Which airport board is being reconfigured? Jackson, Mississippi’s Airport Board

What’s the current board like? The airport is on city owned land and the baord reflects the city control of the airport.

What’s the hubub? Surrounding counties want a say. As a result, the following seats were added to the airport board:

• 2 adjacent counties each get 1 seat
• Mississippi Development Baord gets 1 seat
• Mississippi National Guard gets 1 seat
• The Governor gets 3 seats to appoint

How does the City of Jackson describe the bill? a hostile eminent domain take over

Jackson Free Press | UPDATED: Airport Bill Passes Senate, Called ‘Hostile Eminent-Domain Takeover’

What state is considering allowing local entities to rise taxes for transportation? Massachusettes

What states do they point to that are already allowing local entities to raise sales taxes for transportation projects? California, Colorado, Ohio

What would the MA bill do? Require a local ballot before raising sales taxes that would be solely dedicated to local transportation projects

What are example local transportation projects?  fix local roads, expand rail service and create more bike paths

Massachusettes S.1474

WWLP 22 | Proposed bill would allow voters to raise local taxes for transportation

Who filed a lawsuit? Texans Against High-Speed Rail

Who is the lawsuit against? TXDOT & Attorney General Paxton

What’s causing the foray into the courts? A public information request from Texans for High Speed Rail that sought any documents at TXDOT related to Texas Central Parnters.

What was the response to the public information request?  Texans Against High-Speed Rail believes that documents were withheld, and the documents provided were heavily redacted without justification

What’s procedurally happened to the information request? 

• TXDOT asked the AG for an opinion as to whether information is protected.
• Central Partners offered a brief that their information is proprietary and should be protected from release.
• Texans Against High Speed Rail took it to court.

KERA | Texas Bullet Train Opponents Sue TxDOT And Paxton

Who is issuing the warning? The Obama Adminsitration

What entities are being warned about data security threats?

• power companies
• water suppliers
• transportation networks

What’s sparked the warning? The attack n the Ukraine’s power grid 2 months ago. It was the first cyberattack that produced a wide spread blackout

What was the target of the cyber attack? industrial control systems that act as the intermediary between computers and the switches

What could hackers do with control over industrial control systems?

• distribution of electricity
• guidance systems for trains
• valves that control water supplies
• machinery that mixes chemicals at factories.

New York Times | Utilities Cautioned About Potential for a Cyberattack After Ukraine’s

• The private company used its own funds to build the $13.3 billion tollroad segment under a 50-year lease with TxDOT
• The Statesman has said the tollroad is 30% below projected use
• No impact to Texas drivers who use the tollroad nor to Texas taxpayers for the unpaid toll road debt

KVUE |Part operator of SH 130 Toll files for bankruptcy

Statesman | Owner of southern section of Texas 130 files for bankruptcy

Texas Tribune | SH 130 Toll Road Operator Files for Bankruptcy

What state is now considering to join Oregon with a vehicle miles traveled tax?

California

What are supporter arguments?

• California has athe 45th worst roads in the country
• Bad roads cost Californians $44 billion/year
• Gas consumption peaked in 2005, making gas taxes an unreliable funding source
• USC study shows a 2.1 cents per mile traveled tax can replace all of the revenue gained from the current state excise and sales taxes on gasoline

Tax Foundation | The VMT tax: A solution to California’s budget woes?

• Texas total state fees and taxes on gasoline are 20.00 cents
• Texas neighboring states are similarly low on state gasoline tax rates
• High state gas tax states are:
  • #5 California 40.62 cents
  • #4 Hawaii 42.35 cents
  • #3 New York 42.64 cents
  • #2 Washington 44.50 cents
  • #1 Pennsylvania 50.40 cents

Tax Foundation | State Gasoline Tax Rates in 2016

Which care was hacked? Nissan Leaf

How did hackers gain control of the vehicle? By exploiting a weakness in the way it communicates with its companion app, NissanConnect EV

What systems can be controlled or accessed by hackers? 

• Hackers can control interal heat and colling controls
• Access driving records
• Determine your exact location with GPS coordinates

The Guardian | Hackers can control Nissan Leaf’s heating and access driving history

Where is this pilot program forming? Florida’s Pinellas County

What’s the goal? To fill the gaps in public transportation

How does the county plan to fill the gaps in public transit? By partnersing with Uber and cab companies to make transportation more accessible.

Does the program have a catchy name? Yes, “Direct Connect”

How is ride share company Uber participating? By bridging the sometimes considerable distances between bus stops and customers’ destinations.

Mass Transit | FL: PSTA Teams Up With Uber, Cab Company in Pilot Program

Which state wants to trucks to pay a bridge toll? Rhode Island

What got Rhode Island to this point where bridge repair requires a bridge toll? Rhode Islands bridges are in the worst shape in the country. 23% of its bridges need structural repair, that’s the highest in the U.S.

What justifications are lawakers offering to toll truckers?

•  Trucks account for 70% of the damage to roads
• Trucks pay about 20% of the cost of road

What numbers will the toll produce?

• $20 on large commercial trucks for a statewide trip on Interstate 95
• Total revenue estimate for truck tolls will be $45 million
• Couple the bridge toll with $420 million in bonds to cover infrastructure repair

Is the truck toll uncommon? Yes, in the U.S. Switzerland and Germany have nationwide truck tolls.

Governing | Rhode Island’s New Route for Funding Bridge Repairs: Truck Tolls

• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says in 2013, if everyone wore a seat belt, 2,800 lives would have been saved.
• 94% of traffic accidents are caused by human error.

Governing | 2,800 lives & Why Are Traffic Deaths Rising?

Is air share on a digital platform permitted? In August 2014, the FAA shut down air share, and limits open seats to friends of the pilot only.

What fix is in the works to allow air share? Congressman Mark Sanford added an amendment for air share to the Aviation Innovation, Reform, and Reauthorization Act of 2016 

Americans for Tax Reform | Planesharing Aims for Liftoff Despite FAA Drag

• California is set to reduce its gas tax by 2.2cents.
• How did California get here? To keep budgeter hands off California general revenue when paying off transportation bonds, Gov. Schwarzenegger and his Legislature “swapped the state’s sales tax on transportation fuel for an equivalent “gallonage tax.”’
•  each 1-cent adjustment to the tax is worth about $149.2 million
  Sacramento Bee | AM Alert: California set to lower gas tax by 2.2 cents

   

Did TXDOT come up with eliminating tolls on their own? No, it is a legisltive mandate from HB 2612 by Pickett

How do tolls and the Texas A&M Transportation Institute estimate, that Texas needs of $5 Billion more per year in transportation funding, correlate? The $5 billion per year funding shortage assumed that Texas would receive toll revenue.

El Paso Times | TxDOT begins look at axing tolls

• The Toth v. Brady Congressional race is a he said/he said brawl over who opposed high speed rail first
• A Toth mailer says Brady authored & voted for eminent domain for high speed rail as a state representative in 1993
• Brady says the 1993 bill removed eminent domain from pirvate companies building high speed rail
• Political scientists call the Toth mailer inaccurate

Your News Houston |  Brady: Toth high-speed rail mailer a ‘lie’

Fox 26 | Eminent Domain Attack advertisement deemed grossly misleading

Where is this issue bubbling? Chicago. A Chicago Alderman wants to allow cabbies to be able to charge a 50cents surcharge for the use of credit cards to put more money into cabbie pockets.

What do cabbies have to do with the sharing economy? Cabs are adjusting their business models to be in the same market as ride share is a cash free business.

Chicago Tribune | Morning Spin: City Hall warns cabbies on 50-cent credit card surcharge

How does this impact Texas? Austin Bergstrom is in on the trend with a proposed 30 acre lease to Highstar Capital

Is the U.S. behdin the global trend of private investment in airports? Yes, P3s are slowly taking off for US airports, while globally 40% of the top 100 international airports have private sector involvement

What do investors look for in P3 airport deals?

• “vibrant regional economic environment”
• growing population and employment base
• large and stable amount of “origin and destination” traffic

What public benefits are there for P3 airports?

• savings for airlines
• generate upfront and periodic payments revenue 
• “greater commercial discipline via a comprehensive business plan and global relationships”
• transfer risk away from the local government and to the private sector

Governing | Cleared for Takeoff: Airports and the P3 Opportunity

Who is proposing this? Robert Finley at The Finley group

What is this high speed rail connecting? Major metro areas from Dallas to Atlanta, a total of 816 miles

Is there a name for this project?   Interstate-20 High Speed Rail Express or Interstate 20 eXpress

Is the project public or private? Both, a public-private partnership

How serious is this project? Finley said he already has verbal commitments from Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Georgia.

Birmingham Business Journal | More details on the latest high-speed rail proposal in Birmingham

Why does Texas A&M Student Senate oppose eminent domain? The proposed high speed rail that would traverse rural Texas triggered the vote

What did the elected officials, who were present, say about eminent domain? “Their resounding message was that voting in favor the Eminent Domain Opposition Act is akin to advocating for the protection of property owners.”

Which State Representatives and State Senators participated in Texas A&M Student Senate eminent domain debate?

• Sen. Charles Schwertner
• Rep. Trent Ashby
• Rep. John Wray  
  • “What I want to ask you to do is to vote in favor of this bill, because if you do that you’re voting in favor of property rights,” Wray said. “If you do that you’re voting in favor of fair market value. If you do that you’re voting in favor of keeping the phrase ‘willing’ in front of the phrase ‘seller.’ And you’re voting to uphold the free market.”

The Battilion | State politicians, lobbyists, students clash on high-speed rail

In which house district is this occuring? HD-2 (Flynn)

What are activists saying about eminent domain and toll roads?

• “I never felt like he (the incumbent) cared one bit that a private organization would have been able to use the power of eminent domain over the citizens to build a for-profit toll road.” 
• “Even with personal visits by property owners to his office, Rep. Flynn was fully behind this private toll way, and continued to advise us with statements such as, ‘stick together,’ and ‘don’t take the first offer,’” 
• Bryan Slaton stood with the residents threatened by the Blacklands private tollway when Dan Flynn refused to listen and supported the toll road and the special interests behind it. Residents of HD 2 deserve genuine representation and someone who will not only listen to them, but fight for them and the issues important to their community.”

What happened with this eminent domain and toll road project? It died.

Empower Texas | Texas Scorecard | Anti-Toll Road Activists: Dan Flynn Was No Help

Resident of Waller county at a meeting about the use of eminent domain for proposed high speed rail:

• “No private company should have the authority of eminent domain”
• We have planes, we don’t need trains

The written response from high speed rail:

• The counties along the route will receive a “financial windfall from high-speed rail, which will provide thousands of jobs and an economic impact of $36 billion over the next 25 years”

KBTX | High speed rail causes uproar in Waller County

KHOU | High speed rail causes upset in Waller County

Who is proposing a shift in state transportation funding? Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner

What is the impetus for his transportation funding proposal? Mayor Turner asserts that widening highways adds to more congestion. “These types of projects are not creating the kind of vibrant, economically strong cities that we all desire”

Under Mayor Turner’s transportation funding proposal, what should be the focus of transportation funding? Shift from automobiles and toward alternatives

What transportation alternatives are suggested? commuter rail, high-occupancy vehicle lanes, park and rides, and local transit

How have the paradign shift in transportation funding been received?

• Harris County Commissioner Raddack: ” “This is Texas. People either want to own a horse or a car,” Radack said. “The most rapidly growing area, by far, of our region is the unincorporated area of Harris County.”
• “Making a major change in how the money is invested would be a big challenge,” said Alan Clark, director of transportation planning at the Houston-Galveston Area Council.
• Clark Martinson, general manager of the Energy Corridor District, called Turner’s speech “the boldest, best thing I have heard from a mayor in the 30 years I’ve been in Houston.”

Houston Chronicle | Turner calls for change in transportation philosophy

What cities are imposing $8/hour meter rates?  Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Seattle

Is there a trendy name for $8/hour meters? Oui, Oui, it’s called so-called demand-price parking.

How does it work? Parking meters on busy streets that are close to shops and restaurants get a higher price per hour. Lower parking rates are availableon less busy streets  a few blocks away.

What are the goals? Is it revenue? The stated goals are:

• reduce congestion
• encourage aprking space turnover
• help area businesses that benefit from parking space turnover

Stateline | Cities Try $6, $8 Hourly Parking to Cut Congestion, Pollution

In response to a proposal from google, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that the driver of a self driving car is the car’s computer.

The machines are taking over the world. 3 Keys from the federal regulators that will matter in Texas:

• States and the feds are tackling laws and rule making. The ruling for google is limited to its application.
• Google’s home state, California, has a propsoed rules that require a human driver in the vehicle.
• The level of human interaction with self driving cars has to be considered for all aspects of driving in regulations. The laws and regulations proposed throughout the U.S. have different standards for steering & braking all of which still require a degree of manual control.

Engadget | US regulators: Google’s self-driving car AI ‘can be a driver’

Autoblog | US regulators: Google’s self-driving car AI ‘can be a driver’

Statesman | Government will consider Google computer to be car’s driver

Members of the Senate Select Committee to study ports are:

•  Brandon Creighton (chair)
• Jose Menendez (vice chair)
• Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa
• Lois Kolkhorst
• Eddie Lucio Jr.
• Jane Nelson
• Larry Taylor

Here’s what the committee is to study:

• study the economic benefit of the Panama Canal expansion to Texas ports
• Include in their study inland ports
• Determine what will keep Texas ports comeptitive
• “Senate is leading the charge to keep Texas the leader in exports and imports in our nation”

Lt. Gov. Patrick | LT. GOVERNOR PATRICK CREATES NEW SENATE SELECT COMMITTEE ON TEXAS PORTS

• Congressman Kevin Brady is encouraging legislators to seek an A.G. Opinion on high speed rail in Texas
• What’s the issue that has Brady up in arms? Eminent Domain. Specifically state granted eminent domain powers.
• Who recevived the letter from Congressman Brady? 
  • Charles Schwertner
  • Trent Ashby
  • John Otto
  •  Leighton Schubert
• What is Congressman Brady’s concern? Whether the rail works for local communities, and he does not believe a rural train route works for local communities
• its not Congressman Brady’s first rodeo, he was similarly proposed during a rail proposal in the 1990s.

KBTX | Congressman calling for attorney general’s opinion on high speed rail through the area

Houston Press | WITH PRIMARY LOOMING, CONGRESSMAN KEVIN BRADY WADES INTO THE BULLET TRAIN FIGHT

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