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Image: Caroline Brehman

A bill that would allow private ride-hailing services in Israel, such as Uber and Lyft, passed in a preliminary Knesset vote on Tuesday.

Israeli law currently prohibits paid rides in private vehicles, except for licensed taxis. The bill, officially named "The Law for Promoting Competition through Online Shared Transportation," is a private member's bill sponsored by lawmakers from both Israel's coalition and opposition, and is backed by Transportation Minister Miri Regev.

In addition to allowing paid ride services, the law could also end up certifying an illegal private transportation service known as The Drivers that started in the ultra-Orthodox community.

Even if the Knesset dissolves, the bill can advance to second and third votes, as required for it to turn into law, in the next Knesset. If the law is passed, companies like Lyft and Bolt will be able to operate in Israel alongside local companies like Gett, which is currently a taxi service, and under this service, will be able to offer private ride-hailing.

To be eligible to offer paid rides, the bill requires drivers to have at least four years of driving experience and no ongoing probationary license suspension. They will also be required to undergo medical examinations and receive approval from the Licensing Authority. Only cars that have been on the road for fewer than eight years will be able to be used for ride-hailing services.

The bill does not provide compensation for taxi drivers, who are required in Israel to hold a special license that costs about a quarter million shekels.

If the market opens up, allowing more drivers to provide paid transportation, the fee for a taxi license will sharply decline (the trade of these licenses has almost ceased since the legislation began to advance).

Source: Haaretz

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California Regulator Confirms Tesla Is ‘Not Operating an Autonomous Vehicle Service’

Pat Tsen, the deputy executive director for consumer policy, transportation, and enforcement at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), confirmed that Tesla’s ride-hailing operation is classified as a standard chauffeur service — not a “robotaxi” — and is subject to none of the safety reporting and data transparency requirements imposed on actual autonomous vehicle operators like Waymo and Zoox.

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Nome Is Without Legal Taxi Services

The city’s deadline to apply for taxi cab licenses by March 2 came and went, with the result that currently no legal taxi cabs are roaming Nome’s roads for the lack of any entity or person to submit an application to run a legal taxi cab.

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Baltimore: New Water Taxi on Demand Offers Ride-Share Service Around Inner Harbor

"You can hail a taxi anywhere in Baltimore, and we will pick you up," said Michael McDaniel, the president and CEO of Harbor Boating Inc. The Water Taxi On Demand allows riders to book a boat, like you would an Uber or a Lyft, by downloading the TransiGO app. People can order pick-ups and drop-offs seven days a week.

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Air Travel in Canada Remains Safe, Says Transport Minister amid Controller Shortage

In the wake of a fatal collision between an Air Canada plane and a fire truck at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, air travel in Canada remains safe, says federal Minister of Transport Steve MacKinnon. “I do want to be very reassuring that we take every precautionary measure and make sure that Canada continues to perform at the highest level of security,” MacKinnon said Tuesday (March 24). The comments come as Canada deals with a shortage of air traffic controllers, an issue officials say is being addressed but could take years to fix.

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‘Please Help’: Truckers Warn Rising Diesel Costs Will Drive Up Food and Goods Prices

Surging diesel prices linked to the war in Iran are driving up costs across Canada’s trucking and transportation industry, with company owners and drivers warning the spike will inevitably be passed on to consumers. A single long-haul truck can hold about 1,000 litres of diesel, now costing roughly $2,300 to fill in Toronto — about $700 more than before the conflict began.

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Federal Support for New Bike Lanes and Paths in Hamilton

The federal government is putting some more money into Hamilton’s growing cycling network. It’s part of a targeted project aimed at improving connections through one of the city’s key corridors. With all of the recent news with debates about killing present or even future cycling infrastructure, it’s welcome news. Whether it’s Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal or Halifax, to name a few, there’s been so much friction toward adding cycling infrastructure.

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EU Initiative Launched for Green, Accessible Transport

On Wednesday the European Commission registered a European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) entitled 'Fast, convenient, affordable, and above all climate-friendly transportation for all Europeans'. The initiative invites the Commission to 'make travel by train a true alternative to aviation by creating a strong continental network and organization and removing imbalances in the market'. Specifically, the organisers propose an 'introduction of an EU-wide aviation fuel tax', a 'removal of VAT exemptions and the introduction of fair pricing' and the 'allocation of revenues to a strong European rail organisation with far-reaching authority'.

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The UK’s New LimeBike: Women and Older Riders Take Focus

Dubbed ‘LimeBike’, the operator has spent around three years developing the redesigned bike, incorporating rider feedback from multiple cities across the world including London itself. It will begin rolling out across the UK this month, starting in Oxford and Milton Keynes before arriving in London, Nottingham and the West Midlands.

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England: Bolt Warns Sweeping Out-of-Area Taxi Licence Suspension Powers Could Risk Sidelining Tens of Thousands of Private Hire Drivers

Ride-hailing giant Bolt has warned that proposed new enforcement powers allowing licensing authorities to suspend entire private hire operator licences could risk preventing tens of thousands of drivers from working, as the Government moves forward with reforms to taxi and private hire vehicle regulation in England.

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Singapore Begins Trial of Driverless Public Buses

Singapore has received the first of six driverless buses that are set to be tested on public transport routes from the second half of 2026. According to the Land Transport Authority (LTA), the autonomous buses will undergo rigorous testing to ensure that they meet all safety and operating requirements before hitting the roads.

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Mexico City Taxis on the Uber App

You can now request taxis in Mexico City through the Uber app. This is a partnership between Uber Mexico and Mx Taxi aimed at meeting the high demand expected during the 2026 World Cup. It should be noted that the taxi drivers are not employed by Uber, but by Mx Taxi, and therefore meet that company’s safety standards. At a press conference, Mx Taxi President Ernesto Vázquez said this partnership will have three main benefits: more rides, higher revenue, and better service for passengers.

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New Ride-Sharing Regulation Under Thailand’s Digital Platform Services Law

The Electronic Transactions Commission (the “ETC”) has issued a new notification regulating ride-sharing services which will take effect on 31 March 2026. Its full title is the “Notification of the Electronic Transactions Commission on Additional Operational Requirements for Digital Platform Service Business Operators Providing Public Hire Car or Motorcycle Taxi Services with Specific Characteristics under Section 18(3) of the Royal Decree on Digital Platform Services Businesses Required to be Notified B.E. 2565 (2022) (the ‘DPS Law’), B.E. 2568 (2025).”

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NYC Taxi and Limousine Commissioner Midori Valdivia, and NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani

The New York City Council has confirmed Midori Valdivia as Commissioner and Chair of the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC), following a public hearing on March 12 that drew broad support from drivers, advocates, and industry leaders.

Matt Daus, President of the International Association of Transportation Regulators (IATR) and former longest-serving TLC Chair, said:

"Congratulations to my friend and colleague Midori Valdivia on her confirmation as NYC Taxi & Limousine Commissioner and Chair. As the longest-serving Chair myself, I know firsthand how challenging this role is, and without question, Midori brings an exceptional and uniquely diverse multi-modal transportation background to the job. She is hardworking, dedicated, and ethical, and her prior leadership experience has prepared her well to take on this responsibility.

I also want to again thank my friend and outgoing Commissioner David Do for his steady leadership and commitment to advancing environmental initiatives and Vision Zero goals.

The key to success in this role is the ability to engage thoughtfully with a wide range of stakeholders across the industry. I am confident that Midori will build on the agency’s progress and take it to the next level. I look forward to continuing to work with her in this new role, and to supporting her as a leader within the global regulatory community.”

Upon Valdivia's nomination in January, Meera Joshi, President of Green-Wood and former TLC Chair and former Deputy Mayor for Operations, said:

“Yet again, the Mamdani Administration selects a ringer for its A team. Midori Valdivia’s broad experience, tenacity, and values are just what is needed to guide the for-hire and taxi industry through the next sea change in transportation. She has weathered and prevailed through transportation storms of every variety and scale, and will prove essential to protecting our professional drivers citywide and ensuring safe transportation for all.”

As part of the public hearing process, Matt testified in strong support of her appointment, emphasizing Valdivia’s uniquely comprehensive background across the transportation ecosystem, noting that she may be the most experienced multi-modal mobility professional ever nominated for the position, with leadership experience spanning the TLC, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and the Port Authority.

He highlighted the importance of that multi-modal perspective, particularly as cities increasingly look to integrate for-hire transportation with public transit, airports, and first- and last-mile connections. Valdivia’s experience, he noted, positions her to ensure that TLC-regulated services are not siloed, but instead operate as part of a broader, coordinated mobility network. Matt also pointed to her prior service within the TLC as a critical advantage, emphasizing that she will be able to hit the ground running with a deep understanding of both policy challenges and agency operations. Her leadership style, grounded in transparency, stakeholder engagement, and professionalism, was described as essential to managing the complex and diverse interests within the industry.

More broadly, Matt’s testimony underscored the global importance of the New York City TLC as a model regulator, noting that agencies around the world look to New York for leadership on safety, sustainability, accessibility, and affordability. Matt concluded that Valdivia’s appointment would help advance key priorities including Vision Zero, equity, and driver well-being, and recommended her confirmation without hesitation or reservation.

Public testimony during the hearing reflected strong support for Valdivia’s nomination across a wide range of stakeholders, including individual drivers, labor representatives, accessibility advocates, and major industry organizations. At the same time, speakers used the hearing to underscore the urgent challenges facing the industry, particularly rising insurance costs, declining driver earnings, and broader structural pressures within the for-hire vehicle market. Despite these challenges, testimony reflected a high level of confidence in Valdivia’s leadership, with many speakers highlighting her willingness to engage directly with drivers and stakeholders and her ability to navigate complex policy issues.

With her confirmation now complete, Valdivia assumes leadership of the nation’s largest for-hire vehicle regulatory body at a pivotal moment for the industry. The issues raised during the hearing are expected to shape the agency’s agenda in the months ahead, and IATR looks forward to continuing its collaboration with the NYC TLC under her leadership.

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