On this week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, a conversation with Ryan McMahon of Cambridge Mobile Telematics, a Massachusetts-based firm that tracks data from drivers, participating voluntarily, to analyze statistics and driver behavior.

McMahon last spoke on the podcast in November, a few months after Michigan Gov. Whitmer signed the law making it illegal to use a hand-held electronic device while driving.

The news was less sanguine then, but now his firm is reporting updated numbers that show meaningful strides in the right direction.

Some key figures cited:

• In the first month after the Michigan law was signed, distracted driving went down nearly 12 percent.
• The next month, it was 13.5 percent lower.
• The gains then diminished but are headed in a positive direction again.

Podcast image by bobtheskater from Pixabay.

On this week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, a conversation about legislation that would appropriate economic development funds for community-based programs, including public transportation.

This week’s guest, Jared Fleisher, who leads government affairs and economic development for Rock (Dan Gilbert’s family of companies), explains why he’s passionate about the proposed bills and their potential to enhance qualify of life across Michigan and attract and retain talent.

On Tuesday, June 4, Fleisher testified in support of the bills before the House Economic Development and Small Business Committee. He framed the issue as an economic development imperative as Michigan is among states struggling to grow its population.

Others supporting the legislation include Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter, the Michigan Municipal League, Traverse Connect, Mass Transportation Authority Flint, Market Van Buren, The Rapid, Renovare Development, the Michigan Public Transit Association, Transportation Riders United, SMART, and International Union of Operating Engineers Local 324.

Also discussed:

• How public transportation has helped transform Grand Rapids, with The Rapid’s many options including the state’s first bus rapid transit lines.
• Investments in infrastructure like bus rapid transit and M-1 rail spur development.

On this week’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, conversations about the past, present and future of MDOT’s Transportation Diversity Recruitment Program (TDRP).

The 10-week program allows students to work alongside other on-the-job training program participants, internal staff and external professionals who provide engineering, technical, inspection, and project management services for state road and bridge projects.

First, James Jackson, who coordinates the program for MDOT, talks about what the students can expect. This is the eleventh year of the program.

Later, Donte Harris, a three-time intern, now working for the electric vehicle charging startup company it’s electric in Detroit, talks about how the TDRP program helped him.

As lawmakers in the Legislature continue negotiations for the state’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget, one addition specific to transportation involves a $5 million appropriation for a pilot program to assess replacing traditional fuel taxes with a mileage-based road usage fee.

This week’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast features another conversation with Baruch Feigenbaum, senior managing director of transportation policy for the Reason Foundation. Feigenbaum has done extensive study on the need for long-term changes to funding policy for roads and bridges. He’s also testified before legislative committees at the federal level and in several states.

He recently told Michigan lawmakers that a fuel tax is akin to “a rock star on his farewell tour” as increased fuel efficiency diminishes returns on fuel taxes.

Note: This episode originally posted on Aug. 14, 2023.

On this week’s podcast, Michael J. Coren, the Washington Post’s climate advice columnist, talks about his recent reporting (subscription) on the cost of filling a vehicle’s fuel tank versus charging an electric vehicle (EV) battery.

The answer, he explains, is less straightforward than it seems.

He writes, “Just calculating the cost of gasoline versus electricity is misleading. Prices vary by charger (and state). Everyone charges differently. Road taxes, rebates and battery efficiency all affect the final calculation.”

Other references and links:

Finding on tailpipe emissions and EVs
https://www.realclearenergy.org/articles/2023/08/07/new_epa_tailpipe_standards_call_electric_vehicle_promises_into_question_970708.html

Pew research on Americans’ perceptions of EVs
https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/07/13/how-americans-view-electric-vehicles/

Energy Innovation study of the cost to fill up
https://energyinnovation.org/publication/how-much-does-it-cost-to-fill-up-an-electric-vehicle-vs-a-gas-powered-car/

The early adopter era is over for EVs
https://www.axios.com/2023/08/09/electric-cars-adoption-rates

On this week’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, a conversation with Julie Clark, chief executive officer at the Traverse Area Recreation and Transportation (TART) Trails.

Clark talks about how she and her family made their way from North Carolina to Traverse City and embraced the northern Michigan outdoors.

TART is among many organizations around the state with leaders working with local, state and federal government agencies, as well as foundations and private donors, to grow Michigan’s trail network.

In 2021, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis released statistics estimating that outdoor recreation accounted for $862 billion in economic output (consumer spending), 1.9 percent (or $454 billion) of gross domestic product (GDP), and supported 4.5 million jobs. In Michigan, outdoor recreation in 2021 contributed $10.8 billion to the state economy, as well as supported 109,000 jobs and $5 billion in wages.

Late last month, a Michigan Senate committee advanced legislation to enable the use of automated technology to enforce speeding laws on segments of roads under construction.

Pennsylvania became the latest to join dozens of other states employing the technology, with positive results.

This week’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast revisits the issue with conversations with two advocates for safer work zones.

First, Rob Coppersmith, executive vice president of the Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association (MITA), talks about how his experience in the underground and road construction industries have informed his views and passions for the protection of workers.

Later, Juan Pava, Safety Programs Unit chief, Bureau of Safety Programs and Engineering at the Illinois Department of Transportation, talks about his state’s pioneering role in implementing the use of cameras to deter drivers from speeding in work zones.

Michigan House Bill 4132 passed the lower chamber in June 2023 with bipartisan support and received similar support in the Senate Transportation Committee last month.

Key points:

• In 2006, Illinois became the first state to authorize the use of automated traffic enforcement programs to enforce speed limits in highway work zones, with implementation coming a few years later. The enabling legislation provided a legal framework for photo enforcement of speed limits in highway work zones.
• In summer 2022, some Michigan lawmakers, Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) officials, leaders in labor organizations, and the road building industry witnessed demonstrations on Michigan freeways on how the technology works.

This week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast focuses on National Work Zone Awareness Week. An event in Midland on Monday, April 15, will kick off the week with officials from the Michigan Department of Transportation, the Michigan State Police and several industry advocates and others.

First, Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist, who will deliver keynote remarks at the event, joins the podcast again to talk about the need for motorists to slow down and be alert in work zones.

Later, Andy Dauksts, who is the head of business development and outside sales for Give ‘Em a Brake Safety, a Grand Rapids-area firm, talks about why this issue is so important to him and his colleagues.