Category Archives: 2017 legislation

1 Man. North Texas Self Driving Car Rules. 5 Things to Know.

How is DFW handling self driving vehicles in North Texas? With an automated vehicles department within theNorth Central Texas Council of Governments. It’s a department of 1 man.

What has this Department of 1 employee accomplished for self driving car policy?

  • established an “automated vehicle program,” approved by the Regional Transportation Council
  • secured funding for low-speed automated vehicle pilot programs
  • secured funding to support the use of Interstate 30 between Dallas and Fort Worth…

Texas begins Rule Making on Ride Share. 5 Key Bits Informed Intel.

The proposed rules: 

  • Concern 16 Texas Administrative Code (TAC), Chapter 95, §§95.1, 95.2, 95.10, 95.20 – 95.23, 95.30, 95.31, 95.40, 95.50, 95.51, 95.70 – 95.72, 95.80, 95.90, 95.91 and 95.100, regarding the Transportation Network Companies program.
  • Reflect stakeholder meetings from July 6, 2017
  • Follow HB 100

The publication date: Stpember 15, 2017 Texas Register

Earliest Possible Adoption of Rules:  October 15, 2017

Fiscal Implications Contained in Rules: None to local governments. TDLR…

TREND. Amend statewide ride share laws with more reporting. Safety First.

After passing statewide ride share laws states, like North Dakota, seek to amend their laws.

What do states want to change about their ride share laws?

  • More detailed information about ride share driver incidents
  • Greater detail on the severity of incidents
  • Ensure disclosure of the number of traffic violations
  • More details about the statewide number of drivers to compare the incidents to those in the overall driving public

WDAZ | Lawmakers may boost reporting requirements for Uber, Lyft next…

Economic Impact of Ride Share on Airport Parking Revenue. 2 Reactions by Local Governments.

41% of airport, non-airline revenue, is parking revenue. The revenue has to be found somewhere. 

2 examples from cities:

  • Fresno upped the TNC pick up and drop off fee to $3
  • DFW deferred hiring and deferred technolgical upgrades

Government Technology | Airport Parking Takes Hit From Uber, Lyft

 

Lonestar State Rulemaking to Watch: TCEQ. Electric Car Rebates.

The re-authorization of TERP’s $2500 electric car rebate in Texas opens rulemaking to the following issues:

  • which cars qualify?
  • do cars purchased out of state qualify?
  • are rules limited to cars purchased at Texas dealerships?
  • when must cars be purchased to qualify?

The pre-2017 rebate program exlcuded Teslas.

Houston Chronicle | Abbott signs electric car rebates into law

Utility Dive | Texas revives $2,500 electric vehicle credit

Electrek.co | Texas brings back $2,500 electric vehicle…

Lege Trend Fruition. What happened and didn't happen with high speed rail in Texas Legislature?

  • Bills to stop high speed rail: No
  • High Speed Rail Specific Bills:  2
    • ​ Require reimbursement to local law enforcement for high speed rail security
    •  No State Funding for high speed rail

Response to the legislative action from high speed rail opponents: 

  • Even if no bill stopped high speed rail,
  • The high speed rail porject does not have adewuate funding nor explicit eminent domain authority

Response to legislative action from high speed rail:

““As the Texas Legislature completes its…

Pro-Con Arguments Used in the East to Support Direct Auto Sales + A compromise deal

State: Connecticut

What are the arguments supporting direct sales of vehicles in Connecticut?

  • Opposing direct sales shows an opposition to technology and dissaudes tech start ups from 
  • Denying Connecticut residents the ability to buy directly in Connecticut costs Connecticut jobs and revenue
  • neighboring state Massachusetts is getting the sales and the revenue

 

What are the arguments opposing direct sales in Connecticut?

  • job losses
  • job loss argument is maintained by auto dealers and…

Lege Trend. Big Trucks. Bigger Loads. 5 Key Points from the Agreed to Bill

SB 1524 creates this 5 point regulatory scheme:

  • $6,000 annual fee for permits allowing heavier truck weights for containerized imports and exports, limited to designated corridors within 30 miles of a port
  • 50% of the revenue  goes to the state highway funds
  • 30% to counties with the routes
  • 16% to municipalities
  • 4% to the Texas Department of Transportation for administration.

 

informed:intel April 25, 2017:

SB 1524 allows for heavier loads on big trucks when:

  • $5000 annual permit is…

Local Government Trend. Airport Gets $2M in fees per month from ride share

Airport: SFO (San Francisco)

The fee placed on ride share at the airport: an airport fee of $3.80 paid by the rider

Total fees since late 2014: $39 million

What entity administers the fee? Its a 3 step process that works like this:

  • The Board of Supervisors Budget and Finance Sub-Committee  in San Francisco on approved an extension of the contract between the airport and a nonprofit, the Airport Research and Development Foundation
  • The Airport Research and Development Foundation assesses and…

Anatomy of a bill. SB 2205. Self Driving Cars.

SB 2205 in the stealth like manner of an electric vehicle is on Saturday’s General State House Calendar. So, let’s take a peak at this legislative trend as it moves in Texas:

SB 2205 will:

  • allow for no humans in an operating self driving car
  • it loops in commerical self driving cars- bonjour garden center delivery services
  • the owner is considered the operator whether or not the owner is in the vehicle
  • if its operating on a highway it needs:
    • insurance
    • to comply with federal guidelines
    • a…