NorCal SCI and ride-hailing service, Waymo, announce partnership to capture wheelchair users’ critical feedback

We’re pleased to announce a partnership with Waymo, the ride-hailing service as the company is taking the next step in its San Francisco testing and launching the Waymo One Trusted Tester program with select members of the public. Waymo has made a commitment to ensure that its ride-hailing service is accessible for people with disabilities, both in its autonomous vehicles and in rides provided through their local wheelchair accessible vehicle partner. At this time, their program is a limited research-focused initiative that will allow some members of the public in San Francisco to actively help them shape the future of autonomous ride-hailing.

For our part, NorCal SCI helps recruit a select number of wheelchair users to participate in Waymo's Trusted Tester program. while continuing to look forward to expanding this partnership with Waymo in the future. “We are thrilled to be partnering with Waymo to make sure that the ride-hailing industry and companies like Waymo have access to our community of those with mobility challenges so that these companies receive the proper feedback and input to make their services fully accessible to all those with physical disabilities. We’re pleased to be among the first organizations to be working with Waymo in the San Francisco Bay Area,” said Nick and Franklin, co-founders of NorCal SCI.

Waymo is beginning its Trusted Tester program with riders of all different mobility levels, and those who require a wheelchair accessible vehicle can hail directly from the Waymo One app and provide critical feedback on their experience as well. This will be a highly engaging program where Trusted Testers take rides for their everyday mobility needs and provide customer feedback to Waymo during and after their rides.