina by focusing on moving goods and services between the two
• The state shouldn’t kill locally approved transportation projects like a Charlotte, NC light rail project

Charlotte Observer Editorial | Taking politics out of transportation – again

Will eminent domain be used by Texas Centeral Rail to build its Dallas-Houston high speed rail?  Only if deals cannot be reached

How did property owners in Waller County react?

• Waller County Judge Trey Duhon: “This is a huge eminent domain issue. Texas is a huge private property right state.” 
• A property owner turned away a precondemnation surveyor on his property
• Reports are that deals will never come.

High Speed Rail is turning into a standoff.

KHOU | Waller County landowners vow to fight high speed rail

Driverless taxi cabs, what is that about? GM & Lyft are partnering to put self diving electric cabs on the road within 1 year

Where will this happen? Details are still being worked out

Market Watch | Wall Street Journal | GM, Lyft to test driverless Bolt taxis on public roads

The Los Angels Times editorial, Californians deserve more transparency on bullet train finances, the take aways:

• Support “common-sense transparency measures that can help them properly oversee the project”
• Lawmakers should be told how high speed rail will cover the full cost of the project
• Require that the authority include its projected borrowing costs in its business plan
• Disclose the long term costs of debt financing and securitization of debt issued against future cap-and-trade revenue
• Require high speed rail to identify changes in the project segments in each business plans to keep communities and lawmakers informed

• 65% support mileage based fees for road funding over gasoline tax increases.
• 69% say managed fee lanes should be considered

HNTB’s America Thinks Transportation Mobility 2016 survey | Trucking Info | Americans Support Mileage-Based Fees to Fund Infrastructure

What proposal is being bandied about to improve local transportation funding in California? incremental sales tax for counties to raise transportation revenue

What are the recommended benchmarks for a local transporation incremental sales tax in California?

• Flexibility & Inclusiveness.  Need local sales tax authority that can adapt to changing transportation needs
• Clear bonding authority. Leverage the sales tax revenue for bonds & other financial mechanisms

Sound familiar? Local TIRZs for transportation funding have been or are being created in South Padre and Weatherford, TX.

Orrick | Sales Tax Revenue Bonds Provide Critically Needed Transportation Funding Source

Quick response to the County Development Sub Regional Planning Commissioner Hiles by Texas Central Rail. 

Texas Central Rail responds with 3 points:

• The North Texas to Houston High Speed Rail will add $36 Billion to the economy over 25 years
• It will pay $2.5 billion in taxes to state, counties, cities, hospitals and school districts.
• The “company WILL NOT seek ANY operational subsidies from the government”

Local news Only | Texas’ high-speed train will provide economic development, jobs and extra revenue for communities along the North Texas-to-Houston passenger line

Previously on InformedIntel:

Marty Hiles, Commissioner, Community Development Sub Regional Planning Commission, makes the following 7 points about the harm to rural land from high speed rail:

• No Train Stops in rural Texas means no economic benefit for rural Texas
• Rural property values will decline
• 4 mile wide path of eminent domain is what high speed rail will take
• Building the train tracks will destroy the environment in rural Texas
• High Speed Rail construction will create a path like an F-5 tornado
• High Speed Rail will cut rural economies by 25% or more
• Schools and emergency service districts will suffer from the local property values

Local News Only Op-Ed Commissioner Marty Hiles | Texas Central Railroad, High Speed Rail will require local dirt, gravel and sand to build a 25 foot high and 100 foot wide earthen berm

What companies are members of the new self-driving car coalition? Alphabet Inc.’s Google, Ford Motor Co. and Uber Technologies Inc.,

What is the goals of the coalition?

• advocate for safety regulations for self-driving cars
• bring self driving cars to American roads

What are their arguments supporting self driving cars?

• Self driving cars will prevent accidents
• Self driving cars will save lives by preventing accidents
• Self driving cars will reduce road congestion

Fuel Fix | Coalition forms to bring self-driving cars to American roads

What ultimatum did Uber issue to Houston? Change your ordinance or Uber is out…

What are 3 reasons behind the ultimatium?

• Bureaucracy isn’t the answer. City regulations are too onerous on drivers 
• Safety Checks should be Use Modern Tech. Uber thinks its background checks are better for rider safety
• Houston Stands in the Way of Economic Opportunity for Drivers. City regulations are harming part time drivers that could benefit most from flexible economic opportunities

Houston Chronicle | Uber threatens to leave Houston

What is the question answered by Attorney General Opinion KP-0076? Whether Bowie County can engage a private company to use a license plate reader data looking for vehicles that don’t have liability insurance?

Is there a fee splitting arangement in this scenario? Yes, the vehcile owner will get a letter from the District Attorney office, and fees will be split 50-50 between the County and the company.

Can this fee splitting arrangement with automatic license plate readers work? No.

What is the statutory solution to make automatic license plate readers ok for counties? Counties need specific authority for the “use of automated photographic or similar technology to enforce the state’s vehicle financial responsibility laws. “

What does the Attorney General analysis look like? Its a laundry list of all the uses for photo enforcement in Texas. The highlights:

• statutes  limit what local government it applies to
• statutes limit specifically what can be captured by the photgraphic enforcement
• statutes limit the kind of penalty that is permitted. (i.e. civil or criminal penalties)

In Attorney General Opinion KP-0077, the question being answered is: Does TXDOT have authority to neter into design-build contracts for 2016-2017?

How did the question arise? A conflict between the appropriations bill & Section 223.242, Transportation Code.

The Attorney General’s conclusion: Yes, TXDOT can enter into design build contracts, with limits.

What limits does the Attorney General note on TXDOT’s design-build authority?

• Design Build only OK for contracts over $150 Million
• Limit of 3 design build contracts in a fiscal year

How does the Attorney General resolve the conflict on the number of design build contracts between the Appropriations Bill & Section 223.242, Transportation Code? 

• The # of contracts. The Appropriations Bill language included specific language that allowed general law to prevail. It did. HB 1 called for 10. Statutes call for 3.
• The threshold amount to trigger design-build.  HB 1 said $250 Million. Statutes call for $150 Million. The AG Opinion says the rider only applies to contracts over $250 Million & the rider has no impact on contracts between $150-$250 Million.

Marty Hiles, Commissioner, Community Development Sub Regional Planning Commission, makes the following 7 points about the harm to rural land from high speed rail:

• No Train Stops in rural Texas means no economic benefit for rural Texas
• Rural property values will decline
• 4 mile wide path of eminent domain is what high speed rail will take
• Building the train tracks will destroy the environment in rural Texas
• High Speed Rail construction will create a path like an F-5 tornado
• High Speed Rail will cut rural economies by 25% or more
• Schools and emergency service districts will suffer from the local property values

Local News Only Op-Ed Commissioner Marty Hiles | Texas Central Railroad, High Speed Rail will require local dirt, gravel and sand to build a 25 foot high and 100 foot wide earthen berm

This week’s settlement of lawsuits in California and Massachusettes maintains the indepdent contractor status of Uber drivers. 

Court sign off will occur when the judge approves the settlement.

KOLO | Uber settlement keeps drivers as contractors in 2 states

The Recorder | Uber Strikes Expensive Peace Pact With Drivers

What group is calling for improved state data security systems? National Association of State Chief Information Officers

What sparked the call to arms? the cost of cyber crime world wide is $375 billion to $575 billion, which is labled a threat to democracy

What do the NASCIO propose states do? Create statewide cybersecurity ecosystem 

What would a statewide cybersecurity ecosystem link? 

NASCIO |  Advanced Cyber Analytics | April 2016

Politico | Morning CyberSecurity | STATES PUSHED TO UPGRADE CYBER ANALYTICS

• Passenger rail between Georgetown and San Antonio will improve our region’s mobility
• The Lone Star Rail District vote to support the completion of an environmental impact study opens the door for federal capital funding
• 5 viable rail tracks
• Lone Star Rail is Economic Development
• Lone Star Rail will use public-private partnerships

Statesman | Covington: A new approach to regional rail

What part of high speed rail is the California Legislature looking to reign in? More oversight for the high speed rail project

What sparked this change? Bipartisan concerns over high speed rail after a  report by the Legislative Analyst’s Office that triggered  questions about the project’s cost, schedule and scope.

What will California’s AB 2847 do?

• Planning Disclosures. Require the rail authority to provide detailed cost, schedule and scope information about each segment  of the rail
• Funding Disclosures. Require disclosures concerning how each of those segments would be financed

Governing | California Lawmakers Seek to Tighten Bullet Train Oversight, Suggesting Growing Concern

Which state has been divying up federal transportation dollars with cities? Missouri

Which federal funds will stop being handed over to cities?

•  a small urban surface transportation program for Missouri’s smaller cities
• a bridge replacement and improvement program aimed at larger urban areas

Why will Missouri tighten the reigns on these federal funds? Missouri is under no legal obligation to divy up the federal funds to cities

Governing | Missouri May Hold On to Transportation Money Instead of Giving It to Cities

Which state is looking at economic gains from a $10 Billion transportation investment? Georgia

What economic gain is estimated from the transportation funding investment? $2 billion

What transportation gain is estimated from the new funding? 5% reduction in congestion.

Governing | Study: Georgia’s $10B Traffic Plan Could Reduce Delays

Which city will require a local business license for ride share drivers? San Francisco

How were drivers alerted of this new city regulation?  With notification by letter to all 37,018 drivers

What revenue will be generated? $3.37 million a year

Can drivers operate without a license? If and only if the driver works less than 7 days. 

How much does the license cost? $91 if the driver makes less than $100,000/year

AutoBlog | Uber and Lyft drivers need to obtain business licenses in order to drive in SF

Where did the ride share data report originate? UBER produced its first ever transparency report

The numbers of data requests from July 2015 to December 2015:

• 33 requests from government agencies
• 11,644,000 riders affected
• 583,000 drivers affected
• California, NYC, and Chicago governmental entities requested the most data
• 517,000 riders & 14,000 drivers impacted by a Houston, TX data request
• 370 riders & 370 drivers impacted by a San Antonio, TX data request

Uber | Transparency Report 

• Since ride share began in L.A. pre-arranged taxi rides fell 42%
• Since ride share, the total number of L.A. taxi rides have fallen 30%
• The impact of ride share is felt most by taxi service in tourist and nightlife areas
• In San Francisco, the number of trips taken by taxi is down 2/3 in 2 years
• The downturn in taxi use has hit taxi drivers most.
  • Taxi Drivers take home $400-$500 per week. 
  • Down from $800 a couple years ago

The decline in taxi ridership in Los Angeles mirrors trends in taxi use throughout the country.

L.A. Times | Uber and Lyft have devastated L.A.’s taxi industry, city records show

What law enforcement agency was investigating land deals in North Texas? U.S. Department of Justice

What transportation project is involved? I-35 E expansion in Denton County

What crimes are alleged to be involved in these land deals?  conspiracy to commit mail fraud

What makes people believe real estate development was land speculation?

• accused of deceiving the Texas Department of Transportation by
• buying frontage land low
• asserting that the land was under development
• and selling the frontage land for $13 million to TXDOT

Denton Record | Two indicted in connection to 35E project

Dallas Morning News | Suspicious Dallas-area highway land deals with TxDOT lead to federal indictments

Which state passed a new trasnportation funding formula? Alabama

How will Alabama be alocating tranportation dollars?

• New tax revenues will be allocated equally to all counties
• The first $500,000 per county is specifically designated as bridge and road dollars

What is the goal?

• Spread transportation dollars more equally throughout the state
• Not only allocate trasnportation funding to large projects

What new funding is involved? A 6 cent increase in the gas & diesel taxes

Alabama SB 180 (funding allocation)

Alabama HB 394 (6 cent gas & diesel tax)

Alabama Today | Alabama Legislature passes new transportation funds allocation formula

Transport Topics | American Trucking Association  | Alabama Legislature Passes Transportation Funding Formula


 

Does increased Port of Houston traffic only translate to more cargo ships?  No, it also means:

• strains on local roads with large trucks transporting cargo goods
• strains on railroad infrastructure as railroads transport cargo goods
• port channel dredging
• maintaining sturdy docks
• Port Infrastructure

What part of the country does the Port of Houston serve? The goal is to make the Port of Houston  “the distribution hub for the central U.S., from the Rocky Mountains to the Mississippi River.”

What questions does Chairman Creighton want answered by the Senate Select Committee on Ports?

• “Do our port infrastructure and assets have what they need to keep up with demand?”
• “Do our roads need taller bridges?”
• “Do our waterways need deeper drafts?”

What is the economic impact of the Ports according to Lt. Governor Patrick? $277 billion in economic impact in Texas from its ports

How is natural gas growing the Port of Houston? $50 billion in natural gas processing plants are coming online producing plastics that will be moved through the Port

Houston Chronicle | Lawmakers focus on Texas ports, starting in Houston

More Port of Houston cargo traffic is directly tied to:

• The Summer 2016 opening of the blarger Panama Canal; and
• Increased Plastic Production in Greater Houston area from $50 billion in natural gas processing plants

Houston Chronicle | Lawmakers focus on Texas ports, starting in Houston

Which Legislature overrode a Governor veto on a transportation project prioritization bill? Maryland

What was the objection to the transportation prioritization bill? 

• More bureaucracy
• Harms Local Governments by quashing its input in transportation prioritization
• Harms hardworking taxpayers

Why did legislators override the veto? Transparency. The bill would require disclosure as to why a lower scored bill gets priority over a higher scored transportation project

AP via WTOP | Maryland legislature overrides veto of transportation bill

• 5 weeks of fundraising left
• Ride Share Comapnies have contributed $2.2 million
• 7th of May is election day
• The cost of Mayor Adler’s campaign: $1.2 million 

Statesman | Uber, Lyft donate nearly $2.2 million to effort to pass Prop. 1 in May

KUT | Uber, Lyft Have Spent More Than $2 Million on Prop 1 Campaign So Far

Why are transit apps a growing trend with local governments? Surgning populations are straining roads

Did Denver, CO contract with a company to create its app? Yes, it contracted with Xerox

What does the Denver Transit App do?It allows a person to compare the time it will take to travel in various transportation modes. 

What types of transit information does the Denver app contain?

• bike-share stations
• nearby Lyft drivers
• close Car2Go vehicles
• open parking spaces
• mass transit

Does it allow users to sort their transit options? Yes, by cheapest & by greenest routes.

Is there a data benefit for local governments? Yes:

• Denver will have better data on user behavior
• Better data on transportation system inefficiencies
• Could ultimately alert regular drivers that an alternate mode of transportation would be quicker on a day when a car crash causes traffic backups

Governing | Cities Create Their Own, Greener Transit Apps

How did San Jose secure funding for a high speed rail station? In 2 steps:

• $200,000 from the state of California
• $400,000 from the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

How did the funding for the high speed rail station come to fruition? A partnership agreement with the California High-Speed Rail Authority

Does the agremenet include development opportunities? Yes, for transit development and for  economic development that  creates a “vibrant and urban mixed-use setting that serves as a regional hub of jobs, housing, transportation and entertainment.”

ABC 7 San Francisco | SAN JOSE GETS DIRIDON STATION FUNDING THROUGH HIGH-SPEED RAIL AGREEMENT

The District Attorneys of Los Angeles and San Francisco broughts suits against ride share companies in late 2014. 

A deal has been reached between the D.A.’s and ride share companies. The key points:

• Ride share companies cannot use current description of background checks an safety checks.
• Ride share companies have a $10M fine, up to $25 million if they don’t comply in future years
• Ride Share has to work with a state agency to ensure that the fees charged are fair and accurate
• Ride Share cannot charge “fake” airport toll fees
• Ride Share cannot charge for a “safe ride fee”. Ride Share is renaming the fee a “booking fee”

The Recorder | Uber Agrees to Settle DA Suits Over Safety Practices

Which State legislature is moving legislation to have state agency control ride share rates? California

Which state agency would be home to ride share rate regulation? Public Utilities Commission

Could the state set ride share rates under this bill? Yes.

California Senate Bill 1035

The Recorder | Lawmaker Wants PUC to Set Uber’s Rates

What state triggered a potential witholding of federal transportation funding? North Carolina

What law sparked this?   a new law that created a mandatory statewide anti-discrimination policy but which impacts gay and transgender rights

What is the rational for the withholding of the funds by the federal government? Whether North Carolina’s law violates the the Constitution and recent Supreme Court rulings; making the state ineligible for federal funding.

NYTimes | North Carolina Law May Risk Federal Aid

TXDOT informed legislators on Wednesday that the cost to eliminate tollraods in Texas is $30 billion.

The reasons behind the $38 Billion price tag:

• $21 Billion in debt held on state and local tollroads + interest and fees
• $10 billion in debt with partnerships with private firms + interest and fees
• This feeds the arguments of those opposed to government debt & who say local debt is too high
• TXDOT has $13.4 Billion in non-toll related debt

Houston Chronicle | Eliminating tolls would cost state billions, lawmakers told

Texas High Speed Rail won the Urban Land Institute’s Next Big Idea Award.

How did High Speed Rail win the award?

• Supportive North Texas businesses
• Suppotive North Texas local governments

Dallas Morning News | Biz Beat | Old Parkland campus one of North Texas’ Urban Land Institute award winners

Dallas Business Journal | How High Speed Rail Won UILs Next Big Idea Award

Texas High Speed Rail is 1 of 3 nominees for the Next Big Idea Award awarded by the Urban Land Institute of North Texas.

How to vote: Attend the March 29th Event in Dallas. 

Dallas Morning News | Impact Awards gala to feature tribute to Crows

Which texas companies were certified under the new drone certification system in Texas? HUVRdata (Austin) & Aviation Unmanned (Addison)

What entity does the drone certification? Texas A&M University System via its Corpus Christi campus and its engineering extension service

How is industry using drones?  wind-power, oil and gas and transportation industries to provide aerial inspections and mapping, and for port and border security and coastline monitoring

Data security and drone data converging. An emerging trend is the regulation of the data collected by drones- data retention; data storage; & data disclosure. 

Houston Chronicle | First two Texas companies credentialed for drone operations

Which state has legislators pushing for CNG fleets? Louisiana

What did the head of Lousiana’s Environmental Quality agency say about this?  “”We are going to be groundbreaking in mainstreaming compressed natural gas”

How will the fleet sustain itself? The bill calls for loosening a transportation trust fund to allow for the creation of refueling stations. 

Louisiana’s Senate Bill 257

Manship School News Service | Legislators want to make Louisiana’s transportation greener

Will accidents involving self driving cars make the car company liable for the accident? 2 Liability Paths:

• A google car and a bus collided. In response, Google said it had some liability.
• Some attorneys say they will be treated like accidents are treated now, because car systems can fail and it leaves the person in the car liable for damage caused.

National Law Review | Foley & Lardner LLP | Liability & Autonomous Vehicles

Senator Chuy Hinojosa highlights these economic benefits of ports:

• Ports are economic drivers:
  • Generating $270 billion a year in economic activity
  • Generating $6 billion in state and local taxes per year
  • 1.4 million jobs
  • generate $82.8 billion in personal income
• Ports of entry, and bridges, facilitate a $200 billion annual trade with Mexico
• 3 of our ports are in the nation’s Top 10 by tonnage
  • #2 Houston
  • #4 Beaumont
  • #7 Corpus Christi (7th)
• The #1 fresh produce port of entry in the U.S. for 2016 will be the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge
• Port Capital Funding improvements are critical to retain Texas ports competitive advantage

The McAllen Monitor Op-Ed | COMMENTARY: Texas ports are portal to a profitable future

Why adjust the gas tax?

• Gas tax has not been changed in 25 years
• Cars are more fuel efficient, so less gas is purchased and less revenue is collected
• Roads are more expensive to build than 25 years ago

Time Warner Cable News | State Leaders May Increase Fuel Tax to Improve Roads

What local governments  created a new special district for transportation funding? Weatherford & South Padre Island with Cameron Cunty

What is the goal of the new special district? spur development along the Interstate 20 corridor in Weatherford & improve Padre Boulevard

How will the new special districts funding work? 

• Property tax revenue continues collection 
• the local governments will designate to the TIRZ fund a portion of the  additional property tax revenues as development occurs

What is Weatherford’s estimated investment in the zone?  $23 million

What is estimated to be South Padre Island investment in the zone? $8.2 million by 2026

Weatherford Democrat | Council OKs new road funding method 

Brownsville Herald | Tax revenue to improve Padre Boulevard

What group studied ride share, car share, bike share impact to transportation? The American Public Transportation Association 

Does sharing transportation impact public transit? No, public transit and other shared transportation modes usually did not compete for riders. Sharing Economy is utilized for late nights or weekends when public transit has limited service.

Does the sharing economy put fewer vehicles on the roadways? Yes. 

Governing | Study: ‘Sharing’ Services Boost Transit

American Public Trasnportation Association Report 

Which state legislature couldn’t reach an agreement on ride share regulations? Florida

What was the point of contention? How much, if any, regualtory authority local governments should have over ride share

What does this mean for ride share in Florida? Local governments are working out issues related to ordinances/agreements that cover:

• driver background checks
• vehicle inspections
• insurance requirements for technology-based ridesharing companies
• licensing fees (medallion fees)

Where are local govenrments looking for guidance? In the bills in the Florida legislature

Jacksonville Financial News and Daily Record | Council taking up Uber, Lyft issue again after Legislature can’t reach agreement

What state is legilatively speeding up transportation projects? Georgia

What type of road projects qualify for the quicker time line? Road & airport projects that are fully state funded and cost less than $100 million

What makes the projects move faster? Fully state funded projects can waive environmental reporting requirements when determining the potential impact of a proposed road project.

Are there exceptions to the environmental speed up? Yes, projecs that could impact historical or cultural sites

Georgia Senate Bill 346

Atlanta Journal Constitution | Legislature OKs exempting road projects from state environmental law

Which local government is considering more parking meter revenue to fund a stadium? Sacramento

What changes to parking meters are proposed? Meters operate until 10pm, instead of 6pm

Why the extension in time? to cover the fans who attend events at the new stadium

Was this included in the King’s arena deal with the City? Some say by default, as the city agreed to ccommitting to the collection of millions of dollars in new parking revenue

Sacramento Bee | City Council proposes parking meter extension to pay arena debt

Texas High Speed Rail is 1 of 3 nominees for the Next Big Idea Award awarded by the Urban Land Institute of North Texas.

How to vote: Attend the March 29th Event in Dallas. 

Dallas Morning News | Impact Awards gala to feature tribute to Crows

Who is suing ride share drivers? Taxi drivers in New Orleans have filed suit against 10UberX drivers, and not Uber, the company. 

How did the taxi cab drivers figure out who the ride shre drivers were? The drivers were filmed picking up riders

What does the lawsuit allege the ride share drivers did? unfair competition and a violation of Louisiana law requiring a chauffer’s license

NOLA | Cabbies v. Uber drivers lawsuit in court Thursday morning

The legal documents

• Dallas Morning News editorial: “But the eminent domain scare tactic is getting old.”
• Grimes County Judge Ben Leman: “Now we know that it will take huge amounts of eminent domain.”
• Kyle Workman, Texans Against High Speed Rail: ““a strong message to the Japanese investors that one of the main target markets for this project absolutely does not want it.”
• Brazos Valley Council of Governments media release: “a solid blow to [Texas Central’s] claim of strong support in the Brazos Valley because of its purported station to service the area,”
• Texas Central CEO Tim Kieth: “We are surprised that the Brazos Valley Council of Government has reversed itself and does not support the billions of dollars in economic benefits to the region, especially to Grimes County, and the number of high-paying jobs it will bring.”

Dallas Morning News | Transportation Blog | Dallas-Houston bullet train company loses rural planners’ support

WFAA | Dallas-Houston high-speed rail loses Brazos Valley support

Dallas Morning News | Editorial | High-speed rail opponents are shortsighted

Navasota Examiner | BVCOG passes resolution in opposition of HSR

KHOU | Dallas-Houston high-speed rail loses Brazos Valley support

Which state’s transportation system was studied? Washington State

Who sat on this task force? 16 regional civic, business and government leaders

What did the task force recommend:

• Regional solutions to big traffic problems like in the puget Sound Area
• The gas tax is not sustainable source of funding due to fuel efficiency
• Recommend a fee on miles driven as a fair and equitable funding solution
  • Compared a fee on miles driven to utilty usage. 
    • ““Like utilities, like your phone bill, like your water rates — paying for what you use in transportation,”
• Other alternative funding sources considered, not as highly rated, were:
  •  tolling
  • road usage charge
  • carbon tax
• Identified critical gap between state wide transportaion funding and funding at the local level

Transportation Futures Task Force

Seattle Sun Times | Task force recommends new transportation authority

King 5 News | Task force recommends new transportation authority

Data security of self-driving cars spurs calls for uniform data security standards for self-driving cars.

Have there been a push for self driving car regulations or statutes in Texas ? Yes, why yes, there has. 84R HB 933

Did those pushes include data security issues? No.

The Hill | Lawmakers worry about cyberattacks on self-driving cars

A developer of North Texas highway projects with managed toll lanes checked the data to see who uses managed toll lanes. Here’s what was revealed:

• The most frequent car make driven- Toyota
• Did luxury cars make the list? Not the top 5
• Are the top 5 car makes newer or older? Newer. 37% are newer than 2013 

The results: maybe Lexus lanes is an inaccurate moniker.

Dallas Morning News | Survey suggests managed toll lanes aren’t just for rich people in expensive cars

The Dallas Morning News editorial isn’t a fan of the Brazos Valley Council opposition to Texas High Speed Rail from Dallas to Houston. Let’s look at what the DMN says the BVC gets wrong:

• There’s a public benefit to businesses along the train’s path and to consumers who won’t have to sit in 6 hours of traffic and can count on a 90 minute train trip
• The risk will be born by the high speed rail investors- so subsidies. no special favors.
• $36 billion in revenue over 25 years is estimated for the high speed rail

Dallas Morning News | Editorial | High-speed rail opponents are shortsighted

In preparing for the machines to rule the earth, or for the lass dramatic self-driving cars, states and cities are upgrading roads.

Here’s the list of improvements made for driverless cars:

• better road markings
• upgraded traffic technology to communicate with connected cars
  • e.g. how long should a left turn arrow last?
• smart phone apps to gather and report information about congestion and road conditions and foreseeably notify drivers of alerts

Governing | In Preparation for Driverless Cars, States Start Upgrading Roads

Have a legislative committee chaired by a person whose family business is taxi service.

LA Times | How a state senator — whose family is in the taxi business — put the brakes on two Uber bills

• Every state needs more transportation dollars, which sparked Massachusettes to consider a ballot question of a millionaires tax
• The tax would be an additional 4 percent tax on individuals’ incomes over $1 million
• Tax revenues would be split between transportation and education

Boston.com | Advocates eye ‘millionaire’s tax’ for new transportation funding

High speed rail enjoyed a legal victory in California when a judge threw out a case against it.

What tactic did the high speed rail opponent employ in California Courts? Opponents said that the high speed rail project did not comply with restrictions on rail by voters.

What did the court say? We don’t know if high speed rail hasn’t complied because high speed rail isn’t up and running in California. It could still comply. 

What are opponents saying now? High Speed Rail will still have to prove that it complies with statutory bond requirements and that is a high bar to meet.

Governing | High-Speed Rail Wins Key Legal Victory in California

• Drivers should be free to earn what they want, when they want to earn it
• Bills directed at the worker status in the sharing economy unfairly target these contract driver over other industries that also utilize contract workers

What governmental bodies are moving this type of sharing economy legislation, that targets ride share drivers?

• Seattle by ordinance
• California, pending AB 1727

The Recorder | Internet Association Takes Shot at Gig-Economy Bill