Millions of uninsured drivers in California could have their license plates yanked or their cars immobilized as part of a crackdown being considered by the state Insurance Commissioner. Proposed as an initiative on the November 2008 ballot, the measure would give law enforcement broad new powers to go after those who drive without insurance. Estimates range from a low of 3.2 million to a high of 5.7 million among 23.2 million licensed drivers who go without insurance. Opponents counter that the measure would disproportionately affect poor people and make it even harder for them to get and keep jobs. LA Times 10/29/07
Sacramento and West Sacramento hope to build a $53 million-plus streetcar rail line that would traverse the Tower Bridge and venture a mile into each city's downtown – and do it within the next four years. The city chose the idea faced with congestion, parking woes and bland streetscapes, however streetcars don't go far or fast, get stuck in traffic, and require overhead electric wires. But if done right, officials said, streetcars are magnets, attracting street life, and stimulating development. Sacramento Bee 10/25/07
The state of New York is joining a growing list of local governments who feel compelled to devise their own ways of dealing with illegal immigrants because of the federal government's failure to do so. By as soon as December, the state's undocumented immigrants, who are reckoned to number anywhere from 500,000 to 1m, could start to get licenses that will allow them to drive legally. Unlicensed drivers are five times more likely to be in a fatal crash than licensed ones. Under the governor’s plan, a valid foreign passport will be adequate to get a license. Eight other states still allow people to get drivers' licences even if they don't have Social Security numbers. The Economist 10/25/07
Gas prices continued to rise Saturday, with experts predicting the state's $3.16 a gallon average for regular unleaded could keep climbing the next few weeks as the cost for crude oil reaches record highs. Mercury News
Most central San Joaquin Valley traffic is in urban areas. But nearly 70% of fatal crashes are on rural roads, a Bee analysis has found. These roads are riskier than city roads, in part because motorists travel them at higher speeds. But the central San Joaquin Valley faces additional problems, including roads that don't meet safety standards and limited traffic enforcement. A twist in state law prevents all but the most populous counties from operating dedicated traffic patrols. Counties must rely on the California Highway Patrol -- which is understaffed for the job -- to enforce traffic laws in unincorporated areas. The study was based on information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration database. Fresno Bee 10/27/07
Three major airlines raised U.S. domestic fares to offset soaring fuel costs, increasing the price of round-trip tickets by $10. Continental Airlines Inc., Delta Air Lines Inc. and UAL Corp.'s United Airlines increased most fare types on most routes in the continental U.S., the airlines said. LA Times 10/27/07
The Bay Area might need smaller houses, higher gas taxes and tolls on busy roads and congested business districts if it is to meet the state's goals for the reduction of greenhouse gases, transportation and land use officials said Friday. The good news, however, is that a new poll shows that many Bay Area residents are ready to take those steps if it means a better future for the state and world. A recent poll of bay area residents found 64 percent thought global warming was the most important factor to consider when developing transportation and land-use plans. SF Chronicle 10/27/07
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