NYC Taxi Drivers Rally as Waymo Tests New Tech

NYC taxi drivers protest Waymo's approved self-driving tests in Manhattan and Brooklyn

NYC Taxi Drivers Protest Waymo Self-Driving Tests

Dozens of taxi and livery drivers gathered outside Governor Kathy Hochul's Manhattan office on August 26, protesting Waymo's newly approved self-driving car tests in the city. The demonstration came less than two weeks after the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission permitted Waymo to begin testing autonomous vehicles in Manhattan south of 14th Street and parts of Downtown Brooklyn. Drivers expressed concerns about job security as autonomous vehicle technology threatens to reshape the city's traditional taxi industry, which includes over 13,000 yellow cab medallions and approximately 80,000 for-hire vehicle licenses.

Testing Approval Sparks Worker Concerns

Waymo announced on August 14 it'd received TLC approval to deploy a small fleet of Jaguar I-PACE vehicles with human safety drivers for testing in dense urban conditions. Tekedra Mawakana, Co-CEO of Waymo, said New York City is "one of the most complex driving environments in the world" and the testing phase will help the company understand how its vehicles perform with heavy pedestrian traffic and complex intersections. The taxi industry's already faced economic challenges in recent years, with ridership dropping over 60% during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specific details about how many drivers attended the August 26 rally weren't available by publication time.

Limited Testing Area Announced

The approved testing zone covers Manhattan south of 14th Street and portions of Downtown Brooklyn, areas known for dense traffic and high pedestrian volumes. Officials didn't specify the exact number of Waymo vehicles that'll be deployed during the testing phase. All autonomous vehicles will include human safety drivers behind the wheel during testing, according to Waymo's announcement. Bhairavi Desai, Executive Director of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, said autonomous vehicles represent "an existential threat to the livelihoods of tens of thousands of taxi and for-hire vehicle drivers in New York City."

No Timeline for Commercial Service

Waymo began its NYC testing on August 19, but officials haven't announced how long the testing phase will last or when commercial autonomous ride-hailing service might launch. The company's operated commercial service in Phoenix since 2020 and expanded to San Francisco and Los Angeles in recent years. Governor Hochul's office and the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission hadn't issued public statements about the protest at the time of publication. David Do serves as Commissioner of the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission.

Drivers Seek Regulatory Protections

The protest highlighted tensions between transportation innovation and worker protections as autonomous vehicle technology advances in major cities. Missy Cummings, Professor of Computer Science at George Mason University, noted that "testing in this environment is crucial but must be done with appropriate safety oversight." Drivers at the rally expressed concerns about the future of traditional taxi work as self-driving technology develops. Moovit provides real-time updates for NYC transit and ground transportation options as the city's transportation landscape evolves.