- A Prescription For Treating US "Infrastructure Paralysis"
- Eno Center Identifies Trump Nominee To Lead NHTSA
- PA Turnpike Initiative Helps Connect Veterans With Health Care Resources
- Indian Government Increases Toll Plaza Surveillance And Toll Systems Monitoring
- These are just some of the toll industry developments TRN is following.
This is a Subscribers-Only area. If you are a subscriber, please login. If not...
Become a Subscriber Today »
A Prescription For Treating US "Infrastructure Paralysis"
The US is experiencing an infrastructure paralysis caused by the inability of government at every level to “get things done in a time-effective and efficient manner,” according to an opinion column in Governing. A cure, it suggests, can be found in a new report written by author and reform advocate Philip K. Howard and issued by the free-market oriented Manhattan Institute.
Instead of trying to streamline the existing “labyrinthian” structure of laws and regulations, Howard proposes creating a new legal framework “to allow officials to exercise human judgment to weigh costs and benefits — a danger we [now] seek to avoid by legally mandating a supposedly neutral process that micromanages every aspect of every decision.” The change he envisions would, he believes, free officials to be decision-makers rather than caretakers of elaborate permitting processes. They would be accountable politically for the plans they devise and execute. Judicial review of their actions would be limited to determining whether they have exceeded the boundaries of their authority.
The Governing opinion piece is written by lawyer John Ketcham, a Manhattan Institute fellow and contributing editor of “City Journal.”
Economic & Social Considerations Affecting Transportation Environmental Protection Policies Procedures And Initiatives Issues of LawEno Center Identifies Trump Nominee To Lead NHTSA
Eno Center for Transportation reports that President Trump this week nominated Jonathan Morrison, a lawyer, to be administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Before serving as NHTSA chief counsel for three years during the first Trump administration, Morrison was a legal and regulatory affairs executive for the California New Car Dealers Association. Between leaving NHTSA and accepting the administrator nomination, he worked for Apple.
Eno’s article includes an interesting observation about Trump’s second-term nominations: “For at least the last 60 years, the White House would issue a press release when the President nominated someone, or announced his intention to nominate someone, and that press release would include a few paragraphs of biographical data about the nominee. This White House doesn’t do that.”
Appointments-Promotions-Retirements Highway-Tunnel-Bridge Safety (Includes COVID-19 Impacts) Public Outreach And Communication US Department of Transportation (USDOT) US National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationPA Turnpike Initiative Helps Connect Veterans With Health Care Resources
The US Department of Veterans Affairs has launched a new outreach initiative with the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) to connect veterans in rural areas with telehealth and mental health resources by posting flyers at the 17 service plazas along the turnpike. The flyers have information about care options, the closest VA location, and a Veterans Crisis Line. Veterans Affairs selected Pennsylvania to expand the initiative due to the state’s size and rurality. In a news release announcing the partnership, PTC chief executive Mark Compton commented, “Connecting our customers is critical to what we do at the Pennsylvania Turnpike, so we are ecstatic to support an initiative that connects our Veterans with valuable information about their health care options. Each day, a half million travelers use our roadway, and we know that Veterans are part of that number. We are happy to support our Veterans and provide them access to services that are available.”
Customer Service Experience Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) Public Outreach And Communication US Dep't Of Veterans AffairsIndian Government Increases Toll Plaza Surveillance And Toll Systems Monitoring
“Business Today” reports, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is taking steps to intensify its surveillance and monitoring of toll system operations across the country. The actions are a response to “reports of large scale fraud” involving mostly cash collection, which is a small percentage of overall transactions.
Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari told lawmakers the implemented measures include:
- regular government audits,
- appointing “systems integrators” to oversee toll plaza operations,
- annual government certification of toll systems software,
- fining or debarring errant toll road operators, and
- expanding barrier-free, all-electronic toll facilities.
In addition, NHAI is considering installing “AI-powered audit cameras” at some toll plazas to obtain independent verification of toll transactions and payments.
Hindustan Times also covers this story.
AET (All-Electronic Tolling) ETC Systems India National Highways Authority of India (NHAI)
These are just some of the toll industry developments TRN is following.
If you’re not already a Daily News Briefs subscriber and you want a complete picture of today’s news, click here or call 717-991-2823 for subscription information. If you’re a newcomer to TollRoadsNews.com, click here.