InfoHive – Transportation

The State: New Jersey

Which agencies came together to fund state electrification?

• Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative’s
• New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

Funding Source: VW Settlement Funds

How will funding be allocated?

•  $37 million to projects that convert dilapidated diesel trucks, buses, port equipment, marine vessels, and trains to electric power
• The remaining monies to be used for EV charging equipment throughout the State.

Cole Schotz | New Jersey Firms Up Funding For Electrification Of Transportation Sector

Where: Los Angeles

Who is getting free COVID testing in LA? Essential Workers

How has LA defined essential/critical workers?

• First responders
• Critical government personnel
• Health care professionals
• Grocery workers
• Commercial, rideshare, and public transit drivers

Last | LA Expands Free Coronavirus Testing To Taxi, Public Transit And Rideshare Drivers

What new regulatory requirements are coming up for ride share? Sanitizing

What businesses are trending: sanitization methods for shared autos technologies are varied from UV light cleaning to utilizing the car’s HVAC system

Just Auto | COVID-10 will force rethink of shared vehicle hygiene

Where: Wisconsin

What transportation funding mechanism has been hit hardest? The gas tax with revenue estimated decline of $100 million

Add COVID to this list of limitations on a gas tax for a reliable revenue source:

• fuel efficiency decreases gas tax revenues
• EVs use no gas and pay no gas tax

Bridge Tower Media Newswire | Highway funding, which relies on gas tax, will be hard hit as fuel sales decline

Where: EU

Who: Honda Europe

How does Honda Europe propose to recycle EV batteries?

• partnership with waste management company Société Nouvelle d’Affinage des Métaux 
• assess the traceability of end-of-life batteries 
• analyze batteries for what are known as “second-life” uses
• will take in lithium-ion and nickel metal hydride batteries from Honda dealers and authorized treatment facilities

Other companies that have announced EV reuse and recycling programs? Volkswagen and Nissan

Auto Blog | Honda Europe reveals how it will recycle EV and hybrid batteries

Who is using blockchain to support the EV supply chain? BMW & Tesla

How does blockchain support the EV supply chain?

• BMW’s Partchain utilizes blockchain technology in its logistics operations
  • In its front light supply, BMW achieves end-to-end transparency and traceability, from the mine to the factory
• Tesla blockchain pilot focuses on improved sea waybill information
  • Tesla auto parts were able to be released faster
  • Tesla accelerated the cargo pick up with the one-stop, zero-latency and zero-touch blockchain 

Forbes | How Tesla And BMW Are Leading A Supply Chain Renaissance With Blockchain

Where: California

Who: Contra Costa, Calif., Transportation Authority

What: Moved nighttime construction to daytime as traffic decreased during COVID isolation

What are the benefits to daytime construction:

• accelerates construction timelines
• contractors closer to the finish line so they can accept more work, especially stimulus funded transportation projects

Governing | Special Districts Adjust to New Realities During the Crisis

Which state regulator: California  Insurance Commissioner

The California Insurance Commissioner Order: Bulletin 2020-3

Why cut car insurance rates?

• projected loss exposures of many insurance policies have become overstated or misclassified.
• rates are calculated on miles driven, and miles are not being driven

Are other insurance lines also having rates cut in the order? Yes:

• Private passenger automobile insurance
• Commercial automobile insurance
• Workers’ compensation insurance
• Commercial multiple peril insurance
• Commercial liability insurance
• Medical malpractice insurance
• Any other line of coverage where the measures of risk have become substantiallyoverstated as a result of the pandemic

What information will carriers need to report to the regulator?

• Percentage of refund applied
• Aggregate premium prior to, and subject to, application of refund
• Aggregate premium refund
• Average premium before and after refund
• Average percentage of refund, applied to each policyholder
• Number of in-force policies
• Number of policyholders receiving refund

Sacramento Bee | California orders car insurance rebates due to coronavirus. Many carriers already cut rates

What: Dozens to Texas lawmakers wrote a letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation asking that Texas Central Rail stop moving forward

What reasons did the lawmakers give?

• COVID: Texas Central Rail slayed off staff
• LAND: Texas Central Rail has not acquired the necessary land
• PROJECT FUNDING: Texas Central Rail does not have secured funding for the project
• GOVERNMENT INEFFICIENCY. It would be an inexcusable waste of taxpayer dollars and jeopardize the integrity of the rules making process at the Federal Railroad Administration to proceed

Bryan College Station Eagle | State lawmakers ask Department of Transportation to drop high-speed rail project

Sacramento, CA:

• EV chargers at parking spaces at local parks
• EV chargers near busy freeways
• EV chargers at a popular weekend farmers market
• Partnership with EVGo for a 10-year license to own and operate the infrastructure

Los Angeles, CA:

• attach EV charging ports to streetlights and utility poles
• Bureau of Street Lighting has installed 340 + 80 to be installed on streetlights
•  Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has installed 45 on power poles
• The City operates BlueLA, a low-income EV car-share program, 180 charge points at 35 stations for 100 cars

Berkeley, CA:

• Curbside Residential Pilot Charging Program to assist homeowners without a driveway or garage

Why use public right of way?

• the land is owned by the local government already
• send a clear message of support for EV
• shows that the infrastructure is available

Government Technology | California Cities Install EV Chargers as Symbol of Future