Widespread Taxi Strike Strands Thousands in eThekwini

Image: ECR

SOUTH AFRICA - A crippling taxi strike has expanded across eThekwini, leaving thousands of commuters stranded and disrupting businesses and essential services. The work stoppage, initiated by the Claremont & Kwadabeka Taxi Association, has paralyzed transport for residents who rely on minibus taxis as their primary mode of travel.

The dispute originated from a disagreement between the taxi association and the eThekwini Metro Police, specifically concerning delays and a significant backlog in the issuance of operating permits. The strike action has intensified, spreading beyond its original epicenters to affect wider parts of the municipality.

On the ground in Claremont, the impact was starkly visible. Numerous shops remained shuttered as workers were unable to reach their places of employment. The disruption also extended to critical institutions, including local clinics, where reports indicated that some staff members had not been able to report for duty, potentially affecting healthcare services.

One stranded commuter expressed the collective frustration, stating they had been scheduled to be at work by 7:00 a.m. but were left with no means of transportation. … The eThekwini municipality acknowledged the permit backlog in a released statement and announced that a task team would be established to address the issue and expedite the processing of applications.

Source: South Africa Today

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Zoox Opens Its Las Vegas Robotaxi Service to the Public

Image: Zoox

Zoox robotaxis — custom-built all-electric and autonomous vehicles that operate without a steering wheel or pedals — can now be hailed by the public in Las Vegas.

But this isn’t a commercial service just yet. For now, the Zoox robotaxi service currently offer rides for free. The Amazon-owned autonomous vehicle company, which launched the free service on Wednesday, has been chugging toward this milestone for years now.

The company spent six years developing its technology before unveiling its purpose-built, electric, autonomous robotaxis. Zoox then began testing its cube-like vehicles on public streets in Las Vegas in 2023. Initially, the test area was a one-mile loop around the neighborhood where its Las Vegas facilities are located in the southwest region of the city. The testing area inevitably grew to encompass the public streets around its depot, the length of the Strip, and some of the roads adjacent to it.

Earlier this year, the Foster City, California, company launched a Zoox Explorer program — a limited pilot aimed at early public riders, in Las Vegas. Wednesday’s launch opens the service up to any adult who downloads the Zoox app on iOS and Android devices.

While the new robotaxi service covers the Las Vegas Strip, riders cannot be picked up or dropped off just anywhere. For now, the service can only be accessed at five designated pickup and drop-off destinations, including Las Vegas landmarks like Resorts World Las Vegas, AREA15, Topgolf, New York New York, and Luxor. A Zoox spokesperson said the company will continue adding new destinations in the coming months.

Source: TechCrunch

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FlixBus, Greyhound, and the Future of Intercity Travel

For more than a century, intercity bus travel has been a fixture of American mobility, connecting towns large and small, carrying students to universities, workers to job opportunities, and families across state lines. But after decades of underinvestment, the sector fell out of the public eye, often overlooked in favor of airlines or passenger rail. Today, thanks to new technology, shifting consumer preferences, and a wave of industry innovation, intercity bus lines are experiencing a comeback. At the center of this transformation is FlixBus, the German-based travel technology company that now owns Greyhound and is working to redefine long-distance bus travel in North America.

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Pittsburgh Requests OK to Tap Capital Funds to Avoid Service Cuts, Fare Increases

In an attempt to prevent drastic service cuts and fare increases for two years, Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) sought PennDOT's approval to use capital assistance funds to support operating expenses. If approved, the move would shift up to $106.7 million in capital funds and allow PRT to use the money to plug a projected $100 million operating budget deficit for the 2025-26 fiscal year. PRT would use the remaining balance — and a mix of local, federal, and reserve funds — to preserve service and avoid a fare increase for the 2026-27 fiscal year. Although this move could delay some capital projects, no safety-critical projects would be impacted.

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Chicago's Pace Unveils New ADA Transfer Facility

Chicago’s Pace welcomed local and state officials to officially open the region’s first ADA Paratransit Transfer Facility at the Northwest Transportation Center in Schaumburg with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The multi-million-dollar project, funded predominantly through the State of Illinois’ Rebuild Illinois program, represents a significant investment in suburban transit infrastructure and accessibility. In addition to the new transfer facility, the project delivers expanded passenger amenities, including a modern indoor waiting area, real-time travel signage, a Ventra vending machine, and expanded park-n-ride capacity with new EV charging stations.

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Quebec Halts Service of 1,200 Lion School Buses Following Fire

Quebec's Education Ministry is halting the service of 1,200 LION school buses, citing a potential "defect" that may be at the origin of a fire earlier this week. There were no injuries in that fire. Prior to the fire, the bus driver managed to evacuate the five children who were on board. That incident has led to an investigation by Transport Canada.

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Canada Delays 2026 Electric-Vehicle Mandate for a Year

Prime Minister Mark Carney has delayed Canada’s sales mandate for electric vehicles (EVs). The progressive mandate would have required 20% of all new vehicles sold in Canada in 2026 to be EVs. Instead, the mandate is now moved back a year, and Carney will launch a 60-day review of the EV program aimed at making it more cost-efficient.

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No GO Train Service between Oakville and Exhibition This Weekend

GO train passengers who use the Lakeshore West line may need to adjust their routes this weekend. From Saturday Sept. 13 until the end of service on Sunday Sept. 14, rail service will be temporarily modified due to track work. As a result, there won’t be service between Oakville and Exhibition GO during this time. This track work is part of the GO Expansion project, which aims to improve train service.

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EU Brings Forward Review of 2035 Zero Emission Vehicles Target

The European Commission will bring forward a review of its 2035 zero CO2 emission target for cars and vans to the end of this year from 2026, in response to automakers' appeals that a total shift to electric vehicles is no longer feasible The European Union has set a target of 100% reduction of CO2 emissions for new cars and vans by 2035, which has been taken to mean the end of the internal combustion engine for new vehicles.

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EIB Invests €17.5 Million to Boost Electric Vehicle Charging Network across Greece and Cyprus

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is investing €17.5 million to support Joltie, a Greek electric vehicle (EV) charging company, in expanding its public charging network across Greece and Cyprus. This funding, backed by the InvestEU programme, aims to install approximately 2,200 new charging points by 2029, enhancing EV infrastructure in the region.

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Traveling in Italy in September? Strikes Are Set to Disrupt Airports and Rail Services

September is shaping up to be a disruptive month for travellers in Italy. With the legally mandated strike ban from late July to early September (franchigia estiva) now over, unions are returning to the picket line. Airports in Milan and national rail services are expected to be among the worst affected by upcoming industrial action, with walkouts scheduled for this weekend, as well as 26 September.

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'This Is the Last Straw:’ Aussies Warn of 'Horror' Taxi Scam

While getting a taxi was long the norm, Ubers - and similar rideshare services - have well and truly taken over. According to Roy Morgan research, over 7.4 million Australians use Uber, compared to 4.2 million still using taxis in 2025 - with Ubers also now the preferred method across every age demographic, including Baby Boomers. Some may blame things like convenience and set fees. But, others blame incidents like this one.

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KMRL to Introduce Smart Parking at Metro Stations with Lower Fees, Monthly Passes

Finding a parking spot is a major headache for Kochiites. Thankfully, the Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) is offering a solution. In a couple of months, the public will be able to avail the ‘Smart Parking’ facilities at metro stations at affordable rates – lower than what’s charged at most other parking facilities in the city and even by private contractors at select stations like Palarivattom and Vadakkekotta. While four/three wheelers will be levied Rs 15 for the first two hours, two wheelers need to pay only Rs 5. The four-wheelers will be charged Rs 5 for every extra hour while the two-wheelers will have to pay Rs 5 more for every extra two hours.

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Vietnam Billionaire’s Taxi Firm Takes On Grab in South-East Asia

Vietnam’s richest man Pham Nhat Vuong aims to disrupt ride-hailing sectors across South-east Asia as his taxi company Green & Smart Mobility, or GSM, battles Grab Holdings to be the top ride operator in his home market. … Mr Vuong sees GSM, in which he holds a 95 per cent stake, as a marketing tool to turn VinFast into a global EV brand. The ride service accounted for about 21 per cent of the automaker’s car sales in the first quarter. The taxi firm may expand to other Asian markets as part of parent Vingroup’s “broader strategy”, and into areas such as intercity transport, premium rides, delivery and corporate services, said GSM global chief executive Nguyen Van Thanh.

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Automated Bus Lane and Bus Stop Enforcement Coming to Santa Monica

Image: Big Blue Bus

The Santa Monica Department of Transportation, in coordination with the local police department, will start automated enforcement of vehicles parked illegally in both bus lanes and bus stops in Santa Monica, marking the official launch of its Automated Bus Lane and Bus Stop Enforcement, or ABLE, program.

Under the program, two front-facing cameras mounted inside Big Blue Bus's fleet, including a license plate recognition camera, will automatically detect and record illegally parked vehicles. Registered owners will receive a $293 citation for violations.

According to an agency release, the formal launch of the program follows a 60-day warning period that began July 1, 2025, in which violators were mailed both a warning notice and information about the ABLE program. During the warning period, ABLE detected 352 instances of illegal parking in bus lanes and 777 instances at bus stops.

"The number of violations detected by ABLE during the warning period is eye-catching, yet not surprising," Department of Transportation Director Anuj Gupta said. "It underscores the urgent need for programs like ABLE that help enforce existing laws designed to keep our communities moving safely and reliably. Clear bus lanes and stops will help us deliver more efficient service for thousands of Big Blue Bus riders every day."

Source: Metro Magazine

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