Monthly Archives: November 2015

2015 House Interim Charges. 7 Committees. Funding. Tollroads. Self Driving Cars. Rail. Ports.

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…

Legal Trend: Taxi Drivers Sue Ride Share Drivers. Sharing Economy Litigates. 3 Points to Know.

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…

High Speed Rail Activism. Regional Planning Committee.

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

 

8 Reasons Texans Against High Speed Rail Oppose It. Courtesy of A&M

  • 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…

5 Results from a Pay as You Drive State Pilot Program. 3rd party procurement Opportunity.

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

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

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

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

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

A non-GPS device option will be available for statewide use, to…

AG Opinion Request: Privacy. License Plate Readers. Data Use. Fine for No Insurance. Vendors Beware.

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

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

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

RQ-0062-KP

AG Opinion Request: Chair of Transportation Committee Asks About Design Build. 3 Points to Know Now.

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