Winter Driving near Detroit Lake, OR on Highway 22 Photo taken by the Oregon Department of Transportation Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)
1. National Focus
2. Top Regional and Local Headlines
3. Motorist Corner
4. Best from Auto Press
5. Opinion
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National Focus
The November 8th Elections included many transportation and motorist-focused ballot measures. Here are just some of the national headlines:
- It’s Been a Good Election Year for Transportation Funding (Route-Fifty)
- Transportation, infrastructure win big in midterms (Pluribus News)
- State, local transit ballot measures won over voters (Smart Cities Dive)
- 2022 Midterm Election Results for Land Use, Transportation, and the Climate (Planetizen)
- Voters weigh in on transportation issues (Landline)
- Voters Across the Country Support Public Transportation at the Ballot Box (APTA Center for Transportation Excellence)
- Republican voters say they’re hit hardest by gas prices, exit polls show (Autoblog)
Traffic Safety Headlines in the News This Week:
- Report Says DOT ‘Management Challenges’ Include Reducing Highway Fatalities (Transport Topics)
- The world finally has a representative female crash test dummy (Autoblog)
- 2 Days of the Week Are the Deadliest Times to Drive, NHTSA Data Shows (MotorBiscuit)
- About 3 in 4 fatal crashes involving trucks happened during weekdays (Shelby News)
- The 5 US States With the Highest Traffic Death Rates Are All in the South (AR, FL, LA, MS, and SC) (MotorBiscuit)
- Why cracking down on e-bikes is the wrong response to recent battery fires (Fast Company)
Surveillance and Cybersecurity–an Always Important Headline Topic:
- The Risk of Cybersecurity Threats Continues To Grow for the Auto Industry (Security Boulevard)
- How Political Campaigns Use Your Phone’s Location to Target You (The Markup)
- Apple Is Tracking You Even When Its Own Privacy Settings Say It’s Not, New Research Says (Gizmodo)
- How Soon Until Breathalyzers Are In Every New Car And Truck? (Muscle Cars and Trucks)
Auto Tech Watch Headlines This Week:
- Automatic Emergency Braking Cuts Rear-End Crash Rates for Pickups, but Few Have the System (AutoEvolution)
- American drivers are finally getting high definition headlights (adaptive driving beam or ADB) (Yahoo News)
- Autonomous vehicle survivors on edge (Auto News)
- Op-Ed: Without New Regulations, Self-Driving Cars Could Make Our Transportation System Even Worse (Next City)
- Automakers Are Locking the Aftermarket Out of ECUs (Road and Track
- Bill in Congress would delay the new restrictions on what cars qualify for EV tax credits (Autoblog)
- Electric vehicle sales rise as registrations jump 57 percent through September (Smart Cities Dive)
- Oil Companies Are Eying Federal Climate Funds to Expand Hydrogen Production. Will Their Projects Cut Emissions? (Inside Climate News)
- New Voice-Assistant Device Built for Mechanics (Wards Auto)
- Opinion: The Android-ification of Cars (TechSpot)
Are You Buying a Vehicle Soon? Here are some Headlines that Might be of Interest:
- Used-Car Prices Are Falling, but Buying Is Still a Challenge (Consumer Reports)
- Car Loan Delinquencies Keep Increasing, Who Is to Blame? (The Truth About Cars)
- Over Half a Million Americans Are 60 Days Late on Their Car Payments (Jalopnik)
- Wholesale Used Car Prices Fall While Retail Prices Remain Elevated (The Truth About Cars)
- What New Tax Credit Rules Will Mean If You’re Shopping for an EV (Car and Driver)
- FTC Advances Its Fight Against Bait-and-Switch Dealership Pricing (The Drive)
On the Infrastructure Watch Front this Week:
- Report: Will the infrastructure law and Inflation Reduction Act transform American transportation? It’s complicated (Brookings)
- ‘There are places where, if you were starting from scratch, cars wouldn’t make sense’: Pete Buttigieg on redesigning cities (Fast Company)
- Why Do People With Disabilities Have to Sue To Get Accessible Sidewalks? (Streetsblog USA)
- Construction Materials Now Subject to Buy America Rules for Infrastructure (Equipment World)
- New Interactive Map Pinpoints Infrastructure Law Spending (Equipment World)
- More States Paving Roads with Plastic Bottles in Asphalt Mixes (Equipment World)
In Trucking Industry News this Week:
- Runaway Truck Ramps Can Be the Difference Between a Life or Death Situation, Says J.D. Power (MotorBiscuit)
- We’re not going away’: Owner-operator regroups after FMCSA denies hours of service exemption request (OverDrive)
- Women of trucking criticize FMCSA crime study (Freightwaves)
- Study Says Charging Network Isn’t on Pace With Electric Truck Development (Transport Topics)
- 2022 NHTSA truck recalls that could influence DOT policies (Truck Parts and Service)
- Real-World Testing of Autonomous Trucks Ramps Up (Transport Topics)
- Future Fuels Pt. 1: The End of Diesel’s Dominance? (Equipment World)
In National Driving News Headlines:
- Biden courted oil companies before threatening them with windfall tax (Washington Post)
- Biden tightens methane emissions rules, even as the US pushes for more oil drilling (NPR)
- Democratic senators press US auto agency on safety rules (Reuters)
- Hurricane Ian Destroyed Some Incredible Cars, and Thousands Are Now Available at Salvage Auctions (The Drive)
- A Comprehensive Guide to Vehicle Break-In Statistics (Vivint)
- Judge approves $80M Porsche U.S. vehicle settlement (Reuters)
- Amtrak avoids Thanksgiving shutdown, as rail unions delay strike (Smart Cities Dive)
- Rail union pushes back date for potential strike (Freightwaves)
In International Driving News Headlines:
- Carbon dioxide emissions rise globally and in US, but drop in China (Autoblog)
- EU envoy ‘hopeful’ about getting changes to US EV tax rules (Auto News Europe)
- European, U.S. battery makers race to develop cheaper cell materials, skirting China (Auto News Europe)
- How Australia became the world’s greatest lithium supplier (BBC)
- Bangladesh: Speed limits for different roads, highways in offing
(New Age Bangladesh) - Tesla denies brake system failure after runaway Model Y kills two people in China (ElPais)
- France to require all large parking lots to be covered by solar panels (Electrek)
- Inaccurate Speed Camera Reading Triggers Vigilante Action (TheNewspaper)
- Autonomous vehicles tested on public roads in Luxembourg (Electrconics360)
- Most prolific speed camera in the UK has caught almost 50,000 drivers this year (LAD Bible)
For a daily dose of motorist rights news, check out the NMA Driving News Feed today!
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Top Regional and Local Headlines
California
- California voters reject Proposition 30, the ‘millionaires’ tax for electric vehicles (Sacramento Bee)
- Gas prices dive as Southern Californians projected to hit the road for Thanksgiving in record number (Los Angeles Times)
- New car and truck sales in California down 16.1 percent this year (San Diego Union-Tribune)
- California Police warn truckers about rise in CPC thefts (Landline)
- How California’s Initiative to Fund Electric Vehicles went Terribly Wrong (Grist)
- Opinion: The secret to California’s green future is big data (San Diego Union-Tribune)
- Electric school bus fleet grows in California, but some say not fast enough (Autoblog)
- CA Sheriff Stops Day Patrols over ‘Catastrophic’ Staff Shortage (Officer.com)
- America’s first all-electric transit agency (Antelope Valley) isn’t what you think when you think EVs (Autoblog)
- Berkeley may ban cars from making right turns on red lights. Here’s why (Los Angeles Times)
- Chula Vista adopts policy regulating uses for technology such as drones and license plate readers (San Diego Union-Tribune)
- El Cerrito Police Chief Requests Use of License Plate Readers (NBC Bay Area)
- Tailpipe Emissions Account for Around 40 Percent of Los Angeles County Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Streetsblog Los Angeles)
- Minor police encounters plummet after Los Angeles PD put limits on stopping drivers and pedestrians (Los Angeles Times)
- San Francisco voters deliver ‘mandate’ on car-free streets (San Francisco Examiner)
- Waymo’s Fully Driverless Robotaxis Can Now Charge in San Francisco (TechTimes)
Colorado
- iPhone users can now present Colorado digital IDs (Driver’s Licenses) in Apple Wallet (NBC Denver)
- EV buyer education campaign launches in Colorado (Smart Cities Dive)
- License plate cameras coming to Pueblo, CO (KOAA)
Florida
- Hillsborough County, FL transportation agency ponders uncertain financial future (Tampa Bay Times)
- Orange County, FL voters say no to transportation sales tax (Orlando Sentinel)
- Traffic Disruption Florida: Bike lanes coming to all new Gainesville city roads, city leaders say (WCJB)
Massachusetts
- Massachusetts voters keep new immigrant driver’s license law (WGBH)
- MA Voters Approve Tax Hike on High-Income Earners to Fund Education and Transportation (Streetsblog Massachusetts)
- Traffic Disruption Boston: We have shared bus/bike lanes now, but what about shared bus/truck lanes? (Universal Hub)
- Cambridge May Soon Ban Right on Red (The Harvard Crimson)
- Cambridge Eliminates Parking Minimums, Reduces Development Costs (CATO)
- Traffic Disruption: Cambridge to Upgrade Hampshire Street Bike Lanes in 2023 (Streetsblog Massachusetts)
North Carolina
- Gaston County Transportation Bond Passes (Roads and Bridges)
- Charlotte DOT Introduces App to Improve Traffic Safety (GovTech)
- Let’s hope red-light cameras in Greenville have met their demise (The Reflector)
New York
- Details Are Hazy About NYPD’s $3B Surveillance Costs (Governing)
- Why Doesn’t the MTA Actually Tell Us What It’s Paying For? (Streetsblog NYC)
- E-bike batteries have caused 200 fires in New York: ‘Everyone’s scared’ (The Guardian)
- NYC Council weighs crackdown on lithium-ion batteries used in e-bikes, amid scourge of fires (Gothamist)
- NYC DOT eyes Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza as NYC’s next car-free space (Gothamist)
- NYC Makes Jamaica Busways Permanent But With Shorter Hours; Begins Northern Blvd. Bus Lanes (Streetsblog NYC)
Ohio
- Governor Mike DeWine Announces 50 New Traffic Safety Projects in Ohio (The Ohio Star)
- Most Columbus, OH patrol officers now using new bodycams with longer video-audio capture times (The Columbus Dispatch)
- Ticket Cam Alert Youngstown, OH: Speed camera law in sight (The Vindicator)
Other Regional and Local Driving News Headlines
- Flock safety cameras becoming more visible in Tuscaloosa County, AL (ABC3340)
- Waymo starts full-fledged robotaxi services in Phoenix (Reuters)
- Connecticut Department of Transportation Utilizing Wrong-Way Detection Systems (Roads and Bridges)
- DC Area: Mass transit extension to Dulles Airport opens at tough time (AP News)
- Bibb County, GA making temporary changes to school zone speeding cameras (WGXA)
- Hawaii DOT Gets Fast and Furious Installing Raised Crosswalks (FHWA)
- The new Chicago budget lowered bike lane parking fines from $500 to $250 (Streetsblog Chicago)
- Wichita, KS will receive $1.6M for license plate readers (KSN)
- Righting the Wrongs of Urban Renewal in Louisville, KY (Governing)
- Here’s how effective speed cameras are on Baltimore’s JFX (WBAL TV)
- A ballot measure passed in Missouri requiring Kansas City to spend more on police (NPR)
- Kansas City is trying to build 15 miles of bike lanes a year. Here’s why (The Kansas City Star)
- Montana Voters Approve Constitutional Amendment to Treat Electronic Data as “Persons, Houses, Papers and Possessions” (Tenth Amendment Blog)
- Three Forks, MT City Council pumps the brakes on slower speeds (Three Forks Voice)
- Between NJ and NY: Lincoln Tunnel tolls to go cashless next month (AM NY)
- Santa Fe to consider less ‘car-centric’ development plan (New Mexican)
- Santa Fe, NM Council Adopts Multimodal Transportation Plan (GovTech)
- Gilcrease Expressway tolling concerns west Tulsa, OK residents (KJRH)
- Oregon activists call for public input on incoming tolls (Pamplin Media)
- PA Highway (Interstate-95) Is Most Dangerous In US, Study Says (Patch PA)
- Houston PD Drops Cases Tainted By Corrupt Narcotics Officers, But Decides It Can Still Keep Seized Cash (TechDirt)
- Autonomous vehicle highway to open in Virginia (Smart Cities Dive)
- Seattle Planning Commission Recommends the City Re-Imagines the Streets (Roads and Bridges)
- Battle Ground,WA council endorsement of transportation plan raises I-5 tolling concerns (The Reflector)
- WV DMV customers take advantage of online driver’s license knowledge test (WV Metro News)
- Wyoming DOT warns against driver’s license scam texts (Wyoming News Now)
Motorist-Related Legislative News
- Looking Ahead to California Legislature’s December “Special Session” on Oil Profits (Streetsblog California)
- Ohio lawmakers to consider distracted driving bill in House (Statehouse News)
- New Pennsylvania law permits truck platooning (Landline)
Check out the NMA State Pages today!
Motorist Corner
On this week’s Driving in America Blog, we did a retake on a newsletter from the summer entitled: Is it Time to “Sound Off” about the Use of Lights and Sirens? In our second blog post, NMA blogger Eric Peters discusses his thoughts on drive-by-wire steering.
Eric also gives his viewpoint on the 2022 VW Taos.
The Car Coach, Lauren Fix, on her vlog looks into how odds for a railway strike have increased again.
NMA in the News This Week:
North Carolina city of Greenville scraps red-light cameras after legal challenges (NMA Mention) (The Center Square)
If you have written and had posted a motorist rights advocacy letter-to-the-editor or find a news story where the NMA is mentioned, please send us the link via email nma@motorists.org. Here are some links of interest: the NMA website, NMA Issues Pages, and the NMA Blog. Check them out today!
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Best from Auto Press
- The Women Garage Owners Chipping Away at Car Culture’s Misogyny (MIC)
- Want To Adopt a Highway? Here’s How the Iconic Program Really Works (The Drive)
- Total Car Score Podcast: General Motors Super Cruise is getting better and in more Cars (The Car Coach)
- What Really Goes On inside the Carwash? (Car and Driver)
- How Pirelli is improving its road tires from Formula 1 racing (Autoblog)
- How We Test SUVs and Trucks to See If They’ve Got the Right Amount of Flex (Car and Driver)
- Audi Redesigned Its Iconic Four-Ring Logo. Can You Tell? (Car and Driver)
- Tesla Opens Bespoke Charge Connector and Inlet Design to Other OEMs (MotorTrend)
- Jay Leno Seriously Burned in Car Fire in His Garage (The Drive)
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Opinion
Will Gas Stations Survive the Evolution Towards Electric Vehicles?
We still need gas stations as long as we drive internal combustion engines (ICE). That’s obviously a given.
According to Kelley Blue Book, though, automakers sold 576,000 EVs in the last nine months–a whopping 70-percent increase during the previous year. If we continue buying electric vehicles (EVs) at this pace, we will need electric chargers on a much larger scale. . .
(click on title for full op-ed)