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The Senate Committee on Transportation met to hear only invited testimony on safety, driver’s license efficiency, and alternatively fueled vehicles. An archive of the video can be found here.

This report is intended to give you an overview and highlight the discussions on the various topics taken up. It is not a verbatim transcript of the discussions but is based upon what was audible or understandable to the observer and the desire to get details out as quickly as possible with few errors or omissions.

 

Safety

Brandye Hendrickson, TxDOT Executive Director for Planning and Administration

  • In 2021 there were 4488 fatalities on Texas roadways
    • 2nd highest year on records for fatalities
    • 2020 was 8th highest year
  • In 2019 was below 10 fatalities per day on average but since pandemic they have seen the numbers significantly increase

Lance Simmons, TxDOT Director of Engineering and Safety Operations

  • Roadway safety is about engineering, education and enforcement
  • Have seen riskier driving behaviors increased
  • Speed, lack of restraint and DUI account for largest percentages of factors leading to fatalities
  • Continued to walk through slides presentations illustrating fatalities statistics on Texas roadways
  • Notes increases have been in both urban and rural areas
  • Large fatalities 21-25 are higher compared to other age groups due to risker behavior and distracted driving
  • They are taking several next steps on the following:
    • Speed – working to make improvements on speed limits
    • Lack of restraint – increase campaign to buckle up and outreach across the state
    • DUI – includes alcohol and drugs, continue campaign
    • Work Zones – approved 700 work zone speed reductions, and maintenance work speed reductions and increased work zones technologies
    • Pedestrian/Bicycles – raise awareness on bike safety, almost $10 million in this area
    • Motorcycles – will continue safety campaigns and safety grants ($12 million in total investment)
  • Have developed a new project safety scoring tool one has been developed for rural roadways, working on one for urban roadways
  • Also appreciates ability to temporarily lower the speed
  • Perry – is there data connecting the increase of crashes to population growth?
    • Vehicle mileage rate travel and crashes per 100 million miles driven
    • We have more crashes the more we drive
  • Perry – list a number of items to address including grass, super twos, keep shoulders open
  • Kolkhorst – affirms suggestion on super twos, don’t let perfection be enemy of the good and affirms recommendation of funding towards shoulders
  • Nichols – rural vs urban looks to be 50/50 in crashes now, spent money and have worked on the last decade to address concerns and it has been impactful because it used to be 60/40
  • Nichols – might be time for renewed efforts to crack down on speeding
  • Hancock – noted the North I35 pileup, any idea if there will be any updates or report on the investigation since it has been over a year
    • Still being looked at
  • Alvarado – asked if crashes were at certain intersections, freeway or highway? Recall an article about alert signage being a distraction and curious what witness has heard?
    • Have good data on all crash locations and have heat maps
    • Speed limit signs are really effective in short periods, so they rotate them around
    • Alvarado – would like more details on the Houston Chronicle about digital signs causing traffic issues
    • Nicholas – information was out that but legislature passed it anyway
    • Hendrickson – said some data was missing from the article
  • Hinojosa – would be helpful to know times when accidents occur
    • Hour in most fatalities is Sunday morning around 2am or 3 am when the bars close Saturday night
    • Hinojosa – says some bars do not run with proper supervision, hard to sue them because not enough insurance or bonds and argues bond should be required for these bar owners to get a license
  • Hinojosa – seems like bicycles accidents are happening early in morning or in evening when hard to see, argues same for pedestrian
  • Hinojosa – maybe need to do a better job to push to enforce laws regarding texting while driving
  • Hinojosa – affirms comments from Perry
  • Kolkhorst – wants to know when Waco will be complete
    • New – said knows there is a section in Waco not completed yet
    • Simmons – about 6 years from now

Alvin New, TxDOT Commissioner

  • Engineering and maintenance positions will continue to grow
  • Working to balance inside and outside consultants, thanks Legislature for their support in this area
  • UTP preservation and maintenance piece will be large going forward
  • Trying to push to zero number in fatalities but want half of current number by 2035
  • Trucks are a large percentage of road use and that is where fatalities occur on outlier basis
  • Need enforcers to do enforcement
  • Doing things with rumble strip to help keep people on the road
  • There will be push back with removal of bushes and trees so encourages members to discuss with community during town hall
  • Do regulatory speed limits and studies, every road has capacity design and at some point will be overwhelmed which is why they add shoulders or super two, etc
  • When capacity is exceeded then speed will be leading indicator
  • Funding of category 1 more heavily
  • Perry – 2020 was an anomaly, may need to asterisk it in the books and wants to know if money should be identified and put in certain buckets? About $4 billion went into discretionary funds and argues safety may need to be focus
    • There is an advantage to formula funding
  • Hinojosa – there is a shortage of truck drivers and drivers seem younger and younger, concern of inexperienced drivers
  • Hinojosa – is there coordination with TxDOT and cities on design/intersections
    • Yes
  • Hinojosa – hear that MPOs committee money to projects that takes years while shovel ready projects can’t move
    • New – discusses his previous experience as a mayor, notes that sometimes TxDOT can be the holdup
    • New – situation requires constant communication
  • New – regarding trucking, it’s about providing a safer space to avoid a crash if possible

Robert Wunderlich, Director for Center for Transportation Safety

  • 2021 crashes and fatalities rose back to levels of previous years
  • Increase speed and reduce seat belt usage have increased fatality risk combined with increase travel led to highest fatality rates in 2021
  • Speed is primary determinant of crash severity
  • Seat belts are best countermeasure to reduce severity
  • Walked through slides with statistics
  • 2021 fatality risks remained elevated and not unlike experiences in 38 other states
  • Most population growth is a result of in migration not birth
  • Impaired driving and distracted drivers continue to be contributors but not at the rate of increase speed and decrease use of seat belts
  • Roadway and lane departure crashes – contribute to over 70% of fatalities
  • Intersections were the next location on the list followed by pedestrian fatalities
  • Safety initiatives are what they research to develop potential countermeasures to improve safety
  • They are also assisting TxDOT in developing highway safety areas
  • Also developing tools to assist such as allow evaluation of how designs impact safety
  • Nichols – is it unusual for trend to keep going down and then go back up for fatalities?
    • Saw this after the Great Recession
    • But have never seen the drop in vehicle miles per travel but not a drop in fatalities
    • This is a phenomenon across the US and continues to this day
  • Nichols – what should we do?
    • Speeding is one that is predominant
    • Need more to use seat belts
    • Super twos is also helpful as well as the shoulder
    • The changes we are seeing now is driven by behavior

Steve McCraw, Director for DPS

  • Commends TxDOT and notes they are in partnership with them to address these issues
  • Notes the complexities such as speed; excessive speed, unsafe speed, and failed to control speed
  • Argues people are addicted to looking through their electronic devices
  • Challenges differentiating data to find cause, big difference right now is people not paying attention
  • Not wearing seat belt is an unnecessary risk
  • Commercial vehicles crashes matter, increase chance of fatality
  • Hinojosa – couldn’t car manufacturers make it possible for cars not to start unless seat belts are on which would require a manufacturer change
  • Blanco – asked about troopers
    • 600 when you include 200 in recruit schools
    • Credits Texas Legislature in keeping them competitive
  • Blanco – what obstacles are you seeing for recruiting?
    • Pay is a motivator
    • Profession went through a problem in 2020, obligation to do nation wide recruitment
    • Have increased numbers of recruiters and will continue to be proactive
  • Blanco – obviously there is a boarder surge with troopers on Border for Operation Lone Star, curious how that impacts
    • Have not
  • Hancock – trafficking is on the border, is there an increase in traffickers and accidents
    • Would like to see a decrease since enforcement matters but traffickers have increased using high speed without restraints
  • Blanco – asked about trucks on road near border
    • Commercial vehicle enforcement inspection and placed around 1,500 vehicles after service and 150 drivers were not qualified/competent to drive
    • Issued over 23k citations at 8 or 28 different ports of entry
  • Blanco – asked about how portable offices impact recruitment
    • Responsible for Regional Headquarters in El Paso, it was in Midland
    • So that is why there are portables there
    • Will continue there and San Antonio (used to be in Waco)

Jodie Tullos, DPS Captain

  • Here as resource if there are any questions
  • No questions

Victor Kuykendoll, Deputy Executive Director for TABC

  • About 4k plus fatalities and 30% were related to DUI
  • Btw hours 2-3 am on Sunday most fatal, when the bars let out
  • TRACE program combines education and enforcement, targeted responsibility for alcohol connected emergencies
  • Hinojosa – the TRACE program is after the fact?
    • Yes
  • Hinojosa – when bar owners are already providing drinks to those already drunk, requirements for bond?
    • $5k surety bond is for new entities for first three years if they don’t have food and beverage or not a known entity for first three years
    • Does not believe they set that amount, thinks it may be legislative set
    • Hinojosa still thinks a bond amount should be adequate for a person who leaves drunk and causes an accident otherwise “there is no accountability”
    • Kuykendall – agrees a bond could provide a financial incentive but they do assign penalties to locations and by 3rd time it can add up
    • Kuykendall and Hinojosa discuss various instances, the business can lose a permit and an individual could face criminal and civil charges for this
    • 90-95% of business operators are compliant and those have insurance, but there are some bad operators out there
  • Nichols – anything legislature could do to improve
    • Partnership with agencies on TRACE program
  • Hinojosa – there are some that are responsible and others are not, don’t want to paint with a broad brush

Major David Whitt, TABC

  • Was there as a resource witness, there were no questions

Driver’s License Efficiency

Jeoff Williams, Deputy Director DPS

  • Reviewed report that was provided to the committee
  • Have experienced challenges in the call center with efficiencies
  • Legislative funding has helped address numerous issues including hiring more FTEs
  • Three key metrics they focus on: wait time, booking time and customer service survey
  • Wait time was once 1 hr and 38 minutes and now average wait was 28 minutes and even lower currently due to appointment system
  • Reviews the many features of the appointment system and have found things they would like to improve
  • Booking time is new with appointment system, time, and number of days between now and when the appointment is available
  • Booking time is now avg 24 days and renewal is 7 days
  • Booking time and wait time is systemic and impacted by volume
  • Seliger – what does your training regiment look like for customer service?
    • Predominate factor is training at DPS, treat each other like family
  • Blanco – asked about charges?
    • Thinking about it to stop the no shows, looking to provide multiple text reminders first and next option would be to let them pay for service before appointment to ensure they show up
  • Alvarado – What are you doing to prepare for population growth?
    • Doing a study of resources it would take to drive down booking time
  • Hinojosa – great job in improving the system
  • Nichols – call answered is 7% rate, so out of 100 calls only 7 get returned
    • Yes, receive approx. 30k-35k calls per day and have 50 people to answer the phones
    • Taking FTEs legislature gave them and put them on the counter
    • People’s reason for calling is often very specific
  • Nichols – asked about commercial drivers license?
    • They require a $25k bond
    • Many third party skills testers have come online and feel like they are back at capacity
  • Have partnered with DIR for online services, some changes were driven by pandemic and have seen a 65% increase in online traffic
  • Notes Real ID was largest unfunded mandate in history of state, one of six states have single issuant and are almost 95% compliant

Sheri Gipson, Chief Driver License DPS

  • Have training programs which includes customer service training and observation periods
  • Seeing newer employees have no clue what customer service is, have revamped training as a result
  • Seliger – are reservations all online? Believes there ought to be a voice option
    • If they call customer service they can be assisted, but will have interactive voice response to help those who may not be familiar with the internet
  • Blanco – what is the criteria for a customer service center?
    • Will identify where an office is needed based on call times and booking times
    • Can only build an office if legislature funds it, there are some areas that are increasing costs for lease so those areas are cost prohibitive
  • Nichols – asked about school buses waiver, what happens when wavier goes away
    • Once they have a license, they waiver will stand, unless they go to a state that does not recognize it

Alternatively Fueled Vehicles

Darran Anderson, Director of Strategy and Innovation TxDOT

  • Reviewed presentation given to the committee
  • Formula funded program and grant program funding to establish national network
  • Goal is interconnected charging across the nation and Texas
  • Receiving $407.8 million over 5 years and $60.4 million has already been appropriated
  • Cannot obligate or spend funding until plan is approved by federal government
  • Charge is to begin development for initial reliability regarding statewide travel for passenger and light truck
  • Will get guidance in November regarding heavy trucks
  • Will also get more guidance on discretionary grants towards end of summer, many are designed for local government or regional areas
  • Funds will be split traditional 80/20 and 20 can be funded by other entities
  • Funds must first go to designated alternative fuel corridors, national highway system for the most part (need to be completed first)
  • Not expected to know each and every location right now, focus is about generalities of siting and contracting and will submit August 1st of the year
  • Draft plan will be released mid-May
  • Siting will not be on highway right of way, will focus on locations near the right of way
  • Continues to define the specifics of those charges
  • Will have flexibility of where they go next for charging infrastructure (could be density of EVs or Hurricane corridor, etc)
  • Seliger – asked about voltage installed and cost, faster charge
    • Will have to get back to committee on that
  • Final guidance is expected on May 15th
  • This will be a continual process, after plan is submitted the federal government will continue to work with them
  • Nichols – $60 million has to be committed in 2022?
    • That is a question they are asking, Texas is not the only state asking these questions
  • Reviewed various ways they have done outreach such as working on having MPOs and County meetings
  • The website is active and includes the state highway planning map
  • Hancock – smart meters potential for state to collect a tax/fee at the charging station
    • Part of what they are considering
  • Hancock – says PUC looking at ways to meet energy needs, asked if they are working with and considering on capacity needs of these charging stations
    • Yes, again notes this is not assuming all Texans drive EVs
  • Seliger – has not seen plans for the additional generation they are discussing
    • This plan is about enabling it, not able to answer Seliger’s question
  • Seliger – has anyone asked the generators how they would meet demand?
    • SB 604 report the estimates were they could keep up with capacity but offered the need to go back and review

Roland Luna, Director, Vehicle, Titles and Registration DMV

  • Provided overview of options to generate funding for AFVs -alternatively fueled vehicles
    • Dec 2022 study that was published was provided in a handout to the committee and a study from 2021
    • AFVs make up a small but growing percentage of registered vehicles in Texas and have increased by 51% over the past five years
    • Only make up 1.3% of vehicles registered in the state
    • AFVs can include multiple categories
  • 1st option could be a special registration fee, at least 30 states levy this fee and has the advantage of being predictable and could be indexed to inflation
  • 2nd option miles traveled tax, it aligns with use of vehicle but it’s tougher to administrate and predict
  • Report has several other options, but they are outside their expertise
  • Hinojosa – fixed fee easier to administer but fee per mileage wants to know comparison to gasoline run vehicles
    • There are several studies discussing this, TxDOT would be able to provide more information about mileage ranges
  • Alvarado and Nichols said will be doing registration fee bill again this session, workgroup later on will be invited to go over the legislation and all parties that are interested