State Sen. Charles Schwertner said Sunday he would file legislation next year “designed to establish consistent and predictable statewide regulation of ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft.”
Transportation
Reporting on roads, transit, infrastructure, and policy shaping travel and mobility across the state, from The Texas Tribune.
Austin’s Proposition 1 Defeated
Austin’s Proposition 1, a ride-hailing ordinance supported by Uber and Lyft was defeated Saturday. With all precincts reporting late Saturday night, 48,673 voted against the ordinance and 38,539 voted for it.
Austin Battle Over Ride-Hailing Will Resound Beyond City Limits
A hard-fought Austin special election over regulations for ride-hailing companies like Uber and Lyft might signal the new normal as the companies aggressively battle to dominate the emerging industry on their own terms.
Uber Annouces Plan to Leave Houston if City Keeps Existing Regulations
Uber announced Wednesday the company plans to cease operations in Houston if the city council does not repeal its existing regulations relating to vehicle-for-hire companies.
Company Says it Will Fill Gap if Uber, Lyft Leave Austin After Vote
Uber and Lyft have pledged to leave Austin if the city votes down an ordinance preventing fingerprint-based background checks. But a smaller Austin-based company called getme insists it can fill the gap.
Ahead of Austin Election Over Regulating Uber, Local Leaders Take Sides
With less than a month until Austin voters will be asked to decide how to regulate vehicle-for-hire companies like Uber and Lyft, advocates on both sides are amping up their campaign efforts.
Analysis: State Government is Expensive, No Matter How You Pay
Cutting prices can be expensive. The Texas Department of Transportation offered up the most recent example of that, answering the Legislature’s question about the price of making the state’s toll roads free. Spoiler alert: It’s high.
Paying Off Toll Roads Could Top $30 Billion
If Texas decided to pay off construction debt on nearly all of its toll roads tomorrow, the price tag would be somewhere in the neighborhood of $30 billion, according to a preliminary report.
Font on Texas Highway Signs Set for Another Shift
The Federal Highway Administration is no longer permitting states to use an experimental font called Clearview on highway signs. Texas, one of the typeface’s earliest adopters, has used it on its new highway signs since 2004.
Texas Supreme Court Denies Effort to Rewrite Austin Ballot on Uber Ordinance
The Texas Supreme Court denied a request Monday aiming to rewrite the ballot language for an upcoming referendum that will determine how the city of Austin regulates vehicle-for-hire companies like Uber and Lyft.



