Monthly Archives: February 2017

Procurement Trend. 3 Benefits of Drone Inspections of Bridges via Land of 10,000 Lakes DOT

The State: Michigan

The contract concerning drone inspections of bridges: Beginning with a study to support the goals of saving state funds and getting more through safety inspections.

The benefits of using drones to inspect bridges:

  • see the bridge in real time
  • detect temperature changes in the concrete
  • the ability to inspect portions of bridges that are difficult to access

The cost of traditional machinery bridge inspections: $675,000 + traffic problems

The cost of a drone bridge…

Emerging Trend. Swap State Fleets for Ride Share. 3 Key Points.

The State: Arizona

The legislative proposal: 

  • Swap 20% of the state fleet for ride share or contract with companies to manage the service
  • Creates a pilot program for state workers to use rental cars, fleet management services, ride hailing services or private-public partnerships

​Has the legislator had success with cutting government vehicle costs? Yes, as a city council member in Chandler, AZ he cut the city vehicle use costs by 22%

Arizona House Bill 2440 (2017)

5 Points. Limiting Pedestrian Deaths from the Mother Country,

The mother country, Sweden, is your go-to way to lower pedestiran deaths, and here’s what American cities are looking to emulate:

  • Sweden began Vision Zero to lower pedestrian deaths in 1997
  • Focus first on rural roads by building 3 lane roads, with a middle lane used for passing only.
  • Build separated bike lanes
  • Lower speed limits
  • Create pedestrian-only zones

Governing | The Swedish-Inspired Way American Cities Are Trying to End Pedestrian Deaths

Campaign Trend. TX Mayors Race. At Issue. High Speed Rail.

The Mayoral Race: San Antonio mayoral race between Mayor Ivy Taylor, Manuel Medina & Ron Nirenberg

The rail stances:

  • Manuel Medina supports Austin to San Antonio rail and high speed rail to Monterrey Mexico
  • Mayor Ivy Taylor supports Austin to San Antonio rail suggesting it be led by the provate sector
  • Ron Nirenberg supports pushing the Governor’s office to make Austin- San Antonio transportation a priority & supports connecting the Texas triangle, including the Houston to Dallas high speed…

Wharton. 5 Points. Regulate Ride Share without Killing It.

A Wharton School of Business, President Trump’s Alma Matter, features an interview with Wharton’s Kevin Wherbach offering these tips and examples to foster nascent industry:

  • Look to the FCC and its treatment of Skype. Skype didn’t fit neatly in industry categoried and regulations. FCC VOIP regulations were written such that the door was left open and Skype flourished by working with regulators.
  • Don’t rush to impose traditional rules on ride share companies like Uber.
  • Anti-trust case against…

5 Points from State Rep. Byron Cook. High Speed Rail Op-Ed

  • The “Japanese – Texas High Speed Rail Project” is too good to be true
  • It is a “bullet aimed at property owners ”  to the benefit of “commercial real estate venture or for the state’s master transportation plan for the future.”
  • The project is touted by “private real estate speculators”
  • Reliance on Japanese rail technology has 2 problems:
    • its not compatible to existing rail in Texas
    • “future generations of Texas rail customers hostage to a monopoly railroad technology with NO competitive…

New Ride Share Trend. Data. Cities Want Data. 3 Bits Informed Intel.

The city seeking ride share data: New York City

What the city did to get to the data: Adopted regulations to require ride share companies to provide the city with drop off location data

The policy goal: Combat driver fatigue by keeping taxi, Uber and other for-hire-vehicle drivers from working more than 10 hours straight.

Crains New York Business | City to Uber and Lyft: Hand over your trip data

Mile High State Considering Adding "Idaho Stop" to Road Laws. What is an Idaho Stop?

What is an Idaho stop & does it have anything to do with potatoes or mountains?  No potatoes. No mountains. An Idaho stop allows a bicyclist to treat a stop sign as a yield and a red light like a stop sign.

Which state is considering allowing cyclists to have their own interpretation of stop signs and red lights? Colorado

The Denver Post | Should legislature let Colorado cyclists use discretion at stop signs? (3 letters)