Category Archives: transportation safety

New TREND. Laws ad Regulations Concerning Ride Share Driver Car Recalls.

Why are we worried about ride share driver car recalls? Consumer Reports says 1 of 6 Uber and Lyft drivers in New York City & Seattle areas are driving vehicles with outstanding recalls

Does this hold true for taxis too?  yes, 1 in 4 taxis

is there a non-legislative or regualtory solutions? Yes, Uber  deactivates drivers with outstanding recall that’s serious enough to prompt a “do not drive” warning

AP via SF Gate | Report: Many Uber, Lyft drivers fail to respond to recalls

New Kid on the Block. Opposition to Texas High Speed Rail

The new kid on the block: ‘ReRoute the Route’

ReRoute the Route message:safer, smarter rail options in Texas

Who is in the coalition? land owners, elected officials and business leaders

What do they say the high speed rail route should look like?

  • endpoint closer to downtown Houston
  • follow established right-of-way such as the I-45 corridor
  • minimize eminent domain and private property concerns
  • minimize environmental impact concerns
  • alleviate safety concerns of the curved track design
  • foun…

Local TREND. Big Brother Tracking Scooter Speed and Meting Out Enforcement

The University of Texas at Austin is the first in the nation to curb scooter speeds with geofencing limitations. 

Scooters moving above 8mph would be slowed electronically by the scooter powers that be.

Texas Monthly | The University of Texas’s Scooter Speed Limit Is a Glimpse of the Future

Lege TREND. 2 States Adopt Dutch Reach. Bike Safety.

What is the Dutch Reach? 

  • When exiting your car, use your far hand to open the door
  • Huh? If you’re in the driver’s seat, reach with your right hand

Which states are including the Dutch Reach?

  • Illinois and Massachusetts

How are IL & MA including the Dutch Reach?

  • New state laws
    • Added to road safety manuals
    • Included in driving tests

Governing | What’s the ‘Dutch Reach’? 2 U.S. States Adopt It to Save Cyclists’ Lives

Local TREND. Local Rules for Reporting. Ride Share. 3 Points from the Rules. state preemption Loophole.

Where: Pittsburgh, PA

Why? Without a police report or accident report, there is no knowledge of accidents involving ride share and autonomous car companies

What are the parameters for local rules being considered in Pittsburgh?

  • encourage autonomous vehicle companies to self-report certain non-fatal traffic incidents
  • the goal: transparency

Where does the loophole come in? State laws that address TNCs but local ordinances apply to reporting to all incidents involving all subsisdiaries of a…

Local TREND. 5 Nationwide Scooter Regulatory Issues. Local and State.

  • WHERE  can people ride scooters? on the street or the sidewalk?
    • The use of geolocation, or bluetooth beacons to require parking in designated areas or the scooter ride will not end.
  • SPEED. How fast should they be able to go?
    • Require driver license scans to ensur eno kids are riding.
  • WHO. What companies can operate the services, and under what circumstances?
    • safe, reliable partners with cities
  • SAFETY. Are scooters even safe?
    • Helmets. Should they be mandated?
    • California cities…

3 Proactive Transportation Planning Needs of Texas Rural Highways.

  • Producers guide transportation needs by forecasting the changing truck travel to match advances in energy development 
  • Creative engeinnering. 
    • converting an existing two-way frontage road to one-way traffic
    • temporary use of bypass lanes until an overpass is built
  • Data TxDOT and TTI experts study accident data to reduce accidents

Trib Talks | William R. Stockton | Texas A&M Transportation Institute | Rural Texas highways give us a reliable path to the pump

What I need to know about a study that Says Ride Share Made Traffic Worse in an Urban Area?

Who conducted the study?  San Francisco County Transportation Authority

What urban area was studied? average speeds

What did the study reveal:

  • Slower Morning traffic. 26% decrease in average morning speeds since 2009
  • Slower Night traffic. 27% for evening traffic speeds during the same time
  • More traffic jams.  vehicle hour delays increased by 40,000 hours on an average day
  • More road wear and tear. miles traveled on local roads jumped 630,000 miles

The Car Connection | Study: Uber, Lyft…

Refreshing our Recollection | READ THE BILLl | Procurement for Electric License Plates

Where are digital license plates being tested? Sacramento city cars are pilot testing digital license plates.

Are other locations on the horizon?  Yes, Texas & Florida

The company pushing digital license plates: The 

What else can digital license plates do?

  • track mileage
  • set geofence notifications

Cost of a digital license plate: $699 for individual consumers, plus installation, as well as a monthly fee of about $7.

The 2013 California legislation: A DMV bill calling for a study of…