4 ms·

> Waymo is public transport Is it? Doesn't "public transit" at least somewhat imply that it's a business that has to operate under the rules of some democratic

> Waymo is public transport Is it? Doesn't "public transit" at least somewhat imply that it's a business that has to operate under the rules of some democratically elected institution? Waymo will ban you, price you differently based on who/where/when you are, etc. I wouldn't expect any of that from "public transit".

gretch 3y ago
>price you differently based on who/where/when you are, etc public transit already does this https://www.bart.gov/tickets/discounts https://www.bart.gov/tickets/discounts -Seniors 65 and over get 62.5% off -Youth 5-18 years old get 50% off
- vlovich123 3y ago
  Muni is free for seniors and youth. That's a different kind of price segmentation than the kind of price discrimination that these companies can do. Also even without discounts public transit is substantially cheaper than taxi services (like 1/10th the cost). Some arguments I've seen is that the city should just make public transit free as you can offset the hit by getting rid of fare enforcement / fare machines.
- barbazoo 3y ago
  I was thinking more of individual pricing
OkayPhysicist 3y ago
People can (and should) be banned from public transit, too.
- barbazoo 3y ago
  I’ve never seen that happen and I disagree that it should. Not saying it doesn’t happen.
tialaramex 3y ago
Yes, it's public transit. Public doesn't mean "there aren't any rules" it just means public. You can't light barbecues in my local public park, and the bloke who tried to knife a bus driver isn't allowed to ride the public buses here.
- johnnyanmac 3y ago
  >Public transportation service means the operation of a vehicle that provides general or special service to the public on a regular and continuing basis consistent with 49 U.S.C. Chapter 53. From the FTA. and for those who really want to dive into the law of it: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/49/subtitle-III/chapter-53 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/49/subtitle-III/chap..., whose own definition is: >(A) means regular, continuing shared-ride surface transportation services that are open to the general public or open to a segment of the general public defined by age, disability, or low income; and in a legal sense, Waymo doesn't seem to meet even these high level definitions. So it's likely classified as private transportation unless I'm missing something.

gretch 3y ago

>price you differently based on who/where/when you are, etc public transit already does this https://www.bart.gov/tickets/discounts https://www.bart.gov/tickets/discounts -Seniors 65 and over get 62.5% off -Youth 5-18 years old get 50% off

vlovich123 3y ago
Muni is free for seniors and youth. That's a different kind of price segmentation than the kind of price discrimination that these companies can do. Also even without discounts public transit is substantially cheaper than taxi services (like 1/10th the cost). Some arguments I've seen is that the city should just make public transit free as you can offset the hit by getting rid of fare enforcement / fare machines.
barbazoo 3y ago
I was thinking more of individual pricing

OkayPhysicist 3y ago

People can (and should) be banned from public transit, too.

barbazoo 3y ago
I’ve never seen that happen and I disagree that it should. Not saying it doesn’t happen.

tialaramex 3y ago

Yes, it's public transit. Public doesn't mean "there aren't any rules" it just means public. You can't light barbecues in my local public park, and the bloke who tried to knife a bus driver isn't allowed to ride the public buses here.

johnnyanmac 3y ago
>Public transportation service means the operation of a vehicle that provides general or special service to the public on a regular and continuing basis consistent with 49 U.S.C. Chapter 53. From the FTA. and for those who really want to dive into the law of it: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/49/subtitle-III/chapter-53 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/49/subtitle-III/chap..., whose own definition is: >(A) means regular, continuing shared-ride surface transportation services that are open to the general public or open to a segment of the general public defined by age, disability, or low income; and in a legal sense, Waymo doesn't seem to meet even these high level definitions. So it's likely classified as private transportation unless I'm missing something.