Definition of “Equity” Elusive at Senate Hearing
May 14, 2021 – A Senate hearing this week demonstrated how the word “equity” means different things to different Senators in a transportation context.
Amtrak Route Expansion Largely Depends on State Willingness to Subsidize
May 18, 2021 – Amtrak has proposed significant new service routes in conjunction with the President’s massive proposed funding increases. But for many of those routes, it will be state governments that will have to shoulder the bulk of the operating costs.
Senate Appropriations Holds Hearing on Transportation System Resilience
May 14, 2021 – On May 13, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies held a hearing, “Rethinking Disaster Recovery and Resiliency, Part 1: Protecting Our Nation’s Transportation Systems.”
White House to Release First Biden Budget on May 27
May 13, 2021 – The White House announced today that President Biden’s first budget request will be transmitted to Congress on Thursday, May 27.
Senators Examine Intermodal Cargo Network Status
May 12, 2021 – The Senate Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, Maritime, Freight, and Ports held a hearing on May 11 to discuss the state of competitiveness and federal investment in multimodal freight throughout the United States.
HTF Tax Receipts Dropped 90% in April Due to the IRS Finally Opening Its Mail
May 12, 2021 – Net deposits in the federal Highway Trust Fund dropped by 90 percent in April versus the month before, but don’t panic.
Capitol Hill Events – Week of May 17, 2021
Tuesday, May 18 – Senate Finance – full committee hearing on funding and financing options for infrastructure (witness list here) – 10:00 a.m., virtual. Tuesday, May 18 – House Energy and Commerce – Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce – subcommittee hearing on the potential of automobile technologies (witness list…
House Hearing Shows Partisan Divide on High-Speed Rail
May 7, 2021 – A hearing before the House Railroads Subcommittee yesterday revealed sharp partisan division over high-speed rail in general and over two ongoing projects in particular.
Opinion: Defining “Infrastructure,” and Why That Matters
May 7, 2021 – Ensuring that infrastructure remains defined as type of investment that is repaid over many years opens up new ways of paying for that infrastructure.
Guest Op-Ed: The Current State of Public Policy for Autonomous Trucking
The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) has long advocated for the benefits autonomous vehicles can bring to the nation’s transportation system, namely safety, improved efficiency and their economic impact. There have been four major guidance updates that have solidified the basis for safe automated vehicle (AV) operations, clarified the roles…