President Calls for ‘Infrastructure Investments’ in State of the Union Speech
editor@aashto.org February 8, 2019 0 COMMENTSInfrastructure investments form a key part of the “agenda” President Trump (seen above) laid out in his State of the Union speech on Feb. 5. “Many of us campaigned on the same core promises: to defend American jobs and demand fair trade for American workers; to rebuild and revitalize our nation’s infrastructure; to reduce the […]
READ MOREHouse T&I Committee Hearing Focuses on Infrastructure Needs
editor@aashto.org February 8, 2019 0 COMMENTSA variety of surface transportation funding mechanisms were debated during an all-day informational hearing held by the House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Feb. 7, with a focus on the need to increase the federal fuel tax. “For years we have held hearings documenting the deterioration of our infrastructure – now we’ve run […]
READ MOREVideo Report: Taking a Ride in an Autonomous Passenger Shuttle
editor@aashto.org February 8, 2019 0 COMMENTSIn January, those attending the 2019 Transportation Research Board annual meeting in Washington, D.C., got a chance to experience their first-ever ride in an autonomous vehicle – in this case, a self-driving passenger shuttle bus. French company Navya, which sponsored the demonstration, said its autonomous vehicle is not equipped with either a steering wheel or […]
READ MORESenate Hearing Explores Transportation Possibilities of 5G Technology
editor@aashto.org February 8, 2019 0 COMMENTSThe Senate’s Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation convened an informational hearing on Feb. 6 to explore the benefits, needs, and challenges of 5G technology – especially how its deployment may impact the 5.9 GHz transmission band, currently reserved for transportation communication needs. “The fifth generation of high-speed wireless networks, commonly known as 5G, is […]
READ MOREChanges to Key Infrastructure Funding Processes Proposed in Two New Bills
editor@aashto.org February 8, 2019 0 COMMENTSA proposal to raise the federal statutory cap on private activity bonds or PABs and making changes to the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act or TIFIA funding program are the focus of two new pieces of legislation co-sponsored by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Tex., (seen above) and Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., and Tim Kaine, D-Va., […]
READ MOREBill Revived to Eliminate Electric Vehicle Subsidy, Impose Alternative Fuel Vehicle Fee
editor@aashto.org February 8, 2019 0 COMMENTSSen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., and Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo., re-introduced a bill on Feb. 6 that Sen. Barrasso initially proffered last October in the waning days of the 115th Congress; legislation that seeks to end electric vehicle federal tax credits while imposing a fee on operators of all alternatively fueled vehicles – be they powered […]
READ MOREJohn D. Dingell Jr., who had the distinction of being the longest-serving member in the history of Congress, passed away on Feb. 7 at the age of 92. [Above photo via the University of Michigan.] Known in many circles as the “car industry’s congressman” for his unwavering support for U.S. automotive manufacturers, Dingell actually began […]
READ MORENTSB Unveils List of ‘Most Wanted’ Transportation Safety Improvements
editor@aashto.org February 8, 2019 0 COMMENTSThe National Transportation Safety Board unveiled its “Most Wanted List” of transportation safety improvements for 2019-2020 during a press conference in Washington D.C. on Feb. 4; adding calls for the implementation of 46 specific items from a list of 267 open agency safety recommendations over the next two years. [Above photo by NTSB.] “We at […]
READ MOREFHWA Releases More Than $705M in Emergency Relief Funds
editor@aashto.org February 8, 2019 0 COMMENTSThe Federal Highway Administration provided more than $705.7 million in emergency relief or ER funds on Feb. 5 to 34 states, along with American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, to help repair roads and bridges damaged by storms, floods, and other “unexpected events” such as earthquakes. [Above photo of Hurricane Harvey aftermath via […]
READ MOREFirm Says 2019 will be the ‘Worst Year Yet’ for Cyberbreaches
editor@aashto.org February 8, 2019 0 COMMENTSNew analysis issued by cybersecurity-focused venture firm Allegis Cyber indicates that data breaches resulting from cyberattacks are expected to increase in 2019 – with transportation one of the industries warned “not to let their guard down.” [Above photo via PixBay.] “The next spate of [cyber]attacks could be the worst yet … because more effective malware […]
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