Image: Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group/TNS

Uber is rolling out new features aimed at making it easier for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to get from one place to another more independently.

The ride-sharing service said this week that it is launching a self-booking option so that riders with disabilities can arrange transportation on their own, even if it’s being paid for through a health care provider or disability service organization.

Previously, providers could schedule and book rides through Uber Health for individuals with disabilities. With the new option, however, disability service providers can set a budget and other parameters such as a limit on the number of rides, the trip distance, or the types of destinations. Then users can book and manage rides themselves.

“We understand the challenges health care organizations face when it comes to transportation, and know that Uber Health’s scale and reliability can help address them head-on,” said Jen Shepherd, global head of Uber Health. “Rider self-booking offers riders more autonomy and control while giving health systems, providers, I/DD organizations, and Financial Management Services a simpler and more reliable way to manage their transportation programs without the administrative stress.”

Uber said that individuals with developmental disabilities can use the new self-booking option to arrange trips to jobs, community centers, appointments, to run errands, and more.

Source: Disability Scoop

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Image: Katri Lehtola, Keksi / LVM

On 26 February 2026, the Government submitted to Parliament a legislative proposal to amend taxi regulation. The changes would be made to the Act on Transport Services and certain other acts.

“This repair kit for our taxi law is something Finland truly needs. We are restoring safer taxi services for everyone and improving trust in the sector by tightening entry requirements and oversight. Drivers will better meet our high standards of conduct and receive more rigorous training, oversight will be more effective and taxis will be easier to identify,” says Minister of Transport and Communications Lulu Ranne.

The amendments aim to improve drivers' professional skills, reinforce control and prevent abuse. The requirements for obtaining a taxi transport licence would be tightened. A person’s good repute, which is required for the licence, would also be considered compromised if they have been convicted of offences against life or health, sexual offences, or fraud‑related or payment‑instrument offences. Additional grounds for refusing a taxi driver’s licence would include certain offences against personal liberty, tax fraud, fraud, payment‑instrument offences and firearms offences.

Training requirements and the supervision of tests would be improved. New taxi drivers would be expected to attend 21 hours of training. Those already working in the sector would need to complete 7 hours of continuing professional education when renewing their taxi driver’s licence. The continuing education requirement would be in place for a fixed term.

Source: Finnish Government Press Release

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N.Y. State DMV Commissioner Mark Schroeder to Retire

Mark Schroeder, the commissioner of the New York state Department of Motor Vehicles, will retire after more than seven years on the job, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Thursday.

State officials touted Schroeder’s leadership, which saw several significant changes in the department, including the recent system-wide tech upgrades that led to the temporary closure of all offices and customer service improvements throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. “During my time serving in local government, I saw first-hand both the critical role the DMV plays in the lives of nearly every New Yorker and the ways in which its services badly needed modernization,” Hochul said in a statement. “Then, Mark Schroeder stepped in. In his seven years of service, he has transformed this agency, bringing it into the digital age and reinventing how New Yorkers interact with the essential services it provides. A proud son of Buffalo, Commissioner Schroeder has been a model of public service throughout his career, and I join millions of grateful New Yorkers in wishing him a well-earned retirement.”

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Trump Administration Plans to Reverse Biden Rules on Gig Workers

The Labor Department proposed a rule to make it easier for employers to classify their workers as independent contractors, the latest salvo in a long-running tug of war between Democrats and Republicans over the status of gig workers.  The proposal, which would rescind a Biden-era rule that aimed to put more contractors on company payrolls and give them access to employee benefits such as health insurance and paid time off, would affect millions of workers in a range of industries, including healthcare, restaurants, construction, and transportation. The business models of companies such as Uber and DoorDash rely on regulations allowing them to maintain an arm’s length relationship with their workers. Employers have long said that classifying such workers as independent contractors gives both businesses and workers flexibility to operate. 

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‘We’re Not Waiting’: Electric Flying Taxis Could Be in Miami Sooner Than You Think

Miami is still a long way from fixing its traffic and public transportation woes, but there may be a credible solution on the horizon — electric flying taxis. Companies around the world are racing to bring this technology to market, and many of them say South Florida is the perfect testing ground. Some even believe you’ll see these flying overhead in just a few years.

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Ottawa Incentivizes Electric Vehicle Purchases; Nova Scotia Makes Them More Expensive

As Ottawa incentivizes Canadians to buy electric vehicles or hybrids, Nova Scotia is making it more expensive to drive them. Nova Scotia's budget tabled on Monday includes a $500 fee for electric vehicles and $250 fee for hybrids — to be paid every two years. Ottawa, meanwhile, has started offering incentives of up to $5,000 to buy electric cars and up to $2,500 for plug-in hybrid vehicles. Sal Falk lives in the rural community of Middle LaHave on Nova Scotia's South Shore and purchased a used electric car in November. She said the levy is “absurd" and penalizes Nova Scotians who have chosen to drive low-emission vehicles.

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What Canadian Transit Gets Wrong about Families and Accessibility

Does having a baby mean you’re officially “car-dependent”? In this episode of DemograFix, Cara Stern and Reece Martin, of @RMTrasit, tackle the reality of navigating Canadian cities with kids. While many parents are told that a private vehicle is the only safe or convenient way to get around, Cara and Reece explore why our transit systems often fail families, and how we can fix them.

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Impacts of US Tariffs on the Canadian Transportation Industry

President Trump’s proposed US tariffs have introduced considerable uncertainty for the Canadian transportation industry. The tariffs are likely to result in increased costs, supply chain disruptions and changes in freight demand. These and other outcomes will impact the operational efficiency and profitability of transportation businesses. They’ll have a significant impact on the procurement and delivery of major transportation projects in Canada, introducing new complexities, increasing costs and creating new risks.

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Why Illegal Plying-for-Hire Convictions Expose HUGE Insurance Risks for Taxi and Private Hire Drivers

 Recent enforcement action involving a Manchester-licensed driver convicted at Manchester Magistrates’ Court has drawn attention to the huge consequences of plying-for-hire outside a cabbie's licensed area. Under taxi and private hire legislation, drivers must hold appropriate hire and reward insurance that reflects the precise nature of their licensed activity.

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Regulatory Adjustments for Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles in Europe

A study by Fraunhofer ISI, Öko-Institut, and ifeu shows plug-in hybrids emit three to five times more CO₂ in real driving than official figures suggest. With just 25–30% electric driving, researchers warn that current EU utility factors weaken climate targets.

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Amazon Announces 100 Million Deliveries in Europe Completed Using Electric Cargo Bikes, Electric Mopeds, and Pushcarts

 Smaller electric vehicles and on-foot deliveries are helping to reduce emissions, noise, and traffic in more than 50 European cities. Amazon today announced a milestone of 100 million deliveries in Europe, completed using electric cargo bikes, electric mopeds, and push carts for on-foot deliveries. This milestone demonstrates the company's ongoing investment in customer delivery methods that reduce emissions, noise, and traffic congestion in urban neighbourhoods.

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Baku Airport Launches New On-Site Taxi Booking Service

Passengers arriving at Heydar Aliyev International Airport can now take advantage of a newly introduced taxi booking service designed to streamline ground transportation. The initiative, announced by the Azerbaijan Land Transport Agency (AYNA), includes the installation of payment terminals operated by Baku Taxi Service in the airport’s baggage claim area, Caliber.Az reports.

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Thailand Introduces Taxi Safety Measures

Thailand’s Department of Land Transport announced the roll-out of a new QR code system for taxis to improve passenger safety. More than 70 000 taxis are expected to be equipped with QR codes by June. The system introduces three types of QR codes, each serving a different function. The purple codes allow passengers to verify a driver’s identity before entering the vehicle; the blue QR codes offer passengers fare estimates, real-time ride tracking, and the ability to share trip details with friends or family; and the red QR codes provide a direct channel for reporting issues such as driver refusals, overcharging, or other misconduct. 

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Metro Rail Plans to Connect Last Mile with Pod Taxis

The Hyderabad Metro Rail plans to introduce Pod Taxis for last-mile connectivity. HMRL has invited the consultants for a techno-economic feasibility study, design, and bid process for this system. Pod taxis are modern driverless electric vehicles that travel on the dedicated elevated tracks to provide quick, personalized, and eco-friendly transportation. The cabs can accommodate four to six passengers. Fully automated, these are computer-controlled with GPS navigation.

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Tada founder Kay Woo

As Grab and GoTo edge towards a potential merger that could redraw the region’s ride-hailing map, rival platform Tada is accelerating its global expansion plans spanning the United States and Africa.

After entering Denver in the US state of Colorado last July, the zero-commission ride-hailing firm is preparing to launch in New York City and raise fresh funds to enter Africa in 2026.

Rather than launch independently, Tada opted for a partnership-led entry into the US.

This was done via a partnership with Drivers Cooperative Colorado (DCC), with Tada providing ride-share service technology to the DCC platform. This also allowed Tada to test features different from those in the company’s South-east Asian market.

Key to being accepted by the DCC was Tada’s no-commission-fees stance; instead, the company just charges a fee to upkeep the platform.

“The group of drivers have been growing since the beginning of July last year, and trips have grown from two or three a day – now it’s closer to 100 trips per day,” Kay Woo, founder of Tada, told The Business Times.

That spurred the company to launch in a bigger market in the US, namely New York City. Compared with South-east Asia’s entire ride-hailing market, the city is 1.5 to two times bigger in dollar volume

Tada is targeting a beta launch in the city in May, followed by an official launch in June.

Source: The Business Times

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