|
Daily Transportation News
June 29, 2026
| | | Uber Tightens US Driver Background Checks as Sexual Assault Cases Mount | |
Image: SOPA Images / Contributor / LightRocket via Getty Images |
Uber Technologies Inc. is expanding the criteria for disqualification from the platform and retroactively applying these new standards to its existing workforce. Starting Monday, the ride-hailing company will permanently bar individuals with convictions for violent felonies—such as armed robbery, aggravated assault, child abuse, endangerment, strangulation, and stalking—regardless of when the crime took place. Previously, Uber's screening protocol did not disqualify applicants for these specific non-sexual offenses if the convictions were more than seven years old.
The nationwide policy change is expected to result in the deactivation of tens of thousands of existing gig workers, or about 0.5% of Uber's active drivers. This operational shift comes as the company faces lawsuits from passengers alleging sexual assault and harassment, including a recent landmark case resulting in $8.5 million in damages. Uber will exempt roughly 2,000 highly tenured drivers with clean safety records from the lifetime lookback, provided their non-sexual felony convictions are over 15 years old.
| | Rideshare Giants Lyft and Uber Facing Congressional Scrutiny Over Alleged AI Price Gouging | |
Image: AP Photo/Richard Vogel |
Federal lawmakers have issued a letter to Uber and Lyft, demanding a response to recent reports regarding their automated pricing algorithms. The congressional scrutiny follows recent investigations from Consumer Reports revealing that these AI-driven systems routinely charge passengers drastically different fares for identical routes, with price fluctuations swinging by as much as 50% for the exact same trip in major cities like Minneapolis.
The issue has quickly caught the attention of federal and state representatives, including Minnesota Congressional Representative Angie Craig, the author of the letter. Beyond general consumer fairness, local advocacy groups, such as the Minnesota Council on Disability, are monitoring the situation to determine if these algorithmic pricing models disproportionately penalizes individuals with disabilities and thereby potentially violate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Both rideshare companies are now legally required to formally respond to the congressional inquiry.
| | |
Tesla Settles Lawsuit over Fatal 'Full Self-Driving' Pedestrian Crash
Tesla has quietly settled a lawsuit with the family of Johna Story, a 71-year-old grandmother killed by a Model Y operating in "Full Self-Driving" mode. The 2023 Arizona crash triggered an ongoing NHTSA engineering analysis into 3.2 million vehicles regarding FSD visibility issues under low-glare or poor weather conditions. This marks the sixth known settlement since a major $243 Million Florida Autopilot verdict.
Click Here to Read More
New Institute for Policy Studies, Alabama Arise Analysis Shows Public Transit Funding Could Ease Workforce Shortage
A new report reveals that Alabama's structural barriers to funding public transit worsens its severe workforce shortage. By investing $25 million in state funding, lawmakers could unlock $100 million in federal matching grants. This investment would create over 2,500 jobs, expand economic opportunities, and help rural and urban residents connect to employment.
Click Here to Read More
You Will Never Guess What Teens Are Doing in Waymos
A group of teenagers in Santa Monica caused a stir by hanging out of the windows of a driverless Waymo robotaxi to take selfies. Onlookers expressed concern for their safety, as some riders appeared young.
Click Here to Read More
| |
DoorDash, Uber Lobby to Stop Spread of Gig Worker Protection Laws in Alberta
Major ride-hailing and food delivery platforms like Uber and DoorDash are actively lobbying the Alberta and Saskatchewan governments to in response to recent legislative shifts in British Columbia and Ontario that established minimum pay standards and pay transparency, and other rights. These tech giants are pushing for an alternative "Flexible Work+" model, which maintains independent contractor classifications while offering limited, portable benefits.
Click Here to Read More
City Auditor Blasts OC Transpo Bus Scheduling
According to a scathing report by Ottawa's auditor general, OC Transpo’s recent "New Ways to Bus" route changes were primarily driven by a desire to cut costs rather than accurate data. The audit revealed that 29% of weekday routes had inaccurate travel times based on outdated traffic patterns, leading to severe bus and driver shortages, inaccurate timetables, and a wave of service cancellations.
Click Here to Read More
Oil Price Shocks Have Exposed Car‑Dependent Cities. Here’s What Governments Can Do
Recent global oil supply disruptions have sent fuel prices soaring, highlighting the vulnerability of car-dependent Canadian cities. To build resilient urban mobility, governments should build resilient urban mobility infrastructure by expanding EV charging stations, implementing rapid bus lanes, accelerating separated bicycle networks, and promotig dense, walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods.
Click Here to Read More
| |
Taxi Drivers Highlight Issues Within the Changing Industry
Taxi drivers in Letterkenny, Ireland, are raising alarms over an escalating driver shortage driven by skyrocketing vehicle costs and high insurance premiums. Local rules require new taxis to be wheelchair accessible, but government grants these vehicles are underfunded. Regulatory expenses like meter recalibration and license fees further burden drivers, threatening the future of the local transport industry.
Click Here to Read More
DRIVERLESS RIDEHAIL: Private Hire Drivers Halt London Assembly Meeting in Protest over Autonomous Passenger Service Plans
Private hire drivers from the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain disrupted a London Assembly Transport Committee meeting with a demonstration that raised concerns over passenger safety, increased road congestion, and the threat to the livelihood of over 100,000 drivers.
Click Here to Read More
Leipzig Halts Tram Service as Extreme Heat Melts Track Beds
An unprecedented early summer heatwave has forced the Leipzig Transport Authority to completely suspend tram services across the German city. Extreme temperatures exceeding 40°C (107°F) caused the bitumen joint sealants in the tracks and points to melt and clump together, creating unsafe operating conditions. The disruption is part of a broader, record-breaking European heat dome that has strained infrastructure, buckled power grids, and triggered hundreds of heat-related fatalities across the continent.
Click Here to Read More
| |
InDrive and JPOKU Collaborate to Build a More Inclusive Ride-Hailing Experience
Global mobility platform inDrive has partnered with Malaysia’s Department for the Development of Persons with Disabilities to launch a specialized accessibility training program for its drivers. The initiative equips driver-partners with practical communication and assistance skills. Additionally, inDrive is preparing to roll out app enhancements—such as screen-reader compatibility and intuitive navigation—to support passengers with visual, hearing, motor, and cognitive disabilities.
Click Here to Read More
Chinese Tech Hub’s Shift into Robotaxis Leaves Drivers by the Wayside
Shenzhen is expanding driverless vehicle rollouts, sparking anxiety among its massive workforce of ride-hailing and taxi drivers. As economic shifts have driven millions into the gig economy, the introduction of robotaxis threatens to exacerbate competition and leave human drivers struggling to earn a living wage.
Click Here to Read More
Sustainable Transport Activists Push for Karnataka Active Mobility Bill
Sustainable transport advocates in Bengaluru, India are renewing pressure on the government to pass the Karnataka Active Mobility Bill. Activists seek to establish legally protections for the rights of pedestrians and cyclists, mandate safer school zones, and hold municipal agencies accountable.
Click Here to Read More
| | Burning Gas Pollutes So Much, Dirty EV Battery Manufacturing Evens Out in About 2 Years | |
Despite persistent efforts to frame electric vehicle technology as immature or environmentally counterproductive, extensive research confirms that EVs are significantly cleaner than internal combustion engine vehicles over their lifespan. A common myth suggests that the raw material mining and manufacturing processes required for EV batteries create a pollution deficit too steep to overcome. However, a new report from BloombergNEF shows that a typical U.S. driver offsets those initial production emissions within roughly 25,000 miles, or approximately two years of driving.
This result aligns with a recent University of Michigan study that places the average environmental break-even point at slightly under two years. Because burning a gallon of gasoline creates immense ongoing pollution, EVs quickly erase the manufacturing head start held by conventional cars, even when charging on localized power grids that still rely on fossil fuels like coal. As regional grids transition to renewable energy and advanced battery chemistries emerge, this break-even timeline will continue to shrink.
Source: NYSERDA
| |
|
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.
| | | | | |
|
RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP FOR 2026:
Weekly news snippets
Access to the membership database
Videos and files from recent conferences
Discounted rates for future conferences, and more!
Renew your membership at http://www.iatr.global or email info@iatr.global for any questions!
| | | | |
