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Image: Gothamist

From a command center at JFK Airport, the Port Authority Police Department watches everyone who comes and goes through the busy terminals.

Officers monitor dozens of screens displaying camera feeds capturing the arrivals and departures areas, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The center opened last year, and is among a number of surveillance upgrades the Port Authority is using to crack down on illegal taxi scammers who plague the airport.

The new tech in the command center include license plate readers that track every car in the airport’s footprint. The tech will soon become even more sophisticated through a $100 million Port Authority investment in an initiative called “Operation Legal Ride,” which will use artificial intelligence to help police the scammers at the airport.

Scot Pomerantz, the Port Authority Police commanding officer of JFK Airport, recently gave Gothamist a tour of the command center. Photographs were prohibited due to security concerns.



Pomerantz has been with Port Authority police for 24 years. Much of that time has been dedicated to chasing the airport hustlers.

“This isn’t something that we want here at the airport,” he said. “It’s not safe for our passengers. We take our enforcement extremely serious.”

The scammers, known as “hustlers,” have operated at New York City’s airports for decades. They coax unsuspecting tourists into unlicensed taxis — and charge them astronomical fares for their rides into the city. Gothamist reported earlier this year on a scammer who charged a married couple from Kenya $800 for a ride from JFK Airport to Midtown.

Port Authority data shows the new tech and command center has coincided with a crackdown at JFK. The police department issued 2,602 summonses for illegal taxi solicitation in 2025, nearly double the year prior.

These enhanced enforcement efforts by the Port Authority align with the findings and recommendations of a recent report authored by Matt Daus at the University Transportation Research Center (UTRC), in collaboration with CTANJ and the Black Car Assistance Corporation (BCAC), titled Addressing Unlicensed and Illegal Ride Hailing in the NY/NJ Metro Region.

The report examines the persistent challenges of illegal ride-hailing and taxi solicitation in major transportation hubs like New York’s airports. The report highlights the safety risks, consumer protection concerns, and regulatory gaps that allow these operations to persist, while outlining a range of practical enforcement and policy solutions. As the Port Authority advances initiatives like “Operation Legal Ride,” it is clear that the agency is listening to these concerns and moving toward a more coordinated, technology-driven enforcement strategy.

“The Port Authority’s investment in smarter enforcement tools and data-driven strategies is a critical step in protecting passengers and supporting legitimate operators,” said Matt. “By combining strong on-the-ground enforcement with modern technology and clear regulatory frameworks, we can meaningfully reduce illegal activity and restore confidence in the airport ground transportation system.”

Source: Gothamist

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Image: Alex Krales

As Midori Valdivia takes the wheel of the New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission, she is encountering an industry with other women in key leadership roles — and where the number of trips with females in the driver’s seat is growing.

Valdivia is the fourth woman to serve as commissioner and chair in the 55-year history of the TLC and her arrival comes as agency data shows that female operators complete 6% of all monthly trips by the more than 178,000 TLC-licensed drivers who ferry passengers for livery bases, yellow taxis, green cabs and app-centered ride-hailing services such as Lyft and Uber.

That is a marked increase from just over a decade ago, when there were more than 140,000 TLC-licensed operators across the various for-hire vehicle classes as app-based services were in their infancy. 



“The hours are so long and the conditions can be dangerous and risky,” said Bhairavi Desai, executive director of the New York Taxi Worker Alliance. “All of that makes it more difficult for women.”

According to the 2016 TLC Factbook, agency-licensed female operators completed 4% of trips by for-hire vehicles, which offer pre-arranged services through licensed bases, with 3% completed by women driving for the apps. For yellow taxis, female drivers completed not even 1% of all trips, a number that, a decade later, stubbornly remains in the same range.

“Everybody was like, ‘Oh my god, a woman cab driver!’” recalled Dorothy Leconte, who has been a yellow taxi driver since 1987. “Until today, I still hear that.”

“But years ago, it was more often like people were surprised that they had been living in New York for 20 years and this was the first time they had ever had a woman cab driver.”

Industry leaders said the changes to the industry are striking as female drivers account for a higher share of all rides, while also acknowledging that their numbers are still dwarfed by those of their male counterparts.

“It shows how much we have moved forward — that would have been impossible 20 years ago,” said Cira Angeles of the Livery Base Owners, an association that represents more than 300 bases and close to 20,000 affiliated drivers. “It was a man’s industry and it really still is.”

As Valdivia settles into her second week as head of the agency that regulates New York City’s taxi and for-hire vehicles, the new TLC head said she admires the “hard work and strength” of women who succeed in the industry.

“You can see that intrepid and independent spirit in many of our female licensees,” said Valdivia, who served as TLC deputy commissioner of finance and administration under Meera Joshi, who led the agency during Bill De Blasio’s two terms as mayor. “They make up some of the safest drivers and most conscientious base operators out there, a mighty force who deserve our respect and support.”

Source: The City

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Searching for the ‘Smoking Gun’ in US Pedestrian Deaths

In March, the Governors Highway Safety Association announced that some 3,024 people died while walking in the US during the first half of 2025, a drop of almost 11% from 2024. It’s a welcome dip, but the GHSA quickly put the figure in perspective, noting that footgoer fatalities remain 2.5% higher than in 2019, the last year before the Covid-19 pandemic coincided with a surge in traffic deaths.

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Unlocking the Next Evolution of Accessible Transit Through Same-Day Paratransit

Rep. Lateefah Simon (D-CA) introduced the Same-Day Paratransit Innovation Act to help transit agencies modernize their systems and offer more flexible same-day paratransit service options. The bill strengthens incentives within the FTA’s formula programs. Capital investments related to deploying same-day paratransit would be eligible for a federal share of up to 90 percent, helping agencies acquire vehicles, software, and equipment needed to modernize service.

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After February Pause, New York State Fine-Tunes DMV Upgrade

Following a shutdown to upgrade technology earlier this year, the New York Department of Motor Vehicles continues to address system issues and delays, to ensure it is functioning as intended.

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Hail a Ride across Halifax Harbour: Water Taxi Service Launching This Summer

All electric, made-in-Nova Scotia boats will shuttle locals, commuters and tourists (and their pets) across the harbour.

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A Volunteer Service Is Helping Seniors Stay at Home on Montreal’s West Island

For over 15 years, Accompagnement Bénévole De L’Ouest / Volunteer Accompaniment Service (ABOVAS) has paired clients with medical conditions or disabilities with a volunteer who drives them and helps them attend medical visits.

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‘Regular Police Presence’ Expected at Toronto’s Union Station

Safety concerns continue to be an issue for riders, and Metrolinx announced Monday it is taking extra steps to reassure riders — by adding more police officers to monitor the city’s busiest transportation hub.

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How Data Is Changing the Way Cities Manage the Kerb

To many, the kerb is simply the thin boundary between sidewalk and road. While true, it’s also one of the most contested and operationally complex parts of urban right-of-way. Freight deliveries, ride-hailing pick-ups, micromobility, bus operations, and pedestrian access all converge within a few feet, creating daily conflicts that affect traffic flow and safety.

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Uber Plans to Deploy Nearly 2,000 Hydrogen Taxis in Paris after Investing in H₂ Vehicle Leasing Specialist HysetCo

Around 5,000 taxis serving Paris and the surrounding region are already on Uber’s platform, while HysetCo has around 800 vehicles it leases to business clients, complete with its own hydrogen charging network.

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EU Cyclist Deaths Drop 8% in Decade As Progress Lags behind Motorists

According to a new report from the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC), cyclist deaths fell by 8% between 2014 to 2024, an average annual reduction of 0.5%. By contrast, deaths among motorised road users declined at an annual rate of 2%. Cyclists now account for 10% of all EU road deaths. The Brussels-based organisation, which campaigns for safer roads across Europe, warns this share will grow without urgent intervention.

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Dubai Vertiport Reaches Completion Ahead of 2026 Air Taxi Launch

Announced by Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and UK-based vertiport developer Skyports Infrastructure, the facility is located near Dubai International Airport and is intended to serve as the primary hub in a wider network of four sites across the city. Skyports Infrastructure, a company specialising in the design, build and operation of vertiports and heliports, said the site is now ready to handle electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft. Initial operations are targeted to begin before the end of 2026.

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What Bikers Really Need in the Global South

In Delhi, Accra and Dhaka, most cyclists are low-income people who rely on bikes despite perilous riding conditions. Yet new bike lanes are built for the elite. 

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Uber Ties Up with Sony-Backed Taxi Hailing App to Win Tourists in Japan

Uber Technologies will partner with S.Ride, a Sony Group-backed taxi-hailing app operator in Japan.

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Image: Commarts

Uber Transit announced the launch of a $1 Million Innovation Fund, alongside a nationwide Call for Projects to help public transit agencies, municipalities, and regional authorities pilot on-demand mobility solutions. The initiative is designed to remove financial barriers, enabling agencies to test new service models, reduce operating costs, and improve rider experience.

Through the fund, Uber Transit will award up to $50,000 in funding to 20 forward-thinking agencies across the United States to launch real-world pilot programs.

"The reality is, the math of public transit is not getting easier," said Chris Margaronis, Head of Transit Agency and Higher Education Partnerships for Uber Transit. 

"When a traditional paratransit trip costs $100, that’s not just a cost problem; it’s a service problem. Every excess dollar spent on one trip is a dollar an agency cannot use to serve another rider. We are launching this fund to prove that by using flexible supply and modern tools, we can safely deliver that same trip for $20. That translates to five times the mobility for the same budget."

"This fund offers agencies a responsible way to test better solutions without putting their core budgets at risk. We are providing a platform for small pilots, real data, shared investment, and measurable outcomes. Riders don’t experience innovation as risk, they experience it as freedom."

The funding opportunity is structured to minimize risk for agencies, with no upfront fees, no minimum guarantees, and no capital investment required. Agencies only pay for trips delivered, ensuring alignment between cost and performance.

Call for Projects Program Highlights:

• Funding: Up to $50,000 in funding per agency
• Matching funds are required. Applicants must provide 10% of the award amount in matching funds.
• Eligible Use Cases: 
• Complementing paratransit (Same-day/on-demand)
• Supplementing microtransit
• Augmenting underperforming fixed-route services (Off-peak/late-night) 
• First-mile/last-mile connections 
• Service disruption mitigation
• Transit desert coverage 
• Guaranteed Ride Home and commuter programs
• Social impact (e.g. senior mobility, food access, etc.)

How to Apply

Agencies are invited to submit proposals through the Call for Projects.

Applications are due by June 30, 2026 and will be reviewed on a rolling basis until funds are fully allocated.

Click Here to Apply

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