InfoHive – Transportation

What’s happening? New Jersey is spending $100 Million to electrify garbage trucks, school buses and passenger buses. Funding sources include proceeds the state realized from a greenhouse gas initiative and the Volkswagen settlement.

Why is this important? Funding for electrification goes beyond public transit and includes $36 million for the state’s industrial areas and ports to begin using electric equipment.

How will this be important? An electrification transit bill is an avenue for industrial electrification too.

AP | NJ earmarks $100M to build up electric truck, bus fleets

What’s happening? San Fernando, CA is installing Tesla superchargers in city parking lots to encourage visitors.

Why is this important? The private-public partnership to bring charging to San Fernando has brought lawsuits from Environmental Justice Groups and a real estate developer calling the chargers potentially disruptive.

How will this be important? Revitalization packages include an EV charger angle.

Daily News Los Angeles | City to Install Tesla Superchargers to Bring Foot Traffic

What’s happening? Washington State is trying to figure out how to fund its transportation system by raising the gas tax  3 cents a gallon; imposing a 2 cent sales taxes on bicycles and bike parts; 20-cents-per-trip surcharge and ferry passengers would pay an extra 25 cents per crossing for transit riders; & Uber and Lyft would pay an additional 50 cents per ride

Why is this important? Supporters also want to levy a carbon fee as well as a tax on luxury aircraft and yachts; $15 per ton fee on carbon emissions

How will this be important? The tax discussion shows issues like climate change and the sharing economy factor into transportation taxes in the new economy.

 The Seattle Times | Washington Proposal Would Impose Wide Transportation Tax

What’s the deal? First, North Carolina had the first pilotless flying taxi and now United is going to buy up to 200 flying taxis from an electric aircraft startup.

Why is this important? The purchase is to lift United’s clean air footprint.

How will this be important? Regulatory approval and any local and state approvals are still forthcoming.

Wall Street Journal | United Airlines to Buy 200 Flying Electric Taxis to Take You to the Airport

What’s the deal? The Texas Attorney general is answering the burning question, the potential punishment for a violation of the maximum vehicle weight limit established by the executive director of the Texas Department of Transportation under Transportation Code section 621.102.

Why should I care? The Opinions quotes precedent that says if the Legislature was silent, we have to assume that silence was intentional. But, the statute has a catch all section for punishments, and that applies here. Because no statute specifies the penalty for violating section 621.102, operating a vehicle in excess of the maximum weight set by the executive director under that section is subject to the catch-all penalties in section 621.507.

How can this impact me? If the Legislature made an oops daisy, then they’ll amend Section 621.102 with specific penalty provisions.

Texas Attorney General Opinion KP-0354

Where we were in Ausgust 2020:

Burning Questions About Fines for Overweight Vehicles

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will be answering whether overweight vehicle fines apply to vehicles that would have been in compliance except for the fact that the roadway on which they are traveling have been re-designated for a lower weight capacity?

Why should we care about this? Because it will impact the amount of fines that can be collected by local governments during a time when transportation related fine and tax revenue are low.

RQ-0373-KP

What’s the deal? American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy is ranking state policies that promote electric transportation. They created 6 categories. Like Defcon, Defcon 1 is the highest exalted level, and 6 is oh, yeah, those guys, pay no mind, it’s no biggie.

Why should we care? California and New York lead Tier 1. Texas, Georgia andMichigan roundup Tier 6.

How can this impact me? The categories that ACEEE looks at cover a lot of ground that impacts us all. They considered planning & goal setting, incentives, transportation system efficiency, electric grid optimization, equity & outcomes.

Governing | States Show Limited Progress With Electric Vehicle Policies

What’s the deal? Washington State is considering legislation to prohibit the sale of gas vehicles after 2030. HB 124 (2021 | WA) & SB 5256 (2021 | WA)

Why should we care? The State Attorney General Office noted that legislation would bring legal action challenging the state’s authority to prohibit the sale of gas cars under the Clean Air Act.

How can this impact me? The roadmap to EV vehicles is being written in building codes that require charger infrastructure or plans for infrastructure, regulatory decisions on ownership, pricing, and installation of chargers, and the plethora of partnerships that are emerging. partnerships include tech companies that deploy the software, developers who are building with chargers in mind, EV manufacturers, utilities, and more.

Seattle Times via Governing | Washington State Proposes Banning New Gas Vehicles in 2030

What’s the deal? Uber bought Drizly, the alcohol delivery service, for $1.1. Billion. Some say it is ” a gamechanger that could “turbocharge” the growth of online-enabled alcohol delivery. ” Alcohol delivery grew by 80% in 2020.

Why should we care? There’s a host of issues involved here. (1) the roll back of regulations on businesses that were deemed burdensome (2) will pandemic regulatory roll backs stick? (3) Can third parties deliver alcohol? (4) If 3rd parties can deliver alcohol can they deliver sealed bottles? does it include cocktails from bars and restaurants?

How can this impact me? We’ve all opened up to delivery more. It’s like the 1930s delivery of eggs or milk or ice, without as much of the racism and sexism. Delivery of goods and services is here to stay and our prohibition era rules don’t match current economic forces.

Governing | A Chance to Liberate Booze Delivery — if Government Allows It

What’s the deal? UTSA received a grant from TxDOT to promote modes of non-motorized transportation that reduce the use of single-occupant vehicles through increased use of buses, walking, biking, scooters, skateboards, and electric vehicles.

Why should we care? UTSA says the time is right to improve sustainability since COVID has people avoiding transit. UTSA will expand its  Tito Bradshaw Bike Repair Shop ,with a mobile bike repair shop.

How can this impact me? Partnerships, study them, learn from them. Emulate the successful partnerships. Especially look to how EV fits in the UTSA plan.

UTSA Today | Sustainability grant will help improve campus walkability, air quality

What’s the deal? CT is considering Assembly Bill 6080 that would bring back the mileage tax. The CT legislature voted it down in 2017, and public opinion in 2015 wasn’t favorable.

Why should we care? States have low revenue because of COVID, the gas tax has been under performing. Solutions are needed. States from WA to MO are pilot testing mileage tax.

How can this impact me? If you drive, ride in a car, have clients who drive or ride in cars, or are driven, we should all pay attention. Plus,t here is the data security element on whether the sensors track your movements.

Yankee Institute | Mileage tax study returns with new bill