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What’s happening? San Francisco is seeing that ride share riders are leaving and moving to taxi services because of increased use of surge pricing.
Why is this important? Cabbies servicing SFO say airport taxi cab rides have doubled.
How will this be important? Flywheel which works like ride share but uses cabs is seeing record breaking use.
San Francisco Examiner | Uber and Lyft surge pricing drives angry SF customers back to taxis
What’s happening? A program in the city of Leicester, UK converts the top of bus stops into pollinator gardens for bees.
Why is this important? Green space and pollinator gardens keep the bee populations thriving which in turn cleans the air and keeps agribusiness flourishing.
How will this be important? It’s a great space for nonprofits or local governments to promote tangible low cost projects.
What’s happening? CATO writes about how car dealership protections fit in the modern world. CATO points to 3 reasons why the old justifications for protection no longer fit. (1) dealerships aren’t mom and pop shops anymore “The top 10 dealership groups in America have annual revenues around $100 billion—more than any car company. ” (2) foreign makers make the auto market far more competitive (3) there are different sales models that don’t involve inventory on hand
Why is this important? Things change and adapt including laws and rules.
How will this be important? Tesla isn’t the only vehicle company outside the traditional box, Rivian, Fisker, + more. The market is growing.
What’s happening? Baltimore raised 3 reasons to oppose the proposed high-speed Northeast Maglev between Baltimore and DC. (1)economic equity that negates affordable transportation (2) environmental justice (3)community impacts
Why is this important? The terms have changed since COVID. Now we’re hearing about environmental justice and economic equity.
How will this be important? Setting the post-COVID tone for future project standards.
Baltimore Sun via Governing | Baltimore Opposes Maglev Train Due to Equity, Environment
What’s happening? The former head of the Maryland Secretary of Transportation proposes a beneficiaries pay system that would impose an 8% federal surcharge on all commercial activity occurring on U.S. streets and highways. Costs would be built into our end consumer prices.
Why is this important? Because pay as your drive tax systems are costly to run and implment
How will this be important? The gas tax isn’t keeping pace, and eventually a replacement will be necessary. This tax is based on commercial activity and would be sensitive to inflation and economic trends.
Politico | Opinion | The Gas Tax is Obsolete. Here’s a Better Idea.
What’s happening? New York City’s Taxi and Limousine Commission voted to block the issuance of new for-hire vehicle licenses for electric vehicles
Why is this important? EVs are currently exempted from existing caps in NYC rules. This vote knocks that exemption out.
How will this be important? The board members took aim at Revel, for wanting to disrupt, the industry. A board member said, ” “This is one of the moments for which the cap was created — to provide a check and balance for businesses whose strategy is to disrupt the system, adding to congestion and putting profits and growth before the City’s welfare,”
What’s happening? Apparently a lot of people inNew Hampshire hit cats with their cars. So many that a bill has been filed to bring justice for the cats. The bill would require you to report the collision to either the animal’s owner or to police
Why is this important? Texas Governor this week vetoed a bill about standards for drinking water for dogs left outside in the Texas heat.
How will this be important? An excellent barometer for how bills that require self reporting function.
Route Fifty |. Me-OW: One State’s Plan to Demand Justice for Run-Over Cats
What’s happening? MyEV.com has named Oklahoma the #1 EV state.
How is this important? Oklahoma landed on #1 with its unique tax for EVs and that their charging network ensures a charger every 50 miles. The tax is levied based on the size of the vehicle and how much it is driven each year.
Why will this be important? The Oklahoma tax is lower for EVs because OK levies a tax on charging. 3-cent tax per kilowatt hour to charge an electric vehicle (EV). There is no tax for EVs that charge at home.
Governing | Oklahoma Hopes to Be Newest Hub for Electric Vehicles
What’s happening? Consumer Energy has a new incentive program that incentivizes businesses to install charging stations. Consumers has $3 million for its PowerMIFLeet plan to power 200 fast charging locations and more than 2,000 charging stations at homes and businesses in Michigan.
Why is this important? It’s an EV charger plan in the birth place of the US auto industry. If it works there….it works….anywhere.
How will this be important? The plan includes consultations to help planning resources, expert guidance and financial incentive. Basically, they’ll hold your hand through the entire process.
Business | Consumers Energy Launches $3M Program to Add EV Charging Stations in Michigan
What’s happening? Pennsylvania is doing a deep dive on transportation funding with its 46-member Pennsylvania Transportation Revenue Options Commission, consisting of lawmakers, transportation leaders and others in the transportation industry.
Why is this important? The hype is focused on a 4.2 cent increase and then a repeal of the entire gas tax within a decade.
How will this be important? the laundry list of options is interesting: move police funding to roads, pay as you drive fees, a delivery service tax, increase vehicle registration fees, increase vehicle taxes…
Reading Eagle | Plan would raise, then replace, the gas tax to fund transportation in Pa.