The Boring Company

By Maria Merano Teslarati

Posts Impressive LVCC Loop Stats from CES 2023

The Boring Company released the stats of its Loop system at the Las Vegas Convention Center following CES 2023, which ran from Jan. 5-8.

Based on the numbers released by the tunneling startup and social media posts from CES attendees, the LVCC Loop is hitting its rhythm.

In a Twitter post, The Boring Company said it was grateful for the opportunity to provide transportation for Las Vegas Convention Center visitors during the highprofile event.

The company included a number of key stats about the system in its post, both during the event and during the fourth quarter of 2022. The average ride time in the LVCC Loop was less than two minutes, the average wait time for passengers was less than 10 seconds and the Loop was able to accommodate more than 94,000 total passengers, including more than 10,000 who traveled to and from Resorts World.

Overall, the Boring Company said the LVCC Loop’s Q4 customer experience score has been more than 4.9 on a five-point scale, an impressive feat considering the age of the system. While there will always be critics of The Boring Company, the LVCC Loop has attracted a lot of positive attention from attendees of the event. Social media posts about rides in the LVCC Loop abound, with a good number of users sharing their appreciation for the project. Author Marsha Collier, who attended CES, described the system as “super fast” and “efficient.” She also said the LVCC Loop had great employees.

Other users highlighted how the LVCC Loop saves a lot of time, as walking around the area typically takes 20 minutes. Another CES attendee, @rockynashlive, said she appreciated the fact she was able to network longer than usual with other attendees because the LVCC Loop saves time.

Videos of the tunnels from the LVCC Loop to the Resorts World station have also been shared online, and they hint that the first stages of the Vegas Loop are at least working well.

The winter registration period for the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) for testing and recertification is now open at ASE.com.

Those service professionals registering by March 31 will have 90 days to schedule an appointment to take their tests one of three ways:

1. ASE in-person testing is available throughout the year and is conducted days, nights and weekends at more than 450 test centers.

2. Those with unexpired automobile certifications (A1-A9) can use the ASE renewal app for recertification.

3. ASE now offers ProProctor remote testing as an online recertification solution for all recertification tests, excluding L1 and L2 tests.

To register and select an available option to take selected ASE certification tests, visit ASE.com, click on register and sign in. Once logged in, users can next click on “orders” and then “store” where they can find the tests they want to take, add those tests to the cart, check out and registration is complete.

Source: ASE

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“We didn’t want to make a bill that would say that the dealerships have to really quit selling vehicles,” said Sen. Jim Anderson, R-Casper, the resolution’s sponsor. “We just wanted to make a statement that there is a counter to stopping selling gas vehicles in other states.” While the resolution wouldn’t have the force of law behind it, it still sparked some spirited testimony against it from representatives of Wyoming’s automotive dealerships and the Wyoming Outdoor Council.

Ignores Benefits

Sen. Chris Rothfuss, D-Laramie, challenged the concern raised by some committee members that the adoption of EVs is a threat to Wyoming industries, including coal, oil and gas.

They still require energy, he said, which will be a challenge as EV use continues to grow. “It’s exactly the type of challenge that Wyoming stands to benefit from, because we produce all types of power,” Rothfuss said. The vehicles also require lithium and rare earth minerals, of which Wyoming has large deposits.

Speaking after the committee meeting, Rothfuss told Cowboy State Daily there’s an opportunity with EVs the resolution failed to grasp. “We’re looking for our opportunities, because we have traditionally been one of the top five energy-producing states,” Rothfuss said.

Risks And Hazards

Anderson introduced the resolution to the Senate Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee, explaining SJ 4 was intended to support Wyoming’s oil and gas industries, which he said are under attack from states that move to outright ban the sale of new gas-powered vehicles.

“Our oil and gas industries are huge for Wyoming—and for that matter, every state in the West,” Anderson said.

He said electric vehicles pose a hazardous waste risk, as the batteries are difficult to recycle and dispose of. The state also has a lack of charging infrastructure to support them. “My friends that have electric vehicles are having trouble with charging stations. They do not have enough charging stations in Wyoming,” Anderson said.

Dealership Response

Marsha Allen, executive vice president of the Wyoming Dealers Association, testified against the bill, saying its message is “extremely concerning.”

“We fully understand the frustrations toward mandates, actions that are taken by other states and even the federal level that trickle down to policy in Wyoming. We do not support those,” Allen said.

However, dealerships across Wyoming sign sales and service agreements with manufacturers, she said. These require dealerships to invest in charging stations, training and tools.

The resolution would put dealers in direct conflict with their manufacturers’ sales and service agreements, Allen said. As an example, Allen referenced Cadillac, which plans to produce only electric vehicles between 2025 and 2030. For dealers to keep selling the brand, they would need to make a minimum investment of $250,000 in infrastructure for charging stations and stronger lifts, as EVs are heavier than conventional vehicles.

She said she spoke to one dealership in Wyoming that is spending more than $500,000 to meet the manufacturer’s requirements.

Allen said even though SJ 4 was just a resolution meant as a statement, even making that statement would negatively impact dealerships in Wyoming. Besides asking them to violate agreements with manufacturers, it encourages people not to buy EVs from them.

“Casual statements can cause real harm,” Allen warned.

Freedom to Choose

Keith Rittle, representing the Wyoming Outdoor Council, said the challenges of the transition to EVs are manageable, and he argued there are benefits that EV adoption would bring to Wyoming and its existing industries.

Rittle said EV ownership comes with lower costs over the lifetime of the vehicle. They have “severe acceleration and handling” and the convenience of charging at home.

He also said their batteries could act as energy storage capacity to power homes during grid disruptions.

The resolution, Rittle added, seemed at odds with other interests in the state, such as the electrical generation industry, powered by Wyoming’s mining industries.

Rittle requested the committee reject the resolution in the interest of individual choice. “It’s best if … Wyoming citizens retain freedom to choose for themselves, like the vehicles they prefer to drive,” Rittle said.

Frozen Batteries

Bill Winney, a former U.S. Navy submarine captain and resident of Bondurant, spoke of the degradation in range EV batteries experience in cold weather.

“You should think of somebody going around Elk Mountain in February when it’s minus 20 or 30,” Winney said. With gas-powered cars, the heat for the cab and defroster is waste heat, he said, whereas with an EV, it comes out of the battery, further reducing its range.

Winney suggested it would be practical for the Legislature to explore the options of closing roads to EVs during winter months, just as they close roads to high-profile vehicles during high winds. “You need to think in terms of a family that may be moving from Florida to California in February, going around Elk Mountain, and they just don’t understand how to manage loads on their battery,” he said.

Better Methods?

Speaking after the meeting, Rothfuss said there are better ways to push back against EV mandates that are spreading across the country without negative messaging and “fighting acrimony with acrimony.”

“I think over the past decade we’ve seen that adding more negativity to a challenging problem just doesn’t seem to lead to positive outcomes,” Rothfuss said. Rothfuss suggested a delegation from Wyoming could open a dialogue with legislators in California to explain that Wyoming education has benefited greatly from the industries that their laws seek to eliminate.

“Those are the kind of conversations that we could have, if we were willing to sit down together instead of just lobbing grenades over the wall,” Rothfuss said.

While the resolution died for lack of a motion, Anderson said the goal of starting a conversation with the statement it made has been achieved.

“It’s all over the nation now. Two major news outlets have asked me to interview this afternoon and tonight about 2 a.m.,” Anderson said. “So yes, we’ve got done what we needed to get done in informing the nation we’re supporting our industries.”

Sen. Ed Cooper, a supporter of the resolution, said he was fine with letting the bill die because it started a conversation that needed to happen.

He referenced the oath of office he took when he was sworn in as a member of the Wyoming Legislature to protect the state of against all enemies— foreign and domestic.

Phasing out gasoline-powered vehicles, he said, is a direct attack on Wyoming.

“When I see states making an open assault on the people of Wyoming, our industries and our way of life and livelihoods, I will push back,” Cooper said. “If they take pot shots at us, I’m going to push back,” he added.

Cooper said he was OK with dropping it.

“It’s promoted a lot of discussion,” he said. “I think that was the purpose of it and maybe here is where it ends.”

Spokane, WA, City Crews Scramble To Keep Up With Winter Road Damage

By RaeLynn Ricarte

The Center Square

Spokane, WA, Public Works teams have already completed three fullcity plows since early November that involved more than 10,000 lane miles. Now they are scrambling to fill potholes left behind by a series of winter storms.

“Infrastructure and maintenance are things people don’t really think about until there is a problem,” said Public Works Director Marlene Feist in a statement. “The last six weeks has really highlighted the many improvements that have been made over time and how our team and systems successfully work together to meet the needs of the community.”

The National Weather Service reported 34 inches of snow in Spokane as of Dec. 22. That has sent millions of gallons of snow and rain runoff into a network of tanks for processing to protect the Spokane River where it is released.

The aftermath of winter storms has been potholes in roadways that street crews are chasing down and filling as they receive reports of problems from some of the 220,000 people that call Spokane home. creating a path for melting snow, runoff and rain to reach drains along the street.

The Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) attempts to address education funding concerns through its Student Scholarship awards.

In order to be eligible for the foundation’s scholarships, applicants must visit a collision industry business—shops, suppliers, paint companies or any other segment.

Credit: Shutterstock.

Feist explained in a news release that potholes are created by water getting into the pavement and holes in the pavement and freezing, which causes it to expand. Once that happens, asphalt breaks up to leave a hole that is then filled with water when warming occurs, causing it to grow.

City officials are asking residents to report potholes at 3-1-1. And to help prevent pavement damage by

The city is also asking people to prevent motor fluids like oils and antifreeze from leaking on the ground and entering drains to pollute waterways.

Kirstin Davis, a city communications manager, also suggested people be neighborly and help each other out during a difficult time of year. That includes checking on vulnerable people when it is extremely cold, helping clear their sidewalks or offering to shop for groceries on difficult travel days.

CREF’s 2022 Student Scholarships provided 46 students with nearly $150,000 in financial assistance to ensure those students will be able to continue their education and that they are prepared to pursue a successful career in body shops around the country.

In addition to scholarships and tool grants, 50 veterans will receive toolboxes, valued up to $500 each, through CREF and 3M’s Hire Our Heroes initiative.

Applications opened Jan. 13 with a deadline of March 9. Apply for a Student Scholarship at www. collisioneducationfoundation.org/ student-scholarship-and-grantapplication/

Source: CREF