Author Archives: admin

Regulatory TREND. Procurement Opportunity. Digital Pothole Tracking. 3 Pieces Info to be Informed.

Massachusetts is using technology to fix potholes: MassDOT Potholes Dashboard

Can the public participate? Yes

Benefits of the public input technology:

  •  quicker response and repair times
  •  safer, more efficient travel
  • helps the Department of Transportation to make capital investments that focus resources on roads and “areas that require consistent pothole repair”
  • helps the Department of Transportation to manage its assets in a “cost-effective manner that prevents emergency pothole repairs.”

    • …

18 Bills = 9 Bills + Companions. High Speed De-Railment.

Which members joined forces to file bills to impede high speed rail?

  • Senators Birdwell, Creighton,  Kolkhorst, Perry, & Schwertner
  • Representatives Ashby, Bell, Cook, Schubert, and Wray 

The hot issues in the press release announcement:

  • big bad evil #1 : foreign investments (remember Trans Texas Corridor & Cintra, anyone?)
  • big bad evil #2: it will hurt family farms and private property rights
  • big bad evil #3: this is going to be expensive, more expensive than they are saying
  • big bad evil…

+ 1 State. High Speed Rail.

the State:  Washington

The move toward high speed rail: The Governor calling on $1 million in the Transportation budget to study high speed rail between Seattle and Vancouver

What specifics will the study include:

  • Does the short ditance make rail as competitive as air travel
  • Can high speed rail work with existing rail
  • Proposed station sites
  • Environmental impact
  • Latest high-tech options
  • Projected ridership demand

Construction Dive | WA governor allocates $1M for high-speed rail study

 

36th State Passes Statewide Ride Share Regs. 4 Key Points.

The 36th state to pass statewide ride share regulations: New Jersey

The statewide ride share regulations in New Jersey:

  • insurance coverage standards of $1.5 million in commercial insurance per ride
  • mandatory background checks by the ride share company with disclosures and approval by to the state attorney general
  • To balance the needs of the limoisine industry it cut insurance requirements when no passanger is present and expempting rides from the sales tax
  • $25,000 permit fee for companies

​…

FASTR. New Kid on the Block. Connected Car Data Security.

What is FASTR? The Future of Automotive Security Technology Research

What are FASTR’s goals? 

  • deliver precompetitive technological building blocks
  • to assist automotive manufactures across their supply chains
  • to offer multilayered security throughout vehicles to preserve data confidentiality, system integrity and system availability

What companies are members of FASTR?

  • Uber
  • Intel
  •  internet of things (IoT) provider Aeris
  • Rambus
  • Karamba Security

FASTR.org

SC Media | Uber, Intel and IoT…

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…