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IATR Technology & Innovation Committee Meeting

Tuesday, February 24, 2026, 02:00 PM ET / 11:00 am PT

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After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. If you are interested in attending and/or joining the Technology & Innovation Committee, please email Kim at info@iatr.global by EOD Monday, February 23, 2026. Please note this meeting is open to all REGULATOR & ASSOCIATE MEMBERS.

Image: Cab Drivers United

Chicago needs to raise taxicab fares for the first time since 2016 to save a once-thriving industry decimated by ridesharing and the pandemic, a top mayoral aide said Thursday.

“The taxi industry is very dear to us. It has a lot of value in Chicago. It was here before” Uber and Lyft, Business Affairs and Consumer Protection Commissioner Ivan Capifali told the Chicago Sun-Times. “We want to make sure that they survive.”

Capifali essentially urged the City Council to approve the cab fare hike that Mayor Brandon Johnson introduced without fanfare in late September while public attention was focused on the battle over his 2026 budget.

The mayor’s plan would maintain the cost of entering a cab, known as the “flag pull” at $3.25 for the first one-ninth of a mile, but provide substantial relief for cab drivers in other ways. That includes a $2.50 rush hour fee for rides between 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m., a $1 overnight fee for rides between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m and increased charges for both time and distance.

Instead of 25 cents for each additional one-ninth mile, passengers would pay 31 cents. Another 25 cents would be tacked on to the fare for every 36 seconds instead of 20 cents.

The ordinance has languished in committee for months, but Capifali said that needs to change to accommodate the “high cost of everything,” including fuel, insurance and maintenance.

Source: Chicago Sun Times

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St. Petersburg Republican Sen. Nick DiCeglie

Sponsor of SB 632

Legislation to reduce the amount of liability insurance companies like Uber and Lyft must carry when their drivers accept a trip but haven’t yet picked up a rider just cleared its first Senate stop. The bill (SB 632) advanced on a 6-3 vote, with no discussion by members of the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee. St. Petersburg Republican Senator Nick DiCeglie, the measure’s sponsor, explained the proposed changes but offered no personal comments.

SB 632 would revise landmark legislation former Republican lawmakers Jeff Brandes, Chris Sprowls and Jamie Grant passed in 2017 that created statewide regulations for rideshare companies operating in the Sunshine State. It’s a potential cost-saver for the companies and their drivers, which have become even more ubiquitous in Florida and across the country since.

Currently, rideshares and their drivers must carry at least $1 million in coverage for death, bodily injury and property damage.

SB 632 would replace that with a new requirement for the “in-between” period after a driver and rider confirm a trip but before the passenger enters the vehicle. It would match the existing insurance requirements imposed nine years ago for when drivers are logged into a rideshare app but not on a ride: $25,000 for property damage, $50,000 per person and $100,000 per incident for bodily injury, and personal injury protection (PIP) at Florida minimums, along with uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.

The bill keeps the $1 million insurance requirement once a passenger is in the vehicle, along with PIP at limousine-level minimums. It also allows the required coverage to be provided by the driver or vehicle owner, the rideshare company, or a combination of the two, and clarifies that if a driver’s policy lapses or fails to meet requirements, the rideshare company’s policy must step in from the first dollar and defend the claim.

Further, the measure updates proof-of-insurance provisions, requiring drivers to carry and provide coverage information after an accident and disclose whether they were logged on or engaged in a prearranged ride at the time.

Source: Florida Politics.com

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Click Here to Read SB 632

Nashville Airport Panel Advances Music City Loop Deal, Projecting $343M in Revenue

A key committee with the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority has voted to advance a proposed agreement with Elon Musk’s The Boring Company to build an underground transit system, the Music City Loop, connecting downtown Nashville and Nashville International Airport.

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More Severe New York DMV Point System Takes Effect Monday. Here's What Offenders Could Face.

Big changes to the New York Department of Motor Vehicles point system will result in steeper penalties for dangerous drivers starting Monday.  The new regulations will also cost offenders more and stay on their record longer. The DMV says the new system will keep persistently dangerous drivers off the roads, something that's welcomed by many New Yorkers.

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Skygrid to Test AAM Systems at Texas Airfield

Boeing subsidiary SkyGrid has partnered with Port San Antonio to explore the integration of advanced air mobility (AAM) at a joint-use airfield in Texas, supporting both military and civilian operations.

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Uber Now Accepts WeChat Pay in Canada

Uber has expanded its payment options in Canada, now allowing riders to pay for trips using WeChat Pay. The update comes through a renewed global partnership with the fintech platform Adyen, designed to make the app more accessible for international travellers and local users who prefer alternative payment methods.

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Canada Commits $84 Million to Install 8,000 New EV Charge Ports Nationwide

The Canadian government has announced plans to spend more than $84 million to install over 8,000 new public electric vehicle (EV) charging ports across the country. The funding, delivered through Natural Resources Canada’s Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program (ZEVIP), will support 122 separate projects from coast to coast to coast. 

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This City Took the Crown for Most Bike-Friendly in North America

Taking first place in the Copenhagenize Index, a comprehensive ranking of bicycle-friendly destinations, is Utrecht, Amsterdam's lesser-known and just-as-pretty sister city in the Netherlands, followed closely by Copenhagen and Ghent. But the first North American city to make it onto the list isn't what you'd expect. Coming in at No. 15 — well ahead of the cyclist-oriented Portland, Oregon, which landed at No. 35 — is the Canadian city of Montréal. 

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A Taxi Monopoly against Uber and Cabify Under Suspicion in Maspalomas

On the European tourism chessboard, southern Gran Canaria presents a medieval and operational anomaly. While global transport markets have succumbed to the efficiency of shared mobility platforms, the island's economic engine—the taxi sector in San Bartolomé de Tirajana—operates under a structure more reminiscent of a medieval guild than a 21st-century industry. This machine, which generates €18 million annually, is now facing its greatest reputational crisis following a systematic fraud scandal. The same politicians in Gran Canaria who reject the arrival of Uber or Cabify then use these platforms when in the EU on official business trips to promote tourism.

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Mass Transit Network Announced in New Vision for Transport in West of England

New airport links and a European-style mass transit network have been unveiled as part of the West of England’s new Transport Vision. The proposals are part of a 10-year growth strategy by the West of England Combined Authority. Plans include new public transport links between the centre of Bristol and the airport – which could take the form of an electric tram system or light railway – as well as new train stations and more frequent trains.

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EU's 2035 Zero-Emission Deadline Threatens South Africa's Automotive Export Future

The European Commission has reaffirmed its commitment to reducing CO₂ emissions from all new vehicle sales, setting a clear trajectory towards a zero-emission market by 2035. 

Under the latest proposals, battery-electric and fuel-cell electric vehicles will dominate new vehicle sales in Europe beyond that date. This has a consequence for South Africa. Europe remains one of the country’s most important export destinations, particularly for locally produced passenger vehicles.

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Baidu and Uber to Roll Out Autonomous Ride-Hailing in Dubai

Baidu and Uber will deploy Apollo Go autonomous vehicles in Dubai in coming months through a partnership with the city’s Roads and Transport Authority. The Chinese technology group and the US ride-hailing company said the service will be offered on Uber’s platform. It will begin in selected parts of Jumeirah before expanding city-wide, subject to regulatory clearance and performance assessments.

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Inside Spiro’s Push to Electrify Kenya’s Boda Boda Industry

A few years ago, spotting an electric motorcycle in Nairobi or even Mombasa was rare. On most streets, EVs were almost nonexistent, and the idea of a battery-powered boda boda sounded distant if not downright improbable. Riders had little choice but to rely on petrol bikes, budgeting a large share of their daily earnings for fuel and routine mechanical repairs. Electric alternatives were still largely out of sight and majorly out of reach.

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China Unveils the World’s Largest Flying Car

China just sent a clear signal about where it believes air travel is headed next. A Shanghai-based aviation company called AutoFlight has unveiled Matrix, now recognized as the world’s largest flying car. This is not a concept image or a brief hover test. Matrix has already completed successful flight tests near Shanghai, bringing real size and real ambition to an industry still dominated by small prototypes.

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Together for Safer Roads (TSR), a global non-governmental organization dedicated to advancing road safety through cross-sector collaboration, today announced Waymo as its newest member. As a leader in autonomous driving technology, Waymo brings deep technical expertise and a commitment to data-driven learning and safe fleet operations to TSR’s expansive network of fleet operators, vehicle manufacturers, city partners, and technology companies.

As part of its membership, Waymo and TSR will launch a joint Conversation Series in 2026 focused on the intersection of autonomy, fleet operations, safety, and the future economy. The series will convene leaders from a cross-sector of key actors, including fleets, cities, technologists and drivers for a set of structured discussions designed to elevate informed, practical dialogue around issues shaping fleet safety, technology, and operations. 

“As an organization that sits at the intersection of many of the most pressing fleet safety issues today, it is essential that Together for Safer Roads helps facilitate informed conversations about autonomy and its implications across the commercial sector,” said Peter Goldwasser, Executive Director of Together for Safer Roads. “With Waymo as its newest member and partner, TSR has the opportunity to do exactly that, drawing on their extensive expertise, experience, and learnings to bring fleets, cities, and technology leaders together around practical, real-world questions and potential solutions to critical questions. We are thrilled to have Waymo join.”

“Together for Safer Roads brings a valuable, cross-sector perspective to complex safety challenges,” said Matthew Walsh, Regional Head of State & Local Public Policy – East at Waymo. “We look forward to collaborating with TSR and its members to explore questions around fleet safety, operations, and how emerging technologies are shaping the now and future of fleets.”

Through its membership and the Conversation Series, Waymo joins TSR’s broader efforts to support safer fleets, stronger partnerships between public and private stakeholders, and data-driven approaches to reducing crashes and fatalities. In particular, Waymo will help inform key discussions amongst a broad cross-section of constituencies concerning the how, when and degree by which autonomy will affect the future of fleets across a variety of industries. 

The IATR is proud to have Peter Goldwasser serving on its Advisory Board, bringing decades of experience in road safety, government operations, and building effective public–private partnerships. TSR has been a longtime partner of IATR, collaborating on New York City Vision Zero road safety events and contributing to IATR Health and Safety Committee meetings. Waymo has also been a longtime sponsor of the IATR Annual Conference and was a sponsor of Together for Safer Roads’ annual reception last year, underscoring its sustained commitment to cross-sector collaboration on road safety and mobility innovation.

The IATR, TSR, and Waymo participated in a joint safety roundtable in London in April 2025, organized by TSR and Fleet Vision International, bringing together government and private fleets, technology companies, and transportation experts to discuss autonomy, fleet safety, and emerging risk considerations. IATR looks forward to continuing its work with TSR as part of its 2026 London tour, including the IATR Regulators Meeting on Friday, April 24, where TSR will participate in a program focused on road safety and its impacts on insurance costs. More details will be posted on our website shortly.

Source: Together for Safer Roads

Click Here to Read More about TSR

From Left: Kim Ramkishun, Executive Director of the IATR; Keith Kerman, Deputy Commissioner for Fleet Management and Chief Fleet Officer at the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS); Matt Daus, President of the IATR; Matthew Walsh, Regional Head of State & Local Public Policy – East at Waymo; and Pat Russo, Treasurer of the IATR

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