Image: inDrive

Ride-hailing apps that allow riders and drivers to negotiate fares can lead to more trips completed, according to new research from Oxford Economics.

In partnership with inDrive, the world’s second most downloaded ride-hailing app known for its bidding-based pricing model, Oxford Economics analysed survey data from 5,000 drivers and 3,000 riders across seven emerging markets: Colombia, Egypt, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Pakistan and Peru.

Presented at a launch event in London, the research found that enabling in-app fare negotiation between riders and drivers can increase trip completion rates, expand access to mobility and lead to fairer outcomes for riders and drivers.

InDrive offers recommended fares to riders and the option of negotiating with drivers. Across the surveyed countries, around 75% of inDrive trips involved negotiated fares, rising to 80% in parts of Latin America and the Middle East. This uptake translated into increased ride-hailing activity, with 64% of both riders and drivers in Latin America reporting that they completed more trips as a result of being able to negotiate fares.

Source: Zag Daily

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From Left: Amar Ali, Deputy Director, Systems Engineering, NYC DOT; Mark Seaman, Senior Economist, Policy, NYC DOT; Nolan Levenson, Director, Bus Priority, Transit, NYC DOT; Phillip Betheil, Deputy Director, Bus Priority, Transit Development, NYC DOT; Kshitij Bansal, Senior Economist, LTA; Nicholas Ong, Executive Transport Planner, LTA; Mike Flynn, Commissioner, NYC DOT; Matt Daus, President, IATR; Howard Pak, Transport Planner, LTA; Kim Ramkishun, Executive Director, IATR; Kelly McGuinness, Director, Sam Schwartz Transportation Research Program at the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College

The International Association of Transportation Regulators (IATR) was pleased to welcome a delegation of three senior representatives from the Singapore Land Transport Authority (LTA) to New York City for a series of meetings focused on urban mobility, regulation, and governance.

During their visit, IATR helped organize and facilitate meetings with leadership and subject-matter experts from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT). These discussions provided an opportunity for regulator-to-regulator exchanges on transit operations, street management, safety, and emerging technologies.

IATR also introduced the Singapore LTA delegation to members of its global regulatory network during the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Meeting, connecting them with regulators, researchers, and policymakers from around the world. The meetings underscored the value of international knowledge-sharing and peer engagement in addressing shared transportation challenges across cities and regions.

From Left: Lisa Daglian, Executive Director, Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA (PCAC); Kshitij Bansal, Senior Economist, Singapore Land Transport Authority (LTA); Pat Russo, Treasurer, IATR; Janno Lieber, Chair & CEO, NYC MTA; Howard Pak, Transport Planner, LTA; Nicholas Ong, Executive Transport Planner, LTA; Ian Hartz, Deputy Director, Performance & Reporting, CBD Tolling Program, MTA Bridges and Tunnels; Kim Ramkishun, Executive Director, IATR; Kara Gurl, Planning and Advocacy Manager, PCAC

From Left: Grant Heather, Manager of Vehicles for Hire at the Winnipeg Parking Authority; Bharathi Kumaran, Deputy Director at the Singapore Land Transport Authority; Matt Daus, President, IATR

The visit built on the strong relationship between IATR and Singapore LTA, which was recognized in 2024 when Singapore LTA was honored as Regulator of the Year at the IATR Annual Conference. IATR remains committed to fostering these international exchanges and supporting collaboration among transportation regulators worldwide.

Limits on City, State Authority over AVs Proposed in New Federal Bill

The House Committee on Energy and Commerce held a hearing Jan. 13 on draft legislation co-written by Reps. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., and Bob Latta, R-Ohio, to establish a federal policy pertaining to autonomous vehicles, including robotaxis. The proposed bill would require automakers to develop a “safety case” for any automated driving system and submit it to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Manufacturers would be allowed to self-certify these safety cases.

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FIA Adopts IIHS Standards to Bolster Corporate Road Safety Ratings

A new partnership between the FIA and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) plans to strengthen the FIA’s Road Safety Index across the U.S. The FIA Road Safety Index evaluates organisations based on their road safety footprint, measuring the number of fatalities and serious injuries resulting from road crashes across a company’s entire value chain.

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Microtransit Service Updates from JTA, VoTran

The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) and Volusia County, Fla.,’s VoTran have made updates to their microtransit services. JTA is creating a new fare structure for its premium Connexion Plus service due to the increase in operation costs. JTA notes the decision comes midway through two weeks of community meetings across the city on the agency’s Fare Modification Pilot Program that’s set to begin next month.

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Tesla Poised to Be Early Winner as Canada Opens Door to Chinese-Made EVs

Tesla is poised to be one of the first automakers to benefit from Canada's move to remove 100% tariffs on Chinese-made EVs, thanks to its early efforts to ship cars from its Shanghai plant there and its established Canadian sales network, experts say. Under the deal announced last Friday, Canada will allow up to 49,000 vehicles to be imported annually from China with a tariff of 6.1% on most-favored nation terms. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said the quota could rise to reach 70,000 vehicles within five years.

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One Broken Elevator Can Derail an Entire Trip, TTC Riders with Disabilities Push for Better Accessibility

A North York resident says broken TTC elevators caused him and his grandfather to miss a medical appointment, highlighting ongoing accessibility barriers for riders with disabilities.

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New Data Ranks Halifax 3rd Worst in Canada for Traffic Congestion

New data appears to confirm a widespread perception among Halifax drivers: traffic congestion is not improving and remains among the worst in Canada.

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London Ranked World’s Slowest Capital City

The average driver in London spent more than five days in rush hour traffic last year, with the capital ranking the worst in the world for travel time. TomTom found that the average motorist spent 136 hours in traffic last year, as London led its ranking of the worst global capital city for slow traffic for the third year running.

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Ireland: Taxi Drivers Seek Crackdown on Apps That 'Reward Longer Hours and Penalise Job Refusal'

Taxi drivers have warned that the market in Ireland risks being “controlled by profit-driven algorithms” due to the rise of taxi apps.

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Scotland: Council Consults on Removing Taxi Driver Knowledge Test

Councillors have agreed to hold a consultation which could see the end of a street knowledge test for taxi drivers in Aberdeen. Under current rules anyone seeking a licence as a taxi or private hire driver in the city has to sit the test. Some claim it is outdated and it has been seen as a barrier for Uber operating in the city.

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Grab Faces Regulatory Headwinds in Indonesia, Its Key Ride-Hailing Market

Local media last week reported that the new rules would reduce the ceiling on ride-hailing platforms' commissions from the current 20% to 10%.

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Israel Moves a Step Closer to Allowing Uber and Lyft on Its Streets

The Ministerial Committee for Legislation on Sunday approved a draft bill to advance regulation that would allow rideshare services such as Uber and Lyft to operate in Israel, seeking to lower taxi costs for consumers.

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Oman to Launch Air Taxi Service in 2027

Oman intends to launch an air taxi service in 2027, hoping the move will boost domestic travel and attract a larger number of tourists.

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Image: Tovima

Greek taxi drivers began holding a new two-day strike starting 6 a.m. Tuesday, to protest schedules for their obligatory transition to electric-powered vehicles.

The greater Athens region’s SATA union has called the strike, and taxi drivers in Thessaloniki and other parts of the country are expected to also participate. Taxi driver unions are angry at a new provision, in effect since the start of 2026, according to which all new cabs granted licences to operate must be electric-powered.

They are also seeking tax breaks and access to lanes set aside for public transport. 

Unions want the deadline for electric transition moved to 2035, arguing that the current network for charging electric vehicles is insufficient. SATA says about 80 to 85 electric taxis are currently operating in Athens, out of a total fleet of 14,000, and around 200 nationwide.

Source: Ekathimerini

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