INTERIM Trend: Self Driving Car Regulation. 1 State Started Regulation and Statutes in 2012. Everything you need to Know.

California Department of Motor Vehicles has been wokring on rules for self driving cars since 2012. Here’s everything you need to know to be informed:

  • California DMV has a self driving car manufacturer & testing website 
  • California is in the public input portion of rule making, on schedule to beat the feds on rules
  • What did California do by statute? defintions and rule making. The defintions:
    • “Autonomous technology” means technology that has the capability to drive a vehicle without the…

INTERIM. Think Tank Grades Ride Share, Limo & Taxi Regs/Laws in 50 Cities. Mixed bag for TX.

What group is doing the transportation company analysis? R Street  , it has an Austin “office” too

Did they grade by state or city? By City

How did the Texas cities do?

  • On Transportation Network Company Friendliness
    • Austin           A   
    • Dallas           B
    • El Paso         B
    • Ft. Worth       B
    • Houston        D+
    • San Antonio  C
  • On Taxi Friendliness
    • Austin            C
    • Dallas            A
    • El Paso          D
    • Ft. Worth      …

Lege Trend: Sales Tax Break for Car Manufacturers. Bonjour Industrial Tourism & Eco Devo Dollars.

Which state is considering a new sales tax break for car manufacturers? California

What kind of the sales tax break is under consideration? eliminate sales tax on new automobiles manufactured in California for out-of-state buyers

What’s the goal of this bill? industrial tourism– buy a product; see the sights.
 
Is there a sunset time for this tax break? Yes, 2020.
 

Study: Fixing Roads Improves Air Quality. 2 Points to Know Now.

What group issued this report?  National Center for Sustainable Transportation

What roadway maintenance and building options help with air quality?

  • standardized pavement & construction

National Center for Sustainable Transportation | The Role of Life Cycle Assessment in Reducing GHG Emissions from Road Construc on and Maintenance 

 

Sacremento Bee | AM Alert: Could fixing California roads be environmental benefit?

 

INTERIM Self Driving Cars Want Federal Action. Too Many Pesky States. 5 Quick Points.

Which group is pushing Congress to act over the states? Consumer Technology Association

Why should Congress resgulate self driving cars and not states? “transportation is a national issue”

Even without Congressional action federal regulators will tell the states what to do with new guidelines. Transportation Department & its National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will create guidelines for state policymakers to draw on when regulating self-driving cars.

What’s the…

INTERIM. Lege Trend. Ride Share Data Use. 1 State Lege Author Killed His Own Bill.

What state legislature is active on ride share legislation? California

The bill’s author killed his own bill? Yes, asserting misunderstandings by all stakeholders

What groups supported the bill? Consumer Federation of California

What would the bill have done? “ Require passengers to opt in before ride-hailing apps could share their contact information or any other personally identifying data with third parties.”

California Assembly Bill 886

The Recorder | Lawmaker Drops…

Midwest Trend: Republican House Leaders Propose $500 Million in Funding for Roads. Key Points from the Plan.

Republican House Members in Indiana have a plan, a transportation funding plan to:

  • Raise fuel taxes by 4 cents a gallon to 22 cents
  • Raise cigarette taxes by $1
  • Raise sales tax on fuel by 4 cents a gallon (about $24 per year per motorist)
  • Charge electric car owners a $100 yearly registration fee
  • Allow cities to charge a “wheel tax,” which is a charge of up to $25 on car registrations to help fund local projects.
  • Study turning freeways into tollways

Republican leaders say:

  • this…