The autonomous taxi service Waymo says it will begin paying riders a small bonus if they take public transit the same day they grab a Waymo ride.
Waymo’s Transit Rewards program will give certain riders $2.85 in credit when they connect with public transit within two hours of riding in one of its driverless vehicles.
The program is currently limited to the Bay Area—$2.85 is the price of a bus fare in San Francisco—but the company says it will hopefully expand to its other partner cities, including Los Angeles and Phoenix. Eligibility is also limited to Visa card users, Waymo says.
It’s a curious incentive that could potentially solve a very real problem in California’s transit system.
Waymo could be solution to common transit problem
While the state has made major strides expanding its rail systems and improving bus reliability, California’s designed urban and suburban sprawl can leave a lot of residents far from the nearest transit stop…