Latest news with #driverslicense
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Uber CEO Says Gen Z Skipping Driving Licenses Is Real—And Personal. His Own Son Won't Get One, And It's Driving Him 'Crazy'
Uber (NYSE:UBER) CEO Dara Khosrowshahi says the trend of Gen Z delaying or ditching driver's licenses isn't just something he sees in the data; it's happening in his own household. "I'm still trying to get my son to get his driver's license," Khosrowshahi said on a recent episode of The Verge's 'Decoder' podcast. "It drives me crazy. I don't know about you, but did you get a license the minute you could drive? It was just such a thing. It was a goal in life. It represented freedom." Don't Miss: Hasbro, MGM, and Skechers trust this AI marketing firm — Invest where it hurts — and help millions heal:. Khosrowshahi pointed out that the percentage of 16- and 18-year-olds getting licenses has dropped significantly. He called it a clear sign that personal car ownership no longer holds the same value it once did. 'If you look at the percentage of 16- or 18-year-olds who are getting their license, that percentage is coming down significantly,' he said. 'I think it used to be two-thirds, but now it's probably in the 50 percent range.' Asked if his son's reluctance to drive was a sign of Uber's success or that of a popular video game Fortnite, Khosrowshahi quipped, "Probably the two are mixed. I also think it's an indication of the urbanization of our populations, but I haven't actually looked into whether heavy Fortnite players are Uber users as well. I suspect they may be. Certainly Uber Eats users." Trending: According to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Transportation, just under 4% of licensed drivers in the country are 19 or younger. That's a big drop from decades past. In 1983, 46% of all 16-year-olds had a license. By 2019, that number was 25%. For 18-year-olds, the decline is similar: from 80% with a license in 1983 down to 58% in 2022. Young people are skipping licenses for a bunch of reasons. Many don't need a car to connect with friends anymore—they're online all the time. Others use ride-hailing apps like Uber and Lyft (NASDAQ:LYFT), or stick to public transit and biking. Driving anxiety is also playing a to a 2023 Washington Post report, aggressive driving and road rage were on the rise. Combined with mental health challenges, some teens now see driving as stressful, not exciting. Gen Z's hesitance has big implications for the future of transportation, especially for a company like Uber. But Khosrowshahi sees it as a sign of change, not disaster. "Uber's freed him up," he said about his son. That flexibility is part of what Uber wants to offer more broadly. Read Next: Can you guess how many Americans successfully retire with $1,000,000 saved?. How do billionaires pay less in income tax than you?.UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? LYFT (LYFT): Free Stock Analysis Report This article Uber CEO Says Gen Z Skipping Driving Licenses Is Real—And Personal. His Own Son Won't Get One, And It's Driving Him 'Crazy' originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Japan Times
22-05-2025
- Japan Times
Japan considers toughening rules on driver's license conversions
Two recent high-profile traffic accidents involving foreign nationals have prompted the National Police Agency to consider revising the rules on converting a foreign driver's license into a Japanese one. The agency revealed the plan Wednesday during a Liberal Democratic Party committee meeting on foreign residents amid concerns that the system for converting a license is too easy. The same day, LDP policy chief Itsunori Onodera visited a driver's license center in Tokyo to see how the process works. "We'll urge the government to make amendments" if there is a problem in the system of converting foreign driver's licenses, Onodera told reporters. On Sunday, two Chinese men were arrested over an alleged hit-and-run that injured four elementary school boys in Saitama Prefecture. The police suspect that the driver was drunk. In another case, a Peruvian man was arrested Monday after allegedly driving his car on the wrong side of the Shin-Meishin Expressway in Mie Prefecture and crashing into several cars before fleeing the scene. It has been reported that drivers in those cases had had their foreign driver's licenses converted into local ones. According to the NPA, foreign license conversions have been on the rise in recent years. Last year, there were 75,905 conversions, a significant leap from the 33,687 recorded in 2015. The license conversion process is relatively straightforward. Foreign nationals residing in Japan who have a valid driver's license issued in their home country can apply to have it converted at a local driver's license center after passing some tests. Aside from a valid license, other necessary documents include a Japanese translation of the license, and a passport. In addition, those seeking to convert their license need to show they have been in the country that issued the license for three months or longer after obtaining it. Generally, applicants then take a test on Japan's traffic rules as well as a driving test, although some may be exempt from those tests depending on the driver's country of origin. The traffic knowledge test asks a series of yes or no questions, such as whether drivers should drive on the right side of the road. Out of 10 questions, applicants need to answer seven or more questions correctly to pass. About 90% of applicants pass the test. In contrast, the driving skills test has a pass rate of only 26%, according to the Foreign Drivers Support Association. Applicants need to score 70 points or more out of 100 to pass. The current system also allows tourists to convert their license into a Japanese one using a temporary address, such as a hotel. Vietnamese nationals make up the largest group of drivers with a converted license at 15,807, followed by Chinese nationals with 11,247, according to NPA figures cited by Sankei Shimbun. 'We will be attentive to ensure that the laws and regulations are applied properly to those whose application of the rules haven't been strict enough,' former digital minister Taro Kono said. The NPA is considering making it mandatory to submit resident registration forms when applying for a license conversion and increasing the number of questions applicants need to answer for the traffic tests. Information from Jiji added
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter tribute show coming to Ringwood
A tribute show to Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter is coming to Ringwood. Sweet and Sour will bring its "electrifying energy" to The Barn on Thursday, July 24. The show will celebrate the "most iconic voices in Gen Z pop." The tribute show will feature a live band and dancers. The songs will also be accompanied by "captivating choreography and striking visuals." A spokesperson for the show said: "From viral heartbreak anthems to fierce, feel-good bangers, Sweet & Sour brings the best of Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter to the stage in an unforgettable night of music, drama, and girl-power energy. "This explosive tribute show features a powerhouse live band, dazzling dancers, and pitch-perfect vocals that capture the emotional highs and lows of young love, self-discovery, and unapologetic expression. "Audiences can expect to belt out chart-toppers like 'drivers license,' 'vampire,' 'nonsense,' and 'please please please,' with every lyric brought to life through captivating choreography and striking visuals." Tickets for the show are on sale now and can be purchased at More information about the show and the tour can be found at
RNZ News
16-05-2025
- Automotive
- RNZ News
Two VTNZ customers turned away after inspectors deemed their cars too dirty
A woman's son was unable to do his restricted driver's license test as VTNZ Mt Wellington said the car was too dirty and it was a health and safety issue. Photo: Supplied Two customers have been turned away from VTNZ because inspectors deemed their cars too dirty, with dog hair. VTNZ reserves the right to reject a vehicle if it is not in a clean and tidy state, it is contaminated or it is impossible to access and properly inspect critical safety components. Lynn was going for a Warrant of Fitness but the fallout from her dog was apparently too much for the inspector at the Kingsland testing station. She said the only items in her car were dog hair and bits of paper, as well as a little bag over the gear stick for rubbish. "There was sand, there was dog hair. I had removed the two metal crates that I have inside there for the dogs. There were some pieces of paper on the floor, like for example, opened envelopes or my notes for vet appointments. "Where the floor part [is] there was sand. There was no McDonald's, nothing like that, no food containers. I don't eat in the car and no drinks, nothing like that at all." If the vehicle inspector stepped on the floor, they would've stepped in a bit of sand, but her car was not filled with rubbish, she said. "I've seen some pictures of heaving, stinking messes of rubbish and it wasn't that. If they leaned across to check the seat belts, there would have been sand and bit of dog hair near them. "But I know that they weren't there to have a sleep in that space. They were just going to lean over." VTNZ told Lynn her car was too dirty for them to inspect it for a WOF. "The guy told me to go home and clean the car and bring it back. I got the impression he had allergies, and I said, 'can you put some gloves on or get somebody else to do it?' "I thought they were a bit ridiculous to be honest and a bit obsessive and a bit kind of kind of soft." She said she took her car to Workshop 7 on Morningside Drive, who did her WOF with no issues. "My dad was a mechanic and he worked in overalls and I did wonder later whether they would tell a bloke the same thing. "A tradesman with his car, probably full of McDonald's wrappers and all sorts of rubbish. Would they say the same thing to him to go home and clean your car before you come back and have us check it?" She said VTNZ overreacted to the state of her car. They provided Lynn with a refund. "These people are mechanics, they're getting into a pit underneath the VTNZ, there's oil there. They do all sorts of checks, it's about kind of the road worthiness of the car, not about the aesthetics." Anna's son was unable to do his restricted driver's licence test because the instructor said the car was too dirty. Photo: Supplied Another customer Anna took her son to sit his restricted drivers licence test at the Mount Wellington VTNZ and the teen was not allowed to sit the test. "I was in the waiting room and my son came up and the instructor had said, 'I'm sorry your son won't be able to do the test today because your car's too dirty'. He said there's dog fur and sand and we can't do it. It's a health and safety issue." Anna said the instructor told her he had failed three people the day before over the same issue. She provided Checkpoint with photos of the passenger seat. "Yes, there was definitely some sand and grit in the footwell of the passenger seat. There was nothing on the seat." Her rescue dog sheds but Anna said the car was not a health and safety issue, and the instructor could have worn a mask or put down a covering. "I'm very annoyed and yeah, it is bureaucracy gone mad. And actually it's quite discriminatory, I think." She had to pay another $100 for her son's test because of scheduling issues. "It means he has to wait longer and it's probably impacted his confidence in doing the test. We've managed to get into somewhere at a different place because this particular place is booked out for the next month. If you've got people coming in and doing tests again, it's just going to log jam the system, which had really got better over the last couple of years." VTNZ told Checkpoint they had no comment on the two cases. The New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi says anyone with complaints about their inspection should be directed to VTNZ in the first instance. Anyone not satisfied with the response can escalate the complaint to NZTA using a "Vehicle Certification Complaint Form'' which can be found online. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
CTV News
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
MOVE 100: Therapy Thursday: 'My girlfriend doesn't want to drive'
Ottawa Watch Sophie & Jeff from MOVE 100 talk about a listener's dilemma, writing in about his girlfriend's driver's license, or lack thereof...
