Category Archives: regulatory trend

13 States +1 Adopt Higher Emissions Standards. Red. Blue. & Purple States.

States imposing the current federal emissions standards, that match the California emissions standards:

  • California
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • Maine 
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • New Jersey
  • New York
  • Oregon
  • Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont
  • Washington
  • + Colorado

Fox 31 Denver | via AP | Colorado to adopt California’s stricter car pollution rules

3 Reasons Colorado Governor Orders State to Comply with Stricter California Emissions Standards. The Opposition:

On June 19th, Colorado Governor ordered the state to comply with California emissions standards because:

  • to resist the Trump administration softening of emissions rules
  • to protect farmers, farming and farm land
  • to protect the Colorado wilderness
  • to protect communities “susceptible to air pollution and a changing climate”
  • for Colorado’s health and future

The opposition: Colorado Automobile Dealers Association

What does the opposition say: 

  • more Coloradoans buy large trucks and SUVs
  • “We’re…

Business TREND. Insurance Policies for Ride Share Riders.

Business: Startup Sure Inc. and underwriter Chubb

The insurance policy: 

  • “RideSafe” policies for ride share passengers
  • accidental medical, death and dismemberment insurance coverage for the ride

Doesn’t ride share cover liaility insurance that covers passengers? Yes, but this policy will:

  • cover some of those gaps in coverage
  • cover medical copayments
  • cover times when the ride share libaility poliocy is not in effect
  • cost is $2.40 for 24 hours of coverage on any number of rides

Availaibilit…

+1 State Studying Pay as You Drive in Lieu of Gas Tax. the State. The Study. 6 Questions from Elected officials.

The State: Virginia

Which Virginia Governmental Agencies want to study a pay as your drive funding mechanism for transportation? state association of metropolitan planners and supported by the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization,

Which entity is being asked to study pay as you drive? The State Secretary of Transportation 

A state senator raised the following questions about pay as you drive:

  • How much revenue would it bring in compared to the gas tax?
  • How would you measure a…

Anatomy of a Smart City Road System. Funding. Procurement. 6 Goals. 1 Governor Order.

Funding:  $40 million federal grant and $10 million from Paul G. Allen Philanthropies

Goals of Smart Cities:

  • reduce collisions
  • speed first responder response times
  • curb freeway delays
  • get products to consumers faster
  • how to use data to improve city services and quality of life for residents
  • easier access to healthcare services

Procurement Oppostunities:

  • transportation technologies:
    • integrate self-driving cars
    • connected vehicles
    • smart sensors
    • developing transportation technologies

      • …

3 Supporting Reasons for an EV Charging Rebate Program. Electric Vehicle Charging Association.

The Electric Vehicle Charging Association supports AEP Ohio’s first approved utility rebate program for electrical-vehicle charging because:

  • MORE EVs. will improve Ohio’s electric vehicle adoption
  •  Fewer Charging Anxieties. deployment of hundreds of charging stations where EV drivers live, work, and play
  • Good for Businesses. lower barriers for businesses, workplaces, and municipalities to offer electric vehicle charging for customers, employees, and everyday drivers

Norwalk Reflector | EV…

BUSINESS TREND. REGULATORY TREND. 3 Reasons Automakers Want to Work With California Emission Standards.

Why did Automakers adapt their strategy?

  • Concern over Trump Administration. The concern being that the Administration will pick a fight with the 12 states that follow California emission standards & automakers will be left fixing the problems
  • Uniformity & Certainty.  factions of varying regulations isn’t conducive to business
  •  Sales. 50 different EV car sales account for fewer sales than  F150 Ford truck sales

Governing | Long Adversaries, Automakers Now Want to Work With California on…

Lege Trend. Autonomous Vehicles. Cyber Security Researchers + Distributed Ledger Tech (Blockchain)

Texas University with new cybersecurity and autonomous vehicles research:  University of Texas at San Antonio, Institute for Cyber Security

What code words do I need to watch for in regulations or legislation? fog cloud computing 

What’s fog cloud computing?  A distributed ledger system of cloud computing being utilized to improve security of autonmous vehicles

How does it make it harder to hack an autonmous vehicle? more barriers, if the information is in packets and spread across various…

Regulatory TREND. LEGE TREND. Procurement TREND. Switching to a 5 Step Contracting Process that Shifts Liability.

State: Arkansas

New transportation construction contract process: construction manager/general contractor (CMGC) form of contracting

Why the switch? liability and risks of cost overruns move to the contractor

What parameters did the Legislature put around the new contracting method?

  • 3 projects only
  • totaling no more than $200 million

How does it work?

  • Design Phase: contractors submit requests for proposals

  • After the design phase: contractor submits its cost estimate to build the…