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Daily Transportation News
December 30, 2025
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Warmest wishes for a happy holiday season and a happy New Year!
This Newsletter will not be sent out December 31- January 4, and will return January 5.
| | Long-Awaited E-Hailing Service Set to Launch in Macau | |
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The Macao SAR Government recently confirmed it would “push forward research on e-hailing taxi services, expedite the process of amending relevant regulations and establish a standardized regulatory framework.” This signifies that “e-hailing” taxis may be incorporated into the legal system, forming a new coexistence model with traditional taxis.
Tam Vai Man, Secretary for Transport and Public Works, further revealed at a Legislative Assembly meeting in November that the government plans to add 800 more taxis next year and launch e-hailing services simultaneously.
“At present, the government is conducting a consultation on the revision of taxi regulations,” Tam said. “After the consultation is completed, we will strive to formally initiate the legislative amendment process next year, creating favorable conditions for the introduction of e-hailing taxis.”
This policy trend has attracted widespread attention from the industry. Raymond Leng Sai Vai, Chairman of the Associação dos Comerciantes e Operários de Automóveis de Macau, who has long paid close attention to the operation of Macau’s taxi industry, pointed out that the launch of e-hailing will help ease the tight supply of local taxis in Macau. He stated that 100 radio taxis in Macau have withdrawn from the market due to expired licenses, coupled with a decline in the proportion of residents using traditional telephone-based taxi-booking services.
Source: Inside Asian Gaming
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| Astana Signs Memorandum to Develop Autonomous Taxi Service | |
Image: The Ministry of AI and Digital Development of Kazakhstan | |
The Kazakh capital plans to launch an autonomous taxi service. A memorandum of cooperation on the development of autonomous taxi services was signed in the Kazakh capital on Dec. 29 between the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry, the Ministry of Transport, the Astana city administration, and Yandex Qazaqstan, the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry reported.
The memorandum provides for a phased approach to preparing the autonomous taxi project, covering regulatory and technological groundwork as well as pilot launches. Implementation is scheduled for 2026 and will be carried out in close cooperation with government agencies and municipal services.
According to Gizzat Baitursynov, chairman of the Committee for Digital Assets and Breakthrough Technologies, it is essential to address safety, liability, and human–algorithm interaction issues in advance, and to develop a regulatory framework that enables such solutions to evolve legally and transparently.
Source: Astana Times
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Montgomery County Taxicab Patrons to See Rate Increase in February
On Sunday, Feb. 1, patrons will see an increase from $2 per mile to $2.50 per mile – and a nighttime surcharge of $1 for trips between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. The rate change, ending a 15-year freeze, includes taxicabs with wheelchair accessibility.
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Florida: Margate Seniors Can Get Free Rides to Medical Appointments Through Doctor Taxi Program
Margate residents who don’t want to drive can receive transportation to their health care provider’s office through the Doctor Taxi program.
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New California Law Will Target the Parents of Child E-Bike Riders
Beginning January 1, 2026, a package of safety-focused regulations will officially go live, aimed at addressing the rapid growth of electric micromobility across the state. Key among the new laws is a provision for citing the parents of minors who commit offences while riding electric bicycles.
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Public Transit Is Free on New Year's Eve across Much of B.C.
People ringing in the new year across British Columbia will be able to get home for free on public transit Wednesday night, as transportation officials and police urge revellers to plan ahead and avoid risky travel.
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Air Canada Extends Alerts at Its Biggest Hubs for "Operational Recovery": More than Half of Its Flights Delayed
Quite the start to the week for airports and airlines across Canada and the United States. Some thrived, while others struggled. Delta Air Lines experienced a complete ground stop at Detroit Metro Airport on Monday. The ground stop lasted two hours, causing delays for both the airline and the airport.
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11 Toronto Driving Schools Have Licences Revoked by Province
Recognizing the signs of fraudulent activity at driving schools is important, the Ontario government said. These activities can include offers of a guaranteed licence or passing without a road test, training vehicles without a properly equipped dual brake and an insistence on cash-only payments without providing a receipt.
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London City Airport to Introduce £8 Drop-Off Charge from 6 January 2026
Under the new structure, drivers will be charged £8 for stays of up to five minutes. After that, a £1 per minute fee will apply, with a maximum permitted stay of ten minutes. Blue Badge holders will be exempt from the charge.
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Mallorca Moves to Limit Ride-Sharing Services
The Balearic Government is taking steps to prevent Uber and similar ride-hailing services from expanding in Mallorca after a High Court ruling ordered the reconsideration of 600 VTC licences previously denied to Moove Cars, which operates under the Uber brand.
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Kamianets-Podilskyi Receives Social Taxi from German Twin City Esslingen am Neckar
Kamianets-Podilskyi has received a social taxi from its German twin city Esslingen am Neckar to transport veterans and people with disabilities.
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Hong Kong Taxi Drivers Arrested over False Reimbursement Claims for Rides for Tai Po Fire Victims
Hong Kong police have arrested five taxi drivers on suspicion of forging records to claim reimbursements from a ride-hailing platform that offered free rides to residents affected by the deadly Tai Po fire.
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India: Hyundai Enters Commercial Mobility with Prime Taxi Range amid Competition
The Prime taxi range has been developed specifically for fleet operators and taxi entrepreneurs, with an emphasis on low operating costs, predictable maintenance, and high vehicle uptime.
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Boat Taxi from Phuket Airport to Patong Tested Again in Congestion Relief Plan
The boat taxi project has been discussed by Phuket officials for years. Officials believe the service could significantly reduce travel time between the airport and Patong Beach, cutting journeys that can take between 1.5 and three hours during heavy traffic to around 40 minutes by sea.
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| | Morocco Signals Path Forward for Ride-Hailing Apps, Taxi Sector Reform | |
Image: Geographical Magazine | |
Interior Minister Abdelouafi Laftit has shed new light on the long-standing controversy in Morocco between traditional taxi services and ride-hailing apps, hinting that digital-based transportation services are no longer avoidable in the move towards a new transportation system in the country.
Speaking during the weekly oral questions session in the House of Representatives, Laftit stressed that Morocco will have transport applications, noting that “ we cannot fail to keep up with the times,” a statement widely interpreted as confirmation that ride-hailing apps are moving toward legalization.
For several years, Morocco has been faced with a dilemma between traditional taxi services and ride-hailing services.
Platforms such as Uber had started offering their services in major cities in the country. However, this was followed by protests from taxi operators, as well as the lack of a clear framework for their operation, leading to the shutdown of their services in 2018.
Since this time, the phenomenon of ride-hailing services has remained in Morocco in a legal gray zone, and without legal recognition, widely used by citizens but officially unrecognized by authorities.
This situation has left passengers without clear protections and drivers without legal status. At present, there are approximately 77,200 taxis nationwide, ranging from small to large taxis, with the number of taxi drivers estimated at about 180,000.
Source: Morocco World News
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