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Regulatory TREND. Employment Status of TNC Drivers. Ride Share Drivers.

Remember how we talked about California regulators first entering the discussion of whether drivers are contract workers or employees? The issue is growing like a chia pet’s hair

This week the National Labor Relations Board issued a memo that the drivers are indpendent contractors.

This follows the April 29th letter from the Department of Labor. 

Competitive Enterprise Institute | Regulators Find Uber Drivers to Be Independent Contractors

3 States Where High Speed Rail Progresses. What you need to know:

California

  • cost: Los Angeles to San Francisco: $77 Billion
  • first service: 2028
  • first open line: Merced to Bakersfield

Florida

  • How did Florida project prove itself? In 2018, the private owners ran frequent service on a short route
  • Project name: Virgin Trains
  • Cost: $3.1 billion for the Miami-to-Orlando segment
  • Expected service for Miami to Orlando: 2022

Texas

  • Cost: $15 Billion
  • First service Dallas to Houston: 2024

Governing | Despite Missteps, High-Speed Rail Lines in 3 States Point to…

4 Lessons from a State Backed High Speed Rail Project

4 lessons for future high speed rail projects from California’s state high speed rail project:

  • Financing First. Work it out. Get it in Line. Finalize it. Then Start
  • Politics. Win or Neutralize the political game.
    • Let the technical experts be in charge of the project narrative
  • Clearly Establish why the High Speed Rail is NECESSARY

Construction Dive | What future high-speed rail developers can learn from the California bullet train

3 Ways the State of Ohio Funds Transportation Innovation. Public Private Partnerships.

How are the funds distributed? Partnership between The Ohio State University and Honda R&D Americas

How does it lure in innovation? 

  • Ohio State’s Office of Research hosts pitch day for reasearchers and start ups
  • Seed Funding. $25,000 to each project

Ohio State News | Ohio State gives seed funding to spur transportation innovations 

 

New Cost Overrun Projections. High Speed Rail in California.

A project estimate for a 119 mile spanof California’s high speed rail released this week included:

  • increase by $1.8 billion
    • the new cost increases relate to bridges, viaducts, trenches and roadbed costs
  • total cost estiamte of $12.4 billion
  • completetion projection: between 2026 and 2030

Governing | Costs for California’s High-Speed Rail Project May Rise by $1.8 Billion

Lege TREND. +1 State Revising EV Tax Credit. Read the Bill.

Where: Georgia

The legislation: HB 732 (2019 | GA)

The EV tax credit proposed:

  • $2,500 for new electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids and zero-emission vehicles.
  • Sunsets in 2023

Does it include a credit for charging stations? Yes

  • annual aggregate cap of $10M
  • cost of the credit to tGeorgia will never exceed that cap

Did Georgia have a previous EV tax credit? Yes, it was $5000 er vehicle

Clean Technica | Bill Introduced To Reinstate Georgia EV Tax Credit

Lege TREND. State Increases Transportation Revenue. Does not Raise Gas. Tax. Where. What. Why.

Where: Wisconsin

What: A transportation funding plan with no gas tax increase

Why: Why tax when you can impsoe fees?

  • increase the annual fee on all-electric vehicles from $75 to $200
  • new $100 surcharge on plug-in hybrid cars
  • Eliminates state funding for future light-rail train lines
  • Bars use of state highway funds for bike lanes
  • Prohibits testing of driverless vehicles in the state
  • New driving fines, like $100 for driving in the LEFT lane with a car behind you

Twin Cities Pioneer Press…