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: Guifré Jordan

Catalonia's proposed taxi law limiting ride-hailing services took a significant step forward on Wednesday as Parliament approved the first vote on the matter. The law prioritizes traditional taxis over app-based private hire companies such as Uber, Cabify, and Bolt.

The bill cleared a full plenary vote, with Parliament rejecting the full amendment proposed by Vox. The Socialists, Junts, Esquerra Republicana (ERC), Comuns, CUP, and Aliança Catalana voted against while the People's Party (PP) abstained. It now moves to committee, where parties can propose further changes before a final vote in Parliament.

The legislation recognises taxis as an "economic service of general interest" and regulates ride-hailing vehicles (known as VTCs in Catalan) as private, complementary services. The bill establishes the taxi sector's central role in passenger transport and sets out obligations for public service, including universality, accessibility, and continuity. It also maintains the current system of official regulated fares.

Ride-hailing vehicles will operate strictly on a pre-booked basis as a complementary service.

The law introduces a gradual reduction of VTC licenses in the Barcelona metropolitan area as they expire. Currently, there are around 1,000 licenses, with the government estimating that roughly 600 will lapse once the law comes into effect.

Source: Catalan News

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ITS America Taps Kendrick, Kapsch for Board Seat, Bringing a Tolling Lens to Industry Shift

The Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America) has appointed JB Kendrick, President of Kapsch TrafficCom North America, to its Board of Directors. Kendrick joins the board's mission of guiding ITS America's policy priorities and advancing the deployment of intelligent transportation technology across the United States.

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Joby Aviation to Launch U.S. Air-Taxi Service in the Coming Months

Joby Aviation, based in Santa Cruz, is gearing up to launch air-taxi operations in the U.S. after being selected for a White House-backed pilot program. The company will partner with several states to test electric air taxi routes, cargo flights, and medical response missions. These states include Arizona, Florida, Idaho, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas and Utah.

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National AV Safety Forum: American-Made Preferred for Golden Age of Autonomous Vehicles

The inaugural National AV Safety Forum, hosted by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) on March 11, 2026, represented a pivotal shift in the federal government’s role in the autonomous vehicle (AV) sector. Led by Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison, the forum was designed to establish a more predictable and streamlined regulatory framework for self-driving technology. By bringing together industry leaders, safety advocates, and federal regulators, the USDOT aimed to demonstrate that American innovation can thrive under a robust, national safety standard that eliminates the current patchwork of state-level rules.

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Bike Share Toronto Adding More E-Bikes, Charging Docks As Demand Goes Up

The City of Toronto is expanding its bike share program and adding more e-bikes this year after seeing an increase in ridership last year. Bike Share Toronto had a 40-per-cent increase in individual riders in 2025 compared to 2024, according to its annual operating plan, which was presented to the Toronto Parking Authority board of directors on Wednesday.

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Privatized Transit in Quebec: A Model Proven to Fail

In response to Bernard Drainville’s call for greater private-sector involvement in public transit, we need to remember that the private sector is already omnipresent and, far from saving money, this model has actually reduced the quality of service in the Quebec network. As gas prices rise, CUPE is calling for economical transportation alternatives, so everyone can benefit from an efficient public transit network.

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‘It’s Unbearable’: Ottawa Taxi Drivers Struggle amid Surging Gas Prices

“We cannot increase our price based on that. Other stores, maybe they can jack up their prices, but we are controlled by the city and we cannot jack up our price. Even if the gas price goes to two dollars, we still charge the same amount. So, this is unbearable,” said Demmalash Cherant, who has been a cab driver for 35 years. “Usually, [gas] will take about 14 to 15 per cent of our fare in a van like this. But now, it goes to 20, 22 to 25 per cent of our income goes directly to gas price.”

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Do 5G Gaps Threaten Britain’s Autonomous Vehicle Rollout?

Britain’s push to deploy autonomous vehicles beyond major cities faces a critical infrastructure challenge: patchy 5G coverage in rural areas could undermine the transport services the technology is intended to support. The issue came into focus at Zenzic’s CAM Innovators’ Day which Zag attended in London, where industry players highlighted the scale of the connectivity and data infrastructure required for connected and automated mobility (CAM) to move from trials to everyday services.

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Chinese Cars in Europe: A New Vehicle Fleet Creating Service Potential

Mainland Chinese vehicle manufacturers are making significant progress in Europe in search of growth, as they grapple with overproduction in their home market and high tariffs in the US. Vehicle exports from Chinese automakers set a record of 7.1 million units in 2025, rising 21% year over year and more than doubling since 2022.

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Decarbonising the UK’s Taxi Fleet: A Call for More Support

While the UK’s target of reaching net zero by 2050 remains, the transition to EV taxis is not proving to be the most straightforward. Freenow by Lyft, London’s number one taxi app, is already making significant strides in the transition to a greener fleet, with roughly 70% of taxi trips in the UK now completed using electric or zero-emission capable vehicles.

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Nuro's Self-Driving Car Tech Hits Tokyo Streets in First International Deployment

US-based startup Nuro said on Wednesday its ​self-driving vehicles are ​now operating on public roads in Tokyo ​with safety operators present, marking the company's first international autonomous deployment.

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Incognia Partners with Cabify to Strengthen Transportation Safety for Improved City Living

Incognia, the leader in cross-device risk intelligence, announced a new partnership with Cabify, the international techmobility platform, to further strengthen safety, identity verification, and account security for drivers and riders across its global operations. Cabify has been pioneering new mobility solutions in Spain and Latin América, with a current focus on 6 markets and 40 cities. The partnership reflects Cabify's safety-first approach to mobility, where technology plays a central role in protecting drivers and riders and preventing fraud. Incognia's advanced device and location intelligence helps Cabify reinforce platform security, while maintaining reliable, high-quality, and sustainable transportation experiences.

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Nigeria: Why FCT Women Are Converting Their Cars to Informal Taxi Cabs

Many women in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have converted their private cars into informal taxis, popularly known as “kabu-kabu.” Some of the female drivers told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja, that the move became inevitable as a result of the economic hardship. According to NAN, the trend is becoming more visible as the women are seen at major junctions and bus stops across the city picking passengers.

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Image: NBC

The Board of Airport Commissioners on Tuesday approved a hike in fees that taxi and rideshare companies pay for access to Los Angeles International Airport.

The board voted unanimously to increase the $4 fee to $6 for all companies providing passenger pick-ups and drop-offs at the airport, either within the terminal area or at the LAX-It lot. The fee is expected to increase to $12 for pickups or drop-offs within the central terminal area.

The increase won't go into effect until SkyLink -- aka the LAX people mover -- begins operation either later this year or in 2027. The aim is to ease traffic in the horseshoe-shaped central terminal area and encourage people to use the SkyLink system.

The SkyLink project has faced several delays.

Companies like Uber and Lyft pay a roughly $4 fee to pick up or drop off passengers at LAX. Taxi companies pay $4 to pick up passengers, while limousines and similar services pay $5. Taxis and limos do not pay any fees for passenger drop-offs. Such fees are often passed on to passengers.

Courtney Moore, who heads LAX Revenue and Experience, said the hike would eventually generate $100 million in revenue.

"We would be disappointed if the rideshare companies pass that along to the riders or the driver," Moore said.

Uber said in a statement that the hike would "punish travelers, working families and seniors who depend on affordable, reliable transportation," adding that while it supports improvements at LAX, it should not come "on the backs of the people who keep it running."

Source: NBC Los Angeles

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