Google to Launch Rideshare in Bay Area

The service would operate through Waze, and take a different approach than Uber or Lyft.

1 minute read

September 7, 2016, 8:00 AM PDT

By Elana Eden


Since May, Google has been running a closed pilot in San Francisco for a rideshare service. It would take the form of a new feature in traffic app Waze, which Google purchased in 2013.

The program is oriented toward carpooling rather than chauffeuring.

This new service would be different from Uber and Lyft in that it would only try to connect people who are already going in the same direction, offering rates low enough to discourage drivers from operating like taxis.

Also, drivers would not be employed or even vetted by Google. As Ars Technia writes:

Those two issues—employment status and vetting of the drivers—have proved problematic for Uber and will likely cause legal and regulatory problems for Waze and Google as well.

Tuesday, August 30, 2016 in Ars Technica

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

October 28, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

A car drives through a puddle, making a large splash. Rain pours down.

California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour

If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.

October 28, 2026 - Grist

Lake Powell with much of the water evaporated.

Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River

Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.

October 30, 2026 - Yale Environment 360

People vote in Chicago behind blue privacy screens

Chicago voters approve permanent festival grounds, penalty for vacant property owners

Currently, major summer and fall festivals take over public parks for weeks at a time, drawing criticism from nearby residents

November 5 - Block Club Chicago

Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks into a microphone. He wears a gray suit.

NYC votes to cut outdoor dining red tape, speed up permitting

New York City also voted to allow the Department of Transportation to begin work on urgent projects before notifying elected officials.

November 5 - The City Reporter

People in Los Angeles going to the polls, following a sign with an "I Voted" design

California appears to reject Prop. 45

The proposition would have expanded the projects that qualify for a streamlined environmental review, effectively paring down the California Environmental Quality Act.

November 5 - Cal Matters