San Diego MTS fought Waymo and lost. It gets permit to operate here

By Noelle Harff | San Diego Union-Tribune (TNS)

Waymo officially has the green light to pick up passengers in San Diego.

Despite local pushback from the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System, Waymo succeeded in getting the final permit it needed from the California Public Utilities Commission to pick up passengers in San Diego and start training cars in Orange and Riverside counties.

Though Waymo is allowed to officially roll out, the app is not yet live. “Expansion will be gradual and guided by our safety framework,” the company posted on X on Friday.

Under state law, autonomous vehicle operators like Waymo are required to meet a specific set of safety standards from the Department of Motor Vehicles, which oversees the ability of the cars to safely operate on California roads. The California Public Utilities Commission ensures companies have policies in place to minimize safety risks to passengers.

The CPUC requires companies to submit these policies in a passenger safety plan, which Waymo did twice — once on Jan. 28 and then an amended version based on opposition and comments on May 26.

When Waymo initially filed its safety plan, it received 29 responses in support from organizations, individuals, advocates and elected officials around California.

Only two responses were sent in opposition: the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System and the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System Taxicab Advisory Committee.

MTS CEO Sharon Cooney objected to Waymo’s deployment, raising three concerns. She and the committee said autonomous vehicles could block streets or trolley tracks and disrupt transit service, citing the December 2025 San Francisco power outage as precedent. They argued expansion would harm the local taxi industry, and that local governments — not just the state — should have a say over whether autonomous vehicle service comes to their communities.

The MTS Taxicab Advisory Committee separately argued the service “will hurt jobs, small business operators, and the long-term viability of the San Diego taxicab industry.” The committee also argued that the deployment will widen the regulatory gap between taxis and ride-hailing companies.

They asked the CPUC to deny the letter outright.

“Allowing autonomous passenger services without guardrails opens the door to expansion into trucking and delivery, threatening even more workers whose livelihoods depend on driving,” said Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera, who is also chair of the Taxi Advisory Committee, in January.

“Autonomous vehicles don’t just change how people move. They literally replace people,” he said.

Waymo’s response: The MTS complaints are either invalid or fall outside the jurisdiction of the CPUC. “Local control is a policy proposal the commission already considered and rejected,” Waymo wrote.

“It’s disappointing,” Elo-Rivera said on Monday. The current regulatory system is “largely detached from everyday people,” he said, explaining how the CPUC’s impact ranges from electricity bills to robotaxis — yet the regulating body isn’t democratically elected.

The MTS did not respond to requests for comment when contacted by the Union-Tribune on Monday.

Waymo started testing its autonomous vehicles in San Diego in February 2025. Today, the company is “busy preparing to serve residents and visitors in the coming months,” said Sandy Karp, a spokesperson for Waymo. “We don’t have firm dates to share.”

Waymo has been fully deployed in San Francisco, the Bay Area and the Los Angeles area. It has also received approval to serve San Diego and Sacramento, along with a recent regulatory approval that expands across 18 California counties, including Orange and Riverside counties.

Waymo did not share its timeline for the other Southern California counties, but the company’s deployment is ahead of Elon Musk’s robotaxis, which have been spotted around San Diego.

In accordance with CPUC regulations, Waymo’s approved passenger safety plan outlines the systems and policies in place to respond to unsafe scenarios both inside and outside the vehicle; educate and orient passengers on the technology, the ride experience and safety procedures; and ensure customers can safely identify, enter and exit the vehicle they requested.

Waymo also allows passengers to contact the company during a ride through its 24/7 Rider Support, which, according to the company, guarantees a 60-second reply for calls made from inside the car and a 24-hour response time for emails.

“Engaging in harassing or threatening behavior while using our service is strictly prohibited,” the company said in its safety plan submitted to the state. If Rider Support is alerted to or observes “potentially criminal behavior,” the vehicle will pull over and call 911.

Waymo says it monitors its fleet with in-vehicle cameras that “ensure trips go smoothly.” The cameras can help find lost items, make sure the vehicle is clean and monitor passenger safety.

The company did not clarify how many cameras are in the vehicle, where they are placed, or when they turn on.

Waymo’s amended plan also covers rider procedures during service disruptions, like the PG&E outage that hit San Francisco in December, and policies on unaccompanied minors — who are not allowed to ride without an adult with a Waymo account.

Joshua Huneycutt, manager of the Transportation Licensing and Analysis Branch of the CPUC’s Consumer Protection and Enforcement Division, signed the letter Friday that gives Waymo the go-ahead.

“Waymo may begin fared driverless passenger service operations in the specified areas and with the Ojai vehicle platform, effective today,” Huneycutt wrote.

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