Waymo’s pilot programme to encourage synergies with public transit

A recent pilot program¹ offered Waymo‘s riders connecting to or from specific public transit stations in the San Francisco (SF) Bay Area a $3 credit for future use on their robotaxis.

According to Waymo’s own study, 36% of their riders in SF are already using Waymo One to connect with public transport. This initiative is in line with Waymo’s ambition to build a broader autonomous vehicle ecosystem that supports easy access to clean transportation to reach one’s destination.

As the World Economic Forum highlighted in a recent article, AVs and public transport are complementary, provided that AVs are integrated and coordinated with public transport systems. AVs offer flexible, on-demand services while public transport provide high-capacity, scalable solutions, and tapping into their synergies would help address gaps in urban mobility:

• extending the reach of public transit in first/last-mile connections
• optimizing the use of underutilized bus lanes
• replacing inefficient bus routes in low-density or rural areas
• providing alternative transport services during public transport disruptions

Public authorities have tools to regulate and ensure that AV deployment enhances rather than detracts from the overall urban mobility objectives. Policy makers, public transport authorities, and the AV industry must collaborate to design an effectively integrated AV-PT system that optimize mobility services.

Sources: The original articles were published here and here

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¹ This pilot program ran through November 15 and credits will be available for use until December 31, 2024.