Robotaxis as public transit? Waymo thinks so (www.theverge.com)

Waymo announced a partnership with tech-transit provider Via to integrate its fully autonomous robotaxis into Chandler, Arizona’s Flex microtransit service. Starting soon, riders who book through the Chandler Flex app may be matched with Waymo vehicles for on-demand, shared trips that often connect to Valley Metro buses. The pilot will run weekdays from 6 AM–9 PM with flat fares: $2 regular, $1 for seniors and wheelchair users, and free for middle/high school students (Waymo already allows teens 14+ to ride in Phoenix). Via supplies the routing, dispatch and operations software that creates demand-responsive “flexible routes” and handles federal and accessibility reporting, while Waymo supplies driverless vehicles and routing integration. The move is significant because it embeds autonomous vehicles directly into a city-operated transit network at a low, predictable fare—potentially widening access to AVs beyond app-based ride-hail customers and offering a scalable model for other municipalities. Technically, it’s a test of coordinated on-demand routing, ADA compliance, and mixed shared-ride logistics with AVs. Risks remain: experts warn AVs can siphon riders from fixed-route transit and pressure budgets, but microtransit’s pooled, connection-focused model may mitigate some downsides. Waymo’s prior transit credit pilots and similar efforts by startups like May Mobility show growing industry interest in transit partnerships as a pathway to broader AV adoption.