Monthly Archives: November 2017

Regulatory Trend. Flex Routes Using Shoulder Lanes. Who. What.Where.

The State Road using Flex Routes: Michigan’s U.S. 23

What’s a FlexRoute? inside median shoulder can be used by drivers during rush hours

2 Policy reasons regulators support the Flex Route:

  •  more economical way to manage peak-hour congestion
  • increases safety along the corridor

Equipment World | Mich.’s new Flex Route can cut travel time in half, MDOT says

 

Business Trend. 6 Ways Taxis are Challenging Ride Share.

Taxi Cab companies in Philadelphia are joining forces to:

  • have a unified front against ride share companies
  • revamped smartphone app
  • upgraded technology in cars
  • updated fleet interiors
  • shared services for drivers
  • taxi partitions have been removed, cameras installed & taxis are offering an experience more in line with rideshare

Philadelphia Business Journal | Three local cab companies form strategic partnership to challenge Uber, Lyft. 

Transportation Funding Trend. Set Asides for Smart Vehicles in the West

State: Nevada

The Transportation Funding Set Aside Proposal: 5% of transportation funding for smart vehicles

How will the 5% be divided within the state? 80% to large and midsize cities & 20% to  Rural areas and regional partnerships

Proponents: Bipartisan: Democratic State Senator Catherine Cortez Masto 7 Republican Governor Sandoval

Las Vegas Review Journal | Nevada senator calls for tax money for ‘smart’ vehicle projects

New Kid on the Texas Block. Transportation Group to Ease Traffic Jams & Fight Tea Party. 3 Bits Informed Intel

The new group: Texans for Traffic Relief

Who is in the new group: Business groups, local elected officials & highway industry interests

3 key points to know about :

  • The group is focused on the 4  largest metro areas
  • The group formed in response to frustration from anti-toll activists
  • Transportation funding is inadequate and Texas needs “Common-sense solutions that add to available road money and embrace innovation are crucial to easing congestion”

Texas State Senator Hall response to…

+1 Local Government Creating its Own Ride Share Service. Create Your Procurement Opportunity.

The local governmental entity: Central Contra Costa Transit Authority

The local ride share proposal: To save costs of running a standard 40 foot bus in difficult to navigate residential areas, the Transit Authority is implementing a “on-demand option for commuters heading to BART”

How will the new local government ride share work in the East Bay? 6 month pilot program with TransLoc, a transportation company

San Jose Mercury News | East Bay bus agency to launch Uber-like ‘on-demand’ service

New TX Report. EV. CNG. Hybrid. Vehicles. The Numbers. Which class won?

What does the Texas alternative fuel vehicle landscape look like?

  • 233,985 increase in alternative fuel vehicle registrations from 2016 to 2017
  • 10.15% increase in registrations from 2016 to 2017
  • 0.48% in all Texas vehicle registrations from 2016-2017 
  • Altnerative vehicles represent 1% of all regisgtered vehicles in Texas

How did the alternative vehicles break down in this year over year increase?

  • EV had the largest increase of registrations at 39.62%
  • Flex fuel vehicles increased by…

Lege Trend. HSR Bill. Read the Bill. 4 Points from the Bill. 2 Responses from HSR.

Florida Legislature is moving a high speed rail bill that will:

  • require HSR rail companies operating trains at speeds in excess of 80 mph to install safety features

  • require HSR to pay the cost of maintaining rail crossings

  • require HSR to pay for fencing along sections of its tracks where pedestrians could be at risk

  • require HSR to help train first responders in the event of an accident involving passenger trains or hazardous materials

2 Repsonses from HSR:

  • The bill…

TX Attorney General Opinion Request. Toll Roads+ Constitutional Propositions + Comingling Funds

Texas Attorney General Opinion request RQ-0192-KP asks whether Propositions 1 and 2, that prohibited the use of dedicated funds for toll projects, can provide funding for toll road projects.

Update:

Texas Tribune | TxDOT eyeing accounting trick to get around toll road prohibition

TXDOT’s point of view:

  • fund the tolled lanes with federal loans backed by toll revenues
  • fund added non-tolled main lanes with tax dollars
  • win-win: TxDOT has more building capacity with limited funds.