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Daily Transportation News
January 7, 2026
| | | Delhi Govt Agrees in Principle to Allow Private EVs to Run as Shared Taxis | |
Image: The New Indian Express | |
The Delhi government has agreed in principle to allow privately owned EVs to operate as shared taxis. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said relevant rules would be amended and an effective mechanism put in place to address concerns raised by companies.
Gupta on Friday said the Delhi government is working on a special strategy covering EV charging infrastructure, use of solar energy and management of battery waste to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles and reduce pollution in the capital. She was speaking at a meeting with automobile manufacturers and aggregator companies such as Ola, Uber and Rapido, convened to encourage wider public adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and promote shared mobility in Delhi.
“Effective and sustainable control of pollution in Delhi is possible only by reducing the number of vehicles on the roads. Transport companies must actively support the government’s mission so that Delhi can move rapidly towards becoming a Viksit Delhi,” the CM said. The meeting at the Delhi Secretariat was attended by Transport Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh, senior transport department officials, representatives of automobile manufacturers including Tata Motors, Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki, Toyota and Honda, and officials from aggregator platforms.
Gupta said the fight against pollution would require both immediate steps and long-term strategies. She added that while the government is willing, in principle, to provide facilitation, flexibility in rules and resolution of industry issues, companies must also offer concessions that make EVs and shared mobility more attractive to the public.
Vehicle manufacturers told the chief minister that large-scale deployment of EVs and a people-centric EV policy were essential for meaningful pollution control. They sought concessions to strengthen charging infrastructure, saying this would significantly boost EV adoption. Responding to this, Gupta said the government is ready to provide land for setting up charging stations but stressed that companies must also explore solar-powered charging solutions.
Source: The New Indian Express
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| NY Gov. Kathy Hochul, NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani Celebrate 1 Year of Congestion Pricing | |
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New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani celebrated one year of congestion pricing on Monday. The two were joined by MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber, as the agency released new data showing the results so far.
According to the MTA, traffic in the congestion zone is down by 11% since the start of the program, with 27 million fewer cars entering the zone in 2025. Hochul said travel times through the Lincoln and Holland tunnels are both down. "This is a program that has been successful…Anyone trying to kill this program, tell it to the judge, because they're going to be on our side," Hochul said.
In total, according to Hochul, congestion pricing raised about $550 million for the MTA in 2025, $50 million more than originally projected. "So to those individuals who are driving in, their quality of life has improved as well, and I'm really proud of that, and I hope they understand what this program did for them," Hochul said. "
This is a program that has been successful no matter how you measure it," Mamdani said.
"This is good government in action," Lieber said. "This demonstrates what business-like government management can accomplish."
Source: CBS New York
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NYC Taxis and Buses Pick Up Speed with Congestion Pricing Toll
New York City’s public buses and taxis are travelling at faster speeds after the start of a controversial congestion-pricing programme that charges motorists to drive on Manhattan’s busiest streets, according to a report from the Regional Plan Association (RPA). The tolling initiative, the first of its kind in the US, marked its one-year anniversary on Jan 5. Most passenger vehicles pay US$9 (S$11.60) during peak hours to drive south of 60th Street, while trucks pay more, depending on their size. The toll has helped reduce traffic by 11 per cent, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), which runs the city’s transit network and implemented the fee.
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New EDF Report Shows Electric Vehicle Policy Progress across All 50 U.S. States
Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) today released the U.S. Electric Vehicle State Policy Landscape Report, offering an in-depth look at how every state is advancing zero-emission transportation. The report analyzes 16 key electric vehicle (EV)-supportive policies across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, demonstrating that states are already using proven policy tools to advance clean, affordable transportation.
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U.S. Proposing to Help Airlines Avoid Fines over Consumer Protection Violations
The U.S. Transportation Department is proposing to revise its guidance to deemphasize imposing civil fines on airlines violating consumer protection rules and to drop Biden-era policies. The department's Office of Aviation Consumer Protection said its enforcement focus "will be on ensuring compliance with civil rights and consumer protection regulations rather than finding and penalizing entities for violations" and added if it finds violations, the office "will attempt to address the problem by issuing a warning letter to help the regulated entity achieve compliance and resolve the issues before pursuing enforcement actions."
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TTC Asking for More Money from City Hall in 2026 Budget That Freezes Fares
The Toronto Transit Commission is asking for a larger subsidy from the city for its 2026 budget, which freezes fares and introduces fare capping, as its CEO warns the transit agency is becoming increasingly reliant on help from Toronto. The TTC’s proposed $3 billion operating budget requires $1.48 billion from the city to work, an increase of about $94 million compared to 2025, the TTC board heard Wednesday. While Torontonians will get their first look at the city’s proposed budget Thursday, the mayor already announced fare capping and the fare freeze in late 2025 as part of her affordability plans.
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Kingston, Ontario Re-Launches Scaled-Back Accessible Taxi Service
The city is dramatically scaling back how many accessible taxi rides are available each day as it tries to maintain the bankrupt program. As of Monday, the city is limiting the number of accessible taxi rides to 24 per day and individuals are to be able to book two rides per day. The service is to be provided equally between the two taxi companies in Kingston — Amey’s and Modern Taxi — with each company providing 12 rides per day.
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Taxi and Rideshare Loading Zones Coming to Downtown Winnipeg Starting January 17
Getting to and from major events downtown Winnipeg is about to get a little easier. The City is introducing new taxi and rideshare loading zones designed to simplify drop-offs and pickups while easing congestion around some of the busiest venues in the city.
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Brits Furious as Airport Drop-Off Fees across the UK Dramatically Increase
Brits have been enraged as airport drop-off fees have seen a dramatic increase this year. Many hubs across the UK have updated their prices for the new year. Airport Parking and Hotels has revealed dropping off and picking up family and friends from the airport will now cost more than fuel and mileage.
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Holland’s Stellantis and Estonia’s Bolt Set Sights on Autonomous Taxis in Europe
Europe’s race towards driverless transport is gathering pace, with Stellantis, the Dutch global car-making group behind brands such as Opel, Citroen and Peugeot, joining forces with Estonia’s Bolt to explore the rollout of autonomous ride-hailing services across Europe from 2026, Estonia’s investment promotion agency, Invest in Estonia.
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'Take a Car or Taxi to Hospital' Says Ambulance Service as Ice Grips the Banbury Region
‘Take a taxi or car’ say ambulance bosses as the number of ambulance calls soars across the frozen Banbury region. South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SCAS) has seen calls increase by a fifth in the last week.
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ComfortDelGro, Grab, Strides Extend Help to Drivers in a Jam amid Autobahn Car Repossessions
ComfortDelGro (CDG), Grab and Strides Premier are offering their vehicles on favourable terms to private-hire car drivers whose vehicles were repossessed by creditors of Autobahn Rent A Car. All three platform operators have waived the security deposit for these drivers, among other terms such as additional incentives to recover lost income and free rental for the first three days. Announced on Wednesday (Jan 7), the initiative was a collaborative response from the National Private Hire Vehicles Association (NPHVA) and the National Taxi Association (NTA), the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and the platform operators.
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First Israeli Vertiport for Aerial Taxis to Be Produced in Tel Aviv
Israel’s first vertiport for aerial taxis will be built at Atidim Park, a major business and high-tech complex in northern Tel Aviv, project planners announced on Jan. 1. The facility, to be known as the ATIDIM Vertiport, is designed to support electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOLs), which are widely seen as a key component of future urban transportation.
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Phuket Taxi Drivers Threaten Strike over Illegal App-Based Drivers
Taxi drivers in Phuket threatened to stage a strike on January 15, demanding government action against illegal taxi drivers who operate without official registration, especially ones on ride-hailing applications. The local news Facebook page Phuket Andaman News reported today, January 7, that a group of taxi drivers in the province is planning to protest and has asked the media to help convey its concerns to the public and relevant authorities. The group claims that a number of drivers providing services through ride-hailing applications are operating illegally by failing to comply with regulations set by the Land Transport Department.
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| | Submit Your ATS26 Session Ideas and Join the Planning Conversation at TRB! | |
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The Automated Transportation Symposium (ATS) has opened its Call for Proposals for 2026, and is inviting researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to submit breakout session ideas by February 7, 2026. ATS breakout sessions, developed by a global network of more than 200 volunteers, are highly interactive, outcomes-focused discussions designed to advance the research, policy, and practice needed to make the promise of automated transportation a reality.
In addition to submitting proposals online, those attending the TRB Annual Meeting in Washington, DC are encouraged to join an in-person breakout workshop planning session on Wednesday, January 14, from 3:00–6:00 PM ET (Room 303, Washington Convention Center). This session is an opportunity to refine ideas, connect with potential co-organizers, and help shape high-impact ATS26 breakout workshops built around meaningful dialogue, global expertise, and clear, actionable outcomes.
Proposals are evaluated based on whether they:
- Address a timely, broadly relevant topic for the 2026 automated transportation landscape
- Are clearly defined, with a compelling description of how participants will spend their time
- Prioritize interaction, collaboration, and shared problem-solving over panel-style presentations
- Leverage the global, cross-sector expertise of attendees
- Articulate clear outcomes or takeaways that advance research, policy, or practice
Click Here to Submit a Proposal
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Message from IATR President Matthew W. Daus
At the International Association of Transportation Regulators (IATR), our regulators are at the forefront of addressing both the challenges and opportunities facing the mobility paradigm. Our IATR members, partner organizations, and regulated industries will continue on our shared quest to fulfill the mission of our non-profit educational organization - to bring about Multi-Modal Mobility Innovation for All! This mission can best be accomplished through information sharing, collaboration, identifying and promoting best practices, and educating our membership. These educational updates and electronic media clips are affectionately known as “IATR snips” and endeavor to cover all aspects of mobility around the globe - especially news and developments involving safety, technology innovation, multi-modal integration, automation, sustainability, electrification, accessibility, regulatory modernization, and equity.
If you would like more information about the IATR, you can visit our website at www.iatr.global. Current members can renew their memberships when you log in to your IATR portal on the top right-hand side of our website, or click here. If you forgot your membership password, please email our Membership Director, Eric Richardson, at erichardson@iatr.global.
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