Passenger Ground & Sea Transportation

The state transportation department approved Tesla to begin testing autonomous robotaxis with a safety monitor on Friday. The Arizona Department of Transportation stated in an email that Tesla applied for a permit in June to start trials for an autonomous ride-sharing service. It now plans to test roboticaxis using safety drivers in the Phoenix Metro Area. Tesla has not responded to our request for comment. It wasn't immediately clear when or for how long the trials would take place. Tesla's Chief Executive Elon M Musk stated previously that Tesla planned to launch an automated ride-hailing services to approximately half of...

The Trump administration announced late Friday that it had reached a deal with the federal government to regain control of Washington Union Station, located in the nation’s capital. The U.S. Department of Transportation, President Donald Trump’s latest initiative to increase federal control, announced last month that it would reclaim the management of Washington's Union Station. It is one of the nation's largest rail hubs. The federal government will assume control of Union Station under a new agreement signed by Amtrak and the Federal Railroad Administration. The FRA stated that "regaining control of the station will allow Amtrak the freedom to...

The Trump administration announced on Friday that it could withhold federal funding from Boston and Chicago, if those cities do not take further steps to ensure the safety and security of transit workers and subway and bus passengers. The U.S. Transportation Department sent letters to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and Chicago Transit Authority, requesting that they respond within two weeks to incidents in which passengers were injured. Sean Duffy, the Transportation Secretary, said last month that he could withhold as much as 25% of New York City federal funding if they did not improve safety among subway workers. Duffy...

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump signed an executive directive to create an emergency board that will conduct mediation in order to prevent a strike at the Long Island Rail Road. The rail road serves more than 300,000 passengers each day. Five unions claimed to have asked Trump for intervention on Monday. The unions threatened to strike the New York commuter railroad this week. A spokesperson for the White House said that Trump had acted on the unions' requests "to bring both parties back to the negotiation table and prevent an strike which could have crippled New York City and disrupted...

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced on Monday that the unions have backed down from their threat to strike at Long Island Rail Road later this week, which serves more than 300,000 daily passengers. At a press event, a group of unions announced that they had requested President Donald Trump appoint a board to act as a mediator after threatening to strike the commuter railroad in New York. This action does not mean that a strike will never happen. Gil Lang, the general chairman of BLET's LIRR Engineers, said that it is unlikely to happen in the near future....

Via Transportation, a transit technology company, was valued at $3.5 Billion on Friday following its shares' 4.4% decline in their NYSE debut. The stock opened at $44, which is below the $46 offered price. Shareholders can be sold via the internet Sell 493 Million Dollars to raise $493 Million 10,7 millions shares priced above the range of $40-$44. Investors are reviving the U.S. IPO Market as easing tensions in trade and expectations of lower interest rates have boosted investor appetite. This has led to the busiest U.S. IPO week since 2021. Via, unlike traditional ride-hailing services, works in conjunction with...

On Friday, the Trump administration announced that it would be launching a pilot program to accelerate the deployment of flying taxis. This is to help companies meet the regulatory hurdles in order to provide advanced air mobility. The Federal Aviation Administration announced that the program would include at least five public-private partnerships between state and local governments, private sector companies and the Federal Aviation Administration to ensure safe operation of electric vertical takeoff (eVTOL), aircraft. Joby Aviation has praised the program. "Aircraft in the program are able to begin operations in selected markets before full FAA certification. This is a...

Via Transportation, a transit technology company and a few existing investors, raised $492.9 in an initial public offering in the United States on Thursday. This is the latest addition to a September rebound of IPO activity. Via, a New York-based firm, sold 10.7 million shares for $46 each. This was above the $40 to $44 range that it had advertised. Via's valuation is $3.65 billion. The U.S. IPO Market has recovered in the fall window of 2025. This is due to an ebullient market, rising expectations of rate reductions, and the strong debuts of several big names. Investor anxiety about...

Joby Aviation, a maker of air taxis, announced on Wednesday it plans to add Blade's helicopters and seaplanes to the Uber App as early as next year. Joby purchased Blade Air Mobility's passenger service in August for $125 million and plans to launch its electric air taxi service worldwide in the future. Electric vertical takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL), or electric aircraft, is a new technology that air taxi firms are racing to commercialize to meet the demand for more efficient and sustainable urban transportation. These firms, backed by major airlines and defence contractors, aim to reduce congestion in cities that are already...

The U.S. Justice Department announced on Tuesday that it had dismissed a lawsuit filed against Norfolk Southern, after the company agreed to give Amtrak passenger train "highest priority" in comparison to freight trains. In a press release, the Department of Transportation said that the settlement reached with Norfolk Southern Corp. and Norfolk Southern Railway Company resolved allegations that the transport firm delayed passenger trains along Amtrak’s Crescent Route from New York City to New Orleans in violation federal law. Norfolk Southern, which controls 1,140-miles of rail on the Crescent Route, dispatches all trains, including those it operates, along this segment....

New York officials announced on Tuesday that since January when the city implemented its first-in -the-nation program for congestion pricing, 17.6 million vehicles have been removed from congested Manhattan. This is a 12% decrease. In an effort to reduce congestion and raise money for mass transit, the program charges a $9 toll on most passenger cars during peak hours to enter Manhattan south from 60th Street. A judge has put a stop to the Trump administration's efforts to end the program. He also blocked the federal government in its attempts at withholding funding or approval for New York-based projects. New...

A freight train crashed into a double decker passenger bus in central Mexico, killing 10 people and injuring at least 61 others. The train operator claimed that the double decker bus was trying to pass the moving train. Canadian Pacific Kansas City de Mexico, the railroad, sent condolences and urged drivers to obey road signs and stop at railroad crossings. Herradura de Plata, the bus operator in question, did not respond immediately to a comment request. First responders had cordoned off and photographed the scene. The bus's metal frame was badly dented as well as the front of its top...

Turkey broke ground on a rail connection between its Kars province in the northeast and Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan Exclave. The move was made to take advantage of an American-brokered agreement signed by Azerbaijan, Armenia and Azerbaijan this month. The railroad will be a part of the Southern Caucasus Transit Corridor, for which the U.S. has exclusive development rights. The aim is to increase economic ties and energy exports between Azerbaijan, Armenia and the U.S. The initial peace effort was hindered by the management and development of what is called the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity. This route will connect...

Transport services were halted in Tunisia Wednesday as workers demanded better working conditions, higher wages and urgent reforms. This added pressure to President Kais Said to address the deepening crisis. Tunisians have suffered from poor public services for many years, particularly in the sectors of health, education, transportation and investment due to a lack of funding and public investments, as well as frequent interruptions in water and electricity supply. Saied, a man who has been in power since 2021 and tightened it, accuses those he believes are conspirators, seeking to undermine the government and exacerbate social tensions. The three-day strike...

Air taxis could soon be available for Dubai commuters to avoid traffic. Joby Aviation has conducted its first test flight in the emirate of its fully electric air taxi this week. This is a significant milestone in the efforts by the city to integrate airborne transportation into existing mobility networks, as early as next. Joby is hoping that its air-taxis can ease the pressure on Dubai's existing ground transportation system and provide travelers with a faster alternative, as Dubai continues to experience increasing congestion. Anthony Khoury said, "We want people to commute differently." The company estimates that a journey from...

Shipping sources reported on Wednesday that commercial ships were sailing near Oman, and maritime agencies are advising them to avoid Iran's water around the Strait of Hormuz. The conflict between Israel, and Iran is at risk of escalating. Iran has threatened in the past to close down the Strait of Hormuz in response to Western pressure. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz could affect trade and global oil prices. Ships sailing to Hormuz have taken the latest precaution to reduce risks. They are now sailing near the coast of Oman for most of their journey. The Gulf of Oman...

On Wednesday, Iran and Israel both accused one another of endangering the commercial activity around the Gulf and Red Sea in the UN's Shipping Agency as their military conflict escalated. Iran's delegation said at a meeting of the International Maritime Organization security committee that Israel has recently extended its "unlawful attack" to include petrochemicals and gas infrastructures in Asalouyeh, along Iran's Gulf Coast. Iran's livestreamed statement to delegates of the IMO said that "These actions directly threaten international maritime security as well as the global energy supply chains." If the international community does not take immediate and concrete steps to...

Pasifik Eurasia Lojistik announced that it had signed a railway transportation agreement with a subsidiary China Railway for the launch of cargo train services on a corridor connecting China to Europe via Turkey, bypassing Russia. The initial plan is to operate 10 train services, and eventually 1,000. It is anticipated that the Middle Corridor will see a significant increase in freight volume thanks to the partnership with China's state-owned railway logistics company. The Middle Corridor, a China-Europe freight route that is promoted by the West, includes Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Georgia, as well as Turkey. Fatih Erdogan, Chairman of Pasifik Holding's...

The Brazilian federal police has officially accused former president Jair Bolsonaro of illegally spying on the authorities by the spy agency ABIN during Bolsonaro’s presidency. They have also named his son Carlos Bolsonaro as well as other individuals in a probe. The federal police, without naming names, confirmed the results of the investigation. They detailed the "existence" of a criminal group that was focused on illegally monitoring public authorities and producing fake news using ABINS systems. According to a statement from the federal police, although it has been delivered to the Supreme Court, its final report is still under seal....

Sources from maritime unions and maritime sources confirmed on Thursday that 200 seafarers stuck aboard 15 ships for weeks near the port of Ras-Isa in Yemen are now preparing to unload their cargoes and depart thanks to a truce agreement between Houthi militias and the U.S. Officials from the maritime sector said that the threat level for shipping was still high, given the Houthis' declaration that Israeli assets were open to attack, and the associated risks to shipping in general. In the past, ships with no connection to Israel were targeted and there was no guarantee of safe passage. On...

Archbishop Anastasios, head of the Orthodox Church of Albania, died at a hospital in Athens at the age of 95 on Saturday, the church announced. Anastasios played a crucial role in reviving the church in Albania, an independent branch of the Eastern Orthodox Church, after being chosen to lead it in 1992 following the fall of the communist routine which had actually ruled the Muslim-majority nation for decades. Anastasios was admitted to a health center in Tirana with influenza in early December however his condition shabby and he was airlifted to Athens to be dealt with at Evangelismos Health center....

A subsidiary of a German vehicle provider has asked U.S. car safety regulators for approval to deploy up to 2,500 self-governing electrical buses each year that are operated without steering wheels and other human controls, a. U.S. company said Thursday. HOLON, a system of German vehicle provider Benteler Group,. asked the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for an. exemption from federal auto security standards for its automated. electrical bus that does not have pedals, manual turn signals or. mirrors needed by a human motorist. NHTSA stated it will accept public discuss the petition. till early January. The petition, which will...

At least 12 individuals were eliminated and 33 injured in Egypt on Monday after a bus overturned on a. highway linking Cairo to the Red Sea coast, the Egyptian. health ministry said. It said in a declaration that 28 ambulances were sent out to the. scene of the accident which occurred on Al-Galala highway. linking Cairo to Red Sea coastal towns including Ain Sokhna. Domestic media consisting of the state-owned Al-Ahram paper. reported the mishap included trainees from Galala university. located in Galala city, one of the government's national. tasks in the Suez governorate. The independently owned pro-state Sada al-Balad...

A merchant vessel reported being approached with making use of small arms fire in waters 92 nautical miles northeast of Eritrea's Massawa port in Red Sea waters adjacent to Yemen's coast, British maritime security company Ambrey said on Thursday. The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) stated quickly after that it received a sighting report of a little boat with armed persons onboard, running in close proximity to a. small coastal truck, approximately 95 nautical miles. northeast of Massawa. Authorities are examining, UKMTO's advisory note added. No group has actually yet claimed the attack. The Iran-aligned Houthi militants have launched repeated....