Join Us at the 2025 Fleet Forward Conference in San Diego

Matt Daus and Eric Richardson

Matt Daus, Founder and Chair of the Windels Marx Transportation Practice Group, will join two forward-looking sessions focused on the convergence of technology, investment, and regulation in fleet operations.

• Tuesday, October 21, 10:15–11:00 AM (PT): “Mobility 360: Understanding the Tipping Point for Fleets” — A high-level discussion on what’s driving adoption of electrification, autonomy, connectivity, AI, and shared mobility, featuring leading analysts and industry strategists.
• Thursday, October 23, 3:00–3:45 PM (PT): “Autonomy Is Here! How Fleets Are Preparing for the Self-Driving Era” — A plenary session examining the realities of autonomous vehicle deployment, including operational, regulatory, and infrastructure challenges as fleets adapt to a self-driving future.

Eric Richardson, Strategic Mobility Advisor at the Windels Marx Transportation Practice Group, will bring his extensive experience in fleet safety and risk management to two sessions centered on behavioral change and data-driven prevention.

• Tuesday, October 21, 1:30–2:15 PM (PT): “Fleet Safety Masterclass: Industry Leaders on Storytelling, Strategy & Innovation” — Drawing on his leadership at New York City’s Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) and his work with distracted driving victims, Eric will share how storytelling can powerfully shift driver behavior and safety culture.
• Wednesday, October 22, 3:15–4:00 PM (PT): “Pinpointing & Reducing Risk: Using Your Fleet Data Effectively” — A data-focused session on how fleets are leveraging AI, analytics, and automation to translate safety data into actionable insights that reduce incidents and improve accountability.

Taxi Drivers Hail Chelsea Rest Station

Image: Ben Fractenberg/The City

Inside the Taxi Clubhouse in Chelsea, cabbies and drivers for the ride-hailing apps can lounge on a row of massage chairs, kneel in ritual prayer, pound a punching bag in a basement gym or hit the gas on a “Ridge Racer” video game.

But for many Taxi & Limousine Commission-licensed motorists, a visit to the West 22nd Street clubhouse often boils down to the most basic of human needs. “I come here for the bathroom, the bathroom, the bathroom, OK?” [said] 58-year-old Samir Korkab … Agency data shows there are close to 178,000 TLC-licensed drivers, but access to restrooms tends to be in short supply.

Just 112 relief stands are scattered across four of the boroughs, allowing taxi and for-hire vehicle drivers to station themselves for up to one hour in order to unwind, eat, pray or find a restroom. Drivers’ difficulty in scoring parking spots can leave them scrambling for other options, forcing many to eat in their vehicles or to use empty bottles as urinals. “I had a customer in Brooklyn and I had to pee, but there was no restroom there,” taxi driver Isidore Yaguieou, 43, said on a recent visit to the clubhouse. “So I had to drive all the way here to use the restrooms — it gets tight.”

The issue of restroom availability and designated parking areas resurfaced last month, when drivers for Uber and Lyft rallied outside of City Hall in support of a City Council bill that would allow them to park in spaces designated for commercial vehicles. One of the 70 relief stands in Manhattan is directly across from the clubhouse, with parking spaces for up to 10 taxis and Uber and Lyft vehicles. The stand opened soon after the clubhouse began welcoming drivers in February 2023 and as the industry slowly emerged from a pandemic that battered the business and also reduced the number of places where drivers are welcomed to do what they have to do.

“The places the drivers had been traditionally going to use the restroom or going to rest were closed,” said Danielle DiTomo, the clubhouse’s director of driver experience. “We were continuously hearing from drivers that there was nowhere for them to go.”

Marblegate Capital Corporation, the Connecticut-based private-equity firm that is the biggest holder of taxi medallion loans as well as the city’s largest taxi-fleet operator, acquired the clubhouse in a merger with another finance company. Now it has plans to open two more clubhouses in the city at yet-to-be-determined locations. “This announcement is just the beginning of our efforts to bring more creative and common-sense solutions to the taxi industry,” Andrew Milgram, Marblegate’s chief executive officer, said in a statement.

Source: The City

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Delta, Aeromexico Say USDOT Erred in Blocking Partnership

Delta Air Lines and Aeromexico have asked the Eleventh Circuit to vacate the U.S. Department of Transportation's order terminating approval of their joint venture and ordering them to dismantle it by January, according to a petition for review posted to the case docket Friday. In the short petition, Delta and Aeromexico don't elaborate on their arguments. However, a Delta spokesperson said in a statement Friday that the "decision for Delta and Aeromexico to petition for review of the DOT's final order is not taken lightly but is our only option at this point in time and procedurally the next step in the process to protect Delta's and Aeromexico's business interests, global networks and customers."

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Unpaid Air Traffic Controllers Say Government Shutdown Endangers Flyers

The U.S. government shutdown has introduced risk and danger to our national airspace, according to air traffic controllers who are now working without pay. Air traffic controllers are mandated to continue working. Their union, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, has publicly warned its members not to miss work. But the added stress brought on by the shutdown, and the loss of furloughed support staff that maintain critical systems, makes their job harder — and the skies less safe, the union said Tuesday as its members passed out brochures to travelers at O’Hare Airport.

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CTA Proposes 25-Cent Fare Hike as Potential Service Cuts Draw Closer

The cost of riding a Chicago Transit Authority bus or train will increase next year, regardless of what happens in Springfield this month as lawmakers seek to address a massive budget gap facing Chicago-area transit agencies. Fares will increase 25 cents for using a train or bus starting Feb. 1, according to CTA’s 2026 budget recommendations released Monday. A $2.25 bus ride will cost $2.50. Train rides will increase from $2.50 to $2.75. That’s roughly in line with the 10% fare increases that acting CTA commissioner Nora Leerhsen said to expect while laying out preliminary budget information this month before the Regional Transportation Authority. Metra and Pace say they will also implement similar fare increases. Metra last week said it would raise fares by 13% to 15%.

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STM Bus Drivers, Metro Operators Threaten to Launch Strike

The union representing city bus drivers and Metro operators says it's ready to go on strike as it continues to negotiate with the Société de transport de Montréal (STM). In the spring, the union's 4,500 members employed by the STM voted in favour of adopting pressure tactics that can go as far as an unlimited general strike. Their collective agreement expired in January. The Canadian Union of Public Employees says that after months of talks, the STM is "pushing" it toward a strike by virtue of its "intransigence" at the negotiation table.

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Projet Montréal Wants to 'Bring Metro-Quality Services to the Street' with Express Bus Line Project

Projet Montréal's leader and mayoral candidate Luc Rabouin unveiled the details of his proposed express bus lanes project, Réseau express bus, Tuesday morning. If he wins the race for Montreal's top job, he told reporters his party would introduce a network of express bus lines that make fewer stops and run more frequently, day and night, and more priority lanes. Projet Montréal would start rolling out the plan in underserved areas such as Pointe-aux-Trembles, Montréal-Nord, Saint-Michel and Rosemont East.

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Kinew, Moe Want China EV Tariffs Ended to Get Beijing to Lift Canola Duties

Two of Canada’s premiers are urging the federal government to lift its tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles in hopes it could lead to Beijing removing its own duties on Canadian canola. “Seize the opportunity presented by recent remarks from the Chinese ambassador to Canada,” said Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew in a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney. “He indicated that China is prepared to lift its tariffs on Canadian canola and pork if Canada removes the 100 per cent tariff on Chinese-made electric vehicles.”

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Norway Says ‘Mission Accomplished’ on Going 100% EV, Proposes Incentive Changes

For years, Norway has been the poster child for electric vehicle adoption, a perfect example of how a combination of ambitious goals and robust incentives can transform a nation’s entire automotive industry. Now, with the country on the cusp of achieving its goal of 100% all-electric new car sales by 2025, the Norwegian government is signaling a new phase in its EV strategy, proposing changes to its incentive program that include the introduction of taxes on electric vehicles.

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Waymo Is Expanding to London with Public Robotaxi Rides Coming Soon

Fully autonomous technology developer Waymo continues to expand the reach of its test fleet as well as bona fide customer rides without a driver present. This morning, Waymo shared plans to expand across the pond to London, with public robotaxi rides expected sooner than you might think. 2025 has already been a notable year for autonomous rideshare developer Waymo, as it continues to expand across the United States. This year alone, the Alphabet, Inc. subsidiary began offering customer rides in Austin, Texas, in addition to expansion plans for other cities such as Dallas and Nashville. In late 2024, Waymo also announced plans to begin testing its robotaxis in Tokyo, Japan, marking the company’s first international expansion. Today, Waymo shared plans for global market growth in the opposite direction, laying the groundwork for robotaxi operations in London as early as next year.

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Duracell’s First-Ever EV Fast Charger Network Will Be in the UK

Duracell, the iconic US battery brand that started in the 1920s, is crossing the Atlantic to launch its first-ever EV fast charging network, Duracell E-Charge, in the UK. Sales of gas and diesel cars will end by 2030 in the UK, which is driving EV sales and charging infrastructure growth. With more than £200 million ($266 million) in planned investment over the next decade, Duracell E-Charge is getting on the bandwagon with an aim to improve the fast charging experience. Duracell has licensed its new network to Elektra Charge, a charge point operator set up to run the Duracell E-Charge network. The EV Network (EVN), one of the UK’s top charging infrastructure developers, will fund and build the charging hubs.

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eHang's Pilotless eVTOL Air Taxi Takes Flight with 125-Mile Range

Guangzhou, China-based aerial vehicle outfit eHang is throwing down the gauntlet in the air taxi space with the unveiling of its autonomous VT35 eVTOL. This long-range lift- and cruise-capable aircraft was shown off taking to the skies ahead of an official launch event today in Hefei, China, where the company has established a new R&D, testing, and manufacturing hub. … The VT35 skips the traditional controls-laden cockpit setting in its cabin for luxurious seating, with doors that let you in without the need for rolling stairs to climb aboard. Passengers will be greeted by a large display showing their trajectory, trip details, climate controls, and in-flight entertainment.

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Chinese Autonomous Driving Firm WeRide Taps Banks for Hong Kong Listing

Chinese autonomous driving firm WeRide has hired Morgan Stanley and China International Capital Corp (CICC) to work on a dual primary listing in Hong Kong, three sources with knowledge of the matter said. The Guangzhou-based company, which listed on Nasdaq in October 2024, said in a filing to the United States Securities and Exchange Commission late on Tuesday that the China Securities Regulatory Commission has issued a notice of filing regarding the proposed global offering and dual primary listing of its class A ordinary shares in Hong Kong.

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10 Vehicles Impounded at Singapore Checkpoints for Providing Illegal Cross-Border Services

Ten drivers were caught for providing illegal cross-border ride-hailing services at Singapore's land checkpoints … In a Facebook post on the same day, Senior Minister of State for Transport Sun Xueling said that the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) conducted joint enforcement operations. According to LTA, officers at the borders acted on tip-offs from the National Private Hire Vehicles Association and National Taxi Association. All 10 vehicles were impounded, said LTA.

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Delhi Government's New Taxi App to Offer No Surge Pricing, Full Fare to Drivers 

Image: Economic Times

The Delhi government is set to launch the city’s first cooperative ride-hailing service, offering drivers an alternative to corporate cab aggregators and commuters a more affordable, surge-free experience. … The service will allow drivers to retain 100% of their earnings, with no commission deducted by a platform. Officials from the registrar cooperative society have been directed to create a detailed blueprint for the initiative.

Delhi’s Cooperative Minister Ravinder Indraj announced the plan during the annual general meeting of the Delhi Citizen Cooperative Bank. As per TOI (Times of India), he described it as part of the government’s broader aim to “revitalise the cooperative movement in the city with new direction and energy. I have asked officials to prepare a feasibility report and develop a framework so Delhi can get a cooperative taxi-hailing service,” Indraj told TOI. “The details are being worked out, but we intend to roll it out soon.”

The scheme takes inspiration from the Sahkar Taxi project being developed in Maharashtra and other states. This model, backed by the Union Ministry of Cooperation, aims to give drivers ownership in the platform, with profits shared among members. In Delhi’s case, the cooperative will operate via a dedicated app, enabling direct connection between passengers and driver-members. … The government will facilitate regulatory clearances, and the cooperative will set transparent fare slabs without algorithmic surge pricing.

An official told TOI, “The main objective is to uplift taxi drivers by improving their income, working conditions and overall quality of life. By making drivers active members and stakeholders, the government hopes to build a sustainable model that benefits drivers and consumers alike.”

Passengers will also benefit through stable fares, reliable service, and the absence of sudden price hikes. “This approach aims for a win-win scenario where drivers enjoy social security benefits and fair profit-sharing, while commuters get affordable rides,” the official added.

Source: Economic Times

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