We are excited to announce our 39th Annual Conference of the International Association of Transportation Regulators (IATR) is coming to Las Vegas, Nevada, from September 14th through September 17th, 2026. The theme of our 2026 conference is “AV City: Autonomous Mobility,” reflecting the rapid evolution of automated, connected, and electrified transportation systems and the critical role regulators play in shaping their future.

Las Vegas has always been a city built on bold vision and transformative infrastructure. What began as a desert rail stop evolved into a global tourism and convention capital supported by sophisticated airport operations, intelligent traffic systems, and large-scale event management logistics. Today, Las Vegas stands at the forefront of autonomous mobility. Nevada was the first state in the nation to authorize autonomous vehicle testing, and the region has become a national hub for robotaxi deployment, advanced driver assistance systems, and smart transportation investments.

Like the city itself, mobility in Las Vegas is fast-moving, innovative, and ambitious. However, innovation without governance is incomplete. As shared connected automated electric vehicles scale from pilot programs to broader deployment, regulators face complex and urgent questions involving safety oversight, insurance frameworks, accessibility mandates, workforce transition, fare affordability, sustainability goals, and public trust. These are not theoretical discussions. They are unfolding in real time across jurisdictions around the world.

Some of the topics that we will cover during the conference will include:

• IATR’s Guiding Principles for Robotaxi Testing & Deployment
• Autonomous Vehicle Policy Challenges & Solutions
• The Taxi, For-Hire & Bus Insurance Crisis
• Public Transit Partnerships with Taxis, FHVs and TNCs
• Regulatory Preparedness for Big Events

We are also looking forward to our annual International Regulator “Star Trek”. The full preliminary agenda can be found here.

Registration is now open for active members and associate/industry first-time attendees here. Non-members and other associate/industry partners should reach out to IATR Executive Director Kim Ramkishun or IATR Membership Director Eric Richardson for further information. Sponsorships are also now available, and you can find the sponsorship menu here.

We hope you can join us in Las Vegas in September!

Image: Tech Crunch

Electrically powered air taxis will start taking to the skies in some states and cities across the US, including in New York, after the government approved several pilot projects under a program meant to accelerate their integration into the US airspace.

The US Transportation Department said Monday that it selected eight proposals under the so-called advanced air mobility and electric vertical takeoff and landing integration pilot program, which was first outlined in an executive order released by President Donald Trump last year. The government received more than 30 proposals, it said.

The selected projects will span more than two dozen states, the department said in a statement shared with Bloomberg. They include a partnership between the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and companies Joby Aviation Inc., Archer Aviation Inc., BETA Technologies Inc., and Electra.aero Inc. That project will explore several different operational concepts, including air taxi passenger operations at the Manhattan heliport.

“This is the clearest sign yet from the White House, the FAA and the DOT that bringing air taxis to market in the United States is a real priority,” Adam Goldstein, Archer’s founder and chief executive officer, said in an emailed statement.

Joby shares rose as much as 8.4% in US postmarket trading while Archer gained 2.2%.

Proposals from the Texas Department of Transportation, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the North Carolina Department of Transportation were also among those chosen.

Startups including Joby and Archer have been working with regulators to get the required approvals to start commercial operations. The pilot program allows them, and other makers of next-generation aircraft, to partner with state and local governments to try out their concepts in real-world settings prior to Federal Aviation Administration certification.

The government has said it’ll take lessons learned from these trial runs to better inform its regulation of the emerging industry

Source: Bloomberg

Click Here to Read More

U.S. Seeks Comment on Zoox Petition to Deploy Robotaxis without Steering Wheels

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Tuesday it is seeking public comments on Amazon.com's self-driving unit Zoox to ​deploy up to 2,500 purpose-built, steering-wheel-free robotaxis. Zoox filed a petition in ‌August seeking approval from the auto safety agency saying it would provide at least an equivalent level of safety to human-driven vehicles and need exemptions from eight federal vehicle safety standards written with human drivers in mind.

Click Here to Read More

This Georgia City May Have Opened the First City‑Branded Tesla Supercharger

A city in Georgia may have just launched something the EV charging world hasn’t seen before: a city-branded Tesla Supercharger station. The City of Alpharetta, just north of Atlanta, recently installed a Supercharging site next to its Department of Public Safety on Old Milton Parkway. What makes it notable is the branding on the equipment itself: “The City of Alpharetta, Georgia – public charging station.”

Click Here to Read More

North Carolina to Test Connected Tolling on Private Vehicles

A toll road agency in North Carolina will begin testing connected technology on privately owned vehicles, as it explores innovations in fare collection and driver communication. Other states, including Utah, have deployed connected vehicle technology largely aimed at delivering messages to drivers regarding real-time safety alerts related to weather, car crashes or work zones. The North Carolina Turnpike Authority (NCTA) is set to begin testing connected vehicle tech on the Triangle Expressway, a six-lane, 37-mile section of Interstate 540 and the state’s “first modern toll road.” The project is a partnership with Kapsch TrafficCom, and has already deployed roadside devices and onboard units in state maintenance vehicles, collecting data and testing the technology.

Click Here to Read More

Electric Buses Are Coming Fast in Canada, but Outdated Garages, Grids and Chargers Are Slowing Them Down

Canada is spending billions to electrify thousands of buses to cut emissions, but the grid, charging infrastructure and transit depots must catch up quickly for large-scale electric fleets to operate, a new analysis warns. A white paper from Hitachi Energy says the biggest challenge is no longer buying electric buses but upgrading the systems needed to run them — from local electricity networks to transit garages originally designed decades ago for diesel fleets.

Click Here to Read More

Federal Labor Inspectors Expanding Driver Inc. Enforcement to Montreal

Federal labor officials are expanding their crackdown on worker misclassification in the trucking industry, launching a new inspection blitz in the Montreal area following a major enforcement campaign in Ontario last year. According to the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA), Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) will begin inspections in the coming weeks targeting trucking and transportation companies operating under federal jurisdiction.

Click Here to Read More

Future of Partially Built Parkade at Vancouver International Airport Still Up in the Air

There is a real possibility that Vancouver International Airport (YVR) might never complete its partially built additional parkade for its intended purpose because current demand trends and long-term forecasts show that vehicle parking demand does not warrant it and that significant additional capital investment would still be required to finish it.

Click Here to Read More

UK: Plans to Address Shortage of Accessible Taxis

Plans to improve the accessibility of taxis and private hire vehicles for disabled passengers are set to be considered by councillors. North Yorkshire Council currently has 60 licensed wheelchair-accessible Hackney carriage vehicles (WAV), which represents one for every 10,250 people. Under new proposals, all new licence applications would need to be for a WAV, a zero-emission vehicle or a hybrid electric vehicle. Councillor Richard Foster, executive member for licensing, said the authority was "committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion" and that the policy aimed to address the shortage of licensed WAVs.

Click Here to Read More

UBER Reveals How We Will Order a Flying Taxi Directly from the App

UBER is moving one step closer to its aerial vision. Recently, the company presented a first look at its flying taxi booking service, ahead of the expected launch in Dubai later this year. The program, under the name UBER Air, will allow travelers to book the electric taxis of Joby Aviation in a process that will be familiar to anyone who has ever used the UBER app on the ground.

Click Here to Read More

Edinburgh Travellers Face Fare Hikes under New Airport and City Taxi Proposals

Black cab passengers in Edinburgh could soon see higher prices for trips to the airport and around the city as councillors prepare to review new fare recommendations. A report by consulting firm Jacobs suggests a series of increases to account for inflation and rising costs, including a plan to raise the terminal drop-off and pick-up fee from £6 to £7. The proposals, which will be considered by the regulatory committee next Monday, include a general 5% fare increase across all city journeys.

Click Here to Read More

As Missiles Rain in Gulf Skies, Bengaluru’s Luxury Cabs Feel the Pinch: Why This Premium Segment Is Facing ‘Total Collapse’

The escalating West Asia crisis after the United States-Israel strikes on Iran and airspace closures has triggered a significant downturn for the transport and hospitality sectors in Bengaluru. With international arrivals from key Gulf hubs disrupted, the luxury taxi segment at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) has seen near-total demand collapse.

Click Here to Read More

Police Officers Linked to Taxi Industry Could Fuel Tensions, Warns Ian Cameron

Commuters in Cape Town were left stranded on Monday after taxi operators in Nyanga shut down services in protest over ongoing violence. The disruption followed the torching of nine taxis at the Nyanga rank. Members of Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (CATA) marched to the local police station, demanding answers and stronger action from SAPS.

Click Here to Read More

Peru Returns to Remote Classes, Telework amid Energy Crisis

Peru's government has ordered an immediate return to virtual classes and mandatory remote work in Lima and the neighboring port city of Callao as the country grapples with an energy crisis triggered by damage to a key natural gas pipeline. The measure follows a major failure in the Camisea gas transportation system, the backbone of Peru's energy supply. The disruption has forced authorities to ration natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas, or LPG, and adopt emergency steps to reduce electricity demand.

Click Here to Read More

Image: David Brian Mottershead

Legislation designed to open the door to a ride-sharing service was passed by MPs despite calls from members of the Opposition to put it on hold. Government legislators highlighted the importance of the Motor Car (Ride-sharing) Amendment Act 2026 to help fill a gap in the transportation sector.

However, members of the One Bermuda Alliance argued that accountability and enforcement issues needed to be addressed before the Bill could be passed.

Owen Darrell, the Minister of Tourism, Transport, Culture and Sport, told the House of Assembly on Friday: “I think everyone is in agreement that transportation availability in this country is a problem.” He said data provided by the Transport Control Department indicated fluctuations around taxi availability throughout the week.

The House heard that the average waiting time for a taxi in 2025 was 37 minutes. Mr Darrell said that the “most shocking” statistic recorded by the TCD last year was that there were 82,284 unanswered requests for taxis.

He shot down criticism from the Opposition about a lack of enforcement within the taxi industry.

Source: The Royal Gazette

Click Here to Read More

RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP FOR 2026:

Weekly news snippets

Access to the membership database

Videos and files from recent conferences

Discounted rates for future conferences, and more!

Renew your membership at http://www.iatr.global or email info@iatr.global for any questions!