Image: 2X

The taxi market faces a potential pivot in 2026 as the first flying taxis could start operating, but a mix of certification, safety, financial and infrastructure challenges means widespread service may still be years away.

Infrastructure — not the aircraft — is emerging as the biggest near-term constraint. Skyports Infrastructure CEO Duncan Walker warned that “Without vertiports, there is no Advanced Air Mobility, ” and industry observers point to a simple operational reality: eVTOLs are meant for short urban hops, and without a dense network of landing and charging sites the time advantage evaporates. If passengers must spend 30 minutes reaching a vertiport, the benefit of an airborne leg disappears.

Vertiports are complex: they require permitting, government alignment and development coordination. That complexity creates a timing gap in which aircraft certification and production could outpace the build-out of the landing network. Where governments and developers align, a different dynamic appears. Skyports is building its first commercial vertiport network in Dubai and emphasizes top-level government backing that aligns regulators, developers and operators; that level of coordination is harder to replicate in more fragmented markets.

Certification is still a near-term milestone for manufacturers. Joby Aviation and Archer have both announced plans to launch air taxi services in Dubai later this year, signaling a major milestone if realized. But past rollouts have stalled: plans for flying services tied to the 2024 Paris Olympics were scrapped because of engine-certification delays, and what had been intended for major events in the U. S. is now being retargeted toward a later Olympic window.

Industry caution is widespread. Sergio Cecutta, founder and partner at SMG Consulting, says full-scale services are still some way off: “We think that full-scale services is more of a middle of the next decade kind of thing, not anytime soon. ” Concerns around safety, questions about the financial viability of passenger operations, and the operational capacity needed for a new transport network all contribute to uncertainty about how quickly pilots and routes will move from trials to routine service.

Source: El-Balad

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Image: GB News

Sir Sadiq Khan and Transport for London are being urged to take action to prevent the dwindling number of taxi drivers from falling further. New data show that over the last 12 months, licensed taxi drivers have fallen from 14,450 to 13,784, as experts have issued a stark warning.

Industry leaders highlighted how numbers continue to fall despite the introduction of the Taxi and PHV Action Plan, which committed to halting the decline. They have now warned that a "total lack of meaningful intervention" and financial support for drivers is "pushing London's world-class taxi trade to the brink of collapse".

Transport for London stated last year that it would modernise the world-famous Knowledge of London test, boost safety and improve the experience for passengers. One of the four key goals for TfL outlined in the Taxi and PHV Action Plan included measures to increase the number of drivers, describing it as an "attractive career" for all drivers. It outlined that applicants must pass a topographical skills assessment, be able to speak English and complete the Safety, Equality and Regulatory Understanding (SERU) assessment.

However, industry leaders, including Freenow by Lyft and the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association (LTDA), have warned that these measures of support have not materialised. It warned that if this continued, the number of drivers would continue to fall, and passengers around the capital would be "stranded".

Steve McNamara, general secretary of the LTDA, said: "The Mayor's Taxi and Private Hire Action Plan 2025 was launched to bolster our industry through four key pillars: driver recruitment, safety, passenger experience, and sustainability… However, time is running out. To remain a vital, fully accessible part of London’s transport mix, we need more than just a plan - we need action and more financial support to help cabbies with the growing costs of EVs… If policymakers continue to ignore the industry's needs, they are ignoring a crisis that threatens the very survival of the trade."

Source: GB News

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Judge Orders Trump Administration to Temporarily Unfreeze Chicago Transit Funding

A U.S. judge on Tuesday ⁠ordered ⁠President Donald Trump's administration to ⁠temporarily unfreeze about $3 billion in funding for rail projects in Chicago. The Chicago ​Transit Authority sued the U.S. Transportation Department and its Federal Transit Administration on Friday, saying the federal government had withheld at least $9.5 million in ‌reimbursements since October from grants previously approved under Democratic former President Joe Biden.

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Uber Expands New York Office after Its CEO’s Move

Uber Technologies Inc. is expanding its New York offices, now the biggest outside its San Francisco headquarters, a reflection of the city’s growing importance to the company’s operations since Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi moved there in recent years. 

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Zoox Launching Autonomous Taxi Service in Austin

Autonomous vehicle company Zoox is launching its robotaxi service in Austin this week, marking the latest expansion of driverless technology in Central Texas. Zoox, an Amazon-owned company, says it will begin operating its self-driving vehicles on Austin streets as part of a limited rollout. Initially, rides will be restricted to employees, along with friends and family, before eventually opening to the public.

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Province-Wide Driver Registry Urged for Taxis and Ride-Hailing Drivers

The Canadian Taxi Association (CTA) is calling for a province-wide driver registry covering all ground transportation drivers, including taxis, Uber, Lyft, and other ride-hailing services.

The push follows an incident last year when police had difficulty contacting an Uber driver who unknowingly drove off with a child, raising concerns about passenger safety.

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How Calgary Is Addressing Transit Crime 

Transit safety remains a consistent concern among Calgarians. During the 2025 Calgary civic election, voters told CBC News that this was a top issue when considering candidates. Michael Pratt, the city’s chief of transit public safety, says the city developed the 2023 public safety strategy plan in response to concerns about crime.

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Canada’s First Electric School Bus Report Card Finds Most Provinces Are Failing

Every day across Canada roughly 2 million children go to school in a diesel bus. These buses are linked to health problems, including asthma, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, and some cancers. The first-ever Electric School Bus Report Card, released today by the Canadian Electric School Bus Alliance (CESBA), raises the alarm over the slow and uneven progress to electrify these buses.

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Greece: Contentious Transport Bill Passed by Majority in Parliament

A sweeping transport reform bill was approved by majority vote in Parliament on Monday evening, with the government majority pointing to efforts at modernizing the operational framework of the country’s transport system but with the opposition bitterly opposed. The draft legislation has also sparked repeated and ongoing industrial actions by taxi owners’ unions. The bill introduces a unified set of rules across key sectors, including public transport, the taxi market, vehicle inspections, electromobility, and sustainable urban mobility.

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Taxi Fare Shock in Milford Haven As Drivers Switch to Meters

Taxi passengers in Milford Haven are facing a sudden jump in fares, as drivers increasingly switch on their meters and charge full council-approved rates. One Herald reader said a short return trip from Milford Haven to Neyland cost £30 — around double what he expected to pay. But drivers insist the prices are not new — they are simply the official tariff now being applied.

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'Postcode Lottery' Puts Public at Risk - Taxi Drivers

Gatwick Airport taxi drivers are calling on the government to enforce tougher rules and restrictions for all private hire drivers and vehicles to help keep women and children safe.

They want a national standard for driver vetting, company conduct, safeguarding and vehicle safety, as well as an end to drivers operating freely outside the area where they are licensed.

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Philippines: Green Xentro Deploys 2,500 Electric Taxi Cabs in Fast-Growing Rizal Province

Green Xentro has launched the first phase of a 2,500-unit fleet of fully electric battery-powered taxis in Rizal province through a partnership with global mobility platform Green GSM. The initiative represents one of the largest electric vehicle (EV) rollouts in the Philippines and introduces a partner-led model intended to accelerate the adoption of green mobility across emerging markets.

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Russia Expands List of Russian-Built Chinese Cars That Can Be Used As Taxis

The Russian government has expanded the list of cars that can operate as taxis in Russia by adding four localized crossover models from Chinese brands Haval and Tenet. The list will now include Haval’s F7, F7x, and Jolion models made in Tula by Great Wall Motors, and the Tenet T7 (pictured), a Russian version of the Chery Tiggo 7 that is assembled at the former Volkswagen plant in Kaluga, which is now owned by AGR Holding.

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South Korea Kicks Off an Energy-Saving Drive

The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment encouraged people to use washing machines and vacuum cleaners only on weekends, to switch to energy-efficient home appliances and lighting, and to use public transportation as much as possible.

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Technology executives, regulatory officials, founders, heads of state, local Departments of Transportation, city mayors, and other stakeholders will attend Curbivore 2026 in downtown Los Angeles on April 16 and 17.

This year’s event will address the evolving landscape of commerce at and around the curb, providing the mobility sector with valuable insights from industry leaders and entrepreneurs focused on enhancing transportation systems and delivery networks. Attendees will also have opportunities to engage with emerging technologies that are shaping urban environments. Industry leaders from Uber, DoorDash, Zoox, Nexar, Starship Technologies, Serve Robotics, and more.

Attendees will hear from an incredible speaker lineup, including Jarvis Murray, Commercial Rideshare & Mobility Administrator, LADOT; John Adams, Head of Product, Instacart; Ashwini Anburajan, CEO, Obi; Jon Miller, Chief Business Officer, Nexar; Harrison Shih, Senior Director at DoorDash Labs, DoorDash, and more. The full speaker lineup is available here.

This event serves as an invitation to reconsider urban street design while recognising the contributions of outstanding organisations facilitating this transition. Attendees will also have the opportunity to experience exceptional street cuisine and explore innovative vehicles and technologies.

First-time attendees can register here and save 50% off their ticket price for a limited time.

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