Angelinos Line Up For Waymo Self-Driving Taxi: Get Your Ticket To Ride

SANTA MONICA, CA — The self-driving ride service Waymo One arrived in Santa Monica this week to rider excitement and teamster protests. The autonomous transportation service, developed by San Francisco-area corporation Waymo, is available only in specific locales and premiered at Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade and offers another solution for Angelinos to get to where they need to go.

According to a recent LA Times report, Waymo One, the robotaxi service supported by Google's parent company, Alphabet Inc., is available 24/7, according to the company. The rides are accessible through their app on Apple or Android. The service started this week in Santa Monica and will later expand to Century City, west Hollywood, Mid-City, Koreatown, and downtown Los Angeles into November, according to Product Communications Manager Chris Bonelli.

The fleet is also available in all of San Francisco as well as 225 square miles of Metro Phoenix, including several eastern and southeastern Phoenix suburbs, including Chandler, Tempe, Mesa, Gilbert, Downtown Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.

The Times reported that the fares are similar to those charged by Uber and Lyft.

There are a few steps to take once you decide to take a Waymo ride in Los Angeles:

1. Get on the waitlist.
2. Download the Waymo One app.
3. Tell them where you want to go.
4. Hop in the vehicle.
5. Start the ride!

A large kiosk educated passengers at Third Street Promenade, giving them their ticket to ride code. SWAG was available in the form of t-shirts and totes, and those who had the chance to ride shared journeys over X.

As riders lined up, teamster protesters were at the scene chanting "Hell No Waymo," according to a report from the California Globe. Teamsters Joint Council 42 president Chris Griswold spoke on the arrival of Waymo and what it means for the people he represents.

“We cannot allow the unchecked deployment of untested technology on our roads,” Griswold said. “Our priority is safety and the protection of jobs. We urge all local elected leaders in LA. County to hold companies like Waymo accountable by ensuring that this technology is thoroughly tested and regulated before more damage is done to our communities, as we have seen in other regions of the country.”

Whether or not riders will feel safe in the driverless car is another story. As it pulls up, the vehicle is smothered in cameras and upon opening the door, a feminine voice oozes charm and confidence to soothe nervous passengers.

Tom Hall, a Santa Monica Resident, shared his journey on X, saying it was a "spectacular experience" to ride in the Jaguar SUV covered in cameras.

According to the disembodied voice behind the wheel, riders must buckle up, and the microphones will only listen to you if prompted to do so over the app.

"In the coming weeks, residents can expect to see more and more Angelenos receive access to the service, as we'll begin selecting people off of our waitlist to experience Waymo One," Bonelli said. "We are also planning a second pop-up within this tour stop in the coming weeks at another location (to be announced) for residents to get another chance to secure their ticket to ride. And of course, residents of Century City should get excited, as we'll head there for our second tour stop beginning Nov 20."

Join the waitlist for the Los Angeles area rideshare service.

What do you think? Would you ride in a Waymo One? Let us know in the comments.