Author Archives: admin

Lege TREND. 2 States Adopt Dutch Reach. Bike Safety.

What is the Dutch Reach? 

  • When exiting your car, use your far hand to open the door
  • Huh? If you’re in the driver’s seat, reach with your right hand

Which states are including the Dutch Reach?

  • Illinois and Massachusetts

How are IL & MA including the Dutch Reach?

  • New state laws
    • Added to road safety manuals
    • Included in driving tests

Governing | What’s the ‘Dutch Reach’? 2 U.S. States Adopt It to Save Cyclists’ Lives

Lege Trend. HOV lanes and EVs

California’s  AB544 (2018 | CA) gives zero emission & low emission vehicles access to HOV lanes.

What did the bill text look like to define these vehicles?

  • A vehicle that meets the state’s super ultra-low emission vehicle (SULEV) standard for exhaust emissions and the federal inherently low-emission vehicle (ILEV) evaporative emission standard, as defined in Part 88 (commencing with Section 88.101-94) of Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
  • A vehicle that was produced during the 2004…

Regulatory TREND. EV policies to encourage EV use.

Arizona regulators have finalized new EV charger policies that include:

  • encourages investor-owned utilities to develop new rates
  • ecourages investor-owned utilities to develop pilot programs supporting EV growth
  •  ensures recovery of  “prudent costs” spent to develop charging stations
  • requires development of optional rate design tariffs to encourage off-peak charging
  • develop outreach and education programs focused on EVs, infrastructure and electrification of the transportation sector

What…

State Funds for Utility Crafted State EV Rebate Programs.

California has allocated more state funds for 2019 EV rebates that will be distributed by utilities.

Here’s how EV rebates work in California:

Electrek | California utilities are…

EV Stakeholder 10 Recommendations for Cities.

An EV stakeholder group that includes:

10 recommendations for cities from the stakeholder group:

  • outreach, be a champion for EV charging
  • vision, have a plan that is adaptable
  • highy visible charging stations
  • aesthetics, make EV charging locations places people want to stop and charge
  • EV chargers need to be easy to use and well maintained for reliability
  • EV chargers shouldbe connected and smart
  • Add EVs to city…

Funding TREND. Ride Share Fee to pay for Transportation.

Where is this happening? Georgia

Why? Geogrias’ Department of Transportation says Uber owes the state $22.1 million in sales taxes and other charges. 

The ride share response? We are a tech company and not a transportation company subject to the sales tax like limos and taxis are

What is the fee proposal from the REPUBLICAN chair of the House Transportation Committee?

  • 50-cent fee on all rides for hire – including taxis, limos, Uber and Lyft, etc
  • Estiamted to generate $60 million a year for…

Local TREND. Anatomy of a Ride Share Senior Program. Private Public Partnership with County.

Where: Macon Georgia

What entities are involved in the partnership?

  • ride share companies
  • GoGoGrandparent
  • Decatur-Macon County Opportunities Corp
  • Community Foundation of Macon County

How is it funded? In part with anonymous grants to Community Foundation of Macon County

Herald Review | New program will offer free Uber, Lyft rides for low-income Macon County seniors

Local TREND. Local Rules for Reporting. Ride Share. 3 Points from the Rules. state preemption Loophole.

Where: Pittsburgh, PA

Why? Without a police report or accident report, there is no knowledge of accidents involving ride share and autonomous car companies

What are the parameters for local rules being considered in Pittsburgh?

  • encourage autonomous vehicle companies to self-report certain non-fatal traffic incidents
  • the goal: transparency

Where does the loophole come in? State laws that address TNCs but local ordinances apply to reporting to all incidents involving all subsisdiaries of a…

2 Free Market Reasons to Support Texas High Speed Rail

 

  • “rail is usually the most efficient way to move goods and people over distance”
  • Private investors and the market should determine if Texas High Speed Rail is a success
    • “Legislators, that’s not your role,”.. to detemrine if the business model makes sense

 

Trib Talk | Tom Giovanetti,  President, Institute for Policy Innovation | A free-market “yes” to Texas high-speed rail