11: The Number of Self Driving car accidents in California.
TPPF Not Amused by Senate Amendments to HB 20
TPPF calls HB 20 a good bill when it left the House in April, but makes these comments about HB 20 after Senate amendments:
- Eliminates TXDOT authority to use design-build
- Will cost taxpayers Billions
6 Points from The Transportation Funding Deal
- Projected $3 Billion boost in funding, possibly more
- Funding will shift to construction and maintenance of toll-free roads
- Will require voter approval in November 2016
- Funding will rely on general sales tax and the motor vehicle sales tax
- The funding mechanism: “starting in 2018, TxDOT would get up to an additional $2.5 billion a year in general sales tax revenue once that pot reached $28 billion a year”
- “Starting in 2020, the highway fund would also get 35 percent of motor vehicle sales tax revenue over $5 billion a year. Pickett estimated that cut would produce more than $250 million a year at first and then be in a position to grow.”
High Speed Rail Lives to Fight Another Battle
High Speed Rail escaped the conference committee on House Bill 1, without the provision removing its ability to be granted the power of eminent domain.
The no votes by the conferees were:
- Otto
- Ashby
- Kolkhorst
- Schwertner
More fights are on the horizon as Texas Central Railways seeks to aquire land and requisite funding to build the Dallas-Houstonn high speed rail.
New Ride Share Laws on Car Pooling. Like Splitting a Cab, but with Ride Share.
California Legislature is moving a measure to permit carpooling by ride share comapnies.
California has an existing statutory framework for ride-share and a regulatory framework through the California Public Utilities Commission.
In 2014 California increased insurance requirements on ride-share. In 2015 it is also moving a long statutory criminal background check requirements for ride-share.
Local Control: $1,000 Fee for Each Upgrade to Ride Share App?
New York Mayor Blasio is proposing new ride share regulations that will require ride share comapnies to pay NYC $1,000 for each user upgrade to their ride share mobile apps.
A public hearing is being held May 28th. The proposed city regulation emerged 9 days after the mayor appeared at a large tech conference, TechCrunch Disrupt, held in Manhattan, where the Mayor, naturally pledged support for the industry.
Spell Check Transportation Signs: A lesson from Texas
The Veterans Affairs National Cemetery in Texas was to get a new sign. Then it was discovered the sign misspelled cemetery. A new, new sign is on its way.
Government Officials blame the private contractor.
From the Beltway: Think Our Tolls Are High? Look at Houston
The new $10 peak time toll for I-10 in Houston sparked a Washington Post blub about the Texas toll prices. $10 for 12 miles. But, apparently Virigina has Texas beat with $16 for 14 miles..
Port of Houston Traffic Up 23% = $103 Million
4 million tons crossed the Port docks last month. This represents a 23% increase.
The Port is up 11% for the year. having already handled more than 13 million tons of cargo. It represents $103 million in revneue for the year, up 30% over year to date for last year.
CATO: Cut $13 Billion in Transportation Funding
CATO is suggesting to Congress that should cut $13 Billion in spending to help with the federal transportation funding reauthorization. The Hill