Waymo Offers Driverless Car Credit for Connecting with Public TransitWaymo Offers Driverless Car Credit for Connecting with Public Transit

Self-driving taxi company Waymo has announced it is launching a public transit credit program in Los Angeles.

The initiative follows a successful pilot in San Francisco last year, and is set to run until April. The intent is to encourage riders to use the Waymo One ride-hailing service to connect with certain transit stops or stations and then receive a $3 credit for future use on a robotaxi.

Waymo said the idea is to expand access to EVs and bridge the gap to other forms of clean transportation, making sustainable transit “more convenient and affordable.” This was underscored by the launch of the promotion on the Transit Equity Day on Feb. 4 celebrating the birth of civil rights figure Rosa Parks.

Eight transit stations are included in the program, and the $3 credit would be applied to people’s accounts the day after they make their journey, to be used within 60 days. 

Among the stations covered are 5th and Arizona; Lincoln and Jefferson; Lincoln and Venice; Sepulveda and Exposition; Sepulveda and Washington; Union Station and FlyAway, and UCLA Gateway.

These selections are not random; because the program is geared towards helping residents travel more sustainably to Los Angeles International Airport, a number of stops that are used frequently by LAX travelers have been included.

Related:Waymo Riders to Get $3 Credit for Public Transit Trips

While the credit could be welcomed by travelers, there also are benefits for Waymo. The company said it will gain insights on how people use its self-driving taxis as a first/last mile option and that it will be analyzed to inform future public transit integrations.

Research into previous integration promotions, which involved taxis with human drivers, rather than robotaxis, found that there was not a huge appetite from users to take rides to transit stops. Instead, they are often prepared to swallow the cost of the journey to the ultimate destination.

That would not be possible in this program, since Waymo does not serve LAX and has just started testing on the city’s freeways, having opened its service to everyone in the city in November.

“We appreciate Waymo’s continued commitment to expanding mobility access for communities in Santa Monica and west Los Angeles through this public transit credit program,” said Anuj Gupta, Santa Monica Department of Transportation director.

“We hope it helps make first-last mile connections with Big Blue Bus more seamless for those traveling to and from LAX and encourages more people to experience our service as a safe, sustainable and convenient alternative to driving.”

Related:Waymo to Test Self-Driving Taxis in 10 New Cities This Year

Waymo has announced plans to test in more than 10 U.S. cities this year, having delivered more than 4 million driverless rides in the U.S. in 2024.