Category Archives: legislative trend

Data Shows Managed Toll Lanes Not Lexus Lanes. Key Intel in 3, 2, 1

A developer of North Texas highway projects with managed toll lanes checked the data to see who uses managed toll lanes. Here’s what was revealed:

  • The most frequent car make driven- Toyota
  • Did luxury cars make the list? Not the top 5
  • Are the top 5 car makes newer or older? Newer. 37% are newer than 2013 

The results: maybe Lexus lanes is an inaccurate moniker.

Dallas Morning News | Survey suggests managed toll lanes aren’t just for rich people in expensive cars

3 Points on What the Opposition to High Speed Rail Gets Wrong.

The Dallas Morning News editorial isn’t a fan of the Brazos Valley Council opposition to Texas High Speed Rail from Dallas to Houston. Let’s look at what the DMN says the BVC gets wrong:

  • There’s a public benefit to businesses along the train’s path and to consumers who won’t have to sit in 6 hours of traffic and can count on a 90 minute train trip
  • The risk will be born by the high speed rail investors- so subsidies. no special favors.
  • $36 billion in revenue over 25 years is estimated for…

3 Ways Self-Driving Cars Spark Road Improvements. Local Governments & States Unite.

In preparing for the machines to rule the earth, or for the lass dramatic self-driving cars, states and cities are upgrading roads.

Here’s the list of improvements made for driverless cars:

  • better road markings
  • upgraded traffic technology to communicate with connected cars
    • e.g. how long should a left turn arrow last?
  • smart phone apps to gather and report information about congestion and road conditions and foreseeably notify drivers of alerts

Governing | In Preparation for Driverless…

Transportation Funding via Tax the 1% on the East Coast. 3 Bits Informed Intel.

  • Every state needs more transportation dollars, which sparked Massachusettes to consider a ballot question of a millionaires tax
  • The tax would be an additional 4 percent tax on individuals’ incomes over $1 million
  • Tax revenues would be split between transportation and education

Boston.com | Advocates eye ‘millionaire’s tax’ for new transportation funding

TRENDING. Legal: High Speed Rail Win in West.

High speed rail enjoyed a legal victory in California when a judge threw out a case against it.

What tactic did the high speed rail opponent employ in California Courts? Opponents said that the high speed rail project did not comply with restrictions on rail by voters.

What did the court say? We don’t know if high speed rail hasn’t complied because high speed rail isn’t up and running in California. It could still comply. 

What are opponents saying now? High Speed Rail will still have…

INTERIM CALLING. 2 Reasons Tech Companies Oppose Bills to Regulate Ride Share Drivers. 2 Locals Moving Bills.

  • Drivers should be free to earn what they want, when they want to earn it
  • Bills directed at the worker status in the sharing economy unfairly target these contract driver over other industries that also utilize contract workers

What governmental bodies are moving this type of sharing economy legislation, that targets ride share drivers?

  • Seattle by ordinance
  • California, pending AB 1727

The Recorder | Internet Association Takes Shot at Gig-Economy Bill

Lege TREND: Reconfigure Airport Boards for Regionalization.

Which airport board is being reconfigured? Jackson, Mississippi’s Airport Board

What’s the current board like? The airport is on city owned land and the baord reflects the city control of the airport.

What’s the hubub? Surrounding counties want a say. As a result, the following seats were added to the airport board:

  • 2 adjacent counties each get 1 seat
  • Mississippi Development Baord gets 1 seat
  • Mississippi National Guard gets 1 seat
  • The Governor gets 3 seats to appoint

How does the…

Vehicle Miles Traveled Road Funding. + 1 State & its a huge state.

What state is now considering to join Oregon with a vehicle miles traveled tax?

California

What are supporter arguments?

  • California has athe 45th worst roads in the country
  • Bad roads cost Californians $44 billion/year
  • Gas consumption peaked in 2005, making gas taxes an unreliable funding source
  • USC study shows a 2.1 cents per mile traveled tax can replace all of the revenue gained from the current state excise and sales taxes on gasoline

Tax Foundation | The VMT tax: A solution to…

INTERIM. Pilot Program: Sharing Economy + Cabs to Fix Mass Transit. 5 Bits Informed Intel.

Where is this pilot program forming? Florida’s Pinellas County

What’s the goal? To fill the gaps in public transportation

How does the county plan to fill the gaps in public transit? By partnersing with Uber and cab companies to make transportation more accessible.

Does the program have a catchy name? Yes, “Direct Connect”

How is ride share company Uber participating? By bridging the sometimes considerable distances between bus stops and customers’ destinations.

Mass Transit…