Why I Ride with Waymo: Eva

Editor’s note: Waymo One is the perfect match for Eva’s busy lifestyle. From running errands to exploring new parts of San Francisco, Waymo provides her the reliability and convenience she needs to get around. Read on to see how she’s enjoying the Trusted Tester program so far and hear some of her feedback for how the service can get even better.

Hey, Eva! Could you start off by telling us a little bit about yourself?

Sure! I live near the edge of Lower Haight and Hayes Valley in San Francisco, and I’ve been living here in the city for about 1.5 years. Although I was born and raised in Missouri, I fell in love with SF since coming to the Bay Area for school.

How did you first hear about the Waymo One Trusted Tester program and get involved?

I was so excited when I first heard that Waymo was coming to our city! I first heard about the Trusted Tester program through the SFGate article that was shared by some friends. Prior to this, I had seen the cars drive around the city and was always super intrigued by them and the technology behind them.

How many times a week do you use the service and for what types of trips?

I use Waymo about 4-8 times a week – I use it for running errands, meeting up with friends, as well as exploring new parts of the city!

In the video, you mentioned you don't drive yourself - do you mind sharing more about that and how you think Waymo can help people get around who may not drive for one reason or another?

Waymo has given me a lot more independence and freedom, as well as peace of mind when I’m traveling in the city. I do use public transportation a lot and walk whenever possible, but Waymo has helped me fill in the gap where other methods of transportation have fallen short. I have always felt safe in a Waymo car – never having to worry about having a distracted driver or worrying about safety traveling at night. Also, Waymo has made the whole process of running errands a lot easier with being able to add up to five different stops all in one trip.

What kind of feedback do you have about the experience so far - the good, the bad, and the ugly!

I’d love for the service area to be expanded to more parts of the city, but I’ve heard that should be happening sometime in the future! Another minor qualm is making some of the stops smoother, but I’ve noticed that the braking has improved a lot since I first started taking Waymo last fall.

Any memorable experiences you've had so far you'd like to share?

I did have one particularly interesting experience where the Waymo car I was in was rear-ended in a minor collision. The car was parked by the side of the road, and I had just gotten into the car when another (non-Waymo) car drove into us. Immediately, we got a call from inside the vehicle from Waymo’s Rider Support team asking if we were all okay, and they helped guide us through the steps of documenting the incident. While the autonomous specialist gathered the info from the other driver, Waymo’s Rider Support called me again to see if I needed any assistance and to help me arrange another mode of transportation. Although the incident was not Waymo’s fault, they made a lot of effort to help me get to my destination safely, as well as offering medical attention and physical therapy if I needed it.

Thanks for sharing that. Last question: what are you looking forward to most with Waymo in the future?

The fact that Waymo provides convenience, prioritizes safety, and is committed to sustainability makes it by far my favorite mode of transportation already, but I’m also really excited about Waymo making transportation more accessible and cost-effective for everyone.