Buttigieg Sends $5B to Cities for Safety as Road Deaths Soar
May 16, 2022 - Federal data being released this week by the Transportation Department is expected to show another big jump in U.S. traffic deaths through 2021. Fatalities among pedestrians and cyclists have been rising faster than those within vehicles.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is directing $5 billion in federal aid to cities and localities to address the growing crisis by slowing down cars, carving out bike paths and wider sidewalks and nudging commuters to public transit under his department’s new Safe Streets & Roads for All program. “We have become far too accustomed to the loss of life and serious injuries happening on our roadways.”
“We face a national crisis of fatalities and serious injuries on our roadways, and these tragedies are preventable — so as a nation we must work urgently and collaboratively to save lives.” Buttigieg said the money “will help communities large and small take action to protect all Americans on our roads.”
Without a Gas Tax, How Will EVs Be Charged for Road Use?
Fuel taxes account for 84 percent of federal and 29 percent of state highway funds. But where will the funding come from when more and more drivers switch to electric vehicles?
Currently, the federal tax on gasoline is 18.4 cents per gallon. The average state gas tax is 31 cents; it ranges from 8 cents per gallon in Alaska to 51.1 cents per gallon in California. Some states have compensated for that lost revenue by doubling the registration fees for EVs, for instance. Another approach is to increase tolls on roads and bridges, with every driver paying the same toll, no matter what type of car they drive.
It’s Finally a Better Time to Buy a Used Car
May 12, 2022 - Used car and truck prices rose more than 10% in April and June of last year and counted for roughly one-third of overall inflation throughout last spring.
Prices for used cars and trucks now sit about 48% higher than pre-pandemic levels, Insider calculated with data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While that's still a hefty price hike for a 28-month period, it's down significantly from the January peak when prices were about 54% higher.
The decline in headline prices will bring much-needed relief for buyers after months of double-digit price increases and widespread shortages. Used vehicles might not completely be a buyers' market just yet, but it's moving in that direction.
Slow Down and Pay Attention
It’s beyond scary how deadly roads in the U.S have gotten in the past couple of years. Phil Moser explains in today’s top video what some of the reasons are for this, and why it’s crucial to slow down, pay attention and stop driving aggressively.
ADAS, in Perspective
One of the tools that can keep our roadways safer is Automated Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). But ADAS can also increase the dangers if used inappropriately, as Art Liggio details in this timely article.
EVs Keep Fleets Relevant
We recommend ‘Adopting Electric Vehicles is Key in Keeping Fleets Relevant,’ a whitepaper from Fleetio covering the latest trends in EV sales and charging, as well as key considerations for incorporating EVs into your fleet. You can download it here.
Ted Roberts
President
Slow Down. Pay Attention. Stop Driving Aggressively.
Roads in the U.S. have gotten considerably more deadly, for a variety of reasons. It’s time to slow down, pay attention and stop driving aggressively.
