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Travelers get a bit of reprieve as the Department of Homeland Security has again extended the deadline for its REAL ID requirement, an enhanced identification card (typically a driver’s license) issued through your local DMV for the purposes of domestic air travel. Those who choose not to get the REAL ID will need to use a valid U.S. passport or another federally approved ID at airport security checkpoints instead.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas made the announcement in late April 2021 that the REAL ID full enforcement date would be pushed back by 19 months, from October 1, 2021 to May 3, 2023, due to circumstances resulting from the ongoing pandemic. This is the second COVID-related delay, which was originally scheduled for October 2020.
“As our country continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, extending the REAL ID full enforcement deadline will give states needed time to reopen their driver’s licensing operations and ensure their residents can obtain a REAL ID-compliant license or identification card,” said Mayorkas in the DHS press release.
DHS reports that currently only 43 percent of all state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards are currently REAL ID-compliant. Driver’s licenses that are compliant are denoted with a star in the upper right-hand corner. The process to get the ID varies by state, but do require additional proof of identity to be issued. You can check for your state’s requirements here.
The U.S. Travel Association applauded the postponed enforcement to 2023, noting that the enforcement may hinder the travel sector’s recovery.
“Extending the REAL ID deadline is the right move, and we’re grateful to DHS for heeding the evidence and the calls from our industry,” said U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President for Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes. “Getting to REAL ID compliance on time was already going to be a challenge before COVID shut down DMVs for extended periods. Significant travel disruption was likely if the deadline were allowed to hit, which the U.S. economy can’t afford after a $500 billion decline in travel spending last year and millions of travel jobs lost to the pandemic.”
Visit dhs.gov/real-id for more information.
[05.03.21]
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Aspiring entrepreneurs can get start-up tips from Reston Limousine Service President and CEO Kristina Bouweiri at the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority's next Entrepreneurship 101: Starting a Business in Fairfax County webinar on May 4 at 10:00 a.m. ET. Click here to register for the workshop.
Entrepreneurship 101 (E-101) is a virtual workshop that features a panel of small business experts on how to start a business. Participants are provided with informative step-by-step information sessions that cover registering a business, permitting requirements, business feasibility and business plan basics, business certifications, financing options, and government resources.
In addition, this session’s the Entrepreneur Spotlight will feature Bouweiri, who will discuss her entrepreneurial journey and share valuable tips for business success. Reston Limousine has a fleet of 250 vehicles—sedans, limousines, vans and buses—as well as 350 drivers and 60 office employees.
E-101 is presented by the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority in partnership with Fairfax County, the Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity, the Community Business Partnership and the U.S. Small Business Administration.
“Prospective entrepreneurs will greatly benefit from attending this session and learning from our experts on how to start or grow a business,” said Victor Hoskins, president and CEO of the FCEDA. “We thank Kristina Bouweiri, a real Northern Virginia success story, for her participation in the workshop and look forward to hearing her insight on growing Reston Limousine Service.”
The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority promotes Fairfax County as a business and technology center. In addition to its headquarters in Tysons, Fairfax County’s largest business district, the FCEDA maintains business investment offices in six important global business centers: Bangalore/Mumbai, Berlin, London, Los Angeles, Seoul and Tel Aviv.
The FCEDA is a member of the Northern Virginia Economic Development Alliance. Other members: the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership, Arlington County, City of Fairfax, City of Falls Church, Fauquier County, Loudoun County, City of Manassas, City of Manassas Park and the Prince William County Department of Economic Development.
Visit restonlimo.com or fairfaxcountyeda.org for more information.
[04.30.21]
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Webfleet Solutions, a telematics providers and Bridgestone subsidiary, recently launched WEBFLEET Video into the market. With the technology of Webfleet Solutions and Lytx, a global provider of video telematics solutions for fleets, integrated on one platform, users can access and manage both their vehicles and their in-vehicle cameras from a single interface.
Road-facing and optional cabin-facing HD dashcam event footage is displayed alongside driving data to give users the full context of road incidents. Users can request video from a specific time and position of a previous trip or instantly livestream from the road, to take action immediately when an incident occurs.
Accompanying WEBFLEET Video is the CAM 50 dashcam. This hardware uses artificial intelligence (AI) technology to automatically identify risky behavior such as distracted driving and mobile phone usage. When it does so, it notifies the driver with a visual and audio alert, helping them avoid dangerous situations.
“For the fleets we serve, safeguarding drivers is crucial,” says Webfleet Solutions Director of U.S. Sales Matt Gunzenhauser. “And the more accurate a picture you have of what’s occurring on the road, the more protection you can give them. This is what WEBFLEET Video delivers. With footage from the road, drivers get both clear examples of how they can drive safer. It further provides evidence to protect them if they’re targeted by a fraudulent claim.”
“AI takes things a step further,” continues Gunzenhauser. “Rather than just reacting to incidents that already happened, it proactively prevents dangerous situations from developing in the first place. And it does so accurately. It utilises algorithms that are based on Lytx’s more than 20 years of high-quality data collection to deliver 95 percent accuracy on motion alerts.”
As well as keeping drivers safe, WEBFLEET Video is also designed to respect their privacy and help fleets meet the demands of their region’s privacy legislation. For example, users can configure the driver-facing camera to be on or off or turn on privacy suppressed mode so events will not be retrieved from the device. The dashcam is also delivered with a special cap to close the cabin facing camera if needed.
“With WEBFLEET Video, we provide a truly best-in-class video telematics solution,” says Gunzenhauser. “Our goal is to empower fleets to effectively increase safety, lower insurance premiums and reduce vehicle downtime.”
Visit webfleet.com for more information.
[04.30.21]