This is the monthly edition of the Transport Workers Union’s Transportation Technology Newsletter. We aim to inform and educate our members, the labor movement, the public and policymakers about developments in transportation technology – and what the TWU is doing to ensure that new technology doesn’t undermine safety or harm the livelihoods of hard-working blue-collar workers. For suggestions and questions, please email ewytkind@gmail.com or adaugherty@twu.org.
ITEM OF THE MONTH
MORE EXPENSIVE, AND SLOWER: A recent study of autonomous vehicle rides in Los Angeles showed that Waymo rides were nearly 34 percent more expensive than Uber or Lyft rides – and with pickup times and trip times that were twice as long. The study in Forbes of 50 rides in the Los Angeles area noted that Waymo’s inability to operate on highways and Waymo’s inability to drop riders off directly at their intended destinations led to higher trip times on average. In San Francisco (where fewer rides require hopping on a highway), the Washington Post reported earlier this fall that the fares of Waymo rides were closer in price to traditional rideshares – but still took longer. The day-to-day inefficiency and increased cost of AVs are in addition to the highly publicized safety incidents involving AVs, most notoriously the October 2023 crash where a pedestrian was dragged underneath a Cruise vehicle.
“Autonomous vehicles like Waymo aren’t ready to be unleashed on streets across the country. Big Tech is recklessly putting the safety of pedestrians, drivers, and cyclists at risk,” TWU International President John Samuelsen said. “And in addition to the safety concerns, a ride in an autonomous vehicle will cost more money and take more time than a traditional rideshare or public transit.”
THE HITS KEEP COMING: Cruise, which is still suspended from operating in California after the 2023 crash, recently admitted it submitted a false report following the dragging incident to influence the federal investigation into the matter. Reuters reported the GM subsidiary will pay a $500,000 criminal fine as part of a deferred prosecution agreement and implement a safety compliance program. If Cruise fails to comply with the agreement over the next three years, the federal government can proceed with prosecution. The criminal fine comes less than two months after Cruise paid a $1.5 million penalty to NHTSA for failing to report the 2023 crash.
GRAND THEFT AUTO: A Slate reporter used Waymo AVs to get around Austin, Texas recently – and at one point the car drove off with the reporter’s laptop and notebook when it stopped in the middle of a four-stop trip. Instead of being able to reach a human driver, Waymo support told the reporter “request a ride, and hopefully, you will get the same car.” The Waymo also stopped frequently in low-speed but high-traffic areas like supermarket parking lots — and took minutes to find a suitable drop off space.
“Driverless cars lack the essential component – a human operator – that can easily fix an inconvenient situation,” TWU Administrative Vice President Curtis Tate said. “And in so many cases, Bus Operators are the eyes and ears for many in the community, which AVs cannot replicate.”
Waymo also continues to generate negative local coverage.
WHAT ELSE IS COOKING
A HERO IN NYC: A MTA Bus Operator recently spotted what he thought was a 5-year-old girl by herself in a busy Manhattan intersection – and his hunch was correct when it turns out the girl was reported missing by her school earlier that day. Luis Jimenez was driving his crosstown M116 Bus when he spotted the girl, who it turns out had wandered off from school searching for a pet store after her pet fish died. Jimenez told ABC7 “My instinct as a father came on because if I see a kid in the street in need of help, I would want somebody to help one of my children or one of my grandkids.”
“This is yet another example of what we see in cities across the country on a nearly daily basis – a Bus Operator or transit worker who knows their neighborhood better than anyone else going beyond their job title and being the critical eyes and ears to keep someone safe,” Tate said. “A robot cannot do it.”
AIR TAXIS COMING SOON IN TWU MARKETS: Two critical players in the air taxi market are naming San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Miami and others among their first targeted cities to start service. Both Joby and Archer, two well-capitalized air taxi companies with major corporate partners and investors, are aiming for 2026 launches. Archer is eyeing California markets with the 2026 World Cup, 2027 Super Bowl and 2028 Summer Olympics coming to the state.
The investors who have placed a big bet in this market believe they have an ally in President-Elect Donald Trump who was quoted last year: “I want to ensure that America, not China, leads in this revolution in air mobility.” TWU will continue to lead the way in making the case for smart deployment of technologies in transportation.
“TWU is unyielding when it comes to ensuring new technologies in transportation are safe and do not lead to the destruction of good, high-skill blue collar jobs,” said TWU International President John Samuelsen. “We have consistently fought against attempts by techie billionaires to use public transportation as a dangerous experimentation lab – and we will do the same in air and rail to ensure we are protecting passengers and good jobs.”
WHAT WE’RE READING:
Robotaxi Company Waymo Snags $5.6 Billion in New Funding. CNBC.
Baidu Wins First License to Test Self-Driving Car in Hong Kong. Yahoo.
Lyft Teaming With Mobileye on Robotaxi Service. Safety21.
Is Tesla Engaging in Risky Behavior … Again? Telematics Wire.