InfoHive – Transportation

Why should we be expecting autonomous boat legislation? Because we’re not talking about it and an autonomous Mayflower is launching to commemorate the Mayflower’s 400th anniversary since it departed PLymouth

Who partnered to build this autonomous Mayflower? The nonprofit marine research organization ProMare and IBM

AP | 400 years later, a new Mayflower will sail without humans

Who: GM and Uber

What: GM is offering Uber drivers  special pricing on new 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV purchases and GM EV charging accessories.

GM Authority | Uber Drivers Offered Special Pricing For GM EV Models

What direct impact did COVID have on high speed rail in California, beyond the cost overruns and land acquisitions that have clung to the project?

• California’s Cap and Trade Auctions fund part of the high speed rail project and those auctions have garnered less revenue
• Legislators are calling on the rail authority’s reassessment

Los Angeles Times via Governing | California’s High-Speed Rail Loses Momentum Due to Pandemic

Who: Motor Drive

Where does Motor Drive operate? Indianapolis

How does the a monthly subscription service work? Subscriptions range from$649 per month to $1,399, including insurance and routine maintenance. The service also requires a membership, which costs $400 upfront. If you buy an EV through the service, the $400 counts toward the purchase.

What about charging the EV?  Motor Drive will install a fast charger for you if you agree to a subscription for 120 days

Indianapolis Star via Governing | New Subscription Services Let Users Try Electric Vehicles

Where: California

What? California Legislature passed a COVID Reform bill, SB 288 (2020 | CA) that allows ENVIRONMENTAL reviews to be skipped. Adieu preconceived notions.

What is the goal of SB 288? To promote projects that could cut down driving & reduce carbon emissions

What did the bill’s author say? “SB 288 will help get our economy back on track, create jobs, and improve our sustainable transportation infrastructure.””

Specifically what type of transit projects would get to skip environmental review?

• Bus lines
• transit stations
• biking and walking projects
• facility repairs
• electric-vehicle charging stations
• Construction projects not meeting minimum parking requirements

How long will the project fast track last? 2 years

San Francisco Chronicle via Governing | California Legislature Approves Speedy Sustainability Bill

Where: California’s Monterey-Salinas Transit

What experience did the regional transit authority have that helped their COVID pivot? The agency’s  tabletop exercises concerning the best responses to natural disasters, civil disturbances or mass casualty events

How did Monterey-Salinas Transit do to pivot because of COVID?

• Quickly required masks & distancing that limited occupancy with distance exceptions for families
• Provided its drivers with masks, goggles and face shields
• Stopped collecting fares and instituted rear door boarding to protect drivers
• Reached out to stakeholders in its service zone
  • Stakeholders: agriculture and hospitality industries, military bases, community colleges, school districts and health-care providers
  • Bus drivers helped Meals on Wheels in Salinas Valley 
  • Parked its Wi-Fi-enabled commuter buses in rural areas to provide hot spots for rural students
  • Donated a vehicle it no longer needed to a veterans group who used it to take homeless veterans to food, medical services and shelter
  • Provided 2 buses to be converted into mobile COVID-19 testing facilities for agricultural workers
• Constant Recalibration with a comment enabled app, the Slido app

What surprised the agency and will impact future planning?

• COVID has no clear END, unlike a natural disaster, and that impacts resources & planning
• The rush on cleaning supplies and that impact on suppliers

Governing | Rural California Transit Agency Reinvents Itself During COVID

The Sierra Club updated its Model EV Policy ToolKit. Here it is.

What’s the big picture:

• Encourage & Incentivize purchase of EVs
• Encourage & Incentivize Fleet EVs for light duty vehicles and buses
• Policies To Increase Availability Of Charging Infrastructure
• Utilities are an ally, need policies for utility investments in charging infrastructure

Clean Technica | Sierra Club Updates Nationwide EV Model Policy Toolkit

The report is by: California based Reason Foundation, the Los Angeles-based libertarian think tank 

Which states are recommended for privatization of their tollroads? Illinois Tollway; the New York Thruway; and turnpikes in Florida, Kansas, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio and Oklahoma.

Not included: Texas because it has P3 toll projects

Tulsa World | Foundation says Oklahoma could net billions by leasing out its turnpike system

Reason Foundation | Why Governments Should Lease Their Toll Roads

Who is hiring pilots, now that fewer people are flying? Drone Operators

Why? Pilots are familiar with terminology, aerodynamics, impact of weather

How are pilots flying drones a business model?

• On a gig economy model, it gives pilots the opportunity to fly drones when they want to

CNN via KTZV | Airline pilots are worried about their jobs. So some are learning to fly drones

1. Franchising, which we talked about last week
2. Pivoting to delivering stuff and not people

How does pivoting to delivering stuff instead of drivers delivering passengers change the worker classification issue in California? The California Attorney General Order allows for delivery of things

Reuters | Uber to operate food delivery even if rides business forced shut in California