Waymo Pays $2.85 for Combined Trips
Waymo wants to position its robotaxi service more strongly as a complement to public transit. Anyone who combines a bus or train journey with a Waymo ride within two hours receives a $2.85 credit.
The credit is issued as Waymo Cash and can be used for a future robotaxi ride. It cannot be withdrawn as cash. At launch, the program is available to riders in San Francisco.
How the Waymo Credit Works
The payment method used is key. Riders must link a Visa card to the Waymo app and use the same card to pay for both the public transit journey and the robotaxi ride.
- Add a Visa card to the Waymo app.
- Pay for a bus or train journey with that card.
- Book a Waymo ride with the same card within two hours.
- The credit is added as Waymo Cash for a future ride.
Other card networks are not initially supported. Waymo says it intends to expand the offer but has not yet provided a specific timeline.
Robotaxis as Feeders Rather Than Competitors to Public Transit
The concept targets the so-called first and last mile. The train covers the longer and usually less expensive part of the journey, while the robotaxi bridges the gap between the transit stop and the rider’s actual destination.
Bus or train for the main leg, robotaxi for the connection: This is precisely the combination the credit is intended to make more attractive.
In many US cities, transit stops are farther apart than in Europe’s densely developed public transportation networks. An automated taxi can fill these gaps without requiring riders to book a comparatively expensive vehicle for the entire journey.
Waymo had already tested a similar model in Los Angeles and San Francisco. The amount of the new credit is based on a regional discount for passengers transferring between BART and the SF Muni local transit system.
More Than Half Also Use Buses and Trains
According to the company, more than half of riders in Waymo’s established markets of San Francisco, Los Angeles and Phoenix also use public transit. This means robotaxis do not necessarily replace buses and trains there, but are often used as part of a longer journey involving multiple modes of transportation.
The program also offers Waymo an economic advantage. The credit encourages customers to take additional rides because it can only be redeemed within Waymo’s own service. A public transit journey and a Waymo trip are combined → making it easier for a single booking to turn into repeat use.
What the Model Shows for Germany, Austria and Switzerland
Public transit networks are more extensive in many parts of Germany, Austria and Switzerland, a region commonly known as DACH. Nevertheless, the last mile remains a weak point, particularly in outlying districts, at night and in rural areas. In the future, robotaxis could serve as flexible, on-demand feeder services in these locations.
Whether a comparable rewards model would work in the DACH region depends on several factors, however. These include the approval of autonomous vehicles, standardized payment systems and partnerships with regional transit authorities. Waymo’s initiative nevertheless shows that robotaxis are intended not only as a replacement for private cars, but also as one component of an integrated mobility offering.
