\n<\/p>\n
Two of the biggest groups to oppose robotaxi expansion in California are now formally working together.<\/p>\n
Teamsters 856<\/a>, which is tied to one of the longest-standing labor unions<\/a> in the U.S., and Rideshare Drivers United<\/a> (RDU), a group that advocates for app-based workers, said<\/a> on Friday they\u2019ll work together to push for \u201cresponsible guardrails on autonomous vehicles [(AVs)] to ensure public safety and protect driving jobs.\u201d The groups intend to advocate both locally and in Sacramento, the state capitol.<\/p>\n The partnership isn\u2019t solely about limiting AVs, yet robotaxi companies including Waymo and Cruise are racking up adversaries<\/a>, as well as<\/a>\u00a0allies<\/a>, as they expand. GM-backed Cruise in particular has struggled in the spotlight. The company said it halted all of its commercial driverless operations<\/a> on Thursday to \u201crebuild public trust,\u201d after one of its robotaxis struck a pedestrian<\/a> on October 2. The incident prompted a DMV inquiry. Soon after, the regulator suspended Cruise\u2019s California permits<\/a>, saying the company had withheld video footage from its investigation.<\/p>\n Along with calls to regulate robotaxis, Teamsters and RDU say they\u2019ll advocate for laws that boost rideshare drivers\u2019 compensation and working conditions. The groups argue that AVs threaten a whole range of jobs, such as those held by app-based drivers, long-haul truckers as well as bus and sanitation workers.<\/p>\n Peter Finn, vice president of Teamsters Western Region, said in a call with TechCrunch that they aim to \u201censure that the [transportation] law on the state level provides local communities the ability to make decisions.\u201d Finn added, \u201cofficials that people elect should make those decisions, not these appointed statewide regulators that are disconnected from what people actually want.\u201d<\/p>\n RDU counts 20,000 California drivers as members, while Teamsters 856 says it represents 17,000 workers in California. Both have recently participated in AV-focused rallies in San Francisco<\/a> and Los Angeles County<\/a>. Teamsters vice president at-large Chris Griswold told TechCrunch this week that the labor union plans to hold more rallies, to \u201cattack\u201d the issue \u201ceverywhere in the United States.\u201d<\/p>\n RDU President Nicole Moore told TechCrunch, \u201cWe\u2019ve aligned with Teamsters in our fight to regulate transportation, ensure full labor rights for all transport workers, and stop the AV disaster.\u201d Moore added, \u201cWe\u2019re going to be working together more, and we\u2019re going to invite a lot of people to work together with us.\u201d<\/p>\n Reached by email, Cruise spokesperson Hannah Lindow said that \u201cCruise\u2019s safety record over 5 million driverless miles continues to outperform comparable human drivers.\u201d Lindow went on to say that the firm is the \u201conly AV company to sign industry-first jobs agreements with local IBEW and SEIU members to help power and maintain our growing, all-electric service.\u201d<\/p>\n Waymo spokesperson Christopher Bonelli pointed to an earlier statement from the company, which said it \u201cprioritizes working transparently with policymakers\u201d and other stakeholders.<\/p>\n It\u2019s true that local California lawmakers are searching for ways to regulate AVs.<\/p>\n Last week, Los Angeles Councilmembers Traci Park and Bob Blumenfield put forward a motion<\/a> calling for more information on the council\u2019s regulatory powers in this area. And this week, LA Councilmember Nithya Raman told TechCrunch that her team is \u201cworking with the [DOT] to figure out how to better regulate them.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n