Image: Bar and Bench

In a major order to augment public transport safety, the Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered all States and Union Territories to ensure the strict implementation of a rule requiring location tracking features and panic buttons to be installed in taxis and other public service vehicles [S Rajaseekaran vs. Union of India and Others].

A Bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and KV Viswanathan today said that it was disturbing that less than 1 per cent of transport vehicles have vehicle location tracking devices.

Such features could ensure the safety of passengers, particularly women, elderly and children, the Court pointed out.

"We direct all States and Union Territories to strictly enforce Rule 125H of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 by ensuring the installation of vehicle location tracking devices and panic buttons in a time-bound and verifiable manner in both new and existing public service vehicles," the Court proceeded to direct.

It added that no public service vehicle can be granted a fitness certificate or transport permit unless it is fitted with Vehicle Location Tracking Devices (VLTDs) and emergency/ panic buttons.

The installation of these features must also be reflected in the Vahan app, the Court said.

Source: Bar and Bench

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Image: ACT Expo 2026/TRC Companies

Fleets are navigating one of the most turbulent periods in recent memory — balancing rising costs, rapid technological change, and long-term strategic bets with no clear roadmap.

That was the consensus from a fleet-heavy panel at ACT Expo, where operators from Penske, FirstFleet, New York City, and Hermann Services outlined how they’re managing through what one executive described as years of overlapping disruption.

“We’ve been living in a fog,” said Paul Rosa, senior vice president of procurement and fleet planning at Penske Truck Leasing.

That fog has included pandemic-era supply chain shocks, inflation, interest rate hikes, a prolonged freight recession, regulatory uncertainty — and now an explosion of new technologies led by AI.

“What could happen in the next three years is just amazing,” Rosa added.

For many fleets, the response has been to lean heavily into data — not just to survive the downturn, but to position for what comes next. Penske, for example, has built predictive maintenance and analytics tools across hundreds of thousands of connected vehicles.

“We’ve been using predictive analytics to help customers better plan,” Rosa said, pointing to efforts to reduce breakdowns and improve uptime.

Keith Kerman, chief fleet officer and deputy commissioner at New York City’s Department of Citywide Administrative Services, said his operation is facing a $50 million year-over-year increase in fuel expenses.

“Fuel pricing is going through the roof,” Kerman said.

That creates tension between short-term cost control and long-term investment in alternative energy.

“There is pressure to pull back,” he said. “But this is what got us into the problem in the first place.”

Instead, New York City is doubling down — expanding electric vehicles, hybrids, and renewable diesel despite the upfront cost. “I regret the ones we haven’t bought,” Kerman said.

Source: Truck News

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NY, NJ Reduce World Cup Rail and Shuttle Bus Fares

Soccer fans won’t have to shell out as much money to get to and from the upcoming World Cup games in the New York-New Jersey area by rail and shuttle bus, the governors of both states say.

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Illinois Transportation Bills Aim to Address Speeding and Bicycle Safety

Illinois lawmakers are weighing in on a pair of measures that aim to modernize state transportation laws and change how municipalities are held liable for road safety. The legislative package includes a high-tech crackdown on extreme speeding and a shift in the legal status of bicyclists on Illinois roads. Advocates for safer streets gathered at the State Capitol last month as part of the annual Ride Illinois Bike and Trail Lobby Day to push for the changes as the spring session nears its conclusion.

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Modivcare Transportation Company Partners with Waldo CAP for Region 5 Coverage

ModivCare, a MaineCare non-emergency transportation (NET) provider, has announced plans to partner with Waldo Community Action Partnership (Waldo CAP) to onboard services to Region 5 in Maine. In 2023, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) awarded the Region 5 NET contract—covering Waldo, Knox, Lincoln, and Sagadahoc counties in addition to the cities of Brunswick and Harpswell in Cumberland County—to ModivCare following a competitive request for proposal (RFP) process.

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Public Transit in Canada Urgently Needs an Upgrade

Successful countries make public transit a national priority. The world’s great capital cities–Paris, Berlin, Rome, London, Moscow, Tokyo, Beijing—all have excellent urban transportation systems. Canada’s are embarrassingly poor. Canada is the only G7 country lacking national public transit policy or legislation.

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Edmonton Transit Advocates Warn of Possible 13% Reduction to Service if City Doesn't Invest More in Its Buses

A group of transit advocates in Edmonton is calling on city council to invest $387 million in its aging bus fleet, otherwise, they warn of potential cuts to service, longer wait times and a decline in ridership. The group, a non-profit called Edmonton Transit Riders, is speaking up as the city's urban planning committee prepares to review a new report Tuesday that lays out three possible scenarios moving forward.

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Transit Union Says Enhance Existing Bus Services Rather Than On-Demand Pilot Program

While the city looks to develop a pilot program for an on-demand transit service, not everyone is excited about private companies getting involved in local transit. In an effort to reduce traffic and congestion, city council tasked the Director of Transit Raewyn Jackson to develop a proposal for a two-year pilot program at last month’s council meeting, and to have her report back near the end of 2026 with an idea of what services would be required, how much the pilot would cost and what the risks involved are.

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Wallbox and Freenow by Lyft Partner to Support Taxi Electrification Across Europe

Wallbox a global provider of electric vehicle charging and energy management solutions, today announced a new partnership with Freenow by Lyft, one of Europe's leading multi-mobility apps, to support the electrification of taxi operations across key European markets. Through the agreement, Freenow drivers and fleet operators will gain access to exclusive conditions across a selection of Wallbox charging solutions designed for both home and business use.

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Soaring Petrol and Diesel Costs Prompt New Taxi Fare Hike As Iran War Crisis Impacts Britons

Britons could see taxi fares hiked in the near future in a bid to offset high fuel prices caused by the Middle East crisis. North Yorkshire Council has proposed increasing the maximum cost of taking a taxi in the region by five per cent to help the trade sector. The council explained that maximum fares were introduced in July 2024, but since the conflict in the Middle East, the price of petrol has increased by 18 per cent, with diesel increasing by a staggering 32 per cent.

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'It’s a Disgrace What They’re Doing': Council Votes to Reduce Taxi Ranks on Cork's St Patrick's Street

Taxi ranks on St Patrick's Street in Cork City are set to be reduced in favour of seating and planting as part of a pilot scheme aimed at improving the area. The taxi rank near Merchant’s Quay will be reduced from a seven-vehicle maximum to two vehicles, from 37.5m to 12m. The two-taxi rank on the western side of the road, near the junction with Bowling Green Street, is to be suspended for a minimum of 12 months and a maximum of 18 months.

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Dubai Taxi Company to Acquire National Taxi

Dubai Taxi Company PJSC (“DTC” or the “Company”), a leading provider of comprehensive mobility solutions in Dubai, today announced that it has entered into a Sales and Purchase Agreement (“SPA”) to acquire 100% of the share capital of National Taxi LLC (“National Taxi”), one of the UAE’s established taxi operators with operations in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Al Ain for a total Enterprise Value of AED 1.45 billion, funded through new bank debt facilities. The final consideration is subject to adjustment in accordance with the terms of the SPA.

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India Water Taxi Market to Reach USD 414 Million by 2033

The Indian water taxi market is witnessing strong growth as cities increasingly explore water-based transportation systems to reduce traffic congestion, improve regional connectivity, and support sustainable urban mobility. Rising pressure on road infrastructure, combined with government initiatives focused on inland waterways and coastal transport modernization, is creating favorable conditions for the expansion of water taxi services nationwide.

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Unregistered Taxi Drivers Reject ‘Selective’ Fare Hike

Unregistered taxi drivers at Nkurenkuru have rejected a fare increase limited to registered operators. They have told the Namibia Public Passenger Transport Association (NPPTA) that poor roads and delayed permits are pushing them into informal work. During a meeting held at the town in the Kavango West region on Sunday, Fernando Simunga, representing the association, said formal taxis in the region declined after 2020 because of bad infrastructure and delays in the licensing system.

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Image: South China Morning Post

Hong Kong taxi industry leaders and Uber have both voiced concerns over a looming quota for ride-hailing vehicles, despite transport authorities promising to consult stakeholders before settling on a figure.

The concerns were raised in response to the Transport and Logistics Bureau’s submission to lawmakers on Monday regarding regulatory details, which cited suggestions that between 10,000 and 15,000 permits should be issued.

Transport minister Mable Chan told lawmakers a day later that the administration had yet to express a preference for a specific figure.

The government earlier pledged to include a quota limit in the final gazetted document, pending lawmakers’ approval before their summer recess in mid-July.

The proposed ride-hailing regime aims to rectify a regulatory vacuum in which platforms such as Uber, Tada, Amap and Didi Chuxing currently operate – a situation decried by cabbies as unfair. Amap is operated by Alibaba Group Holding, which also owns the South China Morning Post.

Three major taxi groups told the SCMP that the quota would have far-reaching effects on the market.

“[Ride-hailing service providers] are supposed to help us serve the people better, not replace us,” Hong Kong Taxi and Public Light Bus Association chairman Tran Chau said.

Source: South China Morning Post

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