D.C.’s Disabled Residents Have Dismal Transit Options. Would Waymo Help?

Advocates fear that autonomous vehicles will be allowed to operate in the District without accessibility requirements.

Waymo DC AP - 26079109671101

The possibility of Waymos in D.C. has already divided the city’s disability advocates. Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP

When Kelly Mack orders a wheelchair-accessible Uber or Lyft, she does so knowing that most rides will cancel on her.

Even when Claire Stanley’s rideshare is accepted, some drivers pull up to the curb, see her guide dog and tell her they don’t want her in their car.

As members of D.C.’s disability community, both Mack and Stanley are accustomed to “abysmal” experiences getting a ride. But there is a potentially powerful newcomer in the market, one that has already divided disability advocates: Waymo.