Transportation Panel Hears Pushback on Waymo

Transportation Committee · Meeting of October 22, 2026

Cambridge's Transportation and Public Utilities Committee heard sharp opposition to Waymo robo-taxis from labor unions and a mixed assessment from disability advocates. Teamsters Joint Council 10 New England Legislative Director Bridget Quinn said a recent poll found 78 percent of Massachusetts residents oppose autonomous vehicles, while App Drivers Union Executive Director Autumn Weintraub cited a separate poll putting opposition at 74 percent. Department of Transportation Commissioner Brook McKenna told the panel that fully driverless cars remain barred from Massachusetts roads and that four legislative bills on the issue died this session.

Cambridge Commission for Persons with Disabilities Executive Director Rachel Tannenhaus called the question "complicated," noting no Waymo in the country operates a wheelchair-accessible vehicle. Councillor Marc McGovern said "a car on the road is a car on the road." The committee took no vote on the substance, only a 3-0 roll call to adjourn.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 2,700 words

Source: the Transportation Committee meeting of October 22, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.