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Skip Descant

Skip Descant writes about smart cities, the Internet of Things, transportation and other areas for Government Technology magazine.

News
County Leaders Lobby for Extension of Affordable Internet
California county supervisors were among the members of the National Association of Counties who went in Washington, D.C., to urge Congress to extend funding for a program providing subsidies to help low-income households afford broadband Internet service.
February 23, 2024
 · Skip Descant
News
Electric Car-Share Operation Expands in California
Míocar, a nonprofit car-sharing platform, is expanding its reach across the Central Valley, bringing electric vehicles and expanded transportation options to low-income communities.
January 23, 2024
 · Skip Descant
News
Congested Region Explores New Form of Autonomous Mobility
Transportation officials in the San Francisco Bay Area are working on a plan to use Glydcars — small, electric and autonomous vehicles — to make last-mile connections to more traditional forms of transit.
January 03, 2024
 · Skip Descant
News
California Leads States in Shift Toward Electric Vehicles
California continues to be the outlying leader in the transition to EVs. Some 21 percent of new car sales were electric this year. Forty percent of zero-emission vehicles sold in the United States are sold in the state.
July 05, 2023
 · Skip Descant
News
Range, Cost Are Headwinds Facing Heavy-Duty Trucks Sector
California and some other states are already moving forward with adopting new rules to require the transition of truck fleets to zero-emission vehicles, with drayage fleets serving large ports to be fully electric by 2035.
June 29, 2023
 · Skip Descant
News
In Long Beach Smart City Initiative, Residents Can Guide Tech Work
The Long Beach Collaboratory has been created to provide a new form of citizen engagement where residents can be chosen to join collaborative teams to identify technology pilot projects for their neighborhoods.
June 08, 2023
 · Skip Descant
News
Oakland Sets Up Digital ‘Smart Loading Zones’
More than 380 loading zones in Oakland will be turned into smart zones, allowing for commercial fleets — like parcel and other deliveries — to seamlessly park and pay by the minute.
February 10, 2023
 · Skip Descant
News
State Is Primed for a Massive Build-Out of EV Charging
California plans to invest more than $5.5 billion in state funding toward electric vehicle charging infrastructure and incentive programs. This is in addition to some $384 million in federal funding.
December 20, 2022
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News
California Clearing Way for Easy, Contactless Transit
A partnership among state agencies in California and a local transit provider has developed an easy-to-use app where seniors can quickly confirm their eligibility for their fare discount, and then simply tap their credit or debit card as they board the bus.
October 13, 2022
 · Skip Descant
News
Silicon Valley City Invests in Battery, Storage Production
Fremont has long been the manufacturing hub of the Silicon Valley tech ecosystem, but it is quickly becoming a focal point in the battery and green energy storage space as the need for the technology increases.
September 16, 2022
 · Skip Descant
News
Regional Agencies Are Best Poised to Manage Micromobility
Regional government organizations in Sacramento and Denver have taken an oversight and data collection role in micromobility operations, showing that they are well-positioned to navigate these planning efforts.
May 18, 2022
 · Skip Descant
News
L.A. Metro Turns to Technology in Bus Lane Enforcement
L.A. Metro has turned to technology to monitor and enforce dedicated bus lane rules. Metro plans to issue a request for proposals this summer that would identify a technology partner for wider application on other bus routes.
April 11, 2022
 · Skip Descant
News
Curb Enthusiasm: New Attitudes, Digital Options Emerge on Urban Spaces
Cities like Los Angeles worked fast during the COVID-19 pandemic to radically change the way we think about sidewalks, curbs and parking areas. Many of the changes government and businesses made, some through technology, are here to stay.
April 06, 2022
 · Skip Descant
News
California Bill Looks to Better Coordinate Bay Area Transit
A bill introduced in the state Legislature aims to make the transit experience across the San Francisco Bay Area’s 27 providers more seamless. The bill would appoint a regional commission to lead the effort.
March 04, 2022
 · Skip Descant
News
Transit Agency Offers Contactless Fare-Payment App
A new no-touch fare system at Santa Maria Regional Transit is making rides free for students at the local community college. The change has made the system more efficient on several levels.
March 02, 2022
 · Skip Descant
News
San Jose Chooses Its Next Chief Innovation Officer
The city’s pick for the C-level post comes from within City Hall and brings with him a dedication to digital inclusion.
January 20, 2022
 · Skip Descant
News
Big Transit Agency Introduces Public Wi-Fi Security App
LA Secure, a new free app for riders of buses and trains across the Los Angeles Metro system, alerts riders of malicious links, rogue Wi-Fi signals and other cybersecurity threats associated with using public transit Wi-Fi.
January 14, 2022
 · Skip Descant
News
Contactless Payment Gains Across State Transit
The California Department of General Services has issued a request for proposal to make it easier for transit providers in the state to acquire the needed hardware and software to support contactless payment systems.
August 20, 2021
 · Skip Descant
News
Data and Analytics at Heart of San Diego Mobility Plan
A traffic signal upgrade project will involve 26 intersections around the University of California, San Diego. The project will use adaptive software to enhance mobility across the region.
August 10, 2021
 · Skip Descant
News
AI Is Helping This City Get a Handle on Short-Term Rentals
La Quinta, in Southern California’s lush Coachella Valley, has turned to an AI-powered solution that mines real estate transactions and other data to zero in on the homes that are operating as unpermitted vacation rentals.
August 03, 2021
 · Skip Descant
News
SoCal City Sets Sights on ‘Frictionless’ Citizen Experience
A plan to modernize IT and better enable a work-from-anywhere posture in Santa Monica served the city well when the COVID-19 pandemic reshuffled city services and how they are delivered.
June 28, 2021
 · Skip Descant
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News
Long Beach Among 3 Cities in Augmented Reality Pilot
Three augmented reality projects have been awarded $20,000 each by US Ignite to develop projects that use AR technology to address city concerns like transportation, education or health care.
March 02, 2021
 · Skip Descant
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News
Transit Agencies Partner on New Ticketing App
Ticketing and trip-planning across some half-dozen transit providers in San Joaquin County have been brought under one app, allowing for an easy jump for riders moving from one system to another.
January 05, 2021
 · Skip Descant
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News
Report: Transit Agencies Need to Boost Cybersecurity
A study conducted by the Mineta Transportation Institute at San Jose State University found that cybersecurity protocols and general concern about cyberthreats were inadequate across many agencies.
December 15, 2020
 · Skip Descant
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News
L.A. Mayor Discusses Transportation Innovation Zone
“This venture has the potential to be a key driver of jobs in L.A. and to knit together the fabric of our transportation systems as a low-noise, all electric, accessible and affordable option for getting around,” Mayor Eric Garcetti said.
November 18, 2020
 · Skip Descant
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News
San Jose Pilot Tests Delivery Robot
“We wanted to identify how to deploy such a service in San Jose in different locales. Is it suitable for all of our city streets?” said Andrea Arjona, transportation specialist with the San Jose Department of Transportation.
November 17, 2020
 · Skip Descant
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News
Sacramento Saving through Fleet-Tracking Technology
Fleet management officials in the capital and elsewhere are using technology to better track their vehicles and gain detailed insights into vehicle operations for both gas- and electric-powered autos.
November 16, 2020
 · Skip Descant
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News
Data, Analytics Guide Transportation in San Diego
The information harvested from e-scooters and newer forms of mobility has helped San Diego shape the way these types of vehicles will become a part of the city.
November 05, 2020
 · Skip Descant
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News
Industry Pulls Opposition to Electric Charger Training Bill
The legislation is designed to expand electric vehicle charging infrastructure in underserved communities as well as create a new program within the California Energy Commission to fund school upgrades through electric ratepayer-funded energy efficiency efforts.
September 02, 2020
 · Skip Descant
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News
L.A. Faces Court Challenge over Data Collection
Trip data, which includes real-time locations and routes, could — without a significant amount of effort — be fleshed out to reveal the individual identities of riders, the lawsuit states.
June 22, 2020
 · Skip Descant
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