InfoHive – Transportation

What’s happening? The 2020 resurgence of Black Lives Matters and increased awareness of civil justice issues has towns and states taking actions to make things better. Dumfries Virginia is renaming a road into a historic freed slave community.

Why is this important? Local governments are digging into their histories. These council members discovered that a Dumfries is one of a handful of African-American communities in Northern Virginia prior to the Civil War. The new name, Batestown honors one of the first settlers.

How will this be important? Look at the names of local parks, buildings, roads and get ready for new names.

Inside Nova | Mine Road in Dumfries to be renamed Batestown after freed slave community

What’s happening? When the pandemic began, Kansas City, KS waived all mass transit costs.

Why is this important? The pandemic highlighted the impact of transportation costs on essential workers like grocery store cashiers. The policy question became whether that essential worker should use her limited resources for mass transit fees or to put food on the table.

How will this be important? Cities are considering continuing free mass transit, at minimum, for low income riders, veterans, students, communities hit hard by COVID.

Route Fifty | Tackling Social Inequity, Some Cities May Ditch Bus, Subway Fares

What’s happening? Meet this 22 year old Texas Company- Hitch. Hitch is solving a transportation issue that isn’t currently covered- long-haul ride share and same-day courier service

Why is this important? Hitch is growing 50% month over month this year. Same day delivery services in Texas largest 11 cities is 50% of the usual suspects. Ride Share with Hitch for 50- mile + trips is 5 times less than with the usual ride share suspects.

How will this be important? There isn’t much action in the 50 – 350 mile transportation space so here we go!

Hitch | Intercity travel within Texas gets shakeup from 22-year-old growing rival company to both UPS/FedEx and Uber/Lyft

What’s happening? Meet Trucks Venture Capital, a fund that focuses on early-stage entrepreneurs in transportation. Its new follow-on fund, Trucks Growth Fund, will provide later-stage capital.

Why is this important? Follow the money to funding safer, cleaner and more accessible transportation. We’re talking automated vehicles, microtransit and delivery services too.

How will this be important? Tracking the future of transportation, watch the funding here.

Tech Crunch | Trucks VC launches two new funds for early and late-stage transportation startups

What’s happening? The Port of Long Beach is not imposing its emissions tax on trucks that are fueled by natural gas.

Why is this important? The emissions fee is expected to generate $80 million in year 1.

How will this be important? The Long Beach Port has a Clean Air Action plan that calls for emission free by 2035.

Transport Dive | Port of Long Beach exempts natural gas trucks from impending emissions fee

What’s happening? New data from Houston, Texas shows that after ride share companies entered Houston, injuries from drunk driving decreased according to a new study by Dr. Christopher Conner, a neurosurgery resident at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth in Houston and lead author of the report, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association’s surgery periodical.

Why is this important? Vehicle crash visits to Trauma Level 1 facilities by 23.8% during the peak Friday and Saturday night periods after Uber arrived in February 2014

How will this be important? The researchers are considering additional studies to consider how ride share impacts transit system dependent metro areas, unlike Houston which is car dependent, and social economics.

Houston Chronicle | Drunk driving injuries dropped after Uber debut in Houston, study finds

What’s happening? Meet Kaptyn Inc., a a reservation-based premium transportation option, that acquired in 2019 a large group of Las Vegas taxicab companies

Why is this important? The timing shift from on demand to reservation is key to its concierge transportation business model. Additionally, it employs 150 full-time drivers who receive benefits.

How will this be important? A new transportation segment emerges that isn’t a cab and isn’t a limo and isn’t a ride share…hello regulation.

Las Vegas Review Journal | Tesla-based transportation service expands in Las Vegas

What’s happening? During the Pandemic, NV Governor Executive order limited surge pricing by ride share to provide some stability for tourism.

Why is this important? NV learned from its experience. Drivers are hesitant to return in Las Vegas increasing waiting times to 30 minutes. NV could again impose a ban on surge pricing but any future ban would have to be renewed every 30 days.

How will this be important? Some state and local governments are considering legislation to cap surge pricing.

Casino.org | Nevada Eliminates Ban on Surge Pricing for Rideshare Services, Fewer Delays Likely

What’s happening? Congress for the New Urbanism released its report “Freeways Without Futures” that identifies 15 highways that were built by taking BIPOC land and by their removal could make the cities the highways serve more  healthy, vibrant, and prosperous.

Last week in remembrance of the Tulsa massacre we heard about I-244. But, in Austin, TX we have I-35 making the list as well as I-345 in Dallas, I-980 in Oakland and I-5 in Seattle.

Why is this important? California has a new statewide commission looking at these issues. So do other states and cities throughout the country. It’s not limited to a party.

How will this be important? How we build highways will change as sates pass bills or adopt rules that require study on the impact of the project to a community before eminent domain can be used.

Streets Blog | These 15 Urban Highways Have Got to Go

What’s happening? Since Black Lives Matters captured the ethos a year ago, government planning has included addressing historic inequalities and marginalization. Enter Colorado’s SB21-260 (2021 | CO) that would create a $209 million fund that would pay for pollution- and traffic-reduction initiatives.

Why is this important? The bill supporters say its time for community-impact considerations to be included in transportation planning.

How will this be important? The authors are funding it with fees on ride share & delivery services.

Denver Post via Governing | Colorado Transit Bill Brings Focus and Funding to Inequality