Passenger Ground & Sea Transportation

A union statement said that about 3,500 workers from the New York Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), who failed to reach an agreement on wages, went on strike Saturday. This halted the busiest commuter train system in the United States. The Long Island Rail Road is operated and owned by the state’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). It serves nearly 300,000 passengers per day. In a press release, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters union stated that a group of five unions had launched a strike. This was 'the first strike in 32 years. The union said that the workers went three...

Waymo announced on 'Tuesday that it was recalling approximately 3,800 robotaxis from the United States. They identified a 'risk?that vehicles could enter flooded roads and higher speed limits raising safety concerns. Alphabet said that the recall was a result of an April 20 incident in which a Waymo car drove into a "flooded lane" in San Antonio, during severe weather. Waymo stated that the vehicle was not occupied and no injuries were reported. However, the incident prompted the company's review of similar scenarios with high speeds and impassable roads. Waymo stated that they are working on implementing additional software protections,...

Local media reported that New Jersey reduced its round-trip fares to World Cup matches at MetLife Stadium from $150 to $105 on Thursday, after the original price was criticized by FIFA. The reduced fare is still less than the $15 that the same route would cost on an average day. It also exceeds the $80 round trip fare of FIFA's shuttle service to the stadium with 82,500 seats, which will be hosting?eight World Cup games including the final match on July 19th. Last month, the CEO of New Jersey's public transport?provider NJ Transit -?Kris Kolluri - cited increased security as...

Caixin, the Chinese media outlet, reported that a Chinese-owned oil product tanker was attacked on Monday near the 'Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump launched a U.S. Plan to assist stranded ships, but then suspended it one day later. Caixin reported on Thursday that this was the first attack on a Chinese oil-tanker. Since the Iran conflict began, traffic through this vital strait has virtually stopped. It is through which 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas supplies pass. Caixin reported that the deck of a?unnamed ship caught fire. The ship's marking was "CHINA OWNER & CREW". The crew...

The Labor Day holiday weekend in Mexico turned tragic on Friday when at least 11 people were killed and 31 injured after a 'tourist bus'?crashed? in the western state of Nayarit. The Nayarit government said that the bus was traveling from Jalisco and veered off of the highway near Amatlan de Canas. Officials said that the passengers were on their?way to a recreation center in Nayarit. Nayarit,?Jalisco and other emergency crews responded to the call. They closed the road and conducted rescue operations as well as investigated the cause of the accident. The Nayarit government shared photos of the bus...

Avis Budget shares were headed for a sixth consecutive session of declines after the car rental firm announced a second 'consecutive quarter loss' and a major investor slashed its stake. Stocks of the company have been on a roller coaster this month. Shares reached an all-time-high of $847.7 in April and then plunged about 80%. Analysts attributed the stock’s eye-watering rise to a “short squeeze” – where investors who bet against the company were forced to unwind their positions because of a rapidly increasing share price. According to data analytics company Ortex, short interest in the stock was last recorded...

Avis Budget shares were headed for a sixth consecutive?session of declines Wednesday, after the car rental?firm announced a second successive quarterly loss. A major 'investor' also reduced its stake in the company. This month, the company's stock has been on a roller coaster, with its shares reaching an all-time-high of $847.7 in April and plummeting 78% since that date, in what is being called a "memestock" frenzy. Analysts attributed the stock’s eye-watering rise to a “short squeeze” – where investors who bet against the company were forced to unwind positions because of a rapidly rising share price. According to data...

Joby Aviation has been testing the first point to point?air taxi demonstration flight in New York City for a week as it gets closer to gaining government approval for commercial electric'vertical takeoff & landing?aircraft. The Federal Aviation Administration announced a pilot program in September that included the testing of eVTOLs. On Monday, a Joby aircraft departed JFK Airport and landed in the existing heliport networks of New York, including Downtown Skyport and the West 30th Street & East 34th Street Heliports located in Midtown. There are more tests planned throughout the week. Air taxi companies are racing to obtain?approvals for...

This month, the stock index of car rental company Avis Budget was taken on a roller coaster ride by white-knuckle traders. Avis shares fell 70% on Wednesday and Thursday. This was their largest-ever two day decline. They had previously quadrupled, a sign of investor euphoria for "meme stocks" that have taken on 'life of their own. These moves are often made by firms that do not have an exciting future and are subject to bets on their share price falling. Matthew Maley is the chief market strategist for Miller Tabak. He said: "Avis has matured - it doesn't do AI,...

Shipping data from Friday showed that only five ships have passed through the Strait of Hormuz, including an Iranian oil tanker. This is after Iran seized two container vessels this week, and the U.S. has continued to blockade Iranian ports. The shipping traffic that passes through the 'crucial waterway' at the entrance to?Gulf? during an uneasy ceasefire, between Washington and Tehran, represents only a fraction the 140 average daily passages prior to the Iran War beginning on February 28, 2008. "Most shipping companies will need to have a stable ceasefire, and both sides of conflict must reassure them that the...

U.S. stock prices fell on Thursday in choppy trade as investors resurfaced concerns about AI-driven disruptions across the software industry. After Iran tightened its control over the "Strait of Hormuz", stocks remained near unchanged. Tehran released video footage showing its commandos storming the cargo ship it claimed to have captured, and demanded that the U.S. end its naval blockade of Iranian ports. Stocks fell after news that Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf resigned from a negotiating team. Oil prices soared after reports of air strikes in Iran, causing losses to be extended. Iran's Fars News Agency said that the...

As customers are wary of paying more at the pump because of the Middle East conflict, there have been early signs that the U.S. car rental industry is moving?towards electric vehicles. Hertz rents cars for Uber and Lyft drivers over a longer period of time than traditional rental companies. Requests for EV reservation increased by nearly 25% from February to March. Doria Holbrook is executive vice president at Hertz's'mobility division. She says that the West Coast has seen the biggest increase in EV rental demand, as gas prices are usually higher there. Turo, which is a peer to peer car...

According to shipping data and industry sources, the United Arab Emirates, along with buyers, have recently sailed several oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz to transport the oil that has been bottled up by the Middle East conflict in the Gulf. These volumes are only a fraction of what the UAE used to export before the U.S./Israeli war against Iran, but they demonstrate the risk that the buyer and producer are willing to accept to increase oil sales. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq have all stopped selling oil, or cut prices dramatically to attract buyers who are not interested....

Fuel prices are soaring in Somalia’s capital due to disruptions in oil shipments linked to the conflict with Iran. Many drivers in Mogadishu claim that they cannot keep their three-wheelers running because of the rising fares. Due to the conflict, around one-fifth of all oil and natural gas liquefied is now being shipped via the Strait of Hormuz. This has left African nations exposed and with rising fuel and food prices. There are no passengers. People walk or stay at home. "We raised the fares because of fuel price increases," Hasan Suleiman said in Mogadishu. The city is a small...

Sonangol Marine Services, a U.S.-based representative of Sonangol Marine Services, said that the hull of the Bahamas flagged crude tanker Sonangol Namibe was likely to have been breached following a blast when it was anchored near Iraq’s Khor al Zubair Port. A small vessel unknown approached the vessel on March 5 at 1200 local time. Sonangol Marine Services issued a statement saying that "the'small boat' approached the port-side of the tanker and a loud boom was heard a few moments later." The crew reports that the port ballast tank is leaking water, which indicates some type of hull rupture. However,...

The doors of the blue-and white trams creak as they rattle into the large square at the center of Alexandria. Many passengers can recite each stop off by heart. But the clatter of single and double-deck trams along this century-and-a-half-old ?line - a source of civic pride and transport alike for tens of thousands of daily commuters ?in Egypt's ?second city - is soon to be stopped. Next week, the authorities will begin a major renovation to replace the trams that have been in service for nearly 14 kilometers (9 miles) with a light rail system controlled digitally. This is...

Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority said that electric air taxis developed Joby Aviation will begin commercial operations in Dubai before the end of this year. Joby Aviation's first fully electric air taxi test flight in the emirate was conducted in June 2025. This is a significant milestone in Dubai's efforts?to introduce them to its existing transport networks. The Joby Aerial taxi, developed by a Californian company, is the "flagship" electric vertical take-off-and-landing aircraft. It can travel up to 160 km (100 miles), at speeds of 320km/h (200mph). Joby’s air taxi has zero emissions and is...

Sources in the industry said that insurance rates for war risks increased after Ukrainian drones attacked two tankers headed to a Russian harbor. Fears of more attacks prompted insurers to raise their prices. Black Sea is vital for shipping grain, oil, and oil products. Bulgaria, Georgia and Romania, as well Russia and Ukraine, share its waters. Shipping and insurance sources reported that war risk rates, which are determined by each underwriter and are based upon the value of the vessel, have risen to 0.5% from 0.4% a week earlier for calls to Ukrainian port. Sources said that the war risk...

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...