Councilwoman Nichole Coleman

Chair, Findlay’s Streets, Sidewalks and Parking Committee

OHIO, U.S.: Findlay’s Streets, Sidewalks and Parking Committee is asking the administration to revise the city’s proposed overhaul of taxi cab regulations after council members raised concerns about governance, clarity and future enforcement.

First introduced Jan. 20, the ordinance moved through two readings before council delivered a unanimous rebuke on Feb. 18, voting 0-9 to reject it, with Councilwoman Carol Smith, R-3, absent.

The rewrite is intended to modernize Findlay’s taxicab regulations for the first time since 1979, replacing the city’s decades-old framework with clearer licensing standards, updated safety requirements and a defined oversight process. The new chapter is designed to establish consistent rules for taxi companies and drivers, align the code with current administrative practices and clarify how the city handles background checks, insurance verification, operating standards and fee structures.

Officials say the goal is to produce a streamlined, workable system that supports legitimate operators and gives the city an updated set of tools to oversee the industry moving forward. However, council members have criticized the rewrite for vague language, uneven standards and a structure that placed too much control in the service-safety director’s hands.

After a detailed discussion in a meeting held Feb. 25, committee members laid out several changes they want mad to the ordinance before it goes back to council, including reinstating the city’s Taxi Cab Board. The committee is chaired by Councilwoman Nichole Coleman, R-1, with council members Smith and Brad Wagner, R-5.

The Taxi Cab Board is a small, three-member panel that appears in Findlay’s original 1979 taxicab ordinance but hasn’t been active in years. Under the old code, the board was responsible for reviewing applications, handling complaints and helping the city decide whether a company or driver should be licensed. It was made up of the mayor, the service safety director and the police chief, giving the city a built-in oversight group with input from both administration and law enforcement.

Although the board hasn’t met in decades, it technically still exists in the code — and committee members said bringing it back would restore a needed checkpoint in the licensing process.

Source: The Courier

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Image: VNA

Hanoi aims to convert 100% of its petrol- and diesel-powered taxis to electric and green-energy vehicles by 2030 under a plan issued by the municipal People’s Committee on February 27.

The roadmap outlines specific targets for 2026–2030. The share of taxis using electric and green energy is expected to reach 63–64% in 2026, 68–70% in 2027, 74–77% in 2028, 88–96% in 2029, and 100% by 2030.

Between 2026 and 2030, the city will finalise mechanisms and policies to support taxi operators in switching from fossil fuels to clean energy. Communications campaigns will be intensified to build public consensus, while the construction of charging stations at taxi parking areas will be accelerated.

After 2030, Hanoi will focus on maintaining stable operations of electric and green energy-fueled taxis, prioritising access to charging infrastructure, pick-up and drop-off points, and traffic arrangements suited to clean-energy vehicles.

Relevant departments will review and adjust regulations on charging station planning, power grid connectivity, parking and stopping points, and the application of management technologies in line with technological advances and practical demand. The goal is to optimise operational efficiency while ensuring safe, convenient services consistent with the capital’s sustainable urban transport strategy.

Source: Vietnam Pictorial

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Ocean City Council to Review New Rules for Taxi Drivers

This summer, the Ocean City Police Department plans to clarify regulations for taxi drivers applying for or renewing their licenses. The proposed changes aim to ensure residents and visitors have a safe mode of transportation.

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Palo Alto May End Rideshare Program amid Bleak Budget Outlook

It’s been a year of change and uncertainly for Palo Alto Link, the rideshare service that the city launched in March 2023 and that continues to fight for its life in the face of an increasingly skeptical City Council. Compared to private services like Uber and Lyft, Palo Alto’s nine-vehicle fleet remains a relative a bargain for users, with fares ranging from $2 for seniors, youths, low-income riders and individuals with disabilities to $4 for everyone else.

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Major NYC Airport Making Your Trip Home a Bit More Complicated

One of New York’s largest airports is making it just a little more difficult to get home after a long flight. Rideshare pickups from John F. Kennedy International Airport terminals 5 and 7 will no longer be curbside until further notice, officials announced Monday. Construction has forced flyers from those terminals looking for an Uber, Lyft or other rideshare service to make the trip to Howard Beach via the AirTrain. At Howard Beach, there is an organized rideshare app pickup lot with assigned ports where riders and drivers coordinate meeting points.

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IBC Launches Claims-Based Car Comparison Tool

The Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) has launched “How Cars Measure Up,” an online tool that lets drivers compare how Canada’s most popular vehicle makes and models perform from an insurance standpoint, using real claims data from most auto insurers.

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Canada Moves to Sharpen Auto Duty Rules to Protect Local Jobs

Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne launched consultations Friday to tighten Canada’s automotive remission framework, a step aimed at forcing global carmakers to choose between local production and stiff surtaxes on imports. The country’s current remission framework allows Canadian automakers to import a set of US-assembled vehicles tariff-free (as long as they’re USMCA-compliant), provided they maintain production levels and follow through on planned investments.

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Various SUVs Recalled in Canada Due to Potential Fire Risk Problems, Electric Vans Recalled for Being Too Quiet

Several automotive companies issued recalls in Canada recently due to a variety of potential safety problems. Here’s a roundup of recalls reported by Transport Canada between Feb. 25 and March 2. Volvo issued a recall on the 2025 EX30, with a little more than 1,600 electric vehicles affected. There could be a problem inside the high-voltage battery on some vehicles, which could result in battery cells short-circuiting and cause a warning message to display in the instrument panel.

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London Black Cab Cost Data Shows Where Vehicle and Parts Prices Climb, Fuel and Home Charging Fall

The cost of running a London black cab has increased by 4.01% year-on-year, according to Transport for London’s (TfL's) latest cost index comparing 2024 and 2025 figures, with higher vehicle, parts and labour costs offset slightly by falls in fuel and home charging prices.

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Germany’s Nationwide Public-Transport Strike Ends; Services Gradually Back on Schedule

The work stoppage, called by public-sector union Verdi, involved some 100,000 drivers, dispatchers and maintenance staff at 150 municipal operators. Verdi is demanding a shorter 35-hour work-week, minimum 11-hour rest breaks and higher weekend premiums, citing chronic staff shortages that have forced daily service cancellations. Employers say the package would cost an additional €1.6 billion a year.

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Full Charge Ahead: Investigating the Potential to Electrify Europe’s Ferries

Ferries make up a vital part of the EU’s transport system, transporting goods and people, and offering lifeline services to remote regions. Yet, the sector's aging fleet of almost 2000 ships spends over 60% of their time within 5 nautical miles of densely populated port areas, contributing significantly to coastal air pollution and causing 15.3 Mt GHG emissions. While many oceangoing ships will have to rely on sustainable fuels, the smaller size of ferries and their predictable routes mean that electrification will offer a competitive alternative.

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IKEA Commits to Robovan Rollout in China

IKEA China has permanently rolled out Level 4 autonomous robovans in Anhui Province following a successful pilot that cut customer waiting times by two-thirds and halved transport costs.

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Indonesia: UGM Lecturer Calls for Stronger Digital Ecosystem Regulations to Protect Online Motorbike Taxi Drivers

Working more than 10-14 hours a day, millions of online motorcycle taxi drivers, commonly known as ojol, continue to struggle with low incomes and uncertainty. Low earnings, long working hours, and daily operational costs have pushed this profession further away from the promise of prosperity. Every day, they crowd the streets, transporting passengers, food, and goods, connecting household needs with economic centers. Unfortunately, behind this seemingly dynamic mobility, the lives of most ojol drivers remain stagnant.

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Japanese 'Flying Car' Makes Demo Flight over Tokyo - Bringing Taxis in the Air Closer

A Japanese 'flying car' has taken to the skies for a demo flight as the impressive technology is tested out over the country's capital. The vehicle has been developed by SkyDrive, a company that develops and manufactures eVTOL (electrical vertical take off and landing). 

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Image: Mino Surkala

Foreign drivers operating for ride-hailing platforms in Czechia are facing a new hurdle as a looming legal amendment will soon require a basic command of the Czech language.

In anticipation of the change, Bolt, one of the country’s largest transport services, has launched specialized language courses to help its drivers meet the upcoming standards.

The proposed amendment to the Road Transport Act, currently being finalized by the Ministry of Transport, aims to ensure that all taxi and platform drivers can communicate effectively with passengers and authorities.

"The main goal is to ensure that drivers...demonstrably command the Czech language to the extent necessary for communication with customers," Ministry spokesperson František Jemelka told Novinky.cz.

The shift follows a dramatic surge in the number of taxi licenses. In Prague alone, the number of drivers has grown from 5,000 a decade ago to approximately 16,000 today.

Data from the Prague Magistrate shows that only about half of these drivers are Czech citizens. The second largest group is Ukrainians, who number approximately 6,000, followed by significant numbers of drivers from Uzbekistan and Nigeria.

Source: Expats CZ

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