Category Archives: legislative trend

5 Bipartisan Texas State Reps. Interim Study Request on Toll Roads

Texas State Representatives Minajarez, Pickett, Dale, Oliverson & Goldman

are requesting the following interim charges:

  • Study how toll road operators, or authorities calculate toll rates in Texas, and ensure there is transparency in the process.
  • Study the Minajarez amendment to S.B. 312 85(R) to see if it applies to all toll roads in the state, or to just the TxDOT operated toll roads and toll lanes.
  • Study the possibility of the consolidation of Texas Toll Pay by Mail into a single back…

8 Ways to Stop Red Light Cameras from TX Sen. Huffines letter to TXDOT

Huffines points to a KXAn investigation revealing 3 of thr 50 cities using red light cameras are doing so lawfully.
 
How is he defining lawfully? Compliant with Transportation Code Section 707.003 requiring a traffic engineering study of red light camera ingtersections before installation.
 
What 8 things does he want TXDOT to do?
  • he wants TXDOT to confirm whether they review the Trasnportation Code 707.003 study
  • review all the red light cameras to see if they comply with…

3 Reasons the Golden State High Speed Rail Has Cost Overrages

California’s proposed high speed rail line is exceeding its cost estimates by 27%. Here’s why:

  • higher  land acquisition costs
  • cost of moving utilities underground
  • cost of logistics with freight rail companies

How far behind is the project? 7 years

Los Angeles Times | California bullet train costs up $1.7 billion for Central Valley segment

Gas Tax Increase TREND. How popular is it in the South?

In Mississippi a September 2017 poll conducted by Millsaps College and Mississippi-based Chism Strategies had 72% rejecting a gas tax increase.

Notes:

  • The polling question tied the gas tax increase to education
  • Othe rpolling questions indicate a gas tax increase tied to road & bridge repair, and touted as a user fee, has stronger support.

Daily Journal | Gas tax might not be unpopular for roads, bridges

Roads Dedicated to Self Driving Cars. 3 Points to Know.

By 2040, I-5 between Seattle and Vancouver is expected to be dedicated 100% to self driving cars. It’ll take 3 steps to get there:

  • 1st, selfin driving cars will be able to share HOV lanes
  • 2nd, dedicating 1 lane entirely to AVs (self dirving or autonomous vehicles)
  • 3rd, convert all lanes ot autonomous driving vehicles only 

GeekWire | Major stretch of I-5 will be devoted exclusively to self-driving cars by 2040, new study predicts

TREND. Banning Gas Powered Engines.

Business Trend: Volvo says by 2019 it will stop making gas combustion engine cars

Regulatory Trend: California’s chief air-pollution regulator says he’s talking to the California Governor about phasing out combustion engines sometime 10 years in the future. 

Can States phase out combustion engines? States can their own air pollution standards, but they need EPA approval

International Trend: 

  • China has called for combusion engine ban at some myster date in the future.
  • the UK and France set…

Safety Regulation + Ride Share = No Ride Share. What drove away the sharing economy?

Quebec has a requirement that requires taxi drivers and ride share drivers to complete driver safety courses. 

In addition to 35 hours of driver safety training, ride share would also be required to:

  • annual car inspections
  • background checks done by police officials

Wall Street Journal | Uber Threatens to Leave Quebec Over Driver Rules

 

4 Unanswered Policy Issues with Hyperloop

Hyperloop does not have the policy foundation of other types of transportation system. This leaves 3 areas of policy wide open:

  • There is no policy framework for implementation
  • There is no policy framework for safty standards
  • There are no policy stnadards for regulation, operation and maintenance of hyperloops
  • Does hyperloop qualify for eminent domain authority?

Dallas Morning News | Meet the Dallas urban planner behind Texas’ pursuit of the hyperloop

 

Having Problems with a Transportation agency or a Department of Motor Vehicles? Utah has 3 Examples of Legislative Restructuring.

Utah Tranportation Authority is a thorn in the side of Utah elected officials. They’ve been studying the issue, and trying to craft a solutions to remove the obstacles they see in the agency.

For those of you in Texas, think of an agency that is a mix of 2017 TABC, 2013 HHSC and 2011 TXDOT when it lost a billion dollars.

3 solutions from Utah’s elected officials to reign in a rogue agency:

  • Follow Maryland. Create a Transportation Secretary who oversees all transit, rail, ports  and…