Category Archives: motor vehicles

9 Ways TX Using VW Environmental Mitigation Funds

Public Comment on the draft Mitigation Plan through October 8th at TCEQ.

Eligible mitigation actions:

 

  • Statewide Light-Duty ZEV Supply Equipment Funding (15% of funding)
  • In prioritity areas: (81% of funding)
    • Class4-7LocalFreightTrucks
    • Class 8 Local Freight Trucks and Port Drayage Trucks
    • Class 7 – 8 Refuse Vehicle
    • School Buses
    • Transit and Shuttle Buses
    • Electric Forklifts and Port Cargo Handling Equipment
    • Electric Airport Ground Support Equipment
    • Ocean-Going Vessel Shore…

Regulatory TREND | Reduce Utility Rates for EV Charging. WHO. WHAT. WHERE. HOW.

WHO |  DTE Energy & Consumers Energy

WHAT |  Include in their 3 year plans a reduction in utility rates for EV charging

WHERE | Michigan

HOW |  

  • incentivizing EV drivers to charge at home during off-peak hours
  • the shift will drive down rates for all customers by millions of dollars
  • DTE’s $13 million pilot program for time of use rebates

Energy News | Michigan utilities look to lower rates through EV time of use charging

 

Local TREND. Wheel Taxes Locally. What. Where. How. Supporters. Opponents.

What: A tax imposed on car registration by a local government & can be imposed by multiple local governments like county and city

Where:  Madison Wisconsin

How: Dane County implemented a $28 wheel tax + Madison, WI is considering a $17 wheel tax for an annual vehicle registration of $120

Supporters Say: It prevents cuts to public transit budget

Opponents Say: Raise the state gas tax.  More effective way to secure funding for the improvements the transit system and roads

WMTV | Madison…

Local Trend. Business Trend. 4 Examples of 1st/Last Mile to Public Transportation.

Entering into partnerships with Waymo, Uber and Lyft, or creating their own programs, cities address  last mile transportation options for pulic transit riders such as:

  • Waymo driverless vans taking riders to transit stops
    • A pilot program in Phoenix will start with local government employees and expand to seniors and the disabled
  • Cities are partnering with ride share companies for first/last mile connections to boost public transit use
  • Cities are creating their own first/last mile…

3 Shortcomings of Federal Autonomous Vehicle Legislation. 2 Opposition Groups. No State Action.

What groups are opposed to the legislation?

  • Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety
  •  Major Cities Chiefs Association

What shortcomings do opponents highlight in the legislation?

  • National Transportation Safety Board’s ongoing investigations
  • prohibits state regulatory action
  • data insufficiency, US DOT has 3 years to revise data rules and thats too long
  • “all crashes involving AVs should be reported to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration immediately and made publicly available”
  • i…

Lege TREND. Bill Promotes EVs & Helps Ride Share.

California’s SB 1014 (CA | 2018) would credit Ride Share use of Electric Vehicles, including the use of bikes and scooters through ride share apps.

Ride share comapnies would be encouraged to invest in and encourage bike share and scooter share programs.

Here’s California PUC’s white paper on increasing EV use.

StreetsBlogCAL | Bill to Increase Use of Zero-Emission Vehicles Could Credit Uber, Lyft for Bike Miles

Procurement TREND: Electronic State ID. The legislation. The company. The process.

Louisiana became the first state to allow citizens to use an App to show their state ID to law enforcement.

the Louisiana App: LA Wallet app on iOS and Android platforms

What about safety or hacking?

  • If the user’s phone is lost or stolen, the ID can be unlinked
  • The app contains a feature similar to the holograms & seals printed on the state’s physical ID cards

The company behind th eproduct: Envoc,

The Bill: HB481 (2016 | LA)

State Scoop | Drivers in Louisiana can now show police their ID…

3 POINTS WORLDS LARGEST AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE TESTING TRACK. How is it funded?

Where is the world’s largest autonomous vehicle testing track? Ohio’s Transportation Research Center is building it in Central Ohio

What will the facility and track include?

  • 540-acre and $45 million SMART Center
  • 4,500-acre campus total area
  • 1.2-mile-long, six-lane-wide connected roadway, a network of movable intersections, roundabouts and oblique intersection scenarios

Funding by:

  •  State of Ohio
  • The Ohio State University
  • JobsOhio, a private nonprofit economic-development group

State…

2 Policy Reasons for Passing Data Security Bills for Smart Vehicles

Bills that criminalize hacking smart vehicles would:

  • protect health and safety if the hack was to harm people
  • protect economic well being if the hack was intended to obtain credit card information stored in the car’s systems, financial data or hold the vehicle for ransom

Freight Waves | Cybercrime regulations over ‘smart’ connected vehicles and its impact on civil liability