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Daily Transportation News
January 6, 2026
| | | NY Gov. Kathy Hochul, NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani Celebrate 1 Year of Congestion Pricing | |
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New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani celebrated one year of congestion pricing on Monday. The two were joined by MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber, as the agency released new data showing the results so far.
According to the MTA, traffic in the congestion zone is down by 11% since the start of the program, with 27 million fewer cars entering the zone in 2025. Hochul said travel times through the Lincoln and Holland tunnels are both down. "This is a program that has been successful…Anyone trying to kill this program, tell it to the judge, because they're going to be on our side," Hochul said.
In total, according to Hochul, congestion pricing raised about $550 million for the MTA in 2025, $50 million more than originally projected. "So to those individuals who are driving in, their quality of life has improved as well, and I'm really proud of that, and I hope they understand what this program did for them," Hochul said. "
This is a program that has been successful no matter how you measure it," Mamdani said.
"This is good government in action," Lieber said. "This demonstrates what business-like government management can accomplish."
Source: CBS New York
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| Submit Your ATS26 Session Ideas and Join the Planning Conversation at TRB! | |
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The Automated Transportation Symposium (ATS) has opened its Call for Proposals for 2026, and is inviting researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to submit breakout session ideas by February 7, 2026. ATS breakout sessions, developed by a global network of more than 200 volunteers, are highly interactive, outcomes-focused discussions designed to advance the research, policy, and practice needed to make the promise of automated transportation a reality.
In addition to submitting proposals online, those attending the TRB Annual Meeting in Washington, DC are encouraged to join an in-person breakout workshop planning session on Wednesday, January 14, from 3:00–6:00 PM ET (Room 303, Washington Convention Center). This session is an opportunity to refine ideas, connect with potential co-organizers, and help shape high-impact ATS26 breakout workshops built around meaningful dialogue, global expertise, and clear, actionable outcomes.
Proposals are evaluated based on whether they:
- Address a timely, broadly relevant topic for the 2026 automated transportation landscape
- Are clearly defined, with a compelling description of how participants will spend their time
- Prioritize interaction, collaboration, and shared problem-solving over panel-style presentations
- Leverage the global, cross-sector expertise of attendees
- Articulate clear outcomes or takeaways that advance research, policy, or practice
Click Here to Submit a Proposal
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Trump's Transportation Secretary Duffy & FAA Administrator Bedford Announce Radar Contracts as Part of Brand-New Air Traffic Control System
U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Bryan Bedford today announced the FAA will replace the nation’s aging radar system. Replacing this network of ground-based radars, which are crucial for detecting and tracking aircraft, will enhance the safety and efficiency of our skies. The new radar contracts, which are part of President Trump and Secretary Duffy’s brand-new air traffic control initiative, were awarded to RTX and Indra. The contract will be paid for by the One Big Beautiful Bill.
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State/Lake L Station to Close Monday for 3 Years of Construction
The CTA’s elevated State/Lake station in the Loop is scheduled to close Monday and not reopen for three years. The $444 million reconstruction project won’t be completed until sometime in 2029, according to the Chicago Transit Authority. Trains will bypass the station for the duration of the work. The station, built in 1895, serves the Brown, Green, Orange, Pink and Purple lines. The adjacent Red Line subway station at Lake Street won’t be affected. The planned station features platforms that are twice as wide, elevators for full ADA accessibility and a massive glass canopy.
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Mercedes to Offer Autonomous Driving Tech for U.S. City Streets
Mercedes-Benz said on Monday it will launch a new advanced driver-assistance system in the United States later this year that lets its vehicles operate autonomously on city streets under driver supervision. The system, which enables a vehicle to drive from a parking lot to a destination, navigating city intersections, making turns and obeying traffic lights, is likely to pose competition to Tesla, the only automaker that offers a similar product, called Full Self-Driving, in the United States. Mercedes’ system, called MB.Drive Assist Pro, has been on sale in China since late last year.
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Could a Canadian Car Company Finally Happen in 2026?
Intense competition, the need for billions of dollars in capital and the inherent complexity of designing a road-safe vehicle all create stumbling blocks for any new company looking to produce automobiles. But the idea continues to generate discussion among policymakers and industry players, particularly now since United States President Donald Trump has repeatedly said he doesn’t want Canadian-made cars sold in his country, thereby raising existential threats in the sector’s main sales market.
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Canada Expands Air Agreements with Saudi Arabia and U.A.E.
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s recent economic negotiations with leaders of two Middle East nations are opening up the airways in both directions. The Canadian government announced in late 2025 new reciprocal air transportation agreements with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The agreements are in effect now and allow for more passenger and cargo flights between Canada and those countries.
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Calgary Taxi Driver Hailed as Hero after Baby Born in Back Seat
A Calgary taxi driver is being praised after helping deliver a baby during an emergency trip to hospital in frigid winter conditions. Hardeep Singh Toor answered a late-night dispatch call last Saturday for what he was told was an urgent ride to hospital. Instead of a routine fare, Toor found himself transporting a couple racing against time for the birth of their child. In an interview with Global, Toor said he was shocked when he arrived to pick up the couple and realized the woman was already in severe pain. With temperatures around –23 C, stormy weather and slippery roads, he said his only focus was getting them to the hospital as quickly and as safely as possible.
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All the New Travel Rules in Europe for 2026: Border Checks, Tourist Taxes and Behavior Crackdowns
It's set to be a bumper year for travel changes in Europe, with controls tightening around everything from borders to mass tourism. To preserve the peace between residents and visitors, more destinations are introducing new rules and regulations impacting travel preparations, conduct and prices. As the EU continues to digitize its borders, tourists entering the bloc will face extra checks.
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Europe Doesn’t Need Driverless Cars
Driverless journeys can be pleasantly private, albeit too expensive for most people to take them regularly (Waymo rides often cost around a third more than Uber taxis). But to win over regulators and the general public, American robotaxi companies have also presented themselves as an urgently needed solution to the country’s abysmal record of crash deaths. Such messaging is of dubious relevance to Europe, however, where roadways are already much safer than those in the US. Furthermore, Europeans are more likely to bike and ride public transportation — travel modes that are vulnerable to a deluge of self-driving cars. So why, exactly, does Europe want robotaxis?
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Fully Charged in Sicily: Around Europe’s Largest Island by EV
Even though many Sicilian rental companies claim to have EVs, at the final stage of the booking they mysteriously disappear. One company charges me the full amount, keeps promising that the booking is being processed until well after the delivery was due, only to finally cancel it with no reason given. Best of the bunch: Sixt, that several weeks prior to my arrival promises an EV, the day before my arrival e-mails that they have no such cars, but the friendly staff at the Palermo office ensures that I get an electric car, fully charged and ready to go. His last words before I took off: ”I don’t think you will make it”. I show him the fairly impressive charging map of Sicily, he just shakes his head, letting me understand that the map and reality are two very different things.
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China's 435-Mph Maglev Test Reveals what Caution Is Costing the West
Researchers at China's National University of Defense Technology (NUDT) have accelerated a one-ton vehicle from a dead stop to 435 mph (700 km/h) in under two seconds – then back to zero mph on about a 1/4 mile (1,312 ft / 400 meter) magnetic levitation test track. It's not just fast – it's absurd. That makes it the quickest superconducting maglev acceleration ever demonstrated.
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How India Ubered in 2025: Record Rides, EVs, and Premium Travel Take the Lead
Uber had a year of milestones in India in 2025, with all kinds of transportation needs from daily office commutes and late-night airport runs to intercity road trips and pet-friendly rides. The beginning of the year sees Uber India unveiling some of the most important points from its yearly data report, How India Ubered, which gives a thorough interpretation of the Indian customers’ movements through cities and states during the previous year. The report showing the changes in travel habits, the peak hours for booking, and the rapid growth of the cities, and the electric and premium mobility—has emphasized Uber’s growing importance in the Indian mobility.
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Kochi Water Metro to Ramp Up Non-Fare Revenue Models
Close on the heels of its record-breaking year, Kochi Water Metro is looking to expand its non-fare revenue models to fast-track break-even. For this, it is following a four-pronged approach: provide branding opportunities inside boats, lease out space at terminals, run seasonal kiosks that cater to a plethora of passenger interests, and open hangout spots at select stations. “Inside the boats, we have display boards where companies can advertise their products. We are also leasing out space at our terminals for small shops and the like,” Kochi Water Metro chief operating officer Sajan P John told TNIE.
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| | Local Taxi Operators Block Foreign Taxi Fleet | |
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The push to modernize public transport often creates a collision between global environmental goals and local economic survival. In Metro Cebu, the arrival of electric vehicles (EVs) has sparked a fundamental question: Can a city embrace a high-tech, “green” future without leaving its long-standing local operators behind?
The tension in Cebu isn’t about whether to adopt EVs — everyone seems to agree they are the future — but rather about who gets to drive that future. On Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, Metro Cebu’s taxi industry reached a critical juncture. Local operators, represented by the United Cebu Taxi Operators Association (Uctoa), expressed their readiness to buy their own electric taxis, even as the planned rollout of 600 EV units by the Vietnam-based firm Green and Smart Mobility (GSM) remained suspended.
The Provincial Government, led by Gov. Pamela Baricuatro, helped in the halting of GSM’s launch (originally set for Dec. 19, 2025) following an opposition appeal from local players. The debate has now shifted from a simple business expansion to a fight over fairness, licensing and Metro Cebu’s overall transport roadmap.
Cebu is currently grappling with massive economic stakes. According to a study by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica), traffic congestion in Metro Cebu results in approximately P1.1 billion in daily economic losses. While 60 percent of the population relies on public transport, these commuters are squeezed into only 10 percent of the total vehicles on the road. The entry of a massive new fleet promises more rides but threatens to clog the already saturated streets of the metro area.
For the average Cebuano commuter, more taxis could mean shorter wait times and cleaner air. However, for the local taxi industry, the “sudden” entry of a foreign-backed fleet feels like an existential threat.
Source: SunStar
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Message from IATR President Matthew W. Daus
At the International Association of Transportation Regulators (IATR), our regulators are at the forefront of addressing both the challenges and opportunities facing the mobility paradigm. Our IATR members, partner organizations, and regulated industries will continue on our shared quest to fulfill the mission of our non-profit educational organization - to bring about Multi-Modal Mobility Innovation for All! This mission can best be accomplished through information sharing, collaboration, identifying and promoting best practices, and educating our membership. These educational updates and electronic media clips are affectionately known as “IATR snips” and endeavor to cover all aspects of mobility around the globe - especially news and developments involving safety, technology innovation, multi-modal integration, automation, sustainability, electrification, accessibility, regulatory modernization, and equity.
If you would like more information about the IATR, you can visit our website at www.iatr.global. Current members can renew their memberships when you log in to your IATR portal on the top right-hand side of our website, or click here. If you forgot your membership password, please email our Membership Director, Eric Richardson, at erichardson@iatr.global.
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RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP FOR 2026:
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Renew your membership at http://www.iatr.global or email info@iatr.global for any questions!
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