Image: James Rojas/WBZ NewsRadio

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has announced a new one-year pilot program that allows the city’s licensed taxi cabs to accept trip requests directly through major ridesharing applications like Uber and Lyft.

Under this initiative, e-hailing platforms utilized by traditional taxis, such as Curb and ARRO, will interface with the rideshare apps to route passenger demand to available cabs. Rather than relying on standard taxicab meters, these rides will utilize the same upfront pricing structure standard to Uber and Lyft passengers.

Mayor Wu noted that the collaboration aims to help the taxi industry capture more market demand, boost driver earnings, and decrease wait times for the public. The program is supported by the Boston Police Department's Hackney Carriage Unit, which regulates the city's taxi operations. While local cab drivers have expressed optimism about sharing in the rideshare business, some rideshare drivers have raised concerns regarding vehicle ownership differences and operational expenses. Notably, the pilot program excludes trips servicing Logan Airport.

Source: WBEZ News

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Image: GBTA

New research from the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), underscores the massive economic footprint of business travel across the United States. According to the June 2026 study, business travel spending reached $538.5 billion in 2024, ultimately generating $623.8 billion in total U.S. GDP (2.1% of the national total).

Key Takeaways for Transit & Infrastructure:

• Domestic travelers logged 487.8 million business trips in 2024, placing immense demand and opportunity for local mobility services.
• The sector supports 6.7 million American jobs—meaning 1 in every 24 U.S. jobs is linked to business travel activity.
• However, employment growth (3.9% from 2023-2024) has lagged spending gains (7.5% from 2023-2024), which reflects tighter labor markets, productivity gains, and evolving service delivery models.

The study emphasizes that even a marginal 1% increase in business travel spending ripples outward to generate an additional 66,800 jobs and $6.2 billion in GDP.

Source: GBTA

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DOJ Lists New Mexico Company as Part of the National Healthcare Fraud Takedown

The Department of Justice has charged 455 defendants across the country in a massive $6.5 billion healthcare fraud case. Among those accused is SafeWay Medical Transportation, a New Mexico non-emergency medical provider. The company allegedly defrauded the New Mexico Medicaid program by billing for duplicate trips, inflated mileage, and rides that never actually occurred.

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Rangeley Ride Service Fills Transportation Gap: ‘People Help Each Other’

The volunteer-driven program Rangeley Health Rides is facing an increased demand for free local and medical transportation in western Maine. Due to low population density and limited public transit options, the town-funded service serves as a vital lifeline for elderly residents.

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Seattle Light Rail and Scootershare Smash Ridership Records, Buoyed by Friday World Cup Match

Buoyed by a Friday World Cup match between the United States and Australia alongside a sold-out Mariners game, Seattle’s Link light rail shattered its single-day ridership record with an estimated 280,000 boardings. Micromobility also reached unprecedented heights, as Lime recorded over 83,000 e-bike and scooter rides, marking a massive week for the city's expanding transit network.

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Costs for Public Transit Projects in Montreal Are Out of Control, Experts Say

Montreal's Blue Line extension is projected to cost an astonishing $1.4 billion per kilometer, a massive leap from the original 1960s network costs and among the most expensive rates in the world. Experts attribute the increased cost to stricter safety regulations, increased subcontracting, and an unwillingness to ram projects through despite community opposition.

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Biz Briefs: Montréal Debuts Nova Electric Buses and More

The Société de transport de Montréal (STM) received its first electric bus from Nova Bus, kicking off a 147-vehicle order. Challenges in transitioning to electric buses has prompted Quebec's transport ministry to permit local agencies to adopt less stringent electric vehicle targets and permit the purchase of hybrid buses. Once the entire 147-bus delivery is finalized, electric vehicles will make up 10% of the STM's total fleet.

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B.C. Incentive Program for Medium- And Heavy-Duty ZEVs Returns with Improvements

British Columbia’s reinstated and streamlined Go Electric Rebates program for medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicles will launch August 10, 2026. The updated initiative introduces point-of-sale redemptions to reduce administrative burdens on buyers and offers pre-approval funding certainty.

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‘Carspreading’ Could Lead to Extra 2,600 Crash Deaths a Year by 2040, Study Finds

A new study by Transport & Environment reveals that European cars have steadily grown longer, taller, and wider since 2000. This "car bloat" significantly increases traffic fatalities—especially for children—while driving up carbon emissions and consuming massive amounts of energy. Furthermore, cities face losing up to 14% of on-street parking spaces by 2040 if this trend continues unchecked.

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Road Deaths Are Not Inevitable. Stop Referring to Them as ‘Accidents’

This article challenges the traditional use of the term "accident" for road fatalities, arguing it implies unavoidable and random misfortune rather than systemic or behavioral failures. The piece calls for a shift toward "crash" or "collision" terminology alongside robust infrastructure improvements, lower speed limits, and stronger traffic enforcement to prevent road deaths.

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'He's a Life Saver': The Miniature Therapy Horse That Travels by Taxi

Maria Dahl, a London resident who has severe anxiety, has found comfort and independence through an unexpected companion: Rusty, a three-year-old miniature horse. Because Rusty is too nervous for public transport, he travels with Maria via taxi.

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Drivers Who Refuse Short Fares Face Punishment under Expanded Victorian Taxi Rule Changes

The Victorian government announced a series of reforms to protect passengers, including the adoption of a "two strikes and you're out" policy for taxi drivers who misuse meters, refuse to provide receipts, or turn away passengers traveling with assistance animals. Later this summer the regulator will introduce new rules prohibiting the refusal of short distance trips, and requiring booking service providers to report incidents of overcharging, service refusal, and assault directly to the regulator.

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Türkiye’s Istanbul Deploys Drones to Monitor Taxis as Complaints from Tourists Surge

Istanbul authorities have launched a drone surveillance initiative to monitor taxi drivers in the city's busiest districts following a surge in passenger and tourist complaints. The aerial system tracks vehicles and specific license plates to target frequent violations, such as refusing short-distance trips, bypassing official fare regulations, and failing to use taximeters. Officials hope the technology will improve service standards and protect the city's tourism reputation.

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Singapore’s Robotaxi Rivalry Grows as Pony AI Opens Bookings

Chinese autonomous driving company Pony AI has launched its autonomous ride-hailing service in Singapore’s Punggol district. The service is accessible via the Zig app, connecting key residential areas and transit hubs. This move intensifies local competition, particularly with a rival driverless service recently launched by Grab and WeRide in the same district.

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Image: ITNAmerica

Every day, millions of older Americans are stranded without transportation, while countless people who would gladly help remain unaware of their need. America’s Volunteer Driver Center (AVDC) is a national public information campaign launched by ITNAmerica to bridge this gap by recruiting volunteer drivers and introducing them to local nonprofit transportation providers serving older adults and people with mobility challenges.

Across the country, nonprofit transportation providers rely on volunteer drivers to help people access healthcare, groceries, pharmacies, social activities, and other essential destinations. Yet many organizations report difficulty recruiting enough volunteers to meet growing demand. AVDC seeks to change the way Americans think about and support nonprofit community-based transportation. Through a coordinated national public information campaign, AVDC is working to recruit 150,000 volunteer drivers and 1,000 nonprofit and government-affiliated transportation providers nationwide.

Volunteer transportation is one of the most effective ways communities can help older adults and people with mobility challenges remain mobile, independent, and connected. Whether helping someone get to a medical appointment, pick up groceries, or participate in community life, volunteer drivers make a meaningful difference every day. America’s Volunteer Driver Center is to volunteer driver recruitment what the Red Cross is to blood donation.

For additional information about the campaign, visit: Americas Volunteer Driver Center.

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