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Waymo Offers Robotaxi Transit Discounts in Visa Partnership

Waymo is partnering with Visa to credit Bay Area riders $2.85 when they take a robotaxi and public transit within two hours, reviving a discount it tested in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

AI News Feed · 2026-09-22 23:34

Under the program, riders who use a Visa credit card for both a Waymo ride and a public transit trip inside a two-hour window will automatically receive the $2.85 credit on their Waymo account, applicable to future robotaxi rides. Waymo said the incentive is being rolled out first to customers in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The effort follows similar programs Waymo tested in San Francisco in 2024 and in Los Angeles in 2025, according to The Verge. The difference now is the involvement of Visa, which allows Waymo to verify when a customer pays for a robotaxi ride and a transit trip in close proximity to one another.

Waymo said the program is modeled on the region's public transit transfer discount, which uses SFMTA's new tap-to-pay Clipper card system to offer discounted rides to passengers who use buses, light rail and subway services.

"Shared mobility is a team effort, and Waymo's autonomous ride-hailing service can help people to more easily access public transit networks while enhancing transportation ecosystems," Adam Lenz, head of sustainability and environment at Waymo, said in a statement. "We're excited to partner with local transit agencies and further bridge the transportation gap for commuters, tourists, and everyone in between through Waymo's new transit rewards program."

Some transportation experts worry that autonomous vehicles will siphon riders from buses and trains, which could eventually lead to service cuts. Most ridesharing customers dislike transferring to another mode of transportation and simply want to reach their destination, while regular transit users, who tend to be more low-income, have difficulty affording many rideshare trips. Advocates also note that autonomous vehicles often position themselves as solutions to traffic congestion while also directly contributing to it.

Waymo is sensitive to criticism that it is not a true friend to transit. It cites surveys showing that over 50 percent of its customers in its top cities also use transit as evidence that it can work alongside subways and buses.

Alongside the discount, the company announced dozens of dedicated robotaxi staging spaces at Caltrain stations, which it says will help reduce wait times for commuters traveling to and from train stations. Waymo said it intends to expand both the discounts and the dedicated staging spots to more cities over time.