FOR THE RECORD MY NAME IS GABRIELLE IS A PART THE DISTRICT ONE CITY COUNCILOR. I'M THE CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS. TODAY IS OCTOBER 28TH 2025 AND
THE EXACT TIME IS 209. THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED. IT IS ALSO BEING LIVESTREAMED AT BLOSSOM DOT GOV FORWARD SLASH CITY COUNCIL DASH TV AND BROADCAST ON EXPANDED CHANNEL
EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 AND FIREHOUSE CHANNEL 964. WRITTEN COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE EMAIL AT TCC DIGO AT BOSTON DOT GOV AND WILL BE
MADE PART OF THE RECORD AND AVAILABLE AVAILABLE TO ALL COUNCILORS. PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS HEARING AND AT THE END OF THIS HEARING EXCUSE ME AT THE BEGINNING MIDDLE AND END INDIVIDUALS WILL
BE CALLED ON IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY SIGNED UP AND WILL HAVE 2 MINUTES TO TESTIFY. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN TESTIFYING IN PERSON PLEASE BE SURE TO ADD YOUR NAME TO THE SIGN UP SHEET NEAR THE ENTRANCE OF THE CHAMBER.
IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO TESTIFY VIRTUALLY PLEASE EMAIL OUR CENTRAL STAFF LIAISON MEGHAN AT MDA AND DOT C0R YOU G IDO AT
BOSTON DUGGER FOR THE LINK IN YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED. TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET 143 TO AN ORDINANCE REGARDING THE SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF COMMERCIAL AUTONOMOUS
VEHICLE OPERATIONS RELATIVE TO WORKERS, EMERGENCY FIRST RESPONDERS AND RESIDENTS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY COUNCILORS HENRY SANTANA, AARON
MURPHY AND ED FLYNN AND WAS REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON AUGUST SIX, 2025. TODAY I AM JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL COUNCILOR HENRY SANTANA
COUNCIL LOUIJEUNE COUNCILOR FLYNN COUNCILOR MURPHY, COUNCILOR PEPEN AND COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. I'M GOING TO GO TO THE LEAD AND CO-SPONSORS FOR ANY OPENING REMARKS AND THEN WE'LL GO
THROUGH THE AGENDA AND WELCOME OUR FIRST PANEL COUNCILOR SANTANA. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU, CHAIR AND GOOD
AFTERNOON TO MY COLLEAGUES. GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYONE HERE IN THE CHAMBER. REALLY LOVE SEEING THE CHAMBER FLOOR OF OUR UNIONS OF OUR WORKERS HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND PROUD TO HAVE YOU HERE.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE ORDINANCE I INTRODUCED ALONGSIDE COUNCILOR MURPHY AND COUNCILOR FLYNN TO STUDY THE REAL WORLD IMPACTS OF AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES BEFORE THEY OPERATE COMMERCIALLY HERE IN BOSTON.
THIS ORDINANCE IS NOT ABOUT OPPOSING INNOVATION. IT'S ABOUT ENSURING THAT INNOVATION SERVES OUR CITY RATHER THAN PUTTING OUR WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES AT RISK.
TENS OF THOUSANDS OF WORKERS ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS TURN A KEY TO EARN TO EARN A LIVING WHILE RIDESHARE AND TAXI DRIVERS MAY BE THE FIRST TO LOSE THEIR JOBS
ALLOWING COMMERCIAL ROLE ROBO TAXIS COULD CREATE A SLIPPERY THAT PUTS COUNTLESS OTHER TRANSPORTATION WORKERS AT RISK OF DISPLACEMENT. THESE ARE MORE THAN JUST LABOR
COSTS TO BE CUT. THEY ARE PARENTS PAYING RENT, NEIGHBORS BUYING LOCAL AND TAXPAYERS SUPPORTING LOCAL ECONOMIES. THIS ORDINANCE CALLS FOR A PUBLIC STUDY OF AUTONOMOUS
VEHICLES IMPACTS ON JOBS, LOCAL BUSINESSES, TRAFFIC AND PUBLIC SAFETY. IT ALSO ESTABLISHES AND ADVISORY BOARD MADE UP OF LABOR
LEADERS SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, CITY OFFICIALS AND TRANSPORTATION EXPERTS. THESE ARE THE VOICES THAT BOSTON KNOWS BEST. THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO KEEP OUR CITY MOVING EVERY DAY.
BOSTON REFUSES TO BE A TESTING GROUND FOR UNPROVEN TECHNOLOGY STILL LEARNING HOW TO NAVIGATE OUR STREETS, OUR WINTERS AND OUR COMMUNITIES SAFELY. THESE PEOPLE WHO LIVE AND WORK
HERE ARE NOT TOOLS OF FOR EXPERIMENTATION IN THE NAME OF PROFITS. WE MUST ASK THE HARD QUESTIONS BEFORE LET LETTING DRIVERLESS CARS ONTO OUR STREETS.
WHO TRULY BENEFITS AND WHO PAYS THE PRICE? HOW LOCAL JOBS BE AFFECTED? WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, SMALL BUSINESSES
AND OUR CITY'S ECONOMY? BOSTON HAS ALWAYS LED WITH CAREFUL, THOUGHTFUL DECISION MAKING. WE INNOVATE RESPONSIBLY. THIS ORDINANCE IS IN LINE WITH OUR VALUES.
IT ENSURES COMMERCIAL ROBOTAXIS ARE INTRODUCED. AFTER CAREFUL STUDY WITH THE PEOPLE OF BOSTON AT THE TABLE NOT AT OUR EXPENSE. I URGE THE COUNCIL TO SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE TO PUT WORKERS
SAFETY AND LOCAL BUSINESSES FIRST AND TO MAKE SURE BOSTON IS A MODEL FOR RESPONSIBLE INNOVATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN COUNCILOR SANTANA, COUNCILOR MURPHY, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU CHAIR FOR HOSTING THIS MEETING. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO'S FILLED THE CHAMBER TODAY. I WAS WITH YOU ALL ABOUT AN HOUR AGO OUTSIDE ON CITY HALL
PLAZA AT THE RALLY AND ESPECIALLY TO THE APP DRIVERS THEMSELVES. BUT THE UNIONS WHO ARE STANDING BEHIND THEM JUST TO NAME A FEW. I KNOW THERE'S MORE BUT
TEAMSTERS LOCAL 2532 BGA THE APP DRIVERS UNION MACHINISTS UNION IBEW 2222 ALL OF US COMING TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE STICKING UP FOR THE
MEN AND WOMEN WHO MAKE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR VOICES ARE HEARD. YOUR MESSAGE IS CLEAR BOSTON WORKERS, FAMILIES AND FIRST RESPONDERS DESERVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE BEFORE DRIVERLESS
TECHNOLOGY CHANGES OUR STREETS AND OUR LIVELIHOODS. THIS ORDINANCE IS ABOUT BALANCE. IT'S ABOUT ENSURING INNOVATION DOESN'T COME AT THE EXPENSE OF JOBS, SAFETY OR ACCOUNTABILITY.
RIGHT NOW AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES ARE BEING TESTED AND DEPLOYED IN CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY OFTEN WITHOUT PROPER OVERSIGHT. PUBLIC INPUT OR UNDERSTANDING
OF THE LOCAL IMPACTS. WE'VE ALREADY SEEN REPORTS FROM OTHER STATES OF COLLISIONS CONFUSIONS FOR FIRST RESPONDERS IN JOB LOSSES IN COMMUNITIES THAT CAN LEAST AFFORD THEM.
IN BOSTON WE'RE TAKING A DIFFERENT APPROACH. WE'RE SAYING BEFORE ANY COMPANY PUTS AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES ON OUR STREETS FOR COMMERCIAL USE, THE PEOPLE OF BOSTON DESERVE ANSWERS.
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND HOW WILL THIS AFFECT THE THOUSANDS OF RIDESHARE AND DELIVERY DRIVERS WHO DEPEND ON THIS WORK? HOW WILL OUR SMALL BUSINESSES THAT SUPPORT THESE DRIVERS BE IMPACTED?
AND HOW WILL OUR EMERGENCY RESPONDERS, OUR POLICE FIRE, EMS SAFETY INTERACT WITH THESE VEHICLES IN HIGH PRESSURE SITUATIONS? THIS ORDINANCE CREATES A FRAMEWORK ROOTED IN
ACCOUNTABILITY, TRANSPARENCY AND WORKER PROTECTION. IT REQUIRES A PUBLIC INDEPENDENT STUDY NOT A CORPORATE PROMISE BEFORE ANY DRIVERLESS OPERATION CAN BEGIN.
IT CREATES A LABOR AND SMALL BUSINESS IMPACT ADVISORY BOARD THAT INCLUDES VOICES FROM THE WORKER EMPOWERMENT CABINET TRANSPORTATION OFFICIALS,
PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS AND OF COURSE AND ALWAYS SHOULD BE ORGANIZED LABOR AT THE TABLE. MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT REQUIRES THAT NO AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE OPERATES IN BOSTON WITHOUT A HUMAN SAFETY OPERATOR BEHIND
THE WHEEL. BECAUSE PUBLIC SAFETY IS NOT NEGOTIABLE. BOSTON HAS ALWAYS BEEN A LEADER IN INNOVATION BUT WE'VE ALSO BEEN A CITY THAT STANDS UP FOR OUR WORKING PEOPLE.
AND THIS HEARING IS ABOUT MAKING SURE WE REMAIN BOTH. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS HEARING AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU, CHUCK. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MURPHY. COUNCILOR FLYNN.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND THANK YOU TO YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND TO COUNCILOR SANTANA TO COUNCILOR MURPHY FOR WORKING ON THIS PROPOSAL WHILE ENSURING
THE VOICES OF WORKING MEN AND WOMEN ARE HEARD AND RESPECTED. I'D LIKE TO START OFF BY SAYING THIS HEARING IS ABOUT MAKING SURE INNOVATION DOESN'T
NEGATIVELY IMPACT WORKERS STEAMROLL WORKERS, JEOPARDIZE PUBLIC SAFETY, UNDERMINE OUR LOCAL ECONOMY.
WE NEED TO BE ASKING WHAT THIS IMPACT WILL HAVE ON THE RESIDENTS OF BOSTON. BEFORE I BEGIN LIKE COUNCILOR MURPHY AND COUNCIL SANTÉ AND I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE ORGANIZED LABOR
THAT IS HERE COMMUNITY PARTNERS ,COMMUNITY LABOR UNITED GREATER BOSTON LABOR COUNCIL AND SO MANY UNIONS. I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ADVOCATES FOR PERSONS WITH
DISABILITIES THAT ARE HERE AS WELL AND I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE AND THANK CONSTITUENTS MANY FROM THE CHINATOWN COMMUNITY INCLUDING THE CHINESE PROGRESSIVE
ASSOCIATION THAT'S ALSO HERE RIDESHARE DRIVERS WHO ARE TRYING TO UNIONIZE AND MAKE UP 40,000 WORKERS IN BOSTON SPOKE
RECENTLY ON POURING THEIR SAVINGS INTO VEHICLES PURCHASED ONLY TO BE THREATENED BY EVS. UNION LEADERS REJECTED. UNION LEADERS REJECTED THEIR
SKILLED HARDWORKING DRIVERS BEING REPLACED BY THESE AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES RIGHTFULLY SO. THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY SAFETY TRANSPORTATION MINISTRY
REPORTED THAT WAYMO, THE CURRENT LEADER OF AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES, WAS INVOLVED IN 200 CRASHES BETWEEN 2021 2024, 31 RESULTED IN INJURIES.
THIS PAST MAY, MAYO'S TECHNOLOGY FAILED AS THEY RECALLED ABOUT 1200 VEHICLES. SAFETY IS A CRITICAL PART OF THIS DISCUSSION.
BOSTON IS ONE OF THE OLDEST CITIES IN THE COUNTRY NOW OR STREETS ONE WAYS ALLEYS AND THEY LACK A TRADITIONAL GRID SYSTEM THAT MANY CITIES DO HAVE
ESPECIALLY IN DOWNTOWN BOSTON WHICH WHICH I REPRESENT AS WELL. OUR STREETS ARE ALSO CONGESTED NOW WITH THE RECENT ADDITION
OF MOPEDS AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES HAVE IN MY PLACE DON'T HAVE A PLACE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE IMPACT IT HAS ON PUBLIC SAFETY
PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AND I DON'T LIKE TO SEE JOBS BEING TAKEN AWAY FROM SKILLED WORKERS THAT ARE TRYING TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU.
COUNCILOR FLYNN, I JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR BRIGHT AND COUNCILOR MEJIA WHO CAME FIRST. I'M SORRY, BRAYDEN AND THEN MEJIA. OKAY, GREAT. AND JUST A REMINDER WE LOVE ENTHUSIASM AND WE LOVE PARTICIPATION AND LOCAL
DEMOCRACY. PURSUANT TO COUNCIL RULES, THERE WILL BE NO DEMONSTRATION OF APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL OR SIGNS. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING. WE APPRECIATE YOU AGAIN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE ADMINISTRATION. THEY WERE INVITED HERE AND THEY SENT THIS LETTER.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO READ IT INTO THE RECORD AND THEN WELCOME OUR FIRST PANEL FOR THEIR TESTIMONY. THANK YOU FOR INVITING US TO THE HEARING HELD BY THE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE ON DOCKET 1432 AN ORDINANCE
REGARDING THE SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF COMMERCIAL AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE OPERATIONS RELATIVE TO WORKERS EMERGENCY FIRST RESPONDERS AND RESIDENTS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND INVITING RESIDENTS, LABOR
UNIONS, ADVOCATES AND TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES TO BE A PART OF THIS IMPORTANT CONVERSATION. AS MEMBERS OF THE ADMINISTRATION TESTIFIED AT A HEARING ON JULY 24TH 2025 FOR
DOCKET 1141 IN ORDER FOR A HEARING TO EVALUATE AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE OPERATIONS IN BOSTON, WE SUBMIT THIS SUMMARY OF PREVIOUS STATEMENTS AND LOOK FORWARD TO REVIEWING TESTIMONY FROM THE PUBLIC.
CHIEF OF STREETS JOSHUA FRANKLIN HODGE TESTIFIED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF WAYMO TECHNOLOGY AS WELL AS THE POTENTIAL DISRUPTION IT COULD BRING. CHIEF FRANKLIN HODGE SPECIFICALLY RAISED CONCERNS
ABOUT WAYMO'S ABILITY TO NAVIGATE FIRST RESPONDERS ON BOSTON STREETS CONSTRUCTION ZONES, WINTERY CONDITIONS AND THE NEED FOR WAYMO TO PROVE ITS CAPABILITIES IN THE CONTEXT OF OUR CITY STREETS. HE ALSO DISCUSSED QUESTIONS
AROUND WAYMO'S ABILITY TO SERVE ALL BOSTONIANS PARTICULARLY THOSE WITH DISABILITIES. SENIOR LABOR ADVISER LOU AMANDA RINI TESTIFIED ABOUT THE ADMINISTRATION'S CONCERNS THAT WAYMO'S OPERATIONS COULD
UNDERCUT RIDESHARE DRIVERS WORKING FOR SERVICES LIKE UBER AND LYFT IN PARTICULAR. SENIOR ADVISOR AMANDA RAINEY FLAGGED THAT THE FIRST IN THE NATION COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RIGHTS THAT RIDESHARE DRIVERS
WON IN 2024 BALLOT INITIATIVE. AS A CITY WE MUST CONTINUE TO STAND UP FOR OUR RESIDENTS RIGHTS. SHINN PC CHIEF RESEARCH AND DATA OFFICER TESTIFIED ABOUT THE RESEARCH AND DATA FROM WAYMO'S INTRODUCTION.
IN OTHER AMERICAN CITIES AND OUR DESIRE TO BE ABLE TO CLOSELY EVALUATE THE IMPACT OF THEIR OPERATIONS HERE IN BOSTON. THE FULL ADMINISTRATION TESTIMONY CAN BE VIEWED ON YOUTUBE.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUED COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY COUNCIL RESIDENTS AND STAKEHOLDERS ON THIS ISSUE. SINCERELY CLAIR KELLEY, DIRECTOR OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS. OKAY, NOW WE'RE GOING TO
TRANSITION TO HEAR TESTIMONY FROM DRIVERS SO I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE MIKE ORTIZ FROM THE TEAMSTERS VICTORIA ACOSTA AT DRIVERS UNION. ABBY O'BRIEN FROM THE TEAMSTERS, OUR PARTNER FROM THE
DRIVERS UNION. JACK MEYER FROM THE TEAMSTERS ONE THE LEAP FROM THE DRIVERS UNION COME UP AND TAKE SOME SEATS HERE SO WE WILL HEAR TESTIMONY FROM THEM. THIS IS THE TESTIMONY SLASH
PANEL HYBRID AND THEN IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THAT WE'LL HEAR FROM THEIR UNION REPRESENTATIVES WHERE MY COLLEAGUES WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK THEIR REPRESENTATIVES QUESTIONS, WILL
GO TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY BECAUSE THE LIST IS LONG AND THEN WE'LL GO TO THE AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE PANEL AND THEN AGAIN FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY. WELCOME TO THE CHAMBERS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU TO JONATHAN.
OKAY. OKAY. JUST AS THEY'RE COMING DOWN TO THE FLOOR, JUST A REMINDER PURSUANT TO COUNCIL RULES, NO DEMONSTRATION OF APPROVAL, DISAPPROVAL OR SIGNS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR UNDERSTANDING AND MY AMAZING COLLEAGUE COUNCILOR AT LARGE HENRY SANTANA WILL TRANSLATE INTO SPANISH SO YOU DON'T WHEN I LOOK BACK ON SANDY HOOK AND
ALL THE TRIALS GET THE MEMO APPARENTLY I'M GOING BUT I'LL TRY AND FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED IF ALL COUNTRIES THAT ARE PROMOTING IT AS A POLITICAL.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR SANTANA AND WE'VE ALSO BEEN JOINED BY VICE CHAIR WEBER. OKAY. SEEING THAT YOU'RE FIRST ON MY LIST, WE'LL GO TO MIKE ORTIZ FROM THE TEAMSTERS AND THEN VICTORIA, FROM YOUR ADDRESS YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS MICHAEL ORTIZ. I AM A TEAM TO WASTE DRIVER OF YOUR PUBLIC SERVICES LAST SUMMER AS MANY OF YOU REMEMBER
MY COWORKERS AND I WENT ON STRIKE AFTER TWO MONTHS WE WON THE STRIKE AND SECURED MASSIVE WAGE INCREASES. THIS HAD MADE IT EASIER FOR
ME TO PAY FOR RENT, BUY GROCERIES AND SUPPORT MY FAMILY . BUT NOW TEAMSTERS FACE A DIFFERENT THREAT DRIVERLESS
VEHICLES BIG TECH COMPANIES THAT ARE PUSHING THIS WON'T STOP UNTIL THEY'VE AUTOMATED EVERY DRIVING JOB IN THE STATE. RIGHT NOW WAYMO IS COMING FOR
OUR BROTHERS AND OUR SISTERS IN THE APP DRIVER UNION. PRETTY SOON BIG TECHS WILL COME FOR DELIVERING FREIGHT SANITATION AND EVERYTHING ELSE
. THIS ISN'T THIS ISN'T ABOUT INNOVATION. THIS IS ABOUT WHO WHO GETS TO HAVE TO PUT FOOD ON THEIR TABLES, A ROOF OVER THEIR HEADS.
I'VE BEEN A PROFESSIONAL DRIVER FOR 20 YEARS. THIS IS ALL I EVER KNOW. I PUT EVERYTHING INTO IT TO PROVIDE FOR MY FAMILY.
WHAT HAPPENS IF MY JOB DISAPPEARS? WHAT HAPPENS TO TWO WORKERS IN THEIR FORTIES AND FIFTIES WHO CAN'T FIND ANOTHER JOB WITH THE
SAME PAY AND BENEFITS? WHAT HAPPENS TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT RELY ON UNION JOBS TO SURVIVE WHEN YOU REPLACE PEOPLE WITH MACHINES
YOU JUST DON'T CUT A JOB YOU HEALTH CARE, PENSIONS, MORTGAGES, TUITION, TOYS FOR CHILDREN'S FOR THE HOLIDAYS WE PUBLIC SERVICES THOUGHT NOTHING
OF SPENDING TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO FIGHT THEIR OWN WORK IS WHEN THEY WENT ON STRIKE THEY WOULDN'T THINK NOTHING OF ELIMINATING OUR JOBS ALL TOGETHER.
SO TO THE MEMBERS OF THIS BODY WHO SUPPORTED US DURING OUR STRIKE I AM ETERNALLY GRATEFUL. I AM ASKING YOU I AM ASKING FOR
YOUR SUPPORT ONCE AGAIN PROTECT EVERY DRIVER WHO IS WORKING HARD AND SUPPORTIVE THEIR FAMILIES VOTE IN FAVOR OF THE ORDINANCE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU MIKE. OH PLEASE NO EVIL, PLEASE. NO SIGNS OF APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL PLEASE. THANK YOU, VICTORIA AND THEN
ABBY WHEN I START THIS WHEN I STARTED SCHOOL SALES I MEAN VICTORIA GOES DOWN SO YOU KNOW ABOUT YOUR SON. MY BROTHER IS IN THE CATHOLIC ON THE TORIES. THE APPLICATION IS GOOD AFTERNOON COUNSELORS.
MY NAME IS VICTORIA COSTA AND I AM A PROUD MEMBER OF THE APP DRIVERS UNION. LET'S CONSIDER THAT IN LESS CONSEQUENTIAL A PERMITTED
CLAUSE TAXES REWARD CIRCLE IMPORTANT EXTRAS GUYS THE ANIMAL KEPT INSIDE MASSAGE YEAH THEY LIKE NO BASIN REALLY STUDIES ADOLESCENT GLORY THAT THEY MUST GO AND SEE LATER, CONROY SAYS MACINNES I MEAN
THAT'S ONLY A STUDY UP THEY LOOK TERRIBLE. HOW OLD IS THEN? WAS THAT UNFAMILIAR IN THE ALASKAN ARMY THAT IS ALASKA BETTER THAN ME? SAMUS I'M ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER THE CONSEQUENCES OF ALLOWING ROBOTAXIS ONTO OUR
STREETS. WE HAVE TO THINK BEYOND INNOVATION AND SAFETY STATICS. WE NEED TO CONSIDER HOW THESE MACHINES TREAT THE STABILITY OF WORKERS. OUR FAMILIES AND THE
COMMUNITIES THAT WE ARE PART OF. WELL THE GO TO THE TORRES BIRTHDAY MOST RECENTLY ECONOMIA LOCAL FOSSIL FREE SO THEY NEED
US NOT ALLOWED BY LAW AS THEY ARE THOSE RESTAURANT IS NOT TO NOT LET CAFETERIA VEGAS NO SO THROUGH THAT BEN DEMOS THEY USE E-MAILS THEY SPEND AND THEN ALSO GOT SOMEONE WHO WAS PRETTY
NARROW AND I SUPPOSE MY SCENARIO YOU GOT IT A LOT NO COMPRAR COFFEE NO THEY HAD BEEN IN POOR GERARDO SPEAKING HE WAS NEGOTIATING WITH THE COMPANY THAT WHEN DRIVERS LOSE INCOME OUR WHOLE LOCAL ECONOMY SUFFERS
GAS STATIONS, CAR WASHES, LATE NIGHT RESTROOMS, COFFEE SHOPS AND CORNER STORES WE DEPEND ON THEM. THEY DEPEND ON US. WE SPEND MONEY IN OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS. A ROBOT CANNOT DOES A ROBOT CAR DOES NOT BUY COFFEE. IT DOESN'T TIP IT. DAWSON SUPPORTS SMALL BUSINESSES, PARENT ETC. DOES
ALL WELL ECONOMY SECRETARY LAS PERSONAS GLORIA SAID LEHMAN WAS VECINOS OBEY SALESPERSON HERO SINCE I LOST MY JOB THIS KNOWS
THEY THINK IT'S ALMOST THE LAST ONLY CUSTOMER SO NICOLAS KING OF LA EBAY PERSONA YOU'RE ADDING ME I SEE IN TOTAL SALE
ULISES IS GOOD SHADOW ISLA IS CONSOLING ME. I SAY GOOD I WILL THEY CANNOT MAY I SAY WHAT I KAGAN BEING US DISCUSS US LAW ROBOTS WHAT THEY SAID IF WE SEE IN THE BERNANKE AND IN THE LAW SIGNIFICATIVO CASE ALARMED BUT IT'S NOT JUST
ABOUT ECONOMY IT'S ABOUT PEOPLE . EVERY DAY WE SAVE OUR NEIGHBORS SOMETIMES PASS IN YOUR ESPECIALLY OLDER PASSENGERS TELL US WHERE THEY ONLY PEOPLE
THEY ARE I'LL SPEAK TO ALL DATE I HAVE PEOPLE BREAK DOWN IN MY BACK SEAT AND I LISTEN COMFORT THEM AND MAKE SURE THEY GO HOME. SAFETY ROBOT MAY NOT BE
EFFICIENT BUT THEY CANNOT UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE WHAT WE MEAN TO THE PEOPLE SEE THEY HOMELAND THREADLESS TAXES ROBOT
NEWCASTLE THEY SELL OUT CASTLE POGO GO REMOTE AREAS GO THEY BEAR THEY LOOK US AGAIN WITH RUSSELL THAT FUNZIONI ELOQUENCE MAN DNA CONNECT THEM THEY WILL
NOT FAMILIAR MONTAGNIER IT IS THE KISS CULTURE THERE'S THE GET GO JAKE AND WAIT RADIO GRAB ALSTOM MAYBE SCUBA GEAR ACP MISSING RESOURCE IF WE GIVE ROBOTAXIS EVEN A SMALL OPENING
WE RISK LOSING WHAT MAKE OUR CITY RUN AND KEEP ASKING NEGATIVE I HAVE A FAMILY TO SUPPORT EVEN SINCE I HEARD ABOUT WAYMO COMING TO BOSTON I
STRESS OVER WHAT HAPPEN IF I LOSE MY INCOME PAYROLL OR GIVE ME THE ESPERANZA IS MUESTRAS SOLIDARITY THAT CONDUCT RISK
I'M YOUR NARROW ONE BEIRUT YOUR FERRIS STILL LOSES ALL NEEDLE BY SHRAPNEL THEY HAD A MONSTROUS OSTRAVA HOUSE IN WEST ROSEDALE SO JAGO YOURS ARE THEY MISSING? THEY GOT THEM YOUNGER.
THEY SEE THAT POOR MR MOVIMIENTO LIBERAL ESPERA ESPERANZA EITHER THEY KILL US YOU THAT AVALON CORRECT? OFFICER PONGO THEY ENLISTED ROLANDO MACIAS THANK YOU, ABBY EXCUSE ME. VICTORIA WILL NOW GO TO ABBY
AND THEN ALFRED OH, I'M SORRY. PLEASE, YOU APOLOGIZE. IT'S OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS ABIGAIL O'BRIEN AND I'M A PARAMEDIC AND ARMSTRONG, WOULD YOU MIND I'M SO SORRY.
THAT WAS MY BAD AND IT JUST TRANSLATES GENERALLY VICTORY. BUT THE ONLY THING THE HALF GIVE ME HOPE IS HOW WE HAVE UNITED DRIVERS TRUCK FIGHTERS,
TRUCKERS, FIREFIGHTERS. I'M BUS DRIVERS TO RAISE OUR VOICE AND PROTECT OUR JOBS AND CITY. BUT WHAT GIVES ME HOPE IS OUR SOLID DIARY DRIVERS, TRUCKERS,
FIREFIGHTERS AND BUS DRIVERS STANDING TOGETHER TO PROTECT OUR JOBS AND OUR CITY. I'M PROUD OF A STANDING WITH MY UNION, GRATEFUL FOR OUR LABOR MOVEMENT AND HOPEFUL THAT THE
CITY WILL DO THE RIGHT THING AND STAND WITH US. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. GO AHEAD, ABBIE. ACTUALLY BEFORE YOU START, I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE IF WE CAN PLEASE KEEP THE ENTRANCES CLEAR FOR FOLKS THAT NEED ACCOMMODATIONS
. I WOULD APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. GO AHEAD, ABBY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS ABIGAIL O'BRIEN AND I'M A PARAMEDIC AT ARMSTRONG AMBULANCE AND A PROUD MEMBER OF THE TEAMSTERS LOCAL 25. I WORKED IN EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES FOR ABOUT FOUR AND A
HALF YEARS AND I REGULARLY TRANSPORT PATIENTS TO BOSTON HOSPITALS WHICH ARE SOME OF THE BEST IN THE WORLD FROM THE TIME SOMEONE CALLS NINE ON ONE WE AIM TO GET ON SCENE IN 6 MINUTES AND WE'RE OFTEN THERE MUCH SOONER.
MY PATIENTS ARE PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM HEART ATTACKS, SEIZURES, STROKES, CHOKING OR OVERDOSES. THEY MAY ONLY HAVE ONE OR 2 MINUTES BEFORE THEY STOP BREATHING OR THEIR HEART STOPS BEATING EVEN A 15 HOUR 32ND
DELAY CAN MEAN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH. WHEN WE RESPOND LIGHTS AND SIRENS DRIVERS MAKE QUICK COMMON SENSE DECISIONS TO PULL OUT OF THE WAY. YOU'VE PROBABLY DONE THIS PULLING INTO AN INTERSECTION OR
A PAST A PARKED CAR SLIDING INTO THE OPPOSITE LANE OR DRIVING FORWARD ON A NARROW ONE WAY STREET TO LET AN AMBULANCE PASS BY. IT'S COMMON SENSE BUT AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES DON'T HAVE COMMON SENSE.
WE KNOW THIS BECAUSE IN OTHER CITIES THEY'VE CAUSED ACCIDENTS AND DELAYED FIRST RESPONDERS. SNOW MAKES EVERYTHING HARDER FOR BOTH US AND OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD. MAKING WAY FOR AN AMBULANCE IN A BLIZZARD REQUIRES HUMAN
JUDGMENT, NOT ALGORITHMS. EARLIER THIS WEEK WHEN WAYMO'S PROJECT LEAD FOR WEATHER WAS ASKED THE VEHICLES WOULD BE READY FOR WINTER OPERATIONS, HIS FIRST RESPONSE WAS HA HA. GOOD QUESTION. FOR WAYMO TO EVEN BE TESTING IN
BOSTON WHEN THEIR CARS CAN'T HANDLE WINTER WEATHER IS RIDICULOUS. IF AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES BLOCK US FREEZE IN PLACE OR DON'T KNOW HOW TO YIELD TO EMERGENCY VEHICLES THEY COULD DELAY LIFESAVING MEASURES AND KILL PEOPLE.
THIS ISN'T THEORETICAL. IT IS WHAT I FACE EVERY DAY. KEEP TRAINED HUMAN OPERATORS BEHIND THE WHEEL. LIVES DEPEND ON IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ABBY. ALFRED. JACK AND THEN ONE.
YES. GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNSELOR. AS IN MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN LABOR WHEN I THOUGHT OF THE HEROES E IN MY OWN HEAD THEY DID IT ALONE.
MY NAME IS ALFRED POTTER. I'VE BEEN A RIDESHARE DRIVER IN BOSTON FOR 11 YEARS AND AM A MEMBER OF THE APP DRIVERS UNION . WE NO LONGER SELF-REPORTED A JOB OF THE RIDESHARE.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY I KNEW YOU SO LONG KNEW THAT YOUR FAVORITE PUBLICATION. LET ME START WITH HOW PROUD I AM OF THE BOSTON UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF MAYOR WU AND HIS COUNCIL. WE'RE STANDING UP TO TRUMP'S ADMINISTRATION'S ATTACKS ON
IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES. BUT WE NEED TO STAND UP ON EVERY FRONT. BUT WE ALSO KNOW IT WASN'T IN
OUR MANDATE TO BAIL OUT IS TO CONCEAL IN PARAMUS UNTIL TODAY, TRUMP IS GOING TO ATTACK THE IMMIGRANT THIS WAY. AND THIS IS FROM BEING AMONGST
FRIENDS THE TECH CEOS WHO BANKROLLED THE SECOND TERM ARE THE SAME ONES WHO WANT TO COME TO OUR CITY TO TEST IMPERFECT TECHNOLOGY, MAKE THEIR MONEY AND RUN AWAY WITH THE BAG.
NOT HERE, NOT IN OUR CITY, OUR JOBS, OUR COMMUNITIES AND THE SAFETY OF OUR STREETS ARE TOO IMPORTANT. LOSS IN CARRYING OUT THE
TECHNOLOGY AND GIG AND DUAL TOIL IN THIS SAY YOU BE KIDDING BENITA KEY PROVIDER. TECHNOLOGY AIN'T PERFECT I SAID WE NEED A CHECK ON HIM AQUINO
ONLY PURSUE THAT MATTER FOR THE WHITE HOUSE MUST RECOGNIZE IT MUST RECOGNIZE SOMETHING MUST SEE HOW IMPORTANT THIS ROBOTAXI DON'T JUST THREATEN OUR LIVELIHOODS THEY THREATEN TO
ERODE THE HUMAN CARE CONNECTION AND INSIGHT THAT NO ROBOT CAN REPLICATE. SO FOR TAXIS NOT SOLO I MEAN AS I'M GOING WITH READERS I MEAN
THAT'S I'M GOING TO WITH A MAN LACONIC E LARRY CEO GET OFF ROAD NOT WILLING TO BECOME. RECENTLY I NAVIGATED THE MAZE OF MASS GENERAL TO PICK UP A 90
YEAR OLD MAN WITH A WALKER AND HIS WIFE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RIDE HE HAD TO RELIEVE HIMSELF. I OVERHEARD THEIR CONVERSATION PULLED OVER AND HELPED HIM TO A DISCREET PLACE ON THE SIDE
OF THE ROAD. HE GOT HOME WITH DIGNITY AND IN HIS WIFE'S WORDS NO ONE ELSE WOULD HAVE DONE THAT PRECEDENTEMENTE.
NOW WE GET INTO CAREFUL MASS GENERAL BUT I RECALL HINDRANCES AND A LITTLE IN DANGER OF GOING OVER EAST-WEST PORTION IMMEDIATELY. WE ARE DUAL BETA ONE EQUAL JUST
ASSUMING MAYBERRY THEATER E L FOOL I SAID WELL YOU GOT TO WANT TO CATCH ACCORDINGLY THAT IN ONE HOUR OF THIS OF COURSE I KNOW YOUR FOR THE AVERAGE CHOICE. THAT'S WHAT REAL DRIVERS DO WE
ADAPT, WE PROTECT WE CARE A PREPROGRAM CAR WON'T DO ANY OF THAT AS YOU LOOK A LOT DIFFERENTLY ALLEY HOW NOT OUT
OF BOUNDS BUT AT THE HEMS NOT MUCH UM CAR OPERATE PROGRAMABLE NAUGHTY GUYS. I'M NOT AGAINST INNOVATION BUT INNOVATION SHOULD LIFT PEOPLE UP NOT LEAVE THEM BEHIND NOT TO
IN CONTROL IGNORE ASSUME BUT ONLY KNOW AS YOU THE AREA OUTSIDE OF THE HAND THE MORE THEY HELPLESS ROBO TAXIS DON'T PAY TAXES THEY DON'T RAISE FAMILIES HERE THEY DON'T MAKE MORAL JUDGMENTS WHEN SOMEONE'S
IN TROUBLE. THIS ISN'T ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY ONLY IT'S ABOUT PROFITS PROFITS THAT WON'T GET REINVESTED INTO OUR COMMUNITIES BUT INSTEAD ROUTED STRAIGHT TO SILICON
VALLEY EXECUTIVES. RURAL TAXIS NOT BY WEST NOR EASTERN COAST OF SOMALIA ARE NOT CARRIERS FOR FORMULA LUCKY
NO I THINK WE SHALL MORALES ONE WAGGING THE ANIMAL LINKS IT TO THE SOLO ASSEMBLY THAT WE ARE A PUBLIC ASAP GUY LIKE FINANCIERS GHANAIANS YES CAN NO SURRENDERING BUT PETER HIM WITH DRACONIAN EYES SIGNAL YOU ARE
THE CORRECT I MEAN I ALSO HE COULD BE THE IDEA THAT SILICON WE CAN'T TAKE LOCAL PEOPLE OUT OF THE EQUATION NO POLYNOMIAL CYCLE LOCALES THEY LIKE WASU SO
I URGE YOU SLOW THIS DOWN ASK WHO IT REALLY SERVES BECAUSE IT'S NOT DRIVERS OR TRANSPORTATION WORKERS WHO MAKE OUR CITY MOVE AND IT'S NOT
PEOPLE WHO RELY ON US EVERY DAY I SEE GILLISPIE ROMANTIC BEING ON TO WOMAN LINKED BUT I WANT US OUR COUNTRYMEN PERCEIVING WHAT CAN NOISE THAT A LOT
OF AIR TRANSPORTATION GAS AND COLLATERAL FREE THAT SOME WILL INVOICE ALLEN TO GET IT PRINTED AND OFFERED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US. THANK YOU JACK. GOOD AFTERNOON MY NAME IS JACK
MAYOR. I'VE BEEN A TEAMSTER FOR 31 YEARS AND I WORK FOR UPS AS A PACKAGE CAR DRIVER. I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE I'M DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY AND LIVELIHOOD OF OUR COMMUNITIES. IF WAYMO IS ALLOWED TO OPERATE
IN BOSTON, I'VE DRIVEN THE SAME DELIVERY ROUTES FOR YEARS AND THERE'S SIMPLY NO SUBSTITUTE FOR A HUMAN BEHIND THE WHEEL. EVERY DAY I USE MY JUDGMENT TO SCAN FOR DANGERS. I KNOW THAT IF A BALL ROLLS INTO THE STREET A SMALL CHILD
ISN'T FAR BEHIND. NO ROBOTIC TAXI CAN MATCH THE SPLIT SECOND DECISIONS A HUMAN BEING MAKES. IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT NAVIGATION EITHER. A FEW DAYS AGO WHILE ON MY ROUTE I SPOTTED A MAN COLLAPSED ON THE GROUND.
HE WAS UNCONSCIOUS AND UNRESPONSIVE AND IT BECAME CLEAR THAT HE HAD OVERDOSED. I STAYED WITH HIM, FLAGGED DOWN A HOMEOWNER WHO CALLED 911 WHEN THE FIRST RESPONDERS ARRIVED THEY ADMINISTERED NARCAN.
HAD I NOT SEEN HIM AND ACTED QUICKLY, HE MAY NOT HAVE SURVIVED. TO ME A PERSON TO REMOVE AN OBSTACLE TO AVOID. I ALSO HAVE REAL RELATIONSHIPS
WITH THE PEOPLE ON MY ROUTE. THEY TRUST THAT I'LL DRIVE CAREFULLY THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND LOOK OUT FOR THEIR KIDS. THE SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY AND COMMUNITY ISN'T SOMETHING YOU CAN PROGRAM INTO A ROBOT. WAYMO IS STARTING WITH
PASSENGERS BUT IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE BIG TECH COMPANIES COME FROM JOBS LIKE MINE. WAYMO COMPETITOR ZOOX IS OWNED BY AMAZON AND IT HAS A PROTOTYPE FOR DRIVERLESS PACKAGE DELIVERY VEHICLES.
THIS WILL BE DEVASTATING TO THOUSANDS OF DELIVERY DRIVERS IN THE BOSTON AREA JUST LIKE ME. PEOPLE WHO PAY TAXES SEND THEIR KIDS TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND PLAY CRITICAL ROLES IN THE FABRIC OF OUR COMMUNITIES.
INTRODUCING DRIVERLESS VEHICLES HERE IS A RISK TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND A THREAT TO GOOD UNION JOBS. I URGE YOU TO ADDRESS THIS BEFORE PEOPLE GET HURT AND JOBS ARE LOST. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. AND ONE. WOULD YOU MIND PROVIDING A MICROPHONE FOR GOOD AFTERNOON, GONZALO.
STAFF FELLOW UNION MEMBERS AND FELLOW DRIVERS. MY NAME IS JUAN AND I'M A PROUD MEMBER OF THE APP DRIVER UNIONS, WAYMO AND ALL OF THE
DRIVERLESS CARS ARE A REAL HASSLE TO OUR STREETS, TO OUR JOBS AND TO OUR COMMUNITIES. OTHER CITIES HAVE BEEN CAUGHT OFF GUARD BY ROAD ROBOTAXIS IN
SAN FRANCISCO. WAYMO GRABBED NEARLY 30% OF THE RIDESHARE MARKET IN JUST 20 MONTH AWAY. MORE WAS RECENTLY PULLED OVER
AFTER MAKING AN ILLEGAL U-TURN BUT POLICE WERE STUNNED TO FIND NO DRIVER TO TAKE IT. WE NEED TO CONSIDER WHO PAYS THE PRICE FOR THAT.
BOSTON HAS A CHANCE TO BE PROACTIVE TO HIT THE BRAKES AND ASK THE HARD QUESTIONS BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE. WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING AND WE
WILL DO SOMETHING. WE WILL LET THEM TAKE OUR JOBS SO EASILY. THEY DO YOU IS A FIRST RIDESHARE DRIVER'S UNION IN THE COUNTRY AND WE ARE NOT ALONE IN THIS FIGHT.
THE WHOLE LABOR MOVEMENT IS STARTING WITH US BECAUSE IF ROBOTS TAKE OUR JOBS TODAY TOMORROW YOU COULD BE THE THOUSAND MORE WHO DON'T WORK
FOR A LIVING WITH THEIR LIVELIHOODS ON THE LINE. WE ARE NOT AGAINST TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGIES IS HOW WE CAN MAKE A LIVING UNDER UBER AND LYFT
CREATING NEW JOBS, A NEW WAY OF WORKING. AND WHILE SO WE'RE SKEPTICAL OF THE TECHNOLOGY WE HAVE SO THE OPPORTUNITY AND SO BRAVE
SURVIVE IN THE CHANGE WHAT DRIVERLESS CARS LIKE WAYMO ARE DIFFERENT. THEY DON'T CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR NEIGHBORS. THEY RACE IT. I RECENTLY DROVE A PROFESSOR
WHO TOLD ME THERE IS POWER IN THE SCIENCE. IT MIGHT NOT BE A BAD IDEA AND I TOLD HIM MAYBE BUT OUR CITY IS NOT PREPARED TO HAVE THOUSANDS OF DRIVERS OUT OF WORK. EACH DRIVER HAS A FAMILY TO
FEED. WE ARE PART OF AN ECOSYSTEM FROM THE BARBERSHOP TO THE BODEGA THAT DEPENDS OF CHOICE ON US.
HE PAUSED AND SAID I NEVER THOUGHT OF IT. I NEVER THOUGHT THAT WAY. I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT THE HUMAN IMPACT. BOSTON HAS AN ADVANTAGE.
WE HAVE SEEN WHAT'S HAPPENED ELSEWHERE. NOW WE HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY THE RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT OUR CITY, OUR JOBS AND OUR NEIGHBORS. LET'S BE AN EXAMPLE.
NO, JUST ANOTHER CAUTIONARY TALE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO BE HERE FOR YOUR ADVOCACY AND FOR TELLING US YOUR STORY. WE FELT LIKE IT WAS IMPORTANT
TO START WITH THE DRIVER'S PERSPECTIVE AND SO I CAN SPEAK FOR FOR MYSELF AND MAYBE ALL OF US WHEN I SAY THAT WE APPRECIATE ALL THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF WORKERS AND UNIONS IN OUR CITY. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK OUR
UNION BROTHERS AND SISTERS FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. APPRECIATE YOU. AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO TRANSITION TO YOUR UNION REPRESENTATIVES SO I WILL CALL
ON AUTUMN WEINTRAUB FROM SEIU 32 B.J. TO COME DOWN STEVE SOULE FROM THE TEAMSTERS LOCAL 25, MIKE BART ABEDIAN FROM THE MACHINISTS UNION.
FABRIZIO DE SILVA FROM THE UFC 1445 I BELIEVE THIS PERSON IS
IS HERE MR SURMONTER FROM THE
APP DRIVERS UNION ABDI AZIZ IS GAY AND WE HAVE JACK YOU'RE
TAKING FOUR OKAY. JACK HENSLEY RIGHT, CLOSE ENOUGH. OKAY. WHAT IS KINSLER KINSLER OKAY,
THANK YOU SO WELCOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. I HAVE AUTUMN FIRST ON MY LIST
FROM 32 B.J. WE'D LIKE TO KICK US OFF AND THEN WE'LL HAVE STEVE AND MIKE YOU HAVE THE FLOOR TO US UP. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE AND THANK YOU FOR HOLDING THIS
HEARING TODAY ON THIS VERY IMPORTANT ORDINANCE. AND HELLO TO OUR FELLOW DRIVERS AND UNION MEMBERS FROM ACROSS BOSTON.
MY NAME IS AUTUMN WEINTRAUB AND I AM HERE WITH THE APP DRIVERS UNION WHICH IS A JOINT UNION FORMED BY THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MACHINISTS AND
32 BJ SEIU AND WE'RE REPRESENTING THOUSANDS OF RIDESHARE DRIVERS APP DRIVERS ACROSS THE STATE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY ARE
ON THE CUSP WINNING THEIR UNION TODAY YOU'LL HEAR AND AND HAVE HEARD FROM A PANEL OF ESSENTIAL WORKERS WHOSE JOBS ARE IN THE CROSSHAIRS OF BIG TECH
COMPANIES LOOKING TO BRING ROBOTAXIS TO BOSTON EVERY DAY WORKERS THAT YOU'VE HEARD FROM AND THOUSANDS MORE THAT ARE REPRESENTED BY UNIONS IN THIS
ROOM MAKE SURE THAT OUR ELDERLY STUDENTS AND PARENTS GET TO WHERE THEY NEED TO BE. THEY DELIVER OUR PACKAGES AND THEY KEEP OUR SHELVES STOCKED. THEY ARE THE ONES THAT KEEP
BOSTON MOVING AND HAVE KEPT BOSTON MOVING. SOME ARE IN DEBT BECAUSE OF THEIR INVESTMENT IN THEIR VEHICLES THINKING THAT BEING PART OF THE INDUSTRY WOULD CHANGE THEIR LIVES FOR THE
BETTER, FEED THEIR FAMILIES, BE ABLE TO MAKE A GOOD LIVING. DRIVERS ARE PROUD TO SERVE OUR CITY AND TODAY WE'RE ALL FIGHTING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY DON'T LOSE THEIR JOBS HAVE LOWER WAGES OR HAVE TO COMPETE
WITH ROBOTS. WE'RE NOT AGAINST INNOVATION BY ANY MEANS BUT WE NEED INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY THAT DOESN'T CREATE A DYSTOPIAN SOCIETY THAT LEAVES NOTHING.
WE NEED INNOVATION THAT BENEFITS WORKERS AND OUR COMMUNITIES AND PRESERVES THE JOBS AND DIGNITY OF WORKERS NOT INNOVATION THAT BENEFITS BILLIONAIRES AND LEAVES EVERYONE ELSE BEHIND TO FIGURE
OUT WHAT TO DO AND HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES. THAT'S WHY WE SUPPORT THE ORDINANCE LED BY COUNCILOR HENRY SANTANA AND SUPPORTED BY THE MAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL. THE ORDINANCE IS A RATIONALE
STEP. IT CALLS FOR A PUBLIC STUDY ON HOW AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES COULD IMPACT BOSTON'S JOBS, SAFETY AND ECONOMY. IT CREATES AN ADVISORY BOARD WITH DRIVERS, UNION LEADERS,
SMALL BUSINESSES AND CITY OFFICIALS TO HELP GUIDE WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN AND WHAT THE DECISIONS WHAT DECISIONS SHOULD BE MADE. RIGHT NOW THE INTRODUCTION OF ROBOT TAXIS RAISES MORE
QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERED THAN THAN ANSWERS ARE THE PROMISED CONVENIENCES WORTH UPENDING THOUSANDS OF LOCAL JOBS AND LIVES ALONG WITH IT? WHAT WILL IT COST US AS A CITY
AS, A SOCIETY? WHAT HAPPENS TO THE SMALL BUSINESSES? THE CAR WASHES, THE RESTAURANTS, THE GAS STATIONS, THE REPAIR SHOPS THAT SERVE HUMAN DRIVERS? WHAT WILL IT COST OUR CITY TO
BUILD INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THEM? ARE WE READY TO FOOT THE BILL FOR NEW SOCIAL SERVICES NEEDED FOR THOUSANDS OF UNEMPLOYED? OUR GOAL IS CLEAR ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS AND PUT APPROPRIATE
GUARDRAILS IN PLACE SO TECH ADVANCEMENT WORKS FOR EVERYONE AND LEAVES NO ONE BEHIND. THIS ORDINANCE ENSURES THAT THE FUTURE OF TRANSPORTATION IN BOSTON IS BUILT WITH WORKERS
NOT AT OUR EXPENSE. IT'S A THOUGHTFUL, BALANCED APPROACH THAT ALLOWS US TO STUDY, PLAN AND PROTECT BEFORE WE LEAVE ON BEHALF OF THE APP DRIVERS UNION.
I URGE THE COUNCIL TO SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE AND STAND WITH THE WORKING PEOPLE WHO KEEP BOSTON MOVING. LET'S MAKE SURE THAT INNOVATION LIFTS OFF LIFTS UP OUR CITY INSTEAD OF DRIVING WORKING
FAMILIES OUT OF IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, STEVE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH COUNCIL AND THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE CITY COUNCILORS THAT ARE ATTENDING HERE TODAY.
WE APPRECIATE IT. MY NAME IS STEVEN SOUTH AND I'M THE SECRETARY OF TEAMSTERS LOCAL 25. I'M HONORED TO BE HERE TODAY BUT WITH OTHER COMMUNITY GROUPS AND MANY OF THE DIFFERENT
UNIONS IN THE AREA. I STARTED MY CAREER UPS 32 YEARS AGO AS A PACKAGE CAR DRIVER AND NOW I'M LUCKY ENOUGH TO NEGOTIATE CONTRACTS ON
BEHALF OF OVER 13,000 MEN AND WOMEN IN THE BOSTON AREA. AND THESE 13,000 PLUS WORKERS HAVE GOOD MIDDLE CLASS JOBS
WITH GOOD WAGES AND HEALTH CARE AND RETIREMENT. UNFORTUNATELY, OUR WAY OF LIFE IS UNDER ATTACK BY WAYMO AND OTHER BIG TECH COMPANIES WAYMO AND OTHER COMPANIES THAT ARE
PUTTING DRIVERLESS CARS AND TRUCKS ON OUR ROADWAYS. LIKE TO DESCRIBE THEMSELVES AS PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING TOWARDS A UTOPIAN FUTURE AND NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH
. THIS COMPANY IS STEAMROLLING INTO CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY WITHOUT CONCERN FOR THE POLICYMAKERS RESIDENTS AND WORKERS.
BIG CORPORATE TECH COMPANIES ARE DOING THIS BECAUSE THEY STAND TO MAKE AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF MONEY IF THEY ELIMINATE DRIVING JOBS FOR WORKING CLASS PEOPLE MEN AND
WOMEN ARE PROUD MEMBERS OF LOCAL 25 LIKE THE ONES THAT YOU ALREADY HEARD OF. WE SEE THE WRITING ON THE WALL. WE KNOW THAT DRIVERLESS CAR AND
TRUCK COMPANIES ARE SALIVATING AT THE THOUGHT OF GETTING RID OF THE WORKERS BECAUSE THEY'LL MAKE AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF PROFITS IN ADDITION TO THE CURRENT CONCERNS ABOUT JOB
LOSS. THERE ARE SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUES INVOLVING AUTOMATION. WAYMO HAS SAID THAT THEIR CARS ARE SAFER THAN HUMANS. NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM
THE TRUTH IF WAYMO ARE SO SAFE. WHY IS THE COMPANY HAD TO RECALL OVER 1500 VEHICLES? WHY WAS IT PLACED UNDER INVESTIGATION BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT?
WHY HAVE WAYMO'S COLLIDED WITH OTHER VEHICLES? WHAT CONCRETE AND EVEN A DOG. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF DOCUMENTED CRASHES IN CITIES
LIKE PHENIX, HOUSTON AND SAN FRANCISCO. OUR ROADS IN MASSACHUSETTS ARE OVER 400 YEARS OLD AND WE HAVE HARSHER MORE EXTREME WEATHER
CONDITIONS THAN ANY OF THOSE OTHER CITIES THAT I MENTIONED. CAN YOU IMAGINE HAVING ATVS DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE OF A BLIZZARD OR AN ICE STORM? HOW ABOUT A HEAT WAVE?
THE PROBLEMS THAT WE EXPERIENCE WILL BE TEN TIMES WORSE THAN WHAT WE'VE ALREADY SEEN AND WHAT WE'VE SEEN AS HORRIBLE. THIS IS BECAUSE SO MUCH OF BEING SAFE ON THE ROAD IS COMMON SENSE AND SPLIT SECOND
DECISION MAKING. DRIVERLESS CARS AND TRUCKS ARE NOWHERE CLOSE TO HAVING THE SAME CAPABILITIES AS A TRAINED HUMAN OPERATOR AND THEY PROBABLY NEVER WILL BE.
THAT IS WHY OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS NEED TO SEND A CLEAR MESSAGE THAT MASSACHUSETTS IS NOT A PLAYGROUND FOR SILICON VALLEY AND WE WILL NOT BE STEAMROLLED BY BIG TECH.
AND I JUST WANT TO END BY SAYING THIS. I SEE THE EXECUTIVES FROM WAYMO HERE TODAY AND I KNOW WHY THEY'RE HERE AND WE ALL KNOW WHY THEY'RE HERE AND THEY'RE
HERE BECAUSE AND I'LL ASK THAT ANYONE THAT WORKS FOR RIDESHARE OR DRIVES A VEHICLE AS PART OF THEIR JOB TO PLEASE STAND UP
,PLEASE STAND UP. EVERYBODY THAT'S RIDE SHARE UNION MEMBERS OR SOMEONE WHO DRIVES A VEHICLE WILL STAND UP
. NOW THIS IS AN EXERCISE TO SHOW YOU THAT IF THESE EXECUTIVES CAN ELIMINATE THEM THEY MAKE MORE BILLIONS AND MAYBE TRILLIONS FOR THEM AND THEIR
SHAREHOLDERS AND THEIR EXECUTIVES AND BIG TECH. THANK YOU. WE THANK YOU. WE'LL FIND THEM.
ALL RIGHT. WE'LL GO TO JACQUI. PLEASE RESPECT COUNCIL RULES. THANK YOU.
WE HAVE JACK AND THEN AT THE AZIZ I APOLOGIZE IF I SAID YOUR NAME. GO AHEAD, JACK. THANK YOU. CHAIRS ARE PART OF THE REST OF THE COUNCIL. SO AS YOU'VE HEARD FROM A LOT
OF THE PEOPLE TODAY, OUR CONCERNS AROUND THE WAYMO CARS REALLY FALL ALONG TWO TRACKS. THERE'S TAKING MONEY AWAY FROM THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT THESE CARS ARE DRIVING AROUND IN AND THEN THE SAFETY CONCERNS.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN THIS ECONOMIC MODEL FROM THESE SILICON VALLEY COMPANIES BEFORE THEY COME IN ALL THEIR SEED MONEY FROM THE BIG FANCY INVESTORS THEY OFFER REALLY
CHEAP RIDES OPERATING AT A LOSS IN ORDER TO BUILD UP THEIR MARKET SHARE AND THEN, YOU KNOW, ONCE THEY'VE DRIVEN ALL THE OTHER COMPETITION OUT ONCE ,ALL THESE RIDESHARE DRIVERS HAVE TURNED TO OTHER METHODS
OF MAKING MONEY BECAUSE IT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE ANYMORE AND WAYMO'S THE ONLY OPTION THEY'RE GOING TO HIKE THE PRICES UP SO THAT PEOPLE DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE ELSE TO GO AND THEY'LL HAVE TO PAY WHAT THEY HAVE TO PAY AND THEY'LL LAUGH ALL THE WAY TO THE BANK, TAKE ALL THAT MONEY,
PUT IT RIGHT IN THEIR POCKETS AND THEN THE SAFETY CONCERNS YOU KNOW, THEY'LL PROBABLY GET UP HERE AND TALK ABOUT ALL THE STUDIES THEY'VE DONE COMPARING
IT TO OTHER STATISTICS FOR REGULAR DRIVERS. THEY'LL PRETEND LIKE IT'S COMPARING IT TO PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS LIKE A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT YOU SEE IN THIS ROOM WHEN REALLY THEY'RE COMPARING IT TO JUST THE
OVERALL TRAFFIC DATA ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THEY HAVE A TINY SAMPLE SIZE FOCUSED ON INDIVIDUAL CITIES, INDIVIDUAL NEIGHBORHOODS OF CITIES WHERE THEY KNOW THEY'RE NOT GOING TO RUN INTO ISSUES AND THEN THEY'RE
COMPARING IT TO RANDOM PEOPLE DRIVING DRUNK DRIVING DISTRACTED ON THE HIGHWAYS WHO DON'T HOLD THEMSELVES TO THE SAME STANDARD THAT PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS DO WHO DON'T HAVE DISCIPLINE PROCEDURES WITH
THEIR COMPANIES OR A RATING SYSTEM LIKE THE APPS HAVE THAT EFFECTIVELY FILTER OUT PEOPLE WHO AREN'T GOOD AT DRIVING, WHO AREN'T DEDICATED TO THEIR JOB AND THEY'LL PRETEND THAT THOSE DRUNK DRIVERS AND DISTRACTED
DRIVERS STAND IN FOR THE PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO REPLACE AND SAY THEIR CARS ARE MORE SAFE THAN PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS.
IT'S DISHONEST AND SO MY MY UNION YOU HAVE S.W. WE REPRESENT A LOT OF RETAIL WORKERS CUSTOMER SERVICE WORKERS, CONCESSIONS WORKERS AT ARENAS AND OUR MEMBERS COULD
TALK ALL DAY ABOUT THE PROMISES OF NEW TECHNOLOGY THAT COMES IN THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE SEAMLESS, NOT PRESENT ANY ISSUES AND THEN THE REALITY OF THE SITUATION THAT'S MUCH DIFFERENT WHEN YOU'RE AT A
GROCERY SELF-CHECKOUT STATION IF THE MACHINE ALL OF A SUDDEN STOPS WORKING WHICH HAPPENS A LOT IN THE THE WORSE THAT HAPPENS IS YOU CALL YOU HAVE TO WAIT FOR AN ATTENDANT TO COME
OVER AND HELP YOU OUT AND SORT IT OUT AND GET YOU ON OR YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES PEOPLE JUST DECIDE TO LEAVE WITH WHATEVER THEY HAVE AND NOT PAY FOR ANYTHING. SOMETIMES WE'VE SEEN ASSAULT ON OUR MEMBERS AND IT'S BAD AND
LEADS TO A LOT OF LOST REVENUE FOR THE STATE AND SOME PRECARIOUS SITUATIONS FOR OUR MEMBERS. I DON'T WANT TO UNDERMINE THAT. BUT WHEN YOU COMPARE THAT TO SOMEONE BEING STUCK IN A
DRIVERLESS CAR ON THE HIGHWAY THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN MALFUNCTIONS AND THEY'RE LOCKED INSIDE AND THEY'RE HELPLESS WHILE THEY'RE JUST SITTING THERE AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT. IT'S A SCARY THOUGHT AND I
THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS TECHNOLOGY IS STILL VERY NEW. THERE'S NO WAY OF KNOWING ALL THE DIFFERENT THAT IT CAN GO WRONG AND WE'VE SEEN THAT IN A LOT OF INSTANCES IT HAS GONE WRONG AND THERE'S JUST NO
ACCOUNTABILITY AND NO WAY FOR PEOPLE TO GET OUT OF IT WHEN THE WORST CASE DOES HAPPEN. SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, BEING SLOW, BEING DELIBERATE, MAKING SURE THAT WE STUDY THIS ISSUE
AND UNDERSTAND ALL THE IMPACTS FIRST IS DEFINITELY THE RIGHT WAY TO GO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT WE GO TO ABDULAZIZ AND THEN MIKE.
GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS ABDULAZIZ SAMANTHA AND I AM AN ACTIVE RIDE SHOW DRIVER AND BOSTON RESIDENT. IF YOU BRING THOUSANDS OF THESE CARS HERE YOU ARE NOT JUST
PUTTING DRIVERS OUT OF WORK YOU ARE HURTING THE CAR. CAR WASHES THE COFFEE SHOPS, THE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT DEPEND ON US. YOU ARE CREATING TRAFFIC CHAOS AND TAKING FOOD OFF PEOPLE'S
TABLE. BOSTON IS OVER 400 YEARS OLD. YOU NEED HUMANS BEHIND THE WHEEL. SOMEONE WHO KNOWS THE SHORTCUTS THE IS THE WEATHER.
I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS. I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS 20 YEARS AND IT'S STRESSFUL. NO CAMERAS OR SENSORS CAN DO WHAT I DO EVERY DAY. SAN FRANCISCO PHENIX ASKED THEM
LET THEM HAVE WAY MORE BUT WE DO NOT WANT IT IN TOWN. SO I ASK THE COUNCIL WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS, YOUR VOTERS, THE WORKERS YOU RELY ON SAID IT HERE TODAY.
WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON? PLEASE SUPPORT OUR ORDINANCE SUPPORT BOSTON WORKERS PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES AND I'M PROUD
TO PUT IT TO PRESENT THE AB DRIVE A UNION AND I JOIN MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN LABOR. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING IN BOSTON FOR 20 YEARS NINE YEARS IN TAXI
AND 11 YEARS AND OVER WHEN THE RIDESHARE APPS FIRST CAME AROUND AROUND MOST OF THE TAXI GUYS DID NOT WANT TO HEAR ABOUT IT BUT I SAID IF YOU CAN'T BEAT THEM JOIN THEM.
I SIGNED THEM UP. I BOUGHT MY OWN CAR AND I BELIEVE THE NEW INDUSTRY. I SAW THE POTENTIAL, THE OPPORTUNITY BUT SOON I ALSO SAW HOW FAST THESE TECH COMPANIES
MOVE AND HOW THE PEOPLE DOING THE WORK CAN GET LEFT BEHIND. MANY TAXI DRIVERS LEARNED THE HARD WAY BACK THEN. WE ARE NOT ORGANIZED. WE DIDN'T HAVE THE UNION TO
FIGHT FOR US. WE ALL SAW THE DEVASTATE AND CONSEQUENCES. DRIVERS LOST THEIR LIVELIHOODS ,THEIR MEDALLIONS, THEIR HOMES AND NEVER ONE TO SEE THAT
HAPPEN AGAIN. THAT IS WHY I'M HELPING BUILDING THE CAB DRIVERS UNION AND WHY THE LABOR IS UNITED IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY.
SO WE HAVE A CHANCE TO PROTECT OUR JOBS AND TO MAKE SURE WE ARE NOT BULLDOZED BY BIG TECH. WAYMO IS EYEING BOSTON AS THEIR NEXT MARKET. THEY WANT TO COME HERE TO
REFINE THEIR TECHNOLOGY AND EXPAND THEIR PROFIT WITH NO REGARD FOR WHO THEY LEAVE BEHIND. AND I UNDERSTAND IT IS A BUSINESS.
IT IS CAPITALISM BUT NOT IN MY CITY AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR JOBS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU. FIRST I'D LIKE TO THANK COUNCILOR MURPHY AND COUNCILOR SANTANA FOR BRINGING THIS ORDINANCE UP AND THE REST OF THE CITY COUNCIL FOR BEING
HERE AND ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK HERE TODAY. I'M PROUD TO BE STANDING HERE WITH MY SISTERS AND BROTHERS UNITED AND LABOR AND THE COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT ARE SUPPORTING THIS ORDINANCE.
MY NAME IS MIKE BARBIERI AND I'M THE ASSISTANT DIRECTING BUSINESS REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE MACHINIST UNION DISTRICT 15, ALSO A PROUD REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DRIVERS UNION.
SILICON VALLEY EXECUTIVES WANT TO MAKE BOSTON THEIR NEXT LABORATORY FOR ROBOTAXI SO WE URGE THE COUNCIL TO HIT THE BRAKES ON DRIVERLESS CARS UNTIL WE FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S AT
STAKE FOR LOCAL JOBS. COMMUNITIES AND PUBLIC SAFETY. WE'VE SEEN WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THESE TECH COMPANIES MOVE FAST AND BREAK THINGS WORKING PEOPLE
ARE OFTEN LEFT TO CLEAN UP THE MESS AND DEAL WITH THE CONSEQUENCES. INNOVATION SHOULD BE SHOULD SERVE THE PUBLIC GOOD. BUT RIGHT NOW IT LOOKS LIKE
INNOVATION DESIGNED TO BOOST CORPORATE PROFITS AND LET'S BE CLEAR THIS FIGHT IS NOT ABOUT A QUESTION ABOUT IT'S ABOUT QUESTION OF POWER.
OUT-OF-STATE TECH COMPANIES DON'T GET TO CALL THE SHOTS IN OUR CITY. THIS IS A UNION TOWN BOSTON WORKING PEOPLE SHOULD DECIDE HOW TECHNOLOGY SHAPES OUR LIVES
IN OUR WORK. THOUSANDS OF RIDESHARE DRIVERS SERVE THE CITY DAY IN AND DAY OUT. THESE ARE NOT LABOR COSTS TO BE ELIMINATED.
RIDESHARE DRIVERS HAVE JUST WON THE RIGHT TO UNIONIZE AND FIGHT FOR BETTER WAGES. WAGES CONDITIONS. ROLLING OUT DRIVERLESS CARS NOW THREATENS TO A RACE THAT PROGRESS BEFORE IT EVEN BEGINS.
EVEN UBER EVEN UBER'S OWN CEOS ADMIT ROBOTAXIS THREATEN TO DISPLACE HUMAN DRIVERS CALLING
IT A BIG, BIG SOCIAL QUESTION. WE'RE CALLING ON THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ADDRESS THAT QUESTION NOW BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE. WE'RE URGING THE CITY COUNCIL TO SUPPORT THE PROPOSED
ORDINANCE A COMMON SENSE APPROACH THAT TAKES STOCK OF THE ECONOMIC SAFETY AND COMMUNITY RISKS BEFORE OPENING THE DOORS TO AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES THAT COULD HAVE DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCES FOR
WORKERS, THEIR FAMILIES, THE CITY WE ALL LOVE. WE MUST FIGHT TO MAKE SURE THE FUTURE OF INNOVATION IS DECIDED BY THE PEOPLE WHO KEEP THIS CITY AND OUR STATE MOVING NOT
THE CORPORATIONS LOOKING TO MAKE A QUICK BUCK. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MIKE. AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. I'LL NOW GO TO QUESTIONS FROM
MY COLLEAGUES. EVERYBODY WILL GET 6 MINUTES AND THEN WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND THEN THE OTHER PANEL. SO I'LL PASS IT TO COUNSELOR SANTANA FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE FOR THE OTHER FOUR.
THANK YOU, CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO THIS PANEL FOR BEING HERE AND FOR REPRESENTING YOUR MEMBERS TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY. AND YOU KNOW, JUST I WANT TO THANK ALL THE ALL OUR DRIVERS
WHO ARE HERE. I'M JUST THINKING OF LIKE JUST YOU HAD TO INVITE YOU YOUR FORMER UNION. YOU ARE WORKING EVERY SINGLE DAY, YOU KNOW, AND RIGHT NOW YOU HAVE TO ADVOCATE ON YOUR
BEHALF TO KEEP YOUR JOBS AND IT'S JUST YOU KNOW, I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT BUT I KNOW THAT THESE ARE HOURS THAT YOU ALL CAN BE WORKING RIGHT NOW TO TRY TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE SO IT'S REALLY APPRECIATE YOU ALL
BEING HERE AND AND AND AND BEING TOGETHER. YOU KNOW, I THINK RIDESHARE DRIVERS IN MASSACHUSETTS JUST RECENTLY WON THE RIGHT TO UNIONIZE AND COLLECTIVELY
BARGAIN TO IMPROVE THEIR PAY AND JOB PROTECTIONS. THIS REPRESENTS A MAJOR STEP FORWARD IN CREATING A MORE STABLE AND EQUITABLE GIG ECONOMY ECONOMY WHICH CONTINUES TO BE EMPOWERED BY HUMAN
WORKERS WITH THE DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVERLESS VEHICLES TO ACTUALLY UNDERMINE PROGRESS BY WEAKENING THE BARGAINING POWER OF A WORKFORCE THAT'S ONLY JUST BEGINNING TO GAIN A VOICE AT
THE TABLE. ANY OF YOU ALL CAN ANSWER IF I COULD. ABSOLUTELY. THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT. BY REDUCING THE WORKFORCE, BY
USING DRIVERLESS CARS OR ELIMINATING JOBS EVEN IF IT DIDN'T ELIMINATE ALL THE JOBS WHICH I THINK EVENTUALLY IT WOULD AND WE'RE TALKING SOMEWHERE UP TO POTENTIALLY
75,000 DRIVERS AND THEIR FAMILIES HERE BUT EVEN IF IT DIDN'T ELIMINATE ALL THE JOBS, IT WOULD ABSOLUTELY WEAKENING WEAKEN BARGAINING POWER FOR SURE. ABSOLUTELY. AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, MANY
OF THESE MEMBERS ARE LOW INCOME IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES, PEOPLE WHO ARE AGAIN JUST GETTING BY PUTTING FOOD ON THE TABLE, BEING ABLE TO PAY RENT. SO YOU KNOW, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT, JACK.
I THINK YOU HAD A GREAT POINT, RIGHT. IN TERMS OF BIG COMPANIES BEING ABLE TO COME IN HERE AND TWO DIFFERENT CITIES. RIGHT. PUTTING THEIR SERVICES, YOU KNOW, AT A LOSS AND THEN BEING
ABLE TO ONCE THEY DRIVE OUT THAT MARKET, BEING ABLE TO INCREASE THAT. CAN YOU JUST ELABORATE MORE ON THAT BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE AND I THINK PEOPLE NEED TO NEED TO HEAR THAT. YEAH.
I MEAN IT'S JUST KIND OF THE THE CLASSIC MODEL THAT SILICON VALLEY COMPANIES LIKE TO OPERATE ON. THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOME BIG EXCITING NEW IDEA. THEY GET A LOT OF PEOPLE THEY
GIVE THEM SEED MONEY SO THEY CAN OPERATE FOR YEARS ON END WITHOUT HAVING TO MAKE ANY ACTUAL REVENUE LIKE YOU'D THINK ANY BUSINESS WOULD HAVE TO DO AND THEY DO THAT EXPLICITLY TO
TRY TO UNDERMINE ALL OF THEIR COMPETITORS TO CAPTURE AS MUCH OF THE MARKET SHARE AS THEY CAN SO THAT THEY CAN GET RID OF ALL THE OTHER OPTIONS AND THEN YOU
KNOW, ONCE THEY'VE WORKED AT IT ENOUGH AND CAPTURED THE MARKET ,THEN THEY'RE BASICALLY FREE TO DO WHATEVER THEY WANT. I MEAN WE DID SEE THAT WITH SOME OF THESE OTHER COMPANIES LIKE UBER AND LYFT. BUT THE GOOD THING THERE IS
THAT AT LEAST YOU KNOW, AS AS THEY'RE INCREASING THE PRICES IT MEANS THAT SOME OF THEIR DRIVERS ARE BEING BETTER COMPENSATED AND ESPECIALLY NOW THAT THEY'VE UNIONIZED IT MEANS THAT THEY'LL BE ABLE TO FIGHT
FOR A LOT OF THOSE GAINS AND YOU KNOW THE DRIVERS CAN EVEN FOCUS ON BENEFITING THE COMMUNITY AS THEY FIGHT FOR BETTER BENEFITS AND BETTER WAGES FOR THEMSELVES.
BUT WHEN THERE'S NO WORKERS THAT ARE EVEN PART OF THE PICTURE, THEN THE ONLY PEOPLE MAKING THOSE DECISIONS ARE THE CORPORATE EXECUTIVES AND ALL THEY'RE EVER THINKING ABOUT IS HOW MUCH MONEY CAN I MAKE FOR MYSELF AND FOR MY SHAREHOLDERS . ABSOLUTELY NOT.
THANK YOU. I'M SURE I DON'T YOU KNOW, I SUPPORT THIS PANEL. I SUPPORT OUR UNIONS. I SUPPORT WORKERS. I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS. BUT I'LL SAY, YOU KNOW, WE WE I REALLY URGE MY
COUNCIL COLLEAGUES TO REALLY THINK INTENSELY HERE LIKE THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO GOT AN WHO CONTRIBUTE SO MUCH TO OUR CITY . YOU KNOW YOU HEARD ABOUT YOU KNOW, THE YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE
TO DRIVE TO SUPPORT OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES, TO SUPPORT OUR COFFEE SHOPS, OUR CAR WASHES ROBOTS ARE NOT GOING TO DO THAT AND WE NEED TO STAND HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON TO MAKE SURE
THAT ROBOTS ARE NOT REPLACING JOBS. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU KNOW, MADAM CHAIR, YOU YOU CAN BRING US HERE TODAY AND I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR
OUR UNION MEMBERS, FOR OUR WORKERS, FOR OUR IMMIGRANT FAMILIES HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON WHO ARE JUST TRYING TO MAKE IT BY IT, HAVE A JOB AND IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE TO SPEND THIS TYPE OF ENERGY AND TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT'S THE CASE. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR. NO MORE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR SANTANA FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. WE'LL GO TO THE OTHER LEAD SPONSOR AND THEN THE OTHER CO-SPONSOR, COUNCILOR FLYNN.
BUT FIRST OUT COUNCIL MURPHY UP BEFORE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY AND UPLIFTING THE CONCERNS. I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. I KNOW YOU TOUCHED ON IT BUT IF
WE COULD JUST GET ON THE RECORD SOME SPECIFIC ANSWERS WHAT SPECIFIC IMPACTS HAVE WE ALREADY SEEN FROM AUTOMATION OR REDUCED HUMAN OVERSIGHT IN THIS INDUSTRY AND TIED TO THAT?
IF YOU COULD GIVE SOME SPECIFICS SO WE'RE CLEAR ON HOW WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF AUTONOMOUS COMMERCIAL VEHICLES HERE IN BOSTON AFFECT OUR MEMBERS LIVELIHOODS.
I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT WORK AND THE NEIGHBORHOODS SMALL BUSINESSES BUT IF WE COULD JUST GET THAT BACK ON THE RECORD. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN MURPHY AND THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT AND FOR
PUTTING FORWARD THIS ORDINANCE . WE DON'T REPRESENT SPECIFICALLY RIDESHARE AND LOCAL 25 BUT WE DO REPRESENT A LOT OF INDUSTRIES THAT HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY AFFECTED BY
AUTOMATION AND WE THINK ABOUT THINGS LIKE TRASH PICKUP WHERE . YOU KNOW, YOU STAB A DRIVER AND TOO WE CALL THEM SHAKERS ON THE BACK PUTTING THE BARRELS EMPTY IN THE BARRELS. NOW THEY HAVE THE THE ARM THAT
YOU KNOW, DROPS THE TRASH IN THE BACK OF THE TRUCK. MANY OF OUR COMPANIES HAVE AUTOMATED WAREHOUSES AND YOU KNOW, WE USED TO HAVE HUMAN BEINGS THAT WOULD PICK ORDERS
OR SORT PACKAGES AND LOAD TRUCKS. NOW IT'S ALL DONE BY AUTOMATION ROBOTS AND AUTOMATIC CONVEYOR BELTS AND OTHER THINGS WHICH HAVE WHICH HAVE ELIMINATED
THOUSANDS OF JOBS. BUT I JUST I THINK THE THE THE URGENCY WITH AUTOMATING COMMERCIAL VEHICLES LIKE LIKE
WAYMO AND MANY OF THE OTHER COMPANIES ARE IN TESTING PHASES IS WE'RE TALKING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF JOBS IN MASSACHUSETTS. YOU'RE TALKING BILLIONS
OF DOLLARS THAT ARE BEING PUMPED INTO THE ECONOMY FROM THE WORKERS THAT ARE SPENDING MONEY IN THEIR COMMUNITIES WHERE WE ALL WORK AND LIVE. YOU KNOW IT IS IT IT IS
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE WE REALLY TAKE A REALLY TAKE A HARD LOOK AT ALL OF THIS FOR THE SAFETY FOR THE. YOU KNOW, YOU HEARD A COUPLE OF THE WORKERS TALKING ABOUT HUMAN INTERACTION WITH OUR MOST
VULNERABLE IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT THIS IS THEIR ONLY INTERACTIONS THAT THEY HAVE DURING THE WEEK IS WITH THEIR DELIVERY PEOPLE WITH THEIR YOU
KNOW WE REPRESENT ABOUT 700 EMPLOYEES AT THE RIDE WHICH IS OPERATED BY THE NB T.A. AND IT'S TO TRANSPORT INJURED OR
DISABLED RESIDENTS TO THEIR DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS TO THE GROCERY STORES. I MEAN OUR OUR MEMBERS HELP THESE THESE RESIDENTS IN AND OUT OF THEIR HOUSE HELP THEM
CARRY GROCERIES AND ASSIST THEM. I MEAN THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE WE'RE LOOKING AT. BUT AUTOMATION HAS HAS CRUSHED THOUSANDS OF JOBS IN
MASSACHUSETTS ALREADY JUST WITH US AND THE OTHER UNIONS AND NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF JOBS. AND LISTEN, WAYMO'S ONE COMPANY BUT IT'S OPENING THE DOOR AND
ONCE ONE COMES IN OBVIOUSLY THERE'S HUNDREDS OF OTHER COMPANIES IN MASSACHUSETTS THAT ARE THAT ARE LITERALLY SALIVATING AT THE THOUGHT OF AUTOMATING AND GETTING RID
OF THE HUMAN WORKERS TO MAXIMIZE THEIR PROFITS. THANK YOU. IF I COULD ADD TO THAT. SO FIRST OF ALL, I COULDN'T AGREE MORE WITH MY BROTHER IN LABOR HERE.
THE MACHINIST UNION HAS LOST A LOT OF MEMBERS TO AUTOMATION. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS PROGRESS IT'S USUALLY TO HELP BE MORE EFFICIENT SAFETY SO ON WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS
LITERALLY ELIMINATE AN ENTIRE WORKFORCE. OKAY YOU PUT ROBOT CARS OUT IN THE STREET TALKING ABOUT FOR APP DRIVERS ALONE ABOUT 75,000 WORKING FAMILIES ARE NOW GOING
TO HAVE TO FIND ANOTHER MEANS TO PUT FOOD ON THEIR FAMILY'S PLATES, PUT A ROOF OVER THEIR HEAD, ETC.. BUT YOU KNOW, IT REALLY IS
ABOUT WE'RE NOT RESISTING PROGRESS. OKAY? THIS IS ABOUT LITERALLY ELIMINATING A WORKFORCE SO THAT CORPORATIONS CAN MAKE MORE
PROFITS AND THERE'S MORE PEOPLE NOW THAT ARE GOING TO BE BILLIONAIRES AND LESS PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO BE MIDDLE CLASS WORKERS AND THAT'S WHERE THIS COUNTRY IS GOING AND THIS
IS JUST HITTING THE FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM HITTING THE GAS PEDAL AND MOVING FASTER. SO I COULDN'T AGREE MORE THAT IT'S JUST THE BEGINNING. IT'S THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG. BUT THIS IS LITERALLY TALKING
ABOUT ELIMINATING ENTIRE WORKFORCE AND THEN LET'S ALSO TALK ABOUT THE SAFETY AND THE HUMAN ASPECT OF THIS. I'M COMING AS A FORMER MECHANIC 18 YEARS AT THE TRANSIT AUTHORITY AND KNOWING A THING
OR TWO ABOUT THESE THINGS THE ROAD SALT, THE ICY CONDITIONS AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT THAT WILL AFFECT THESE CARS WILL MAKE UNSAFE CONDITIONS AND I FOR ONE DON'T WANT MY FAMILY ON
THE ROAD WITH AN EXPERIMENT SO THAT CORPORATIONS CAN MAKE MORE AND MORE PROFIT AND PUT PEOPLE OUT OF WORK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
JUST TO YOUR QUESTION ON WHAT WE'VE LEARNED ABOUT OTHER CITIES SO FAR IS AND I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THE
ORDINANCE WOULD STUDY IS YOU KNOW, THE INITIAL REPORTS ARE THAT WAGES NOT ONLY ARE PEOPLE BEING DISPLACED BUT THE FEW DRIVERS THAT ARE STILL LEFT WAGES ARE ARE DETERIORATING.
SO THOSE ARE THE PRELIMINARY STUDIES THAT WE'RE SEEING FROM OTHER PLACES AND WE'RE HAPPY TO SHARE THOSE WITH COUNCIL AND I THINK PART OF THAT THAT SHOULD BE PART OF THE STUDY.
THANK YOU. IT'S MY TIME. 8 SECONDS YOU WANT TO ADD? NO, I'LL WAIT. THANK YOU ALWAYS FOR THE NEXT ROUND BUT THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS STICKING UP FOR THE CITY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR FLYNN. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND PROUD TO JOIN. COUNCILOR SANTANA, COUNCIL MURPHY IS AN ORIGINAL
CO-SPONSOR AND THANK YOU TO THE PANELISTS FOR THE IMPORTANT WORK YOU WERE DOING AND JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON A COUPLE OF COMMENTS AS IT RELATES TO
OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE ENACTED THIS TYPE OF AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES THAT ARE THAT ARE NOW TAKING JOBS AWAY FROM WORKING
PEOPLE WOULD IMPACT HAS THAT HAD ON SAFETY ON THE LOCAL ECONOMY, ON THE WORKERS THEMSELVES? DO YOU HAVE ANY STUDIES AT ALL
ABOUT WHAT SOME OF THE OTHER WHAT OTHER CITIES OR TOWNS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE DEALING WITH AS IT RELATES TO THE WORKFORCE? I THINK I THINK MY COLLEAGUES STARTED TO TOUCH ON THAT A LITTLE BIT IF IF YOU COULD
PROVIDE THEM. SURE. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION . YES. SO THE WAY THAT WE ARE IT'S ALL PRELIMINARY BUT PRELIMINARY STUDIES AROUND FROM OTHER
CITIES ARE THAT WAGES ARE DECLINING IN THOSE CITIES THAT THERE'S YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY A LOSS OF JOBS BUT THE FEW JOBS THAT REMAIN, YOU KNOW, ARE IN
COMPETITION. AND SO YOU HAVE LESS RIDES, YOU HAVE LESS WORK AND SO THERE ARE LESS WAGES. SO THOSE ARE PRELIMINARY STUDIES THAT ARE RECENTLY RELEASED AND I THINK, YOU KNOW,
WE WOULD WE WOULD LEARN FROM THAT IN IN THE STUDY THAT THE CITY OF BOSTON DOES AS PART OF THIS ORDINANCE. THANK YOU. I KNOW I'VE LISTENED TO ONE ONE
PERSON TESTIFY WHO WAS A USER TEAMSTER DRIVER I BELIEVE HE WAS TALKING ABOUT SEEING SOMEONE PROBABLY GOING THROUGH AN OVERDOSE AND HE STOPPED HIS
HIS TRUCK OR HIS CAR WHILE HE WAS DOING HIS JOB AND ABLE TO HELP PROBABLY SAVE A LIFE. I GUESS THAT STORY RESONATED WITH ME ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THAT
THAT RIDE THAT DRIVER, THAT PERSON IS PART OF THE COMMUNITY AND YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THEY'RE OUR NEIGHBORS. THEY'RE OUR YOUTH SPORTS COACHES.
THEY'RE THE PART OF THE PTA PROGRAM OTHER THEY'RE INVOLVED IN AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS AND THEY'RE CONTRIBUTING TO THE ECONOMY AND THEY DESERVE A LITTLE BIT OF RESPECT.
AND I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE THE WORKERS THEMSELVES FOR NOT ONLY THE IMPORTANT WORK THAT THEY ARE DOING IN TERMS OF PROVIDING A CRITICAL SERVICE TO RESIDENTS ACROSS THE CITY OR
ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH BUT ALSO CONTRIBUTING TO MAKE THINGS BETTER FOR OTHERS AS WELL AND CONTRIBUTING TO THE FABRIC OF OUR OF OUR CITY AND
COMMONWEALTH IN SUCH POSITIVE WAYS AND WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORKERS AND HOW HARD THEY ARE, HOW HOW HARD THEY WORK,
HOW PROFESSIONAL THEY ARE AND HOW SERIOUS THEY TAKE THEIR JOB WITH THEIR PROFESSIONAL AND WE WANT TO KEEP THEM WORKING AND WE DON'T WANT TO SEE THESE JOBS
ELIMINATED BECAUSE WE KNOW HOW CRITICAL THEY ARE TO BOSTON'S ECONOMY BUT ALSO TO THE FABRIC OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AS WELL. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU.
COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR INTRODUCING THIS ORDINANCE AND WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE UNION MEMBERS WHO ARE
HERE AND PRESENT TO ADVISE US AS THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL ON HOW BEST TO MOVE FORWARD IN A WAY THAT IS CENTERING THE SAFETY OF OUR CITY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE JOBS THAT WE
DO HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. SO I WANT TO THANK ALL OF OUR UNION MEMBERS FOR THE IMPORTANT WORK THAT YOU DO HERE IN THE CITY. I THINK SOMEONE FRAMED IT WELL AS THERE BEING TWO ISSUES HERE ISSUES OF SAFETY IN OUR CITY
AND TAKING MONEY AND JOBS AWAY FROM OUR COMMUNITIES. I ALSO THINK THE PREVIEW ON THE PREVIOUS PANEL ONE TALKED ABOUT HOW OTHER COMMUNITIES WERE CAUGHT OFF GUARD AND HOW
IMPORTANT IT IS FOR US TO BE PROACTIVE IN THE INTRODUCTION OF THESE VEHICLES TO OUR TO OUR CITY. SO I'M WONDERING IF ANYBODY COULD. I ALWAYS APPRECIATE A
COMPARATIVE LENS. IF ANYONE ELSE CAN TALK TO MORE LIKE WHAT ARE THE DETRIMENTS THAT WE'RE SEEING IN OTHER CITIES THAT DIDN'T TAKE A PROACTIVE APPROACH? AND THEN THE SECOND QUESTION I BELIEVE IT WAS HIGHLIGHTED
EITHER BY THIS PANEL OR PRIOR PANEL. WHEN WAYMO CAR WAS PULLED OVER THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHO TO TAKE IT. IS THERE ANY MORE INSIGHT AS TO WHAT HAPPENED OR WHAT WHAT
OTHER PROTOCOLS OR WHAT WHAT ARE WHAT WHAT IS THE THINKING HAPPENING THERE? WOULD WOULD WE LOOK FURTHER INSIDE ON ANOTHER OF THOSE QUESTIONS LIKE A PHOTO OF IT? THANK YOU.
THANK YOU COUNCILOR. I BELIEVE A LOT OF THE INFORMATION FROM THESE TECH COMPANIES IS PRIVATE SO A LOT OF TIMES IT'S HARD FOR US TO QUANTIFY SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR.
BUT I DO WANT TO POINT OUT A COUPLE OF THINGS AND I KNOW THAT YOU KNOW THIS THIS CITY COUNCIL IN BOSTON FIGHT HARD FOR FOR WORKERS AND FOR JUSTICE .
AND JUST TO GIVE YOU A COUPLE STATISTICS RIGHT NOW IN THE UNITED STATES, THE BOTTOM 50% OF THE COUNTRY ECONOMICALLY
HAVE 2.8% OF THE WEALTH. THE BOTTOM 50% THE TOP 10% WEALTH WISE HAVE 66% OF THE
WEALTH ABOUT TWO THIRDS THAT IS SO DISPROPORTIONATE. AND IF YOU LOOK AT COMPANIES LIKE WAYMO AND OTHER BIG TECH COMPANIES TO ELIMINATE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF JOBS IN
MASSACHUSETTS OR MILLIONS NATIONWIDE, WHAT'S IT GOING TO DO TO THAT ALREADY DISPROPORTIONATE WEALTH? IT'S GOING TO MAKE THE DIVIDE FURTHER.
IT'S IN OBVIOUSLY ALL OF THE WORKERS IN THIS ROOM AND IN THIS STATE OR IN THE BOTTOM 50%. IT'S GOING TO MAKE THE DIVIDE EVEN FURTHER.
THE RICH GET RICHER, THE POOR GET POORER, ELIMINATE THE MIDDLE CLASS ALL IN THE NAME OF CORPORATE PROFITS. SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT.
THANK YOU. I DON'T KNOW IF AGAIN MY PARTNER IN LABOR HERE I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE
INFORMATION ON TICKETS AND THINGS LIKE THAT BUT I THINK IT'S COMMON SENSE THAT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT A ROBOT CAN'T DO AND THAT'S WHY THE
DRIVERS WHO TESTIFIED THAT'S REAL TESTIMONY THAT'S THEY'VE THEY'VE EXPERIENCED HELPING PEOPLE IN MEDICAL EMERGENCIES, WALKING PEOPLE TO THE DOOR,
HELPING PEOPLE GET INTO VEHICLES THAT MAYBE THEY'RE DIFFICULT GETTING IN AND SO ON. AND THEN ADD IN THE FACTORS OF JUST THE CONDITIONS AROUND HERE.
THERE'S ALREADY HUNDREDS OF EXAMPLES OF THESE VEHICLES GETTING INTO ACCIDENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. DO IT QUICK. GOOGLE SEARCH AND FIND THAT STUFF OUT. BUT ADD IN THE EXTRA DIFFICULT
CONDITIONS AROUND BOSTON WITH THE SMALLER ROADS DIFFICULT NAVIGATING BUT THEN ADD SNOW, ICE, ROAD SALT CAKED ON VEHICLES HOW MANY TIMES YOU
HAVE TO WASH YOUR VEHICLE EVERY EVERY WINTER TO GET SOME OF THE ROADS OUT OFF AND THAT AFFECTS THE FUNCTIONS OF THESE VEHICLES. I MEAN HECK THEY WERE GOING TO DO A DEMONSTRATION AT THE STATE
HOUSE ONE DAY AND THEY COULDN'T DO IT BECAUSE IT WAS TOO HOT. IT WAS TOO IT WAS TOO THE CONDITIONS WERE TOO HOT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLES AS WHAT THEY SAID TO THE NEWS. SO I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT
OF CONCERNS ABOUT THE SAFETY BUT THEN ALSO THE IMPACT ON THE AND THE ECONOMY AND THE WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES THAT RELY ON THESE JOBS. SO THANKS FOR THAT. YEAH, SO MANY OF OUR STREETS
FROM OUR STREETS WERE MADE FOR HORSE AND BUGGY. NOT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR SOMEONE A ROBOT TRYING TO NAVIGATE THE STREETS ALSO PRIVATE WAYS SOME THAT WE TALK ABOUT A LOT HERE PRESENT
OBSTACLES AND I JUST WANTED TO YOU KNOW YOU MENTIONED THE CLEAVAGES, THE WEALTH CLEAVAGES. I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PROTECTING AND MAKING SURE ADVOCATING FOR OUR
WORKERS. SO MANY OF WHOM ARE SEEING OR TRY AND FACING REALLY DIFFICULT CHOICES THIS WEEK ALONE WITH SNAP BENEFITS BEING CUT. WE KNOW SO MANY OF OUR WORKING
RESIDENTS ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE ALSO NOT MAKING ENOUGH TO EVEN BE ABLE TO FEED THEIR FAMILIES WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE FROM SNAP SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE BE PROACTIVE HERE TO MAKE SURE TO NUMBER ONE
THAT WE ARE DOING IT IN THE SAFETY OF OUR CITIES BUT ALSO FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR RESIDENTS BUT ALSO SOMEONE ON THE PANEL ALSO MADE A COMMENT ABOUT HOW
THESE CORPORATIONS COMPETE ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE ABLE TO GET MONEY FROM VENTURE CAPITAL, ABLE TO ALL THESE INVESTMENTS. THEY ENTER THE MARKET AT A VERY, VERY LOW RATE, BE ABLE TO WEED OUT COMPETITORS AND THAT
CAUSES REALLY BIG PROBLEMS WHEN IT COMES TO THE CREATION OF MONOPOLIES, WHEN IT COMES TO UNFAIR ADVANTAGES OR REALLY, YOU KNOW, GIVING WORKERS MAKING WORKERS FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE. SO I DO THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE GET IN HERE
ON GROUND ZERO TO TRY TO BE AS PROACTIVE AS POSSIBLE. I HAD TO LEAVE FOR A FUNERAL BUT I LOOK FORWARD IF THERE'S ANYONE WHO HAS INFORMATION ABOUT TICKETING OR ANY OF THAT
INFORMATION, I LOOK FORWARD TO REVIEWING THE RECORD TO SEE HOW WE CAN BE PROACTIVE AND ALL SORTS OF OUTCOMES OF SAFETY AND IT COMES TO OUR WORKERS. THANK YOU AND THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE
COUNCILOR CUTBACKS. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. KELS WRAP UP AND HERE JUST VERY THANKFUL FOR EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE. I THINK EVERYONE HAS SAID IT WHEN WE SEE THE CHAMBER THIS
PACKED IT MEANS THAT THEY'RE FIGHTING FOR SOMETHING THAT WE TRULY BELIEVE IN AND YOU KNOW, BEING BEING ABLE TO TO BE OUTSIDE WITH YOU ALL TO LISTEN TO TO THE VOICES OF THE PEOPLE THAT MAY BE IMPACTED BY THIS
REALLY DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE. SO FOR ME BEING ABLE TO LOOK AT HOW THIS WILL IMPACT THE LIVELIHOODS OF OUR WORKERS HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON, IT'S JUST THAT'S THE FIRST THING THAT I ALWAYS THINK ABOUT IS
HOW IS A POLICY THAT WE VOTE ON GOING TO IMPACT OUR WORKERS AND THE PEOPLE. AND UNFORTUNATELY I THINK I MEAN I KNOW WHERE I STAND ON THIS BUT I WILL I JUST I'M
GETTING A SENSE ALSO THAT A LOT OF MY COLLEAGUES TOO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE PROTECT OUR WORKFORCE HERE IN A PANEL PARTICULARLY SEE THE GRACIOUS
OUT OF THOSE WHO SAY THIS BILL SAKURAI FREE CASTLE TEMPLE PUT A KIT IN OKAY IT'S A PROGRAM INTO THE TAX CODE UNDER THE NARROW POCKET FOR THE TRABAHO
OR THE MINIMUM BETTER THAT I WOULD LIKE IT WHICH ARE EQUAL TO THIS TAMAKI OR I'M NOT GONNA PURSUE I THIS IN THIS TIME RIGHT NOW ESPECIALLY WHAT WE'RE
GOING THROUGH FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ETC. THESE ARE MOMENTS WHERE WE SHOULD BE STEPPING UP FOR OUR WORKING CLASS FAMILIES, NOT TAKING STEPS TO TAKE AWAY OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM. AND I KNOW THAT I READ IN THE
NEWS ABOUT FOUR DAYS AGO THAT SENATOR PAUL FEENEY FROM THE OUT OF BORROW AREA OF MASSACHUSETTS STATE SENATOR HE'S LOOKING ALSO HOW DO WE DO THE SELF-CHECKOUT RIGHT BUT REGULATIONS THAT GROCERY STORES
I STOP IN SHOPS OR AND OTHER GROCERY STORES AND JUST REALIZE IN THAT I THINK ONE OF YOU SAID IT WAS WE OPENED UP THE DOORS FOR ONE THING TO COME INTO THE MASSACHUSETTS THAT'S GOING TO
OPEN UP THE FLOODGATES FOR EVERYTHING AND RIGHT NOW YOUR JOBS ARE AT RISK BUT WHO KNOWS WHO WILL ELSE'S JOB IS AT RISK. SO WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THINGS CAREFULLY. TO BE HONEST, I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU.
I DON'T I THINK MY MY COLLEAGUES ASK A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD. I'VE DONE MY HOMEWORK HERE. I, I ALSO JUST LIVE IT. I HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS THAT WILL PROBABLY LOSE A JOB IF THIS
WERE TO BE PASSED. I'VE HEARD SUCCESSFUL RESOLVE OF A NEIGHBOR OF MINE THAT WAS IN A WHEELCHAIR AND SHE SHE LIVES BY HERSELF AND SHE USED I
FORGET WHAT MY DRIVER WAS WHATEVER. BUT IT WAS IT WAS A GENTLEMAN THAT HELPED HER GET OUT OF THE CAR, GET OUT OF THE CAR AND BE ABLE TO GET HER BACK BACK ON A CHAIR. SO THESE ARE REAL LIFE EXPERIENCES. THERE'S PEOPLE BEHIND THE WHEELS HELPING PEOPLE DUE TO
THEIR TODAY LIVES. SO I'M JUST THANKFUL FOR EVERYONE'S ADVOCACY HERE AND I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING TIME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNSELOR PEPPERED COUNSELOR FITZGERALD AND THEN
BREADON THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. A TECHNOLOGY REALLY IS A DOUBLE EDGED SWORD A THERE ARE WAYS IT CAN BE USED SO WELL AND WE WILL NEED IT TO ADVANCE MANY
DIFFERENT THINGS IN THIS WORLD . HOWEVER, WHEN PLACED IN THE WRONG ATMOSPHERE HERE IT CAN REALLY DO MORE DAMAGE. I THINK SOCIAL MEDIA IS MY
FIRST THING AS A PARENT WITH KIDS BUT WHEN WE BECOME MORE DEPENDENT ON TECHNOLOGY WE ARE INCLINED TO PLACE MORE VALUE ON
TECHNOLOGY AND IN DOING SO INHERENT WE ARE PLACING LESS VALUE ON PEOPLE AND THAT IS A PHILOSOPHY I JUST CAN'T GET MYSELF OVER THE HUMP ON.
RIGHT AND I THINK THE STORIES THAT YOU ALL TOLD TODAY YOU KNOW, EVEN THE ANECDOTAL ONES ABOUT PEOPLE AND WHAT WE CAN DO MORE THAN TECHNOLOGY COULD EVER
DO PEOPLE NEED PEOPLE AND SO LIKE MY LIKE MY MY FRIEND COUNCIL PEN HERE I DON'T REALLY HAVE A QUESTION I AM OPEN TO UNDERSTANDING MORE FROM THE
OTHER SIDE OF COURSE LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT PANEL AND HEARING THEM OUT. THIS IS A NEW FRONTIER AND WE ALWAYS HAVE TO WEIGH BOTH SIDES CAREFULLY. BUT THAT PHILOSOPHICAL HURDLE
FOR ME WILL BE DIFFICULT TO GET OVER AND SO I APPLAUD YOU ALL FOR SHOWING UP IN FORCE AND MAKING YOUR VOICES HEARD. BUT LIKE MANY OF YOU, I'LL SEED MY TIME BACK SO YOU ALL CAN GET
BACK TO WORK. I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, CHIP. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNSELOR FITZGERALD, COUNSELOR BREADON AND THEM HERE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING. THIS AFTERNOON.
IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE SO MANY FOLKS HERE. I AGAIN, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS BUT ONE JUST LISTENING TO ALL OF YOUR TESTIMONY THIS AFTERNOON, A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT COME UP
COME TO MIND REALLY IS HOW HOW SECURE IS THE TECHNOLOGY IN TERMS OF OF COURSE WE HEAR OF CYBER ATTACKS IMPACTING EVERY ASPECT OF OUR LIVES
IMPACTING HOSPITALS, IMPACTING AIRPORTS, IMPACTING YOU NAME IT . AND I, I GOT I DON'T KNOW LIKE YOU'RE YOU FOLKS HAVE PROBABLY
BEEN STUDYING THIS AND I APPRECIATE THAT THERE'S A CERTAIN STRENGTH IN HAVING HUMAN OPERATED VEHICLES THAT
CAN RESPOND TO CHANGING SITUATIONS IN THE MOMENT AND MAKE AN ON THE SPOT IN THAT TIME AND SPACE DECISION TO KEEP YOUR SELF AND YOUR PASSENGERS SAFE.
I HEARD THIS THE POINT ABOUT THE WEATHER CONDITIONS THE OTHER THE OTHER THING THAT REALLY GRABS ME THIS AFTERNOON LISTENING TO YOU ALL IS THAT YOU PROVIDE A HUMAN SERVICE MANY I'M A PHYSICAL THERAPIST
BY BACKGROUND AND I'VE I'VE TALKED TO MANY OLDER RESIDENTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHO SAY IT'S REALLY INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO GET AROUND AND
THEY'VE GIVEN UP THEIR CARS AND IF THEY HAVE MOBILITY ISSUES THEY REALLY DO RELY ON THE GOODNESS AND THE KINDNESS OF THEIR UBER DRIVERS AND THEIR LYFT DRIVERS OR THEIR TAXI DRIVERS TO GIVE THEM THAT EXTRA
LITTLE HAND TO GET IN AND OUT OF THE CAR TO GET THEM TO THE FRONT DOOR TO SEE THAT THEY'RE SAFE GOING INTO THEIR HOMES. AND I THINK AS WE TECHNOLOGY WILL DEFINITELY NOT REPLACE YOU
DRIVERS SO I WILL SEE MY TIME BUT ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY BECAUSE I THINK YOU'RE YOU'RE FLAGGING UP A
VERY, VERY SERIOUS ISSUE THE LOSS OF ECONOMIC VITALITY IN YOUR COMMUNITIES WITH ALL THE MONEY THAT YOU KEEP YOU MAKE YOU SPEND IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS
AND THEN ALSO THAT LOSS, THAT LOSS OF HUMAN CONNECTION WITH THE PEOPLE THAT YOU SERVE ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS. AND THEN ALSO THE OTHER ISSUE IS JUST REALLY THINKING ABOUT SAFETY AND THE FUNKY THE FUNKY
ROADWAYS AND WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE AND I WAS GOING TO SAY ALSO IN BRIGHTON BUT ALL ACROSS THE CITY OF BOSTON IT'S NOT YOUR REGULAR GRID SYSTEM BUT YOU CAN FIGURE OUT WHERE YOU ARE.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY AND YOU KNOW, I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO HEAR MORE ABOUT YOUR ERA, YOUR WORK IN THIS
SPACE AND HOW HOW YOU ARE REALLY TRYING TO PRESERVE A WAY OF LIFE AND A QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND FOR OUR COMMUNITIES. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME
THIS AFTERNOON. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNT CELEBRATE IN FRONT OF ME HERE AND THEN WEBER THANK YOU CHAIR AND I I'M GOING TO SAVE A
LOT OF MY TIME FOR THE EXECUTIVES THAT I'D LIKE TO HAVE MORE QUESTIONS FOR BECAUSE OF YOU. EVERYBODY HERE ALREADY KNOWS WHERE I STAND. I'M STILL IN SHOCK THAT I HAVE
TO EVEN HAVE THIS CONVERSATION THAT HERE WE ARE IN THIS DAY AND AGE TRYING TO DEFEND OURSELVES FROM ROBOTS TAKING OVER OUR JOBS RIGHT AND RIGHT
HERE. THIS IS THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE BECAUSE FIRST THEY COME FOR THE POOR JOBS, RIGHT? FIRST THEY COME FOR THE LOWEST WAGE WORKERS. THEY COME FOR THOSE WHO USUALLY CAN'T FIGHT AGAINST THE BIG
CATS BUT THEN THEY'RE GOING TO KEEP CLIMBING UP THAT LADDER. AND SO WHY THIS IS SO IMPORTANT IN THIS MOMENT RIGHT NOW IS WHAT BOSTON DOES AND HOW WE SHOW UP WILL SEND A RIPPLE
EFFECT ACROSS THE COUNTRY BECAUSE EVERYBODY LOOKS TO BOSTON AS A LEADER AND WHILE THEY'VE MANAGED TO GET THIS DONE IN OTHER LITTLE SPACES AND PLACES, TRY IT IN BOSTON, THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR
AND THAT'S WHY YOU SHOWING UP THE WAY THAT YOU ARE HERE IN THIS SPACE HOLDING US ACCOUNTABLE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE DO RIGHT BY THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE IS WHY I'M REALLY
EXCITED TO BE HERE WITH YOU ALL TODAY AND SO LET YOU KNOW THAT I GOT TO ASK YOU ALL BECAUSE I HAD BET BEING UP IN VIETNAM I'LL KEEP LEONARDO BUT I I'M
TOTALLY NOT REALLY RACHEL SO THAT WELL WINS THE BOOK A PRE MIRACLE MISSING A TACKLE A LITTLE ROAD MAP FOR EVERY ONE OF THE BODIES THEY COMPETE CANDLE IS VERY IMPORTANT THEY
CAN ALSO KEEP THE HANDLE OF THE MORE STERILE GLASSWARE THEY WILL STORE NO OTHER CANNOLI INTERACTING DELICATELY SO THE
LAMP WITH THE LOSS SO WHEN IT BACK I'M NO CLAPPING OR CLAPPING I WANT NO PROBLEMS GOING TO, NO CLAPPING NO PROBLEM I PLEASE I GET FIRED UP.
I'M SORRY I'M NOT GOING TO APOLOGIZE BUT I JUST DO I JUST I'M SO I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT I'M HAVING THIS CONVERSATION RIGHT NOW BUT HERE WE ARE. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE IT.
IT IS LIKE TRICKLE DOWN HARM THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT BECAUSE YOU ALL TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST THE DRIVERS. IT'S THE IT'S THE THE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE GOING TO BE IMPACTED.
THIS IS GOING TO BE THE NEXT GLOBAL PANDEMIC WHEN WE LOOK AT COVID AND THE IMPACT THAT IT HAS ON THE WORKFORCE AND OUR ECONOMY, THIS COULD BE THE NEXT THING THAT IMPACTS OUR ECONOMY
AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO GET THIS RIGHT SO THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS SAID EARLIER IT WAS
ABOUT A I THINK IT WAS YOU YOU TALKED ABOUT AN INCIDENT THAT THEY YOU WERE ABLE TO OBSERVE. I'M NOT SURE WHO IT WAS BUT SOMEBODY HERE ON THE PANEL TALKED ABOUT SOMETHING THAT
ONLY A DRIVER THAT WAS NOT A ROBOT COULD ACTUALLY SEE AND RESPOND TO. SO THIS MORNING ON MY WAY TO WORK AND SHE RECOUNTS THE FEELING THAT I WAS DRIVING HERE
INTO WORK AND IN FRONT OF ME WAS A COUPLE WELL AT LEAST IT WAS IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS A COUPLE WHO AT LEAST FROM MY VANTAGE POINT AND THEY WERE BEATING EACH OTHER UP,
LITERALLY HITTING ONE ANOTHER AND THEY PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND ME BEING THE BUSYBODY THAT I AM I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO JUST TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE
OKAY. SO I PULLED UP TO THEM AND I NOTICED THAT THE PERSON LOOKED YOUNGER AND I ASKED THEM TO
WHERE THEY OKAY AND I DIDN'T QUERY RIGHT WHO AM I? BUT I WAS WORRIED THAT THIS PERSON WAS BEING ABUSED. THE PERSON SAID OH IT'S MY WIFE BUT IT DID NOT LOOK LIKE THEY
WERE THEIR WIFE. SO ANYWAYS ALL OF THIS TO SAY IS THAT BECAUSE I WAS THE DRIVER BEHIND THAT VEHICLE RIGHT? I WAS ABLE TO DO SOMETHING. I WAS ABLE TO STOP AND CHECK IN
AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT OTHER CAR WAS OKAY. I DON'T THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE THE CASE IF WAYMO WERE ACTUALLY A ROBOT. LET ME JUST CALL IT WHAT IT IS AGAIN A ROBOT WAS DRIVING THE
ROBOT WOULD BE FOCUSED ON THEIR LANE AND GETTING TO WHERE THEY NEED TO BE AND THEY WOULD NOT BE WORRIED ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN AND AROUND THEIR AREA AND THAT WHEN WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT SAFETY YES I UNDERSTAND SAFETY IS A CONCERN BUT THE NUMBER ONE CONCERN FOR ME IS HUMANITY AND HUMANITY AND
I THINK THAT INNOVATION IS GREAT BUT IT SHOULD NEVER COME AT THE COST OF OUR HUMANITY OR OUR LIVELIHOOD AND OUR ABILITY TO SEE AND DO SOMETHING, NOT
JUST SAY SOMETHING. AND I THINK THAT A ROBOT WOULD NOT GET OUT OF THEIR CAR. THEY WOULDN'T EVEN THEY CAN'T EVEN WALK. I MEAN THEY'RE LIKE STUCK IN SOME LITTLE THING. I DON'T KNOW I'VE SEEN THEM. THEY LOOK WEIRD AND THEY LOOK KIND OF SCARY TOO.
BUT ANYWAYS THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT? THEY'RE NOT INVESTED IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR. THEY'RE NOT INVESTED IN HUMANS. SO IT'S US AGAINST MACHINES AND
I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL SAW THAT MOVIE TOTAL RECALL. WELL YEAH, THAT WAS SCARY OR SOME OF Y'ALL ARE OLDER BECAUSE I SEE Y'ALL LAUGHING OR IF YOU EVEN SAW THE MOVIE I KNOW
YESTERDAY THAT I GOT TOTAL RECALL OR THAT MOVIE WITH HIS NAME WILL SMITH AND THE LITTLE WHITE ROBOTS I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT WAS WHAT I ROBOT OKAY LIKE THERE'S SO MANY EXAMPLES THAT I
NEVER THOUGHT THAT I WOULD BE INSIDE A CHAMBER TALKING ABOUT WHAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE HAPPENING BECAUSE IT IS HAPPENING AND IF WE DON'T GET AHEAD OF IT IT WILL HAPPEN AND WHILE I DO APPRECIATE THE
AUDIENCE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE SOME GUARDRAIL, I THINK THE REAL CONVERSATION SHOULD BE HOW DO WE GET TO A NO PERIOD? THAT WOULD BE WHAT I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO TALK ABOUT BECAUSE WE
ALREADY MISSED THE BOAT WITH THE SUPERMARKETS AND SO MY TIME IS UP AND THAT'S ALL I GOT TO SAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. YEAH. OKAY. PLEASE RESPECT COUNCIL RULES.
HELP ME OUT AS CHAIR PLEASE. I DON'T WANT TO BE THE BAD GUY. NO MORE, PLEASE. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THE ENTHUSIASM. ALL RIGHT, WE'LL GO TO COUNCILOR WEBER AND THEN WE'LL GO TO THE FIRST SHEET OF PUBLIC TESTIMONY THAT WAS HANDED TO
ME. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU TO THE PANEL. YOU KNOW, I BEFORE I WAS ELECTED A CITY COUNCILOR I SPENT 18 YEARS REPRESENTING WORKERS WITH ONE SORT
OF GUIDING PRINCIPLE PEOPLE BEFORE PROFIT AND I'M NOT ABOUT TO CHANGE UP THAT NOW. SO I JUST I DON'T KNOW JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS FOR THIS YOU
KNOW, FOR FOR WAYMO I'M STILL NOT SURE YOU KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE AND I THINK YOU KIND OF GOT TO IT. YOU KNOW, THE PROBLEM IS THE HUMAN DRIVERS AND AS BEING A
SOURCE OF LABOR THAT YOU HAVE TO PAY AND DEAL WITH AND NEGOTIATE CONTRACTS WITH BUT JUST YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF LIKE SAFETY, DO YOU HAVE DATA ON
LIKE THE SAFETY OF YOUR DRIVERS ,YOU KNOW, PER MILE HOW THAT COMPARES TO NONPROFESSIONAL DRIVERS OR ANYTHING BECAUSE I JUST YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF LIKE
HOW TO PUSH BACK AGAINST THIS NOTION THAT SOMEHOW YOU KNOW, OUR CITIES AND OUR STREETS ARE UNSAFE BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE DRIVING THESE CARS. I DON'T KNOW WOULD ANYTHING I
LOOKING YOU ADAM OH WE CAN I THINK WE'D BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE DATA AS PART OF THE STUDY HERE BUT I THINK THE THE MAIN THING
IS THAT YOU KNOW THE SWATH OF A HUGE SWATH OF DRIVERS OF THESE AS YOU SEEN AND I THINK EVERYBODY'S KIND OF YOU KNOW, HEARING FROM EACH OTHER IS THAT, YOU KNOW, DRIVERS ARE
INCREDIBLY HARD WORKING INCREDIBLY CONSCIOUS OF SAFETY, OF GETTING PEOPLE FROM A TO Z BECAUSE THEIR LIVELIHOODS DEPEND ON IT BECAUSE THEY'RE
LIKE HUMANS WHO ARE ARE DECENT PEOPLE AND CARE ABOUT EACH OTHER AND EVERYONE ELSE AND THEIR LIVELIHOOD DEPENDS ON IT . IF THERE'S ONE WRONG MOVE I
MEAN PEOPLE RISK GETTING DEACTIVATED. IT'S A HUGE, HUGE PROBLEM IN THE INDUSTRY IF YOU KNOW A PASSENGER THINKS THAT YOU DON'T SMILE AT THEM THEY CAN COMPLAIN
TO THE COMPANY AND PEOPLE GET DEACTIVATED JUST FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. AND SO YOU KNOW, DRIVERS ARE INCREDIBLY, INCREDIBLY CAREFUL
OF BEING SAFE, OF BEING CONSCIENTIOUS TO TO A DEGREE, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU KNOW, THEY JUST HAVE TO BECAUSE OF YOU KNOW, WE DON'T THERE IS NO FAIR DEACTIVATION PROCEDURE RIGHT
NOW. THERE IS NO FAIR. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT DRIVERS ARE FIGHTING FOR. SO I THINK IT'S YOU KNOW, DAY TO DAY DRIVERS DO EVERYTHING THEY POSSIBLY CAN TO KEEP
CUSTOMERS THEMSELVES AND THE COMMUNITY SAFE AND THEN SO IN TERMS I MEAN HOW THAT HOW IS THIS SUPPOSED TO WORK WITH SOMEBODY IS IN A WHEELCHAIR OR
YOU KNOW, HAVING TROUBLE SEEING LIKE YOU KNOW, WHAT DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA YOU KNOW, HOW THE DRIVERLESS CARS WAS TO HANDLE THE DO YOU WANT TO DO YOU WANT
TO SO I'LL I'LL START AND I'LL PASS IT TO MY TO ABDUL-AZIZ BUT I WE YOU'LL HEAR FROM ALL THE DRIVERS ABOUT ALL OF THE WAYS
THAT THEY HAVE SERVED OUR VULNERABLE POPULATION WHERE THEY HAVE HELPED PEOPLE WITH WHEELCHAIRS, THEY'VE HELPED PEOPLE WITH SERVICE DOGS HELP
THE ELDERLY TO TIE THEIR SHOES TO GET THEM BACK INTO THE HOUSE TO CARRY GROCERIES. I DON'T THINK A ROBOT IS ABLE TO DO THAT.
SO I'M GOING TO SEE IF WELL YEAH, YEAH I UNDERSTAND HOW HUMANS DO. I JUST I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE HOW IT'S SUPPOSED TO WORK. YOU KNOW IF YOU IF YOU WANT TO
SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THAT THAT'S FINE. I JUST SAID ONE ONE THING THAT I BELIEVE THAT YOU KNOW OBVIOUSLY I'M SURE THESE COMPANIES HAVE THEIR OWN
STUDIES BUT WE TAKE IT FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH THEY'RE STUDYING THEMSELVES. I BELIEVE THAT A LOT OF THE INFORMATION IS STILL PRIVATE AND OTHER CITIES AND NOT RELEASED BY THE COMPANIES TO
PUBLIC AUTHORITIES. BUT I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE AUTOMATION THAT WE DO SEE ALREADY WITHIN WAREHOUSES IN MASSACHUSETTS I MEAN IT'S GREAT
BUT THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE SYSTEMS CONSTANTLY GO DOWN. JUST LAST WEEK AT ONE OF MY COMPANIES THAT HAD THESE AUTOMATED TRAINS THAT CARRY THINGS THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING
CRUSHED ONE OF THE SUPERVISORS LEGS, PINNED HER AGAINST THE WALL AND SHE HAD TO GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM, BE RUSHED THERE AND HAD 47 STITCHES IN HER LEG. THAT WAS LAST WEEK.
I MEAN THAT'S ONE THING AND I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT ONE THING THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE OBVIOUS COMPUTERS BREAK DOWN ALL THE TIME. MACHINES BREAK DOWN THE TIME
AND THERE IS A REASON WHY WE DON'T HAVE AUTOMATED PASSENGER AIRPLANES RIGHT? EVERY AIRPLANE HAS MULTIPLE PILOTS AND THEY MIGHT PUT IT ON AUTOPILOT FOR AN HOUR WHILE
THEY'RE COASTING. BUT WHY DON'T WE HAVE PASSENGER AIRPLANES WITHOUT DRIVERS, WITHOUT PILOTS AND THE REASONS OBVIOUS BECAUSE WHEN THE SYSTEM
FAILS IT'S NOT A CAR WHERE IT PARKS THE PLANES 30,000 FEET IN THE AIR. I JUST TWO MORE QUICK QUESTIONS. ONE IS I THINK COUNCILOR STANTON ALLUDED TO THIS.
DRIVERS JUST EARN THE RIGHT TO UNIONIZE, YOU KNOW? YOU KNOW, HAS HAS ANYONE CONSIDERED FILING AN UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICE COMPLAINT BASED ON, YOU KNOW, USING SORT
OF THREATENING THE ABILITY OF THE WORKERS TO ORGANIZE AND BARGAIN COLLECTIVELY BY THREATENING TO USE YOU KNOW, AUTOMATED CARS IN THIS YOU KNOW, COULD BE AUTOMATED LABOR
. IS ANY THOUGHT TO THAT NOW THAT THE NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD IS EVEN FUNCTIONING BUT TO THE EXTENT IF IT DID. EXACTLY. IT JUST TO ME IT SEEMS LIKE
CURIOUS TIMING AND AND A THREAT TO OUR WORKERS ABILITY TO, YOU KNOW, BARGAIN FOR FAIR WAGES. THANKS. SO AT THE MOMENT UBER AND LYFT
OF I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THEY'RE PLANNING ON TEAMING UP WITH WAYMO AND THEIR IN THEIR PLATFORM I THOUGHT THAT THEY DID. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH EXACTLY.
I DON'T KNOW ALL THE DETAILS THERE BUT OBVIOUSLY THAT IS A BIG CONCERN OF OURS IS THAT IT WAS A WAY TO UNDERCUT THE WORKERS AND WE ARE LOOKING AT THAT IN REGARDS TO NATIONAL
LABOR RELATIONS ACT. THIS IS A STATE SO IT ONLY EXISTS HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS RIGHT NOW TO ALLOW THAT UBER AND LYFT DRIVERS TO UNIONIZE. SO THE USE OF THE NATIONAL
LABOR RELATIONS BOARD EVEN THOUGH EVERYTHING SHUT DOWN WE WOULDN'T BE GOING THAT WAY WE'D GO TO THE STATE LABOR BOARD BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT STUFF RIGHT NOW. BUT THE CONNECTION IS STILL
WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE THAT. OKAY, THANK YOU. THAT'S WHY I TELL PEOPLE I WAS NOT A LABOR LAWYER. I WAS A WAGE AND HOUR ATTORNEY. I DIDN'T REPRESENT WORKERS WHO WERE ABLE TO UNIONIZE. SO THANK YOU FOR THE LESSON.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CHAIR THANK YOU. I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR THEIR THOUGHTFUL AND INFORMED QUESTIONS. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR TESTIMONY AND YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS. WE'RE GOING TO TRANSITION BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A LONG LIST TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. OKAY. JUST A REMINDER FOR FOLKS SO JUST PROVIDE CLEARANCE AND ANY
GUIDANCE I THINK WHERE APPROPRIATE FOR THOSE WHO ARE VISUALLY IMPAIRED TO COME UP TO THE MIKES. SO IF WE CAN CLEAR ANY FIRE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT. THIS IS A FIRST SHEET THAT WAS HANDED TO ME FOR PUBLIC
TESTIMONY. I GOT ANOTHER SHEET HANDED AS WELL SO I'LL GO IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THIS WAS RECEIVED. SO WE HAVE BRIANNA JAN FROM THE CHAMBER OF PROGRESS.
WE ALSO HAVE CARL RICHARDSON FROM THE GUIDE DOG USERS OF MAY, NORA NAGLE FROM THE BASIC COUNCIL OF THE BLIND AND THEN RASHAD SAID WE'D I
APOLOGIZE IF I SAID YOUR NAME WRONG FROM ROSENDALE. WE'LL START WITH WE'LL START THERE AND THEN GO FORWARD WITH TWO OR THREE MORE INDIVIDUALS. THANK YOU SO MUCH, BRIANNA, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR PLEASE APPROACH
THE MIC. SAY YOUR NAME AND YOUR AFFILIATION. YOU HAVE 2 MINUTES. THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR ESTEEMED COMMITTEE BRIANNA JANUARY WITH CHAMBER OF PROGRESS. WE ARE A TECH INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION ADVOCATING FOR THE PROGRESSIVE FUTURE OF TECH AND
INCLUSIVE ACCESS TO THAT FUTURE. UNLIKE TRADITIONAL TRADE ASSOCIATIONS, OUR PARTNERS DO NOT HAVE A VOTE OR VETO ON OUR POSITIONS INSTEAD WE OPERATE INDEPENDENTLY AS A CENTER LEFT ORGANIZATION.
I COME TODAY IN STRONG OPPOSITION TO DOCKET 1432 WHICH WOULD DENY BOSTON RESIDENTS AND VISITORS THE CHOICE TO UTILIZE AVS AND THEIR LIFESAVING INNOVATION DOCKET 1432 WOULD
DENY THE FREEDOM TO TAKE WHAT HAS BEEN PROVEN TIME AND TIME AGAIN TO BE THE SAFEST VEHICLE BASED MODE OF TRANSPORTATION AND FOR THE SITE IMPAIRED
COMMUNITY DOCKET 1432 WOULD DENY THE OPPORTUNITY FOR TRUE INDEPENDENCE AND COMMITMENT. I HOPE THAT YOU GIVE THE FOLKS HERE TODAY THE FULL AUDIENCE THEY DESERVE JUST LIKE YOU'VE GIVEN LABOR BECAUSE SO FAR THIS
BODY UNFORTUNATELY DEPRIORITIZED THE DISABLED COMMUNITY. I'VE TESTIFIED BEFORE THIS BODY BEFORE ABOUT THE FEAR MONGERING AND DISINGENUOUS CLAIMS THAT YOU'RE HEARING TODAY BUT TO
STATE THAT THERE ARE FEW REMAINING DRIVERS IN CITIES WITH AVS IS OBJECTIVELY FALSE I SAY THAT AS A TRADE ASSOCIATION THAT REPRESENTS UBER AND LYFT TO CLAIM THAT ABS HAVE TAKEN
OVER FOR EXAMPLE L.A. OR PHENIX IS FALSE ADS ARE A CHOICE THEY ADD TO THE TRANSPORTATION ECOSYSTEM AND THE CHOICES THAT PEOPLE HAVE BUT HERE TODAY INSTEAD TO MORE SO TALK ABOUT
SAFETY, THE FACTS ARE CLEAR WE DON'T HAVE TO LIVE LIKE THIS IN FACT, ACCORDING TO DATA FROM YOUR OWN MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, OVER 620,000 MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES WERE RECORDED IN THE
LAST FIVE YEARS, MANY OF THEM BEING FATAL AND 90,000 RESULTED IN OTHER INJURIES AND ACTUALLY THERE HAVE BEEN 95,000 CRASHES
JUST THIS YEAR ALONE. WE DON'T HAVE TO LIVE LIKE THIS. ABS OFFER AN ALTERNATIVE AND ABS DON'T DRINK. THEY DON'T TEXT AND DRIVE. THEY DON'T DOZE OFF OR LOSE THEIR TEMPER. THEY FOLLOW TRAFFIC RULES THEY
SEE IN EVERY DIRECTION SIMULTANEOUSLY AND THEY BRAKE WITHOUT HESITATION. COUNSELORS YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT THE VALUE OF LIFE WILL COMMITTEE I ASK YOU WHEN ELSE HAVE YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO
LITERALLY SAVE LIVES HAVE HAD CLEAR CONTINUOUSLY TRIED AND DATA THAT PROVES SO AND YET CHOOSE NOT TO DO SO IMAGINE IF POLICYMAKERS CHOSE NOT TO SUPPORT SEATBELTS AFTER DATA SHOWED THAT THEY SAVE LIVES OR
TO REQUIRE PROPER CAR SEATS AND SAFETY MEASURES FOR BABIES AND CHILDREN BY SUPPORTING DOC AT 1432 HISTORY HISTORY WOULD REMEMBER THIS COMMITTEE FOR ACTIVELY CHOOSING TO DENY
BOSTONIANS AND VISITORS CHOICE WHICH IS ALL THAT AIDS ARE IS A CHOICE TO ADD TO THE TRANSPORTS OPTION ECOSYSTEM. I KNOW THAT I'M OVER TIME I APPRECIATE ANY QUESTIONS AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. NEXT UP CARL THEN NORA.
HI, MY NAME IS CARL RICHARDSON. I AM THE MATH TEACHER TO TAKE OUT 88 COORDINATOR FOR THE MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATURE AND AN ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER FOR THE PERTINENT MALE WORLD
PERSONS BOOK COMMISSION WITH THAT ABILITY AND HAVE SERVED ON THAT BOARD 29 UNDER MANY KNOW BUT TODAY I AM TESTIFYING AT THE THEM AT THE BOTTOM THE
PRESIDENT OF THE GUIDE DOG HIS GROUP MATH TUTORED AND A MEMBER OF THE BAY THANK COMFORT A BLIND I AM IN OPPOSITION TO THE ORDINANCE NOT BE COUNTED TO
LOOK AT THE UNION TALLY WHICH I THINK IT SHOULD BUT BECAUSE IT IS TOO NARROWLY DEFINED THAT TALK ABOUT NUMBERS THE UNION FOLKS KEPT THAT CONSISTENTLY IT COULD IMPACT UP TO 45,000
PEOPLE. I'M GLAD THEY SAID THAT BECAUSE I HAVE NUMBER TWO NEARLY ONE IN FIVE A ACCORDING TO THE CDC, NEARLY ONE IN FIVE PEOPLE HAVE
A DISABILITY THAT 1.4 THE MATH THE TRUTH THAT 400,000 RESIDENT OF THE GREATER BOSTON AREA AND 135,000 ABOUT THE BOTTOM AND THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE THAT THE
ONLY PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE WOMEN WHO MAY BE AFRAID TO TAKE OVER AND LET BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO GET INTO A VEHICLE WITH THE STRANGE MAN IT MAY BE PEOPLE OF COLOR WHO ROUTINELY GET
DENIED BECAUSE OF THEIR SKIN COLOR. IT COULD BE ELDERLY WHO JUST WANT TO TAKE AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE BECAUSE THEY WANT TO FEEL MORE INDEPENDENT AND FEEL LIKE
THEY'RE DOING IT ON THEIR OWN. THE NUMBERS ARE FAR EXCEED THE 45,000 YOU CAN TELL AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE CAN IMPACT IT MANY IF NOT FAR MORE PEOPLE
ECONOMICALLY AFFECT AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WANT THE SAME THING THAT UNION REPRESENTATIVE WANT WE WANT ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION, HEALTH
CARE AND MUCH MORE AND ONE OF THE LEADING BARRIERS TO AND TRANSPORTATION. NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT HOW TO IMPACT SMALL BUSINESSES I GUARANTEE YOU IF YOU ME AN
EXAMPLE TO YOU TO MY DISCRETIONARY INCOME WHAT IT CAN EXPONENTIALLY BY SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS IF IT WERE EASIER FOR ME TO GET TO ENTERTAINMENT PLACES RETAIL
ESTABLISHED WOMAN HEALTH CARE APPLETON AND I CAN'T BE THE ONLY ONE SO I DON'T THINK IT WOULD HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON SMALL BUSINESS BECAUSE IF WE HAVE GREATER ACCESS AND HAVE
THE WOMAN BEFORE ME THAT IT WOULD JUST BE A TOOL THOUSAND QUOTE IF YOU DO DO A STUDY LOOK AT NOT ONLY HOW IT WOULD NEGATIVELY IMPACT PEOPLE BUT LOOK HOW GOOD IT WOULD POSITIVELY IMPACT PEOPLE
BECAUSE TO ME AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES IS NOT A DYSTOPIAN FUTURE AND IT MY MOBILITY, MY FREEDOM, MY INDEPENDENCE AND ACT THAT TOMORROW AND I WOULD LIKE TO PERSONALLY CHALLENGE
ANY LEGISLATOR LETTING AND THE CITY COUNCIL IS LISTENING TODAY I LIVE IN BOSTON I AM WILLING TO MEET WITH YOU. I CHALLENGE YOU TO BLIND YOURSELF FOR JUST ONE HOUR, WORK WITH ME AND TRY TO GET TO
WORK, TRY TO DO AN ERRAND AND THEN TELL ME BECAUSE AT THE LAST 10 TO 30 CONFLICT THAT THEY COULD NOT SUPPORT AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE BECAUSE THERE WOULD BE A MINIMAL
BENEFIT TO THE CITY OF BOSTON AFTER THEY BLIND THEMSELVES BLINDFOLD THEMSELVES TELL ME OF ACT THAT TO MANY FORMS NOT CHECK ONE INCLUDING THE RIDE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE THAT WOULD BE IF THAT IS THE MINIMAL BENEFIT IF THE INDEPENDENCE MOBILITY FREEDOM ACT THAT TO EMPLOYMENT EDUCATION HEALTH CARE BENEFIT AND IT NOT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION THANK YOU CARL I NEXT STOP PLEASE NO APPLAUSE. NEXT UP WE HAVE NORA AND NORA EXCUSE ME AND THEN RASHAD,
PLEASE. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION. MY NAME IS NORA NAGLE. I'M A RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF BOSTON AND I'M A DIRECTOR WITH THE BAY STATE
COUNCIL OF THE BLIND. SORRY, I'M JUST GETTING SETTLED HERE. AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE REGULATION WHATEVER FORM IT TAKES NEEDS TO
CONSIDER THE NEEDS OF ALL OF THE CITIZENS OF BOSTON AND COME FROM AN OPEN MINDED ADVISORY BOARD REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ENTIRE CITY. IT APPEARS BY THE WAY THE WORDING OF THIS ORDINANCE THAT
IT IS NOT OCCURRED TO ANY OF THE SPONSORS THAT SOME CITIZENS OF BOSTON COULD ACTUALLY BENEFIT FROM SAFELY SAFELY OPERATED AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES. I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT I'M ONE OF THEM.
I'VE LIVED AND WORKED IN THE CITY OF BOSTON FOR OVER 35 YEARS. IN ONE OF MY JOBS I WAS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF MY BARGAINING UNIT FOR OVER EIGHT YEARS AN AFFILIATE OF UAW LOCAL 2320.
I MENTION THIS BECAUSE I WANT TO BE CLEAR I'M PRO-UNION AND I GREW UP IN A PRO-UNION FAMILY BUT I AM NOT PRO-UNION TO THE EXCLUSION OF REASONED ANALYSIS.
AS A LEGALLY BLIND GUIDE DOG USER IN BOSTON, I HAVE FEWER TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS THAN I DID TEN YEARS AGO. RIDE SHARES ARE LARGELY UNAVAILABLE TO ME. I'VE BEEN REFUSED POLITELY. I'VE BEEN REFUSED RUDELY.
SOME JUST DRIVE AWAY SOME DRIVERS GIVE ME EXCUSES. I'M REFUSED MORE OFTEN THAN NOT THE REASON IS ALWAYS THE SAME. I HAVE A GUIDE DOG WHERE'S THE HUMANITY IN LEAVING A BLIND
PERSON STANDING IN THE DARK IN THE RAIN WITH NO WAY GET HOME I'M SURE THAT I DO NOT NEED TO REMIND YOU ALL THAT USING A GUIDE DOG IS MY CIVIL RIGHT.
I AND MANY OTHER PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES HERE AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE SYSTEMATIC DISCRIMINATION BY UBER AND UBER DRIVERS. UBER IS CURRENTLY BEING SUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE IN
CALIFORNIA OVER THIS VERY ISSUE. IF I COULD TAKE A SAFE AUTONOMOUS CAR IT WOULD MEAN THAT I WOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT BEING REFUSED TWO, THREE AND FOUR TIMES IN A ROW BEING
STUCK IN AN UNFAMILIAR PLACE NOT KNOWING HOW I'LL GET HOME. AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO GIVE ME AND OTHER PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES INCREASED INDEPENDENCE,
MOBILITY AND FLEXIBILITY AND I HAVE A RIGHT TO EXPECT THAT THE CITY OF BOSTON CONSIDER EVERY ASPECT OF THIS ISSUE BEFORE ISSUING REGULATIONS. BASED ON THIS HEARING AND MAKE
UP OF THE ADVISORY BOARD PROPOSED BY THE ORDINANCE IT SEEMS CLEAR THAT THE SPONSORS ARE GIVING HIGHLY DISPROPORTIONATE WEIGHT TO THE OPINIONS OF ORGANIZED LABOR AND HAVE ALREADY MADE UP THEIR MINDS.
WELL, APPROXIMATELY 12% OF MASSACHUSETTS RESIDENTS ARE IN UNIONS. COINCIDENTALLY, ABOUT 12% OF MASSACHUSETTS RESIDENTS ARE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WHO FACE SERIOUS TRANSPORTATION CHALLENGES.
DON'T FORGET ABOUT US. WE VOTE TOO AND OUR NEEDS ARE CONTINUALLY IGNORED. ANY ADVISORY BOARD NEEDS TO REPRESENT CITIZENS FROM DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOODS OF BOSTON. SENIORS, FAMILIES.
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. IT NEEDS TO. IT NEEDS REPRESENTATION FROM WORKERS ON SECOND AND THIRD SHIFTS BOTH UNION AND NONUNION. IT NEEDS REPRESENTATION FROM RESIDENTS WITH LIMITED
TRANSPORTATION ACCESS. IT NEEDS TO BE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ENTIRE CITY NOT JUST CERTAIN SECTORS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY.
WE HAVE RASHAD AND THEN BRANDON AND THEN AFTER THAT WE'LL DO TWO MORE. AARON BUCKLEY AND PARRIS FLYNN AND THEN WE'LL GO BACK TO THE PANEL.
THERE'S A MICROPHONE HERE AT. THE MICROPHONE AND GOOD AFTERNOON. I'VE DONE ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING FOR 25 YEARS,
BECOME LEGALLY BLIND ABOUT 12 YEARS AGO AND THEY FIND OVER. I'M LIKE OH MY GOD, THIS IS GREAT. I CAN GO PLACES, I CAN WORK.
I CAN DO THIS AND THAT BUT I START RUNNING INTO ISSUES DROPPED IN THE WRONG PLACE PEOPLE WAITING OVER WILL COME
IN AND JUST WAIT SOMEWHERE FAR FROM US. YOU CALL THE PERSON THEY DON'T WANT TO ANSWER THE PHONE EITHER THEY'RE BUSY OR THEY DON'T TALK
ENGLISH. THEY THEY YOU KNOW YOU GET IN THE CAR, YOU ASK THE PERSON I'M A BLIND. CAN YOU PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU GET ME IN FRONT OF THE DOOR?
HE LOOK AT YOU LIKE YOU HAVE TWO HEADS NO ENGLISH. OKAY NOW IT'S NOT YOU I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT EVERY OVER DRIVER I'M TAKING I'M TALKING. IT'S A PROBLEM WITH YOUR
COMPANY. THEY DON'T SCREEN PEOPLE CORRECTLY NOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TAKING YOUR JOBS AWAY. IT'S YOUR COMPANY MAKING DEAL WITH OTHER COMPANY WITH WAYMO.
WOULD WOULD GM WITH TESLA THEY'RE TRYING TO GET RID OF YOU AS SOON AS THEY CAN. IT'S NOT WAYMO. IT'S COMPANY. GO AFTER YOUR COMPANY. OKAY.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR INDEPENDENT. I COULDN'T WAIT. I CAN'T WAIT TO GET MY OWN CAR AGAIN OR MY ROBOT TO WORK WITH ME. BUT YOU DON'T SEEM TO
UNDERSTAND PEOPLE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. BRANDON CADET HERNANDEZ AND THEN AARON BUCKLEY.
IT'S BRANDON. OKAY. I DON'T SEE HIM COMING DOWN AND THEN AARON BUCKLEY AND PARIS
ONE. HELLO, MY NAME IS AARON BUCKLEY. I'M A CERTIFIED ORIENTATION AND MOBILITY SPECIALIST WORKING WITH PEOPLE OF ALL AGES WHO ARE
BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED. THE DIRECTOR OF ORIENTATION AND MOBILITY AT THE CARROLL CENTER FOR THE BLIND. WE'RE THE LARGEST STATE CONTRACT WITH THE MASSACHUSETTS COMMISSION FOR THE BLIND PROVIDING DIRECT SERVICES TO
CONSUMERS WHO ARE VISUALLY IMPAIRED THE WORK OF ORIENTATION AND MOBILITY SPECIALISTS IS TO INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR INDEPENDENCE AND SAFE NEGOTIATION FOR PEOPLE
WITH VISION IMPAIRMENT. AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, ONE OF THE BIGGEST LOSSES TO THOSE WITHOUT FORESIGHT IS THE ABILITY TO DRIVE THOSE OF US WITH SIGHT CAN CHOOSE TO DRIVE TAKE PUBLIC
TRANSIT, BIKE WALK, RENT A SCOOTER ALL OF THESE OPTIONS ARE DIFFICULT AT BEST OR EVEN IMPOSSIBLE BUT ALSO CREATE ADDITIONAL DANGERS TO BLIND
PEDESTRIANS. BIKES E-BIKES AND SCOOTERS ARE DRIVEN ON SIDEWALKS AND DISCARDED HAPHAZARDLY MAKING EVEN SIMPLE SIDEWALK TRAVEL HARDER THAN EVER. UBER AND LYFT OPENED UP MORE
OPTIONS TO PEOPLE WITH VISION IMPAIRMENTS. UNFORTUNATELY THEY TOO CAN BE PROBLEMATIC FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE WITH GUIDE DOGS OR REGULARLY AND ILLEGALLY TURNED AWAY BY DRIVERS WHO
DON'T WANT A DOG IN THEIR CAR. THE DATA TELLS US THAT BLIND PEOPLE ARE MORE VULNERABLE BECOME VICTIMS OF CRIME PARTICULARLY FEMALES. THOSE OF US WITH COLLEGE AGE LOVED ONES HAVE LEGITIMATE
CONCERNS ABOUT THE POTENTIAL OF THEM GETTING INTO A CAR THAT IS NOT THEIR INTENDED RIDE. WAYMO RIDERS ENJOY ADDED PEACE OF MIND KNOWING WITH CERTAINTY THAT THEY ARE ENTERING THE RIGHT CAR EVEN IF THEY CAN'T
SEE THE LICENSE PLATE. THEY KNOW THERE IS NO CHANCE THAT THE DRIVER COULD BE A TO THEM OR THAT THEY COULD BE LEFT AT THE WRONG LOCATION. PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND NEED MORE OPTIONS FOR SAFE TRAVEL.
THEY HAVE FEWER OPTIONS THAN THEIR SIGHTED COUNTERPARTS AS IT IS. PLEASE DON'T STAND IN THE WAY OF IMPROVING ACCESS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. WAYMO HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED IN OTHER MAJOR CITIES
THROUGHOUT THE US. I URGE YOU TO ALLOW THEM INTO BOSTON AND I STRONGLY OPPOSE ORDINANCE 1432. TO SPEAK TO TECHNOLOGY THE USE
OF TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN VERY IMPACTFUL FOR THOSE WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENT. IT HAS ALLOWED THOSE WHO ARE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED TO READ, TEXT, WRITE.
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE LEFT OUT. TECHNOLOGY IS NOT ALWAYS A BAD THING AND IN THIS CASE IT'S ADDING EXTRA PERMISSIONS FOR
PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED. I THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. NEXT UP WE HAVE PARIS FLYNN
FROM BEST BUDDIES EMMA HELLO. TO GO DOWN A LITTLE BIT. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY. I SAID MY NAME IS PARIS FLYNN. I'M A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF MASSACHUSETTS AND RHODE
ISLAND. ALSO A WORKER IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND I'M A PROGRAM MANAGER FOR BEST BUDDIES MASSACHUSETTS AND RHODE ISLAND SPECIFICALLY HERE IN BOSTON. SO WORK ALONGSIDE THE DISABLED COMMUNITY OF BOSTON AND I ALSO
SERVE THE DISABLED COMMUNITY OF BOSTON. AND IN THIS ROLE I'VE SEEN FIRSTHAND THE INNUMERABLE CHALLENGES THAT OUR PARTICIPANTS AND MY COLLEAGUES FACE WHEN IT COMES TO
TRANSPORTATION AND NAVIGATING TRANSPORTATION AROUND THE CITY OF BOSTON. I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR AND SPEAK ON BEHALF OF BOTH MY FRIENDS, MY PARTICIPANTS AS WELL AS MY COLLEAGUES WITH NOT
ONLY PHYSICAL DISABILITIES BUT ALSO INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES. I WOULD LIKE TO USE MY VOICE TO FURTHER THE SENTIMENTS OF THE INNUMERABLE PARTICIPANTS THAT I WORK WITH WHO FACE OBSTACLES
EVERY SINGLE DAY IN OBTAINING EMPLOYMENT DUE TO THEIR INABILITY OR THEIR ELECTION NOT TO DRIVE RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION IS A CONSISTENT
CONTINUED CHALLENGE AND OFTENTIMES FLOUT BARRIER FOR MY PARTICIPANTS TO GAIN ACCESS TO AND RETAIN EMPLOYMENT. AND THIS IS A RIGHT THAT ALL MEMBERS OF BOSTON HAVE A RIGHT
TO AND SHOULD BE ABLE TO ACCESS EMPLOYMENT. THE ASSOCIATED EXPENSES AND UNRELIABILITY OF CURRENTLY AVAILABLE SERVICES HAVE SERVED AS AN OBSTACLE TO NOT ONLY OBTAINING EMPLOYMENT AND
EARNING AN INCOME AND SUBSEQUENTLY INDEPENDENCE AS WELL AS ACHIEVING SELF-DETERMINATION BUT ALSO A HINDRANCE TO ACCESSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOCIALIZATION
AND INTERACTION INTEGRATION WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY USE PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO ARE GEOGRAPHICALLY ISOLATED AND MORE RURAL COMMUNITIES HAVE A VERY, VERY HARD TIME ACCESSING OUR COMMUNITY AND FEELING
CONNECTED TO OUR COMMUNITY. AS WE KNOW THE DISABLED COMMUNITY PARTICULARLY THOSE WITH INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENTAL AND DISABILITY PHYSICAL DISABILITIES ALREADY FACE DISPROPORTIONATE UNIT
CHALLENGES AND ISOLATION BOTH ECONOMICALLY, SOCIALLY AND PHYSICALLY AND IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THOSE IN A POSITION OF POWER TO MAKE SURE THAT THE VOICES OF THE DISABLED COMMUNITY ARE HEARD AND THAT
THEIR WISHES ARE HEARD AND RESPECTED AND AT LEAST FACTORED INTO THE DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE WHEN NAVIGATING THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO TAKE A COUPLE MORE BECAUSE THE LIST IS SO LONG.
I JUST WANT TO BE SURE TO MAXIMIZE PEOPLE'S TIME BECAUSE YOU HAVE TAKEN TIME TO BE HERE AND TO PROVIDE TESTIMONY. NEXT UP WE'LL GO TO DWAYNE MITCHELL AIDOO AND THEN ELIAS
CANTERA TO YOU IF YOU'RE STILL HERE I'M NOT SEEING THEM MAKE THEIR WAY TO THE PODIUM. I BELIEVE THAT SAYS RUBÉN
GARCIA. YOU CAN USE THAT MIKE RIGHT THERE. OKAY, EVERYBODY. MY NAME'S DWAYNE MITCHELL. I LIVE IN ROSLINDALE.
I'M 73 YEARS OLD AND I NEED THE INCOME FROM DRIVING UBER AND LYFT TO JUST REMAIN IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. I'VE BEEN DRIVING FOR ABOUT TEN YEARS. I PROBABLY GOT LIKE 15,000 RIDES.
I HAD A CAREER AS A SOFTWARE DEVELOPER BUT I'M SEMI-RETIRED . AND I ALSO DROVE A TAXI CAB FOR A WHILE. I'M VERY SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT THESE ISSUES WITH PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITY THOSE THAT CAN'T GET GOOD SERVICE FROM A DRIVER THAT'S NOT A DRIVER ISSUE. THAT'S A THAT'S AN UBER ISSUE. THEY SHOULD BE REPORTED. AND AS A CAB DRIVER I'LL TELL YOU WHAT THE BOSTON POLICE
DEPARTMENT WOULDN'T TOLERATE THAT IF THEY GOT REPORTED. YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST IT'S JUST TOO BAD. I REALLY I CAME HERE TODAY A
LITTLE BIT FEARFUL OF MY FUTURE AND WITH THE ADVENT OF TECHNOLOGY THAT MIGHT PUT ME OUT OF WORK. I'M REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE JOB YOU FOLKS HAVE DONE PUTTING
THIS BILL TOGETHER. IN YOUR OPENING REMARKS YOU HAD A GOOD BUILT BULLET LIST OF POINTS OF INQUIRY AND IF YOU FOLLOW THOSE POINTS OF INQUIRY I THINK YOU'LL DO A VERY GOOD
JOB AND ARRIVE AT A CONCLUSION THAT SOME OF THE OTHER SPEAKERS UP HERE HAVE REMARKED ON AND THAT IS THE SOCIAL CONSEQUENCES
OF PUTTING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE OUT OF A JOB DON'T RISE TO THE BENEFIT OF HAVING THIS AUTOMATION.
AT SOME POINT WE'VE GOT TO STOP THIS AUTOMATION, WE'VE GOT TO TAKE CARE OF OUR PEOPLE AND I THINK I SUPPORT YOU'RE INITIATIVE AND I HOPE IT PASSES. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU. IS DWAYNE HERE DWAYNE MITCHELL FROM AEW? OH, THAT WAS YOU AND ELIAS. ELIAS VENTURA. OKAY. WE'LL GO TO RUBEN CASTILLO
HERE. HERE. OKAY. NEXT UP WE HAVE RICHARD BERMAN
FROM BEST BUDDIES. HI. THANK YOU VERY AN INVESTOR FOR
BEST BUDDIES. I I CAN'T WAIT TO BECAUSE, UH,
THIS PLACE IS WHERE I THINK WE CAN GO. UH, WAIT AND WHERE I CAN'T GO.
OH, LIKE HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF VERY HIGH END SMALL TOWNS?
THEY'VE THE CAPE EVERY YEAR I HAVE TO HAVE MY STAFF TO DRIVE ME DOWN AND SOME OF THE
AMBASSADORS DOWN TO THE CAPE BECAUSE THE RIDE WILL NOT GO DOWN TO THE CAPE OR ALONG WITH
THE WEST OR. YEAH, I MEAN IT'S A SMALL CHAMBER OF PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITY AND IT WOULD BE VERY AND IT WOULD BE A CAREER
BECAUSE OF THE INTEREST AND I HAVE PROBLEMS AS WELL BUT IN LIFE AND THE I MEAN THE
PROBLEMS I HAD WITH THEM THEY ONE TIME I HAVE LIKE A FOUR ON.
RIGHT. ONE COULDN'T FIND ME THE SECOND GUY GOING RIGHT PAST ME I HAD TWO PEOPLE LEAVING THEM DOWN
AND THEN I DON'T AND THEN I STARTED ASKING THE RIGHT AND CENTERS AROUND THIS LADY
SOMETIMES I'M DYING SOMETIMES THEY'RE NOT DEPENDABLE.
YEAH. YEAH, I THINK I AGREE IT WOULD BE A LOT BETTER AND I COULD
LIKE GO AND PLACES WHEN THE RIGHT CAN'T GO LIKE DOWN TO THE CAPE ON THE MONSTER OR.
YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHORT FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. NEXT UP WE HAVE ALBERTO MONTOYA
FROM BEST BUDDIES. HI, I'M. HI. MY NAME IS ALBERTO. I AM AN AMBASSADOR FOR BEST BUDDIES AND A LIFELONG RESIDENT
OF BOSTON. ALBERTO, CAN YOU SPEAK MORE. ALBERTO, CAN YOU SPEAK MORE INTO THE MIC PLEASE? WE CAN HEAR YOU. THANK YOU. HI. MY NAME IS ALBERTO. I AM AN AMBASSADOR FOR BEST
BUDDIES AND A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF BOSTON. I FEEL STRONGLY THAT THERE MUST BE MORE ACCESSIBLE, AFFORDABLE AND RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME WITH
DISABILITIES. AND DID YOU KNOW THAT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY WHO FACE A LARGE AMOUNT OF STIGMA AND
THROUGHOUT MY LIFE FIVE THAT I'VE ENCOUNTERED STIGMA IN SCHOOLS AND WORK AND AND WELL
IN THE CITY OF BOSTON IT'S IT CAN GET PRETTY HECTIC BUT I GUESS I GOT OFF TOPIC BUT THE
POINT IS THAT THIS STIGMA CAN IT CAN BE ANYWHERE BUT AND EVERYONE IN THIS EVERYONE IN
THIS ROOM CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND NOT JUST IN TRANSPORTATION . AND THAT IS THAT IS ALL MY TIME. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, ALBERTO, FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT WE'LL GO TO STEPHEN AND THEN WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT PANEL IS THERE STEPHEN, YOU'RE ALREADY FROM THE NATIONAL
FEDERATION OF THE BLIND. GREAT. THANK YOU.
THEY'RE VERY. HELLO, MY NAME IS STEPHEN. YOU'RE ALREADY FROM THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF BLIND IN MASSACHUSETTS. LIKE SOME OF MY OTHER COLLEAGUES THAT HAVE SPOKEN THAT ARE DISABLED AND BLIND, WE
JUST THINK THERE SHOULD BE SOME MORE OTHER OPTIONS OF TRANSPORTATION LIKE WAYMO COULD BE JUST ANOTHER COMPONENT THAT IS JUST USED LIKE THERE MIGHT BE DIFFERENT
CIRCUMSTANCES WE WANT TO TAKE AN WAYMO VERSUS TAKEN OVER OR OR EVEN JUST TAKE THE RIDE. I THINK IT WOULD BE ANOTHER GAME CHANGER TO AT LEAST HAVE ONE MORE OPTION THAT IS NOT
RESTRICTED TO SOME PARTS OF BOSTON LIKE THE OTHER GENTLEMEN HAVE SAID YOU CAN'T GET TO WORCESTER, YOU CAN'T GET TO LOWELL, YOU CAN'T GET TO SPRINGFIELD BECAUSE WE HAVE
MANY SPOTS IN THE STATE THAT ARE VERY RURAL. I CAME FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE AND IN WHAT I USED TO CALL TRANSPORTATION AND DESERT WHERE I ONLY HAD TO RELY ON MY FAMILY TO HELP ME GET BACK AND FORTH
TO BE ABLE TO GO GO TO GO TO WORK, GO TO SHOPPING AND THE UNEMPLOYMENT FOR DISABILITY FOR BLINDNESS IN PARTICULAR IS USUALLY AROUND EITHER 65 TO 80% DEPENDING ON WHICH STUDY WE LOOK AT.
SO THIS COULD KIND OF OPEN UP THE OPPORTUNITIES OF BEING ABLE TO GET MORE EMPLOYMENT ALSO I JUST THINK IT'S WOULD BE ANOTHER OPTION TO HAVE AND I
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. NEXT UP WE'LL GO TO OUR LAST PANEL WHICH IS THE AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE PANEL. SO WE HAVE MATTHEW WALSH WHO IS
POLICY AND GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS OF OF WAYMO AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE MARY KATE DE QUADROS AGAIN
D PAM PHYLLIS PROGRAM DIRECTOR OF M D AND THEN GREG DONNELLY, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE CARROLL CENTER FOR THE BLIND. AND THEN WE'LL GO BACK TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
SO IF YOU HAVE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY YOU WILL BE HEARD. WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MOVING THIS ALONG SO I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S PATIENCE
AND AND UNDERSTANDING. OKAY. WELCOME TO THE CHAMBERS, MATTHEW. YOU ARE FIRST ON MY LIST SO WE'LL GO TO YOU FIRST.
PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF. YOU HAVE A SHORT TERM. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS MATTHEW WALSH. I AM OUR REGIONAL HEAD OF STATE AND LOCAL PUBLIC POLICY AT WAYMO. GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIR COLETTE ZAPATA AND OTHER DISTINGUISHED
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY TODAY ON THE ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE OPERATIONS IN BOSTON. WAYMO IS AN AUTONOMOUS DRIVING
TECHNOLOGY COMPANY WITH A MISSION TO BE THE WORLD'S MOST TRUSTED DRIVER. WE OPERATE A FULLY AUTONOMOUS RIDE HAILING SERVICE IN PHENIX ,SAN FRANCISCO, LOS ANGELES, AUSTIN AND ATLANTA.
TODAY WAYMO PROVIDES HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF FULLY AUTONOMOUS PAID PASSENGER TRIPS EVERY SINGLE WEEK IN THOSE MARKETS. WE ARE ALSO EXPANDING OUR SERVICE TO NEW CITIES AND INTEND TO LAUNCH OUR SERVICE IN MIAMI.
DALLAS. DENVER, D.C.. SEATTLE, NASHVILLE. LONDON. TOKYO. MORE THAN HALF THE COUNTRY FROM CALIFORNIA TO COLORADO TO PENNSYLVANIA HAS ENACTED STATE
LEGISLATION THAT AUTHORIZES THE DEPLOYMENT OF FULLY AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES AND CITIES ACROSS THE NATION ARE ALREADY SEEING THE BENEFITS THAT WAYMO CAN BRING. WAYMO VEHICLES ARE INVOLVED INVOLVED IN FIVE TIMES FEWER
INJURY CAUSING COLLISIONS COMPARED TO HUMANS IN THE BAY AREA. WAYMO'S PRESENCE GENERATED AN ADDITIONAL $40 MILLION IN ECONOMIC ACTIVITY FROM TOURISM ALONE LAST YEAR.
AMERICANS OF ALL BACKGROUNDS TELL US THAT OUR SERVICE IS CHANGING THEIR LIVES. PEOPLE LIKE COLIN, A SPORTS MARKETER IN PHENIX, CAN TRAVEL ALONE IN A CAR DESPITE HIS EPILEPSY LIMITING HIM FROM
DRIVING SOMETHING THAT MANY OF US TAKE FOR GRANTED. PEOPLE LIKE JESSICA IN SAN FRANCISCO ABLE TO GET AROUND AND EVEN MORE INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT FEAR OF DISCRIMINATION OR HARASSMENT BECAUSE SHE IS
BLIND. AND WOMEN LIKE CAITLIN IN LOS ANGELES FEEL MORE AT EASE NOT HAVING A STRANGER IN THE CAR AT NIGHT WHO KNOWS WHERE THEY LIVE. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE YOUR CONSTITUENTS CAN HAVE THESE
BENEFITS TOO. WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS WITH THE LEGISLATION PROPOSED BY THE COUNCIL AND ITS IMPACTS ON THE FUTURE OF AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES IN BOSTON. THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE IS AN
UNPRECEDENTED BAN ON A TECHNOLOGY THAT IS BRINGING ADDITIONAL SAFETY ECONOMIC ACTIVITY, ACCESSIBILITY AND SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION TO THE CITIES WHERE WE OPERATE.
IF PASSED, BOSTON'S MORE THAN 15,000 RESIDENTS WITH VISION IMPAIRMENTS WILL CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH TRADITIONAL RIDE HAILING SERVICES THAT MANY OF US INCLUDING MEMBERS OF THIS BODY USE EVERY SINGLE DAY
WITHOUT ISSUE. THOUSANDS OF BOSTONIANS WHO WORK LATE NIGHTS OR EARLY MORNINGS IN THE HEALTH CARE, HOSPITALITY AND OTHER INDUSTRIES WILL CONTINUE TO LACK RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION
AND IF THEY DON'T OWN THEIR OWN CAR. WE UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY'S IMPACT ON THE WORKFORCE BUT THERE IS LITTLE EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THE WORST CASE SCENARIOS PRESENTED BY SUPPORTERS TODAY OF THIS
ORDINANCE. IN 2024 THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN SAN FRANCISCO WORKING FOR TAXI AND LIMOUSINE SERVICE FIRMS GREW BY 7%. TOTAL PAY IN THE INDUSTRY ROSE
BY 14% AND TAXI TRIPS IN THE BAY AREA REMAINED THE SAME. I IMPLORE THE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER THE WIDE RANGING BENEFITS THAT AVS CAN BRING TO BOSTON BEFORE MOVING
FORWARD WITH THIS ORDINANCE. AFTER MORE THAN 100 MILLION MILES OF DRIVERLESS OPERATIONS ON PUBLIC ROADS, THE DATA IS CLEAR THAT WAYMO IS MAKING ROADS SAFER.
BOSTON HAS AN INCREDIBLE INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM. THE CITY IS HOME TO AMAZING BIOTECH AND TECHNOLOGICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, MAKING IT AN INCREDIBLE FORWARD THINKING CITY. IT WOULD BE UNFORTUNATE TO
SULLY THIS CITY'S REPUTATION BY BEING THE ONLY MAJOR CITY ON EARTH TO BAN THIS LIFESAVING TECHNOLOGY. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY AND I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU, MARY KATE. LET'S GO NEXT. HI THERE. I'M MARY KATE TO PANELISTS AND I AM THE DIRECTOR FOR MADD, MASSACHUSETTS OR MOTHERS AGAINST DRUNK DRIVING. AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING MEJIA TODAY.
THE MISSION OF MADD AS TO MAKE ROADWAYS SAFE FOR EVERYONE. AND THE KEY PART OF THAT MISSION IS TO END IMPAIRED DRIVING FOR ALL. THAT IS WHY WE ARE SO EXCITED ABOUT WAYMO'S POTENTIAL
PRESENCE HERE IN BOSTON. AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES REPRESENT ANOTHER IMPORTANT TOOL IN THE EFFORT TO ELIMINATE IMPAIRED DRIVING. MADD HAS BEEN A LONGTIME PARTNER OF WAYMO AND WE ARE PROUD TO SHARE A DEEP
COMMITMENT TO PROTECTING DRIVERS PASSENGERS, PEDESTRIANS AND OUR COMMUNITIES IN THE UNITED STATES. ONE PERSON IS KILLED IN AN IMPAIRED DRIVING CRASH EVERY 37
MINUTES EVERY YEAR IN MASSACHUSETTS AN AVERAGE OF 120 PEOPLE LOSE THEIR LIVES IN IMPAIRED DRIVING CRASHES WHILE THOUSANDS MORE ARE INJURED. ROUGHLY ONE IN THREE TRAFFIC
FATALITIES INVOLVE ALCOHOL IMPAIRED DRIVING AND BOSTON'S RATES ARE HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. THESE TRAGEDIES ARE 100% PREVENTABLE AND SHOULD NEVER
HAVE HAPPENED. ENSURING ROADWAY SAFETY FOR ALL IN MASSACHUSETTS IS ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL ISSUES WE FACE TODAY WHEN DEPLOYED RESPONSIBLY AND IN COLLABORATION WITH LOCAL
STAKEHOLDERS AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES HOLD TREMENDOUS PROMISE IN PREVENTING DEATHS AND INJURIES CAUSED BY BEHAVIORAL FACTORS SUCH AS IMPAIRED DRIVING.
WE WELCOME WAYMO INTO NEW COMMUNITIES AS ANOTHER VALUABLE SOBER OPTION TO KEEP IMPAIRED DRIVERS OFF THE ROAD. EMBRACING AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES COULD MEAN FEWER FAMILIES GETTING THAT HEARTBREAKING CALL
THAT A LOVED ONE WAS KILLED BY AN IMPAIRED DRIVER. THESE ARE THE FAMILIES THAT MATT AND I WORK WITH EVERY DAY . MADD VALUES OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH WAYMO AND LOOKS FORWARD TO CONTINUING OUR SHARED MISSION
OF MAKING ROADWAYS SAFER ESPECIALLY HERE IN BOSTON. WE SUPPORT INNOVATION THAT PRIORITIZES SAFETY AND ACCOUNTABILITY. TOGETHER WE STRIVE TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE OF ALL
AGES AFFECTED BY IMPAIRED DRIVING AND OTHER DANGEROUS BEHAVIORS ON OUR ROADS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, GREG. GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNSELORS.
GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS CRAIG GORDON, THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE CALL CENTER FOR THE BLIND IN NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS. 5 TO 6 MILES FROM BOSTON, A MAJOR SERVICE PROVIDER FOR
THOSE LIVING AND TRAVELING TO BOSTON FOR NEARLY A CENTURY OUR MISSION HAS BEEN TO EMPOWER PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED TO LIVE INDEPENDENT AND FULFILLED LIVES
. I'M HERE TODAY TO URGE YOU TO SUPPORT WAYMO'S ENTRY INTO THE BOSTON MARKET AND OPPOSE ORDINANCE ONE FOR THREE TWO. THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT
TECHNOLOGY AND WE'VE HEARD THAT COMMENT MULTIPLE TIMES TODAY. IT'S ABOUT EQUAL ACCESS. IT'S ABOUT DIGNITY SUBORDINATE DEPENDANCE FOR THOUSANDS
OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES RESIDENTS OF OUR STATE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. THERE ARE REAL AND CURRENT TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS DESPITE LAWS PROTECTING SERVICE
ANIMALS. BLIND TRAVELERS ARE ROUTINELY REFUSED RIDES BY HUMAN DRIVERS. I'VE WITNESSED IN MANY OF OUR CLIENTS REPORT TO ME THAT THEY'RE LEFT STRANDED FACING
VERBAL CONFRONTATIONS, FORCED TO JUSTIFY THEIR RIGHTS AGAIN AND AGAIN IN A STATE THAT IS HAS HISTORIC IS KNOWN
HISTORICALLY AS A PROGRESSIVE STATE IN SERVING INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES. WE SHOULD BE ALSO PROUD OF. I APPRECIATE ALL THE COMMENTS MADE HERE TODAY BECAUSE WE ARE
ALL LISTENING TO EACH OTHER AND TO ME THAT'S THAT'S CALLED AND IF WE GET THINGS TAKEAWAYS ON BOTH SIDES OF TODAY'S MEETING THERE'S NOTHING BETTER THAT CAN HAPPEN.
SO ADDITIONALLY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ISN'T ALWAYS AVAILABLE, ACCESSIBLE AND SAFE AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES TO PROVIDE SAFETY, A FEELING OF SECURITY AND CONFIDENCE FOR THE BLIND
VISUALLY IMPAIRED AND OTHER DISABLED COMMUNITIES. TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS TO LIMIT EMPLOYMENT, ACADEMIC AND HEALTH CARE ACCESS AND SOCIAL
PARTICIPATION ARE KEY WORDS WE HEAR IN THIS SPECIAL USE COUNCIL IS REPRESENTING THIS GREAT CITY. VERY OFTEN TRANSPORTATION INEQUITY IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST
BARRIERS TO FULL INCLUSION. I HAD A LOT OF MEMBERS OF THE SENATE AT THE CARROLL CENTER TALKING ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM. NOT TOO LONG AGO AND THE
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR WAS THERE IN MARCH. AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES OFFER A SOLUTION. AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES DON'T DISCRIMINATE. THEY DON'T SEE A GUIDE DOG OR A
CANE OR A DISABILITY. THEY SIMPLY SEE A PASSENGER WHO NEEDS A RIDE. THEY PROVIDE CONSISTENT, RELIABLE SERVICE THAT TREATS EVERY RIDER WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT. AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES CAN BE
PROGRAMED FOR ACCESSIBILITY WITH VOICE PROMPTS, TACTILE CONTROLS AND PREDICTABLE PICKUP DROP OFF PROCEDURES IN MARKETS LIKE PHENIX. WAYMO HAS ALREADY PARTNERED
WITH BLIND AND DISABILITY ORGANIZATIONS TO IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY FEATURES AND TRAINING. THIS TECHNOLOGY IS NOT THEORETICAL IT'S WORKING SAFELY
IN OTHER CITIES TODAY AND I HAVE EXPERIENCED WAYMO FIRSTHAND ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WITHOUT A SINGLE ISSUE. LET'S MAKE FURTHER STRIDES TOWARDS EQUITY INCLUSION
TOGETHER. BOSTON HAS LONG BEEN A CITY OF INNOVATION AND LEADERSHIP AND STILL IS EMBRACING AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD AGAIN THIS
TIME IN ACCESSIBILITY AND EQUITY IN POTENTIAL GROWTH. SUPPORTING WAYMO'S ENTRY MEANS SUPPORTING FREEDOM AND INDEPENDENCE FOR SO MANY.
IT MEANS THAT A PERSON WHO IS BLIND CAN GO TO WORK, VISIT FAMILY, ATTEND A RED SOX GAME WITHOUT FEAR BUT THEY REFUSE TO RIDE.
I THINK THIS ROOM IS NOT FILLED TO CAPACITY TODAY AND THERE WAS SOME THEATER THAT I HEARD EARLIER WHICH WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED. I THINK IF EVERYONE WAS VERY CONFIDENT THAT THEY COULD HAVE
GOTTEN A RIDE HERE TODAY THERE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ENOUGH ROOM . THERE WOULD BE NO SEATS IN THIS ROOM. SO NOT TRYING TO BE THEATRICAL AND TRYING TO BE REALISTIC.
COUNCILS WE OFTEN TALK ABOUT EXCESSIVE BILITY IS A VALUE INCLUDING INDEPENDENCE. THIS IS A MOMENT TO ACT ON THAT VALUE. WE CAN BE BETTER BY ALLOWING
WAYMO TO OPERATE HERE NOT JUST WALKING INNOVATION YOU KNOW, OPENING DOORS FOR THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS WHO SIMPLY WANT THE SAME FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT
THAT OTHERS TAKE FOR GRANTED SO OFTEN. THERE'S ENOUGH TRANSPORTATION AND GROWTH. WE'VE ALL SEEN THAT. RIGHT. AND FOR YOUR KIND CONSIDERATION
TODAY TO TO TO HEAR ON BOTH SIDES AND TO THINK THAT WE COULD ACCOMMODATE EVERYONE'S NEEDS WITHOUT JOB LOSS, I THINK THAT CAN BE DONE. THE GENTLEMAN SAID THERE'S
THINGS THAT WAYMO CAN DO THAT OTHERS CAN'T OFFER OFFER TODAY. THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES NOT TO BE ONE OR THE OTHER OF BLACK AND WHITE. THERE'S A LOT OF GRAY HERE THAT
CAN HELP ALL SIDES GROW IN EVERYONE'S OBJECTIVES CAN BE MET AND I THINK YOU KNOW YOUR YOUR OWN POINTS I FELT A LITTLE UNFAIR SITTING UP IN THE STANDS
HEARING FROM YOU. IT SOUNDED TO ME THAT DECISIONS HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE WITHOUT HEARING FROM THE APPROPRIATE COMMUNITIES AND THAT'S SAD BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT'S OUR STATE BUT I APPRECIATE ALL
OF YOU EQUALLY AND I HOPE THE TAKEAWAY TODAY IS TO REALLY HEAR FROM ALL SIDES TO MAKE THESE IMPORTANT DECISIONS AND AND WHEREVER IT GOES, YOU KNOW
,WHEREVER SIDE MAY SUFFER IN SOME WAY IT'S EQUALLY IMPORTANT THAT THIS STATE DOES AN END TO THE TO ADDRESS THE UNION ISSUES THAT MAY EXIST TO ADDRESS THE
ISSUES OF THE BLINDNESS AND OTHER DISABLED COMMUNITIES THAT STILL EXIST. BECAUSE THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN WITH DECISIONS THAT THESE CHALLENGES IN OPPORTUNITIES PRESENT.
SO I LEAVE THIS AND ASK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND FIGHTING BECAUSE YOU'RE YOU'RE FIGHTING HERE TODAY AND FOR
THAT I'M GRATEFUL. BUT I REALLY LIKE YOU TO CONTINUE THAT FIGHT IN THE FUTURE SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS ALL THE ISSUES THAT YOU'VE HEARD TODAY BECAUSE I HAVEN'T HEARD ONE THAT DIDN'T BRING
GREAT VALUE. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR ATTENTION AND THE OPPORTUNITY TODAY. THANK YOU AND THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. PLEASE NO APPLAUSE. THANK YOU. OKAY.
SO WE'LL GO TO QUESTIONS AGAIN FROM MY COLLEAGUES AND FIRST WITH THE LEAD SPONSORS AND CO-SPONSORS AND THEN IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL EVERYONE WILL HAVE 6 MINUTES STARTING WITH COUNCILOR SANTANA. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND THANK YOU FOR OUR PANELISTS FOR BEING HERE. YOU KNOW, I THINK DEFINITELY WANTING TO JUST ADDRESS SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE JUST MENTIONED AND I THINK WHAT WE SAW EARLIER I DON'T THINK IT WAS THEATRICS.
I THINK THERE ARE PEOPLE HERE WHO ARE FEARFUL OF THEIR JOBS AND THEIR FUTURE AND THEY'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT THAT. RIGHT. AND I JUST WANT TO RESPECT THAT AND RESPECT THOSE VOICES.
JUST BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE PASSIONATE DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT'S THEATER AND PEOPLE ARE FIGHTING FOR THAT FOR THEIR JOBS AND THEIR LIVELIHOOD. I DO APPRECIATE THE INDIVIDUALS
WHO DID TESTIFY AND SHARE THEIR CONCERNS. YOU KNOW, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK THE CITY OF BOSTON AND ALL OF US NEED TO LOOK AT ON HOW DO WE MAKE OUR RIGHT SHARES RIGHT. AND I THINK A SIZABLE TO
EVERYONE. AND YOU KNOW, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THOSE CONVERSATIONS MYSELF AS A CITY COUNCILOR AND I'VE HAD THOSE CONVERSATIONS AS WELL.
YOU KNOW SOME OF THE I MEAN BUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I'M HEARING OR YOU KNOW, WAYMO IS NOT A PERSON RIGHT. I THINK YOU ARE SPEAKING LIKE. SPEAKING ABOUT WAYMO IN THIS
CAR AS IF THEY WERE A PERSON. IT'S A ROBOT RIGHT. AND IT'S A COMPUTER. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR. I DO WANT TO ASK A FEW QUESTIONS. I THINK YOU KNOW, FIRST I WANT TO TOUCH ON THE IMPACT OF THE WORKFORCE. RIGHT.
YOU SAID THAT DRIVERLESS CARS WILL YOU KNOW, WORLD DRIVERLESS CARS WILL PUSH FOR TRANSPORTATION.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THE WORKFORCE ALREADY DOING THIS WORK. YOU KNOW, BASIC PRINCIPLES OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND WILL SUGGEST THAT THE INTRODUCTION OF SELF-DRIVING CARS COMPETING WITH DRIVERS FOR TRIPS WILL
MEAN JOB LOSSES FOR THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DRIVERS WHO CURRENTLY RELY ON DRIVING FOR THEIR LIVELIHOOD. WHAT INTEREST WOULD BOSTON HAVE IN ALLOWING THAT TO HAPPEN?
THE QUESTION WAS WHAT INTEREST DOES BOSTON HAVE IN ALLOWING A TECHNOLOGY THAT'S GOING TO RESULT IN JOB LOSSES? THAT'S WHAT I MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THAT CORRECTLY. I DON'T I CAN'T IMAGINE YOU WOULD HAVE AN INTEREST IN
ALLOWING A TECHNOLOGY THAT WOULD RESULT IN JOB LOSSES. WHAT I CAN TELL YOU AND I THINK I SAID THIS IN MY TESTIMONY AND I SAID THIS IN JULY WE THE JOB LOSSES THAT YOU'VE BEEN HEARING
ABOUT TODAY WE ARE NOT SIMPLY SEEING THAT IN THE MARKETS WHERE WE HAVE BEEN OPERATING FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW. I SAID IT IN MY TESTIMONY THE TAXI LIMOUSINE AND FOR HIRE VEHICLE INDUSTRY IS ALIVE AND WELL IN SAN FRANCISCO.
IT IS ALIVE AND WELL IN PHENIX WHERE WE'VE BEEN OPERATING FOR FIVE YEARS THAT THAT IS NOT THE REALITY ON THE GROUND. WHAT I DO THINK IS IMPORTANT TO TALK ABOUT THOUGH IS THE SHEER
ECOSYSTEM OF JOBS THAT THE AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES CREATES. YOU SEE A WAYMO VEHICLE WITHOUT A DRIVER AND YOU AUTOMATICALLY EQUATED WITH A ONE FOR ONE JOB LOSS FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE DRIVING FOR A LIVING.
THE REALITY IS THAT A SERVICE LIKE WAYMO REQUIRES A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF HARDWORKING PEOPLE TO MAKE THAT WORK. VEHICLE TECHNICIANS, DISPATCHERS, FLEET MANAGERS,
PEOPLE WORKING IN OUR OFFICES CLEANING THE VEHICLES WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE JOB GROWTH THAT WE ARE GOING TO CREATE AND I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT WE CAN BE DOING HERE
IN BOSTON WORKING WITH GROUPS LIKE THE BEN FRANKLIN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, THE CLUBHOUSE NETWORK IN NUBIAN SQUARE. WE'VE ALREADY HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT EXPANDING THOSE PROGRAMS.
SO YOU MENTIONED ABOUT THE JOB CREATION THAT YOU THINK WILL CREATE. RIGHT. SO THE MAJORITY OF RIDESHARE DRIVERS CHOSE THIS LINE OF WORK BECAUSE OF ITS INDEPENDENCE AND ITS FLEXIBLE NATURE OF IF WAYMO
WAS PROPOSING ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF EMPLOYMENT. HOW WILL DRIVERS BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE FLEXIBILITY THAT THEY VALUE SO MUCH? OUR DRIVERS ARE GOING TO MAINTAIN THEIR FLEXIBILITY WHILE WORKING AT WAYMO.
YOU TALKED ABOUT WAYMO PRODUCING MORE JOBS RIGHT NOW THAT YOU'RE TAKING AWAY JOBS. YOU ARE PUSHING BACK SAYING WAYMO IS GOING TO BE PUT CREATING JOBS. RIGHT. SO AND I'M TALKING ABOUT THE RIDESHARE. I MEAN THEY HAVE FLEXIBLE
SCHEDULES. THEY CAN ACCOMMODATE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THEY HAVE WORK ON THEIR LIFE. HOW WILL DRIVERS BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THAT FLEXIBILITY THAT THEY VALUE SO MUCH? I THINK DRIVERS ARE GOING TO CONTINUE MAINTAINING THEIR
FLEXIBILITY IN THEIR JOBS LIKE THEY MAINTAIN IN ALL OF THE MARKETS WHERE WE CURRENTLY OPERATE IN SAN FRANCISCO AND IN PHENIX. THEY CONTINUE TO DRIVE. THEY CONTINUE TO GET PASSENGERS THAT WILL BE NO DIFFERENT IN
THE FUTURE CITIES THAT WE OPERATE AND IT CONTINUES TO BE A MATTER OF CONSUMER CHOICE. RIGHT. AND THEN YOU TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE DATA SHOWS THAT THAT PEOPLE AREN'T LOSING JOBS
ANYMORE. SO THE DATA THEY RECEIVE FROM GRID WISE SHOWS DRIVER WAGES HAVE CHANGED IN CITIES WHERE THEY ARE AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES ON THE ROAD NOT NECESSARILY WAYMO AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES. RIGHT.
THEY FOUND THAT HOURLY PAY DROPPED IN EVERY ABC ACTIVE MARKET. ADDITIONALLY IN SAN FRANCISCO, WAYMO GRABBED NEARLY 30% OF THE RIDESHARE MARKET IN JUST 20
MONTHS. THIS DATA POINTS TOWARDS AN IMPORTANT QUESTION ABOUT HOW WAYMO AND OTHER AVS WILL AFFECT JOBS AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES. HOW CAN WE ACCOUNT FOR THE ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES
OF REDUCED EARNINGS AND REDUCED PURCHASING POWER? EVERY SHARE DRIVERS ARE FORCED TO COMPETE WITH DRIVERLESS CARS AND I WANT TO MENTION RIGHT NOW DRIVERLESS CARS DO NOT GET TIRED. THEY'RE NOT SO YOU KNOW YOU'RE
COMPETING AGAINST PEOPLE AND YOU CAN WORK ALL NIGHT. YOU CAN WORK ALL DAY RIGHT WITHOUT ANY BRAKES. AND I DO THINK THAT THIS WILL AFFECT THE WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT THAT WE HAVE HERE. AND I HEAR YOU SAYING THAT NOW. HOW CAN YOU ASSURE THAT? SO I HAVEN'T SEEN THOSE FIGURES THAT YOU JUST REFERENCED. THE FIGURES THAT I REFERENCED THOSE ARE FROM THE CITY OF SAN
FRANCISCO THAT WAS REPORTED IN THE ECONOMIST EARLIER THIS FALL . I THINK YOU WERE REFERENCING MARKET SHARE. I WAS REFERENCING MORE THAT THE TAXI AND LIMOUSINE AND FOR HIRE VEHICLE INDUSTRY ITSELF HAS INCREASED.
YOU TALKED ABOUT ECONOMIC IMPACT. WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN SAN FRANCISCO AND I MENTIONED THIS IN MY TESTIMONY IS THAT THE PRESENCE OF WAYMO IN THAT CITY HAS GENERATED A SIGNIFICANT
AMOUNT OF ECONOMIC IMPACT. PEOPLE ARE TAKING WAYMO AS THEY'RE TRAVELING TO CITIES WHERE WAYMO OPERATES BECAUSE THEY THEY THINK IT IS A TOURIST ATTRACTION AMONG OTHER MANY TOURIST ATTRACTIONS THAT THESE CITIES HAVE TO OFFER WHEN THEY
GO THERE THEY ARE USING WAYMO. THEY ARE GOING TO RESTAURANTS, THEY ARE SPENDING MONEY, THEY ARE SHOPPING AT LOCAL BUSINESSES. SO THERE IS A THERE IS AN ECONOMIC OUTPUT, A POSITIVE ECONOMIC OUTPUT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS.
I THINK I MEAN THE SAME THING CAN BE SAID ABOUT UBER AND LYFT DRIVERS. THEY'RE GOING INTO PLACES I DO KNOW MY TIME IS UP SO I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT ROUND OF QUESTIONS. THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND JUST A REMINDER PLEASE NO USE OF SCIENCE. THANK YOU. OKAY. NEXT WE HAVE COUNCILOR MURPHY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR REMARKS.
AND JUST I THINK IT'S ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE WE HEAR BOTH SIDES AND HAVE A BALANCED CONVERSATION. AND WHEN WE HAD THE TESTIMONY
IN THE MIDDLE JUST THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE WHO SPOKE AND YOU KNOW, GOT ME JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE RESPECT AND UNDERSTAND THAT NOT EVERYONE HAS THE SAME
NEEDS AND NOT EVERYONE GETS AROUND THE CITY AND LIVES THEIR LIFE THE SAME WAY. SO WE HAVE TO WHEN WE MAKE THESE DECISIONS AND HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE'S VOICES ARE HEARD.
SO I HEARD ALL OF YOU AND RESPECT THAT AND WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CONTINUE TO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MAKING SURE LABOR IS AT THE
TABLE THAT WE'RE ALSO MAKING SURE THAT THERE ARE EVERYONE ELSE RIGHT. THAT THERE IS A SEAT FOR EVERYONE AND THAT WE WORK THIS THROUGH BECAUSE WE CAN DO THAT HERE WE ARE A CITY THAT CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LISTENING
TO THE VOICES OF OF EVERYONE AND COME UP WITH A GOOD PLAN. AND I KNOW IT'S BEEN SAID THAT IT MAY SOUND TO SOME THAT THINGS HAVE ALREADY BEEN DECIDED BUT I THINK THIS THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF THE
CONVERSATION AND FOR ME AT LEAST I KNOW THAT NOTHING HAS BEEN DECIDED YET IS JUST PUTTING OUT YOU THIS HEARING ORDER HAVING THIS CONVERSATION
AND THEN IT'S THE BEGINNING OF MAKING SURE THAT WE GET IT RIGHT. I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS SPECIFIC TO THE INDUSTRY AND IF
OTHERS WANT TO ALSO CHIME IN IT'S THAT'S GREAT TO THERE'S TALK AND I'M NOT SURE IF ANY OTHER ANY TRAINED SAFETY OPERATORS THAT DRIVE ALONG THAT
ARE PRESENT IN ANY OF THESE WAYMO VEHICLES AND MARKETS WHERE WE ENTER FOR THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE A PHASED IN APPROACH. SO WE HAVE A PERIOD OF TIME WHEN WE HAVE MAPPING AND IN
THAT MAPPING PHASE WE DO HAVE TRAINED HUMAN SAFETY OPERATORS BEHIND THE WHEEL. AFTER WE COLLECT A CERTAIN NUMBER OF MILES WE WILL THEN MOVE INTO WHAT WE CALL THE AUTONOMOUS DATA COLLECTION PROCESS.
SO AGAIN WE STILL HAVE A TRAIN SAFETY HUMAN OPERATOR BEHIND THE WHEEL AT THAT POINT HOWEVER ,WHEN WE GET TO A LEVEL WHERE WE FEEL CONFIDENT IN THE DATA THAT WE ARE SEEING, WE WE
REMOVE THAT SAFETY OPERATOR AND THE VEHICLES BEGIN TO DRIVE THEMSELVES LIKE WE DO IN MANY MARKETS ACROSS THE U.S. IF IT CAME TO THIS WOULD YOU COMMIT TO PUBLICLY RELEASING SAFETY
DATA IN INCIDENT REPORTS FOR EVERY AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE OPERATING IN BOSTON? SO RIGHT NOW WE PUBLISH ALL OF OUR SAFETY DATA ONLINE THE SAME DATA THAT WE REPORT TO THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY
ADMINISTRATION. THAT DATA IS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE AND SO I'D BE HAPPY TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH YOU ABOUT WHAT DATA SPECIFICALLY THE COUNCIL IS INTERESTED IN AND WE WOULD WE CAN CERTAINLY
EXPLORE IT WHAT DATA DO YOU LOOK AT TO PHASE OUT THE SAFETY DRIVER THAT OPERATOR THAT SITS IN THE CAR? THERE MUST BE SOME BENCHMARKS YOU'RE TRYING TO HIT. YEAH, IT'S A IT'S A COMPLICATED
PROCESS ONE I'M PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO ADD OR ACCURATELY DESCRIBE IN THE 2 MINUTES AND 54 SECONDS WE HAVE LEFT ON THIS. BUT IT IS IT IS A WIDE RANGING THING IN TERMS OF MILES WE COLLECT THINGS.
WE'RE SEEING IT WHILE WE'RE DRIVING. BUT AGAIN, WE'D BE HAPPY TO TALK WITH YOU OFFLINE ABOUT THAT PROCESS AND KNOWING THAT EVERY CITY IS DIFFERENT AND BOSTON AS IT'S BEEN SAID MANY
TIMES WHERE YOU KNOW OUR STREETS ARE MUCH DIFFERENT THAN CALIFORNIA OR DO YOU START FRESH OR ARE YOU ALLOWED TO
TAKE DATA FROM PAST CITIES? TYPICALLY WHEN WE'RE LOOKING FOR PERFORMANCE DATA IT'S FOR THAT MARKET SPECIFICALLY. SO I THINK WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF LEARNINGS THAT WE HAVE FROM OTHER MARKETS
WHERE WE DO TENS OF THOUSANDS OF RIDES EVERY SINGLE DAY. BUT I THINK WHAT WE LOOK AT A FUTURE MARKET IN BOSTON WE WOULD BE PARTICULARLY CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT THE PERFORMANCE DATA IS SPECIFICALLY ON THESE STREETS.
I DON'T THINK WE WOULD BE SORT OF COMPARING THAT TO OTHER CITIES AND THEN THESE OTHER CITIES WHERE IT'S ALREADY HAPPENING. COULD YOU JUST TALK THROUGH WHAT THE CONVERSATIONS WITH
LABOR WERE AND WERE THERE ANY COMPROMISES OR SHOULD ANY LABOR UNIONS COME TO SOME AGREEMENT? WE I MEAN, LISTEN, WE'RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN MARKETS WHERE WE OPERATE IN TERMS OF WORKFORCE
WHAT I CAN SAY IN SAN FRANCISCO FOR EXAMPLE, WE DID PARTNER WITH IBM W THE LOCAL CHAPTER THERE FOR THE INSTALLATION OF OUR ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGERS IN OUR FACILITY.
SO I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT PROGRAM HAS BEEN EXPANDED TO OTHER LOCATIONS BUT AGAIN IT HAS BEEN DONE BEFORE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION AND WOULD WELCOME A CONVERSATION IN THE FUTURE.
OKAY, THOSE ARE ALL MY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS. I KNOW LIKE I SAID, WE'RE AT THE BEGINNING PHASE OF A LONG PROCESS SO THANK YOU FOR COMING
AND SHARING YOUR PERSPECTIVE AND UPLIFTING THE VOICES ESPECIALLY YOUR STUDENTS. THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU. COUNSELOR MURPHY TURNER FLOWN OVER TO COUNCILMAN FLYNN.
YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THE THE BOSTON POLICE REGULARLY THE TAXI INDUSTRY AND THE STATE
PUBLIC UTILITIES REGULATE THE UBER AND LYFT. WHAT AGENCY WOULD REGULATE WAYMO? IT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION COUNCILOR I MOST OF THE WAY IN
WHICH WE ARE REGULATED THAT IS DEALT WITH IN STATE LEGISLATION SO IN THE 25 STATES ACROSS THE U.S. IT VARIES STATE BY STATE. SOME REQUIRE US TO BE TREATED AS TAXIS AND SO THEREFORE WE
WOULD BE REGULATED UNDER THE SAME BY THE SAME AGENCIES THAT OTHER TAXES ARE THAT THE LEGISLATURE AT LEAST HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS HAS NOT CONTEMPLATED EXACTLY WHAT THAT
REGIME WOULD LOOK LIKE. SO THERE'S ACTIVE DISCUSSION UP AT THE STATE HOUSE NOW ON THIS. BUT THERE YES, THERE IS A BILL THAT IS ALIVE IN THE LEGISLATURE THAT WOULD ALLOW
FOR THE DEPLOYMENT OF AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES IN IS THE STATE LOOKING TO BOSTON TO SIGN OFF ON THIS OR IS THE
STATE ONE OF LOOKING TO SIGN OFF ON IT AND THEN GIVING CITIES AND TOWNS THE OPTIONS OF OPTING IN? I WOULDN'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR THE STATE OR THE STATE LEGISLATURE.
THE BILL WAS ONLY INTRODUCED A FEW MONTHS AGO. IT DID HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING IN JUNE. I BELIEVE THAT IT IS JUST IN THE SORT OF BEGINNING PHASES OF A CONVERSATION WHICH I'M SURE THAT THE CITY OF BOSTON
WILL BE A VERY BIG PART OF. I REPRESENT A DISTRICT THAT'S VERY CHALLENGING TO NAVIGATE AND AN AUTOMOBILE AN AUTOMOBILE
AROUND INCLUDING CHINATOWN OR THE BAY VILLAGE OR SOUTH BOSTON EVEN AT THE SOUTH END OTHER COLLEAGUES BROUGHT UP THE
CONDITIONS OF THE WEATHER SUCH AS SNOW OR OR OTHER ISSUES. HOW WOULD YOU FACTOR IN THE
DIFFICULT DRIVING AREAS OF PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOODS IN BOSTON AND WHAT IS THE SAFETY RECORD OF WAYMO AS IT RELATES
TO OTHER CHALLENGING CITIES OR TOWNS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WITH DENSE DENSE NEIGHBORHOODS? YEAH, SO I THINK ACROSS WE WE OPERATE IN A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT MARKETS WITH DIFFERENT TRAFFIC
CONDITIONS. YOU HAVE VERY NARROW STREETS IN DENSELY POPULATED AREAS LIKE SAN FRANCISCO. RIGHT. SO THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS NEW TO US. WHAT I CAN SAY ABOUT OUR SAFETY
RECORD IS THAT AFTER 96 MILLION MILES THE TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN PROVEN TO REDUCE SERIOUS INJURY CAUSING CRASHES BY 91% AND AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT CRASHES BY
79% COMPARED TO HUMANS. SO I THINK AS FAR AS THE SAFETY RECORD, WE FEEL VERY CONFIDENT THAT THIS TECHNOLOGY CAN NAVIGATE ANY ROAD ENVIRONMENT INCLUDING THE COMPLEX AND UNIQUE ONES THAT BOSTON HAS TO
OFFER. SO LET ME JUST FOLLOW UP ON A QUESTION MY COLLEAGUE ASKED SO OTHER UNIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY
HAVE GONE ON RECORD IN WORKING WITH WAYMO IN PARTNERING WITH YOU EVEN THOUGH IT COST JOBS. IS THAT ACCURATE TO SAY WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT THERE WE HAVE
A PARTNERSHIP THAT EXISTED IN SAN FRANCISCO WITH THE INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS. I'M NOT I DON'T KNOW OF ANY OTHER ACTIVE DISCUSSIONS WITH UNIONS AT THIS MOMENT.
NOW IS THAT PARTNERSHIP FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS OR IS THAT FOR ELIMINATING WORKERS THAT DRIVE THESE VEHICLES AND PUTTING IN
AUTOMATED VEHICLES TO DRIVE WITHOUT A DRIVERS? SO SO IT'S MOSTLY INSTALLING ELECTRIC VEHICLE STATIONS. I AGAIN I WAS NOT I DID NOT WORK ON THIS PARTNERSHIP DIRECTLY BUT WHAT I CAN TELL
YOU IS THAT IT INVOLVED SPECIFICALLY THE INSTALLATION OF CHARGERS AT OUR FACILITIES. YEAH THAT'S NOT THAT'S NOT THE ISSUE WE'RE DISCUSSING HERE. THE ISSUE WE'RE DISCUSSING HERE
IS ELIMINATING DRIVERS AND HAVING COMPUTERS DRIVE THE VEHICLE. I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT INSTALLING INFRASTRUCTURE IN A PARKING LOT. THAT'S A DIFFERENT THAT'S A
DIFFERENT ISSUE. SO MY QUESTION AGAIN IS LABOR UNIONS ARE GOING ON RECORD IN SUPPORT OF ELIMINATING JOBS AND SUPPORTING AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES
IN THEIR IN THEIR JURISDICTION. IS THAT ACCURATE TO SAY I'M NOT GOING TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF IBEW OR ANY OTHER LABOR ORGANIZATION IN THE COUNTRY? WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT IN SAN FRANCISCO WE HAD A
PARTNERSHIP FOR A VERY SPECIFIC PURPOSE. I'M NOT I'M NOT GOING TO SPECULATE ON WHAT THEIR POSITION IS AS IT RELATES TO AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES AND THE
LOSS OF JOBS IN DRIVER JOBS. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE A WAY BUT UNION BEING ADAMANTLY OPPOSED TO THIS IF IT'S GOING TO COST WORKERS JOBS I COULDN'T SEE A
LABOR UNION BEING IN SUPPORT OF THIS. THAT'S MY OWN OPINION. SO SO THERE REALLY IS NO PARTNERSHIP THEN IF IF THAT'S ACCURATE TO SAY THERE IS NO
PARTNERSHIP WITH ORGANIZED LABOR AS FAR AS LIKE IS THAT AS FAR AS I CAN SAY WITH WITH WAYMO AND UNIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY IS THAT IS THAT
ACCURATE YOU'RE SAYING I AGAIN OUTSIDE OF THE EXAMPLE I JUST GAVE I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY OTHER ACTIVE DISCUSSIONS WITH LABOR UNIONS SO THEN SO THEN WAYMO IS IS COMING INTO CITIES AND TOWNS
TAKING AWAY JOBS. I THINK UNIONS ARE FIGHTING BACK IN MY OPINION DOING THE BEST THEY CAN. BUT WAYMO HAS A LOT OF POLITICAL INFLUENCE TO MAKE
THINGS HAPPEN. I DON'T THINK LABOR IS GIVING UP BUT I DON'T THINK THE RESIDENTS OF BOSTON ARE GOING TO GIVE UP EITHER. THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR.
THANK YOU COUNCILOR FLYNN, COUNCILOR COBURN AND THEN COUNCILOR BRITTON. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND TAKE IT AWAY. I'M ALL FOR BEING HERE. I ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE PUBLIC TESTIMONIES FOR
EVERYONE THAT STEPPED UP TO THE MIC IF YOUR YOUR LIVED EXPERIENCES WHEN YOU AND A FEW OF YOU WERE SPEAKING COUNCILOR FITZGERALD AND I WERE SPEAKING ABOUT THE NEED OF AND
THE IMPORTANCE OF LISTENING TO BOTH SIDES OF AN ARGUMENT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE TAKING EVERYONE WE WANT INTO CONSIDERATION. WE'VE EVEN TALKED ABOUT HOW WE SHOULD REACH OUT TO COMMISSIONER MCCOSH FROM THE DISABILITY COMMISSION TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IN OUR CITY
FEELS LIKE THEIR WELL SERVED AND JUST HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM TO MAKE SURE THAT DRIVERS HAVE PROPER TRAINING TO DEAL WITH HOW SOMEONE WITH A DISABILITY OR JUST SO THAT EVERYONE THERE
IS THAT IS REQUESTING A RIDE FEELS LIKE THEY'RE BEING PROPERLY TREATED. SO THAT'S JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT OUT THERE. I WANTED TO ASK YOU ALL ABOUT
CONGESTION BOSTON I WAS ONE OF THE NUMBER ONE CITIES WITH TRAFFIC WE ARE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE AND WE'RE NOT PROUD OF. SO I WANTED TO KNOW HAVE YOU DONE ANY STUDIES IN OTHER CITIES THAT YOU ALREADY OPERATE ON AND HOW ADDING MORE VEHICLE
TO THE ROADS LIKE WAYMO IMPACTS CONGESTION OR HOW MANY VEHICLES DO YOU WOULD YOU FORESEE ADDING ON TO OUR ROADS? I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NUMBER
OF VEHICLES IS THAT WE WOULD EXPECT TO DEPLOY IN A CITY LIKE BOSTON. IT'S NOT SOMETHING IT'S NOT A STAGE THAT I THINK WE'VE GOTTEN TO YET AS IT RELATES TO CONGESTION IT IS SOMETHING WE'RE ACTIVELY LOOKING AT IN
EVERY SINGLE MARKET WE HEAR THE CONCERN ABOUT CONGESTION IS NOT UNIQUE. THE CITY OF BOSTON WE HEAR IT CONSTANTLY. WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT AS A
OPERATOR OF A FLEET ONE THAT WE CONTROL AT ALL TIMES WE HAVE UNIQUE ABILITIES THAT TRADITIONAL RIDE HAIL COMPANIES DO NOT RIGHT WE CAN LOOK AT REAL TIME DATA. WE CAN EVALUATE WHERE IT MAKES THE MOST SENSE FOR VEHICLES TO
BE DEPLOYED. WE CAN ALSO MAKE SURE THAT OUR VEHICLES ARE BEING USED EFFICIENTLY AND THAT THEY'RE NOT DRIVING AROUND EMPTY WITHOUT PASSENGERS AGAIN JUST NEEDLESSLY CONTRIBUTING TO CONGESTION.
SO I THINK IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE A LOT MORE CAPABILITY ON AND I THINK AS FAR AS BOSTON AS WE BEGIN TO HAVE MORE CONVERSATIONS WITH STAKEHOLDERS HERE ABOUT WHAT CONGESTION REALLY LOOKS LIKE IT IS
SOMETHING WE WILL ABSOLUTELY TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU. YEAH, THAT'S ALWAYS ONE OF THE TOPICS THAT I TRY TO LOOK AT WHENEVER. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ANY TYPE OF VEHICLES ON OUR ROADS. I AM SOMEONE THAT'S TRYING TO
GET LESS VEHICLES ON THE ROADS. IS THAT SUCH A CONGESTION ISSUE? BUT CURIOUS WHEN YOU DO HAVE NUMBERS AVAILABLE IF YOU CAN SHARE THAT WITH US. AND THEN THE OTHER PIECE THAT I WANTED TO BRING UP IS THAT WHEN
I WAS GETTING READY FOR THE HEARING COME ACROSS I THINK WAS AN ARTICLE THAT TALKED ABOUT YOUR CAPABILITY OF DEALING WITH WINTER CONDITIONS AND WE ALL
KNOW THAT SOMETIMES BOSTON CAN HAVE A VERY TERRIBLE WINTER TEMPERATURES WITH SNOW FALLS AND BLACK ICE AND JUST UNSAFE ROADS. SO I WANTED TO KNOW HAVE YOU ALL LOOKED AT HOW YOUR VEHICLES
ARE READY TO DRIVE ON A STREET THAT MAY NOT BE IN THE BEST WEATHER CONDITIONS? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY WINTER WEATHER CAPABILITY AND I THINK WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS IN JULY AS WELL. IT'S BEEN A PRIMARY AREA
OF FOCUS FOR DEVELOPMENT FROM THE WAYMO SIDE. WE PUBLISHED A BLOG ON OUR WEBSITE ACTUALLY YESTERDAY WHICH REALLY I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO READ AND I'LL MAKE SURE WE SEND THAT AROUND WHICH DETAILS THE LEVEL OF RESEARCH
AND DEVELOPMENT THAT WE HAVE DONE IN THIS. WE HAVE NOT ONLY DONE CLOSE COURSE TESTING AS IT RELATES TO WINTER WEATHER BUT WE'VE ACTUALLY DONE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WINTER WEATHER TESTING ON PUBLIC ROADS IN PLACES LIKE BUFFALO, THE UPPER
PENINSULA OF MICHIGAN, TRUCKEE, CALIFORNIA. THESE ARE PLACES THAT GET DOUBLE DIGIT AVERAGE SNOWFALLS AND WE HAVE FOUND THAT WE ARE CONTINUING TO GET MORE AND MORE CONFIDENT, MORE AND MORE
ASSERTIVE IN OPERATING IN THOSE CONDITIONS. AND I THINK AS OUR OUR BLOG POST MADE CLEAR, WE WE BELIEVE THAT WE WILL BE READY TO OPERATE IN WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS IN FUTURE MARKETS. THANK YOU.
THAT'S REALLY A FOR ME ABOUT QUESTIONS I GUESS I'M JUST THANKFUL THAT YOU ARE HERE ANSWERING THESE QUESTIONS AND PROVIDING THE INFORMATION OVER THE WORK THAT WAYMO IS DOING. I'VE I'M JUST GRATEFUL THAT GET
TO LISTEN TO BOTH PERSPECTIVE AND JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO VOTING ON THIS OR BEING ABLE TO JUST WORK WITH BOTH SIDES IN THE NEAR FUTURE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR PEPPER
COUNCILOR THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD EVENING. WHAT TIME IS IT ANYWAY? WELL, I'M STILL TRYING TO GET MY HEAD AROUND HOW WAYMO WORKS.
IS LIKE DOESN'T WORK LIKE UBER THAT THE CAR DRIVES AROUND AUTONOMOUSLY AND THEN IF THEY GET A CALL THEY JUST GO AND PICK UP PASSENGER AND THEN GO ON THEIR WAY. DO THEY EVER STOP AT A
LOCATION? ARE THEY A REST STOP OR A GARAGE SPACE WHERE AND THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD WAS JUST YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SIZE OF SYNNEX
IS, IS IT A SIMILAR SIZE TO BOSTON MAYBE MORE BECAUSE IT'S IT'S LARGER, MUCH LARGER QUITE POPULATION IT'S LARGER BY SQUARE MILE WHICH I DON'T HAVE THE POPULATION NUMBERS IN A
VERY SMALL CITY REALLY COMPARED SIZE WISE. SO IN TERMS OF THE PILOTING,
WHAT WAS INVOLVED WITH PILOTING IN AND IN PHENIX LIKE HOW HOW DID YOU INTRODUCE IT? HOW DOES IT GET EVALUATED AND THEN THE PARTICULAR ISSUES WE HAVE LIKE MANY PEOPLE HAVE
ALREADY TALKED ABOUT LIKE WINTER WINTER CONDITIONS IT'S NOT EVEN JUST ROAD CONDITIONS BUT WE EVEN FIND WITH OUR ELECTRIC BUSSES THAT THEY CHARGE ABOUT 40% LESS IN THE
COLD COLD WINTER WEATHER AND THEY ALSO HAVE CAPACITY CHARGING CAPACITY IMPEDED IN THE SUMMERTIME WITH HEAT. MM HMM.
YOU KNOW HOW WHAT'S HOW HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH ALL THESE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS AND. EXCELLENT. YEAH. I APPRECIATE THE QUESTIONS, COUNCILOR. I'M GOING TO I THINK THERE WAS THREE OR FOUR IN THERE. I'M GOING TO TRY TO TAKE THEM
IN SOME IN SOME FORM OF ORDER SO YOU ASKED ABOUT HOW DOES THE SERVICE SORT OF FUNCTION? SO IT DOES FUNCTION VERY MUCH LIKE A RIDE HEALTH SERVICE THAT YOU'RE USED TO USING TODAY IN TERMS OF WHERE DO THE VEHICLES
GO AND LIVE? WE HAVE A COMBINATION OF WE HAVE DEPOTS SO THOSE ARE FACILITIES WHERE THE VEHICLES ARE STORED. THEY'RE CHARGED, THEY'RE CLEANED, REPAIRED. WE ALSO HAVE CHARGING PITSTOPS
THOSE ARE SMALLER FACILITIES WHERE THE VEHICLES ARE JUST GOING TO CHARGE UP TO A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE AND THEN HEAD BACK OUT INTO CIRCULATION TO TO SERVE CUSTOMERS. SO IT'S THE CARS ARE NOT JUST
DRIVING AROUND ENDLESSLY. THEY DO HAVE FACILITIES WHERE THEY ARE LIVING AND STORED. I THINK AS FAR AS KNOW HAVING THEM PULLED OVER AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT. OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE THEM
SERVING PASSENGERS AS MUCH OF THE TIME AS WE POSSIBLY CAN . YOU ASKED ABOUT THE HOW WE ROLLED THE SERVICE OUT IN PHENIX SO WE STARTED OFF IN A COMMUNITY CALLED CHANDLER
SEVERAL YEARS AGO. IT WAS A SMALLER PILOT. WE WORKED VERY WITH STAKEHOLDERS ON THE GROUND THERE AND THEN SORT OF BEGAN EXPANDING THAT PROGRAM BEYOND JUST THE CHANDLER AREA TO NOW
WHERE WE SERVE OVER 320 SQUARE MILES OF THE METRO PHENIX AREA INCLUDING THE AIRPORT. SO I THINK PHENIX WAS A VERY GOOD EXAMPLE OF HOW WE START WITH A SMALL TERRITORY AND THEN
BEGIN TO EXPAND OUTWARD FROM THAT. THE LAST QUESTION YOU ASKED ON WINTER WHETHER AGAIN YOU KNOW AS I JUST MENTIONED TO YOUR COLLEAGUE WE CONTINUE TO EVALUATE OUR WINTER WEATHER CAPABILITIES AND IT'S
CONSTANTLY SOMETHING WE ARE WORKING ON AND WE CAN WE FEEL VERY CONFIDENT. THE OTHER THING I WILL ADD THOUGH IS THAT LIKE ANY OTHER SERVICE IF THE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ON THE ROADS PROVE
TO BE TOO CHALLENGING OR DANGEROUS FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR CUSTOMERS, WE CAN PULL THOSE CARS OFF THE ROAD AND THAT IS SOMETHING IN CERTAIN HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS. WE HAVE DONE THE VEHICLE BATTERY CONDITIONS YOU MENTIONED.
YES, WE HAVE WE ARE THAT IS SOMETHING WE ARE ACTIVELY LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW. IF YOU LOOK AT ANY OF OUR MARKETS WE ARE CURRENTLY OPERATING, WE DON'T HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF EXTREME WINTER WEATHER BUT WE ARE WORKING ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO
ADDRESS BATTERY CHARGE AND RANGE ISSUES AND THAT'LL BE SOMETHING WE'LL TAKE INTO ACCOUNT HERE. SO IT SEEMS THAT A FEW YEARS AGO YOU WERE LOOKING AT SORT
OF COMMERCIAL TRUCKS. WE WAY, WAY MORE SEVERE AND YOU SAID THAT'S BEEN PUSHED BACK BUT IT HASN'T BEEN TAKEN OFF THE TABLE AS AN OPTION IN THE FUTURE.
ARE YOU STILL CONSIDERING THAT AS A AS A AS A FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF I BELIEVE YOU'RE REFERRING TO COMMENTS FROM OUR CEO. LISTEN, WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT
RIGHT NOW THE FOCUS OF WAYMO IS EXCLUSIVELY IN THE RIDE HAILING BUSINESS AND THAT IS THE BUSINESS THAT WE DEPLOY ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THAT'S THE BUSINESS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON DEPLOYING IN MORE CITIES. I DON'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION
ANY OR ANY UPDATES AS TO THE FUTURE OF OUR AUTONOMOUS TRUCKING BUSINESS. OKAY. I THINK ONE OF THE CITIES THAT HAS BEEN PUSHED OUT ON ALREADY
LIKE THIS PHENIX SO WE OPERATE IN PHENIX, SAN FRANCISCO, LOS ANGELES, AUSTIN AND ATLANTA, GEORGIA. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT BOSTON IS IT'S A VERY IT'S AN OLD CITY. IT'S 400 YEARS OLD AND WE'VE NARROW STREETS AND WE HAVE A
LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE THAT HAS BEEN 100 YEARS OLD THAT'S BEEN THE ROADS HAVE BEEN DUG UP AND WE HAVE TO REPLACE SEWER LINES. WE HAVE TO INCREASE A LOT OF UTILITIES THAT HAVE BEEN REPLACED. IT'S JUST NOT AN EASY PLACE TO
DRIVE AT THE BEST OF TIMES AND WE DO HAVE A REPUTATION OF BEING CRAZY. SO I DON'T KNOW I THINK I THINK I THINK THE FACT THAT YOU
HAVEN'T HAD TO HAVE A PILOT HERE AND PROBABLY A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM WOULDN'T WANT YOU TO EVER HAVE A PILOT HERE. I THINK IT WOULD BE AN INTERESTING EXERCISE.
I THINK YOU MIGHT UNCOVER A LOT MORE CHALLENGES THAN YOU MIGHT EXPECT IN BOSTON COMPARED TO SOME OF THESE MORE MODERN CITIES THAT HAVE A BETTER STREET GRID, ETC. AND A MORE
MODERN AND MORE MODERN TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE. BUT ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND I THINK IT HAS BEEN A BROAD RANGING CONVERSATION THIS
AFTERNOON AND GETTING EVERYBODY'S INPUT FROM MANY DIFFERENT SIDES HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU COUNCILOR BRETT AND COUNCIL HERE.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND I WANT TO FIRST START OFF BY THANKING THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY. I THINK TO MY COLLEAGUES EARLIER POINT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR US TO HEAR FROM EVERYONE
RIGHT AS WE MAKE DECISIONS THAT ARE GOING TO IMPACT THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THOSE THAT WE SERVE. SO HAVING YOU HERE WAS REALLY IMPORTANT AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE TIME AND
ENERGY THAT IT TOOK FOR YOU TO BE HERE TO UTILIZE YOUR VOICE BECAUSE AFTER ALL OUR JOBS ARE TO AMPLIFY THOSE VOICES. SO I JUST WANT TO START BY AFFIRMING AND HOW IT IS TO
ME AS YOUR CITY COUNCILOR TO LISTEN AND AT THE SAME TIME I ALSO WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT ,YOU KNOW, HAVING BEEN IN THIS
CHAMBER JUST THIS MORNING HOSTING A HEARING WHERE THERE'S LOTS OF US VERSUS THEM AND PITTING PEOPLE AGAINST EACH OTHER RIGHT IS SUCH A BAD
PRACTICE AND WHAT WE HAVE DONE HERE TODAY WHAT WE HAVE DONE HERE TODAY RIGHT IS WE BROUGHT VULNERABLE POPULATIONS TOGETHER
RIGHT TO TALK AND DEBATE AN ISSUE THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY AT THE CORE OF IT WHO STANDS TO BENEFIT FROM THAT ARE NOT THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SERVE OR THE PEOPLE
THAT WE'RE TRYING TO PROTECT. SO I JUST WANT TO NAME THAT THAT WAS VERY POOR TASTE IN MY PERSONAL HUMBLE OPINION. WHILE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO GET THAT ON THE
RECORD. I THINK WHAT IT DID IS PROVIDED US AS A COUNCIL, AN OPPORTUNITY AND A ROAD MAP OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO TO BETTER SERVE THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY.
AND THAT WAS WHAT WAYMAN NEEDS TO DO TO BETTER SUPPORT THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR LAYING ALL OF THOSE THINGS OUT BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THE ISSUE IS A REPLACEMENT OF UBER
DRIVERS AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ADVOCATING FOR WHAT YOU ARE ADVOCATING FOR IS DIGNIFIED TRANSPORTATION TO WHERE YOU NEED TO GO TO AND. YOU'RE NOT ADVOCATING ON BEHALF
OF HAVING WAYMO BE THE VEHICLE THAT GETS YOU THERE. SO I JUST WANT TO KNOW THAT FOR THE RECORD THAT AS WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS WE'RE GOING TO BE LASER FOCUSED
ON THE EQUITY AND THE JUSTICE OF ITS OKAY. SO I JUST WANT TO NAME THAT THAT WAS VERY POOR TASTE TO UTILIZE FOLKS WHO ARE ALREADY VULNERABLE TO FIGHT ON BEHALF
OF THOSE WHO HAVE SO MUCH MORE THAN ANY OF US HERE. SO BUT THANK YOU NOW THAT WE LOOK AT IT ALL ON THE RECORD WE WILL FIX IT. SO TO THAT POINT WAYMO AND I'LL
START WITH THE CEO MAYBE HOW CAN WE UTILIZE WAYMO INSTEAD OF REPLACING OUR APP DRIVERS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF EXPERIENCES FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO HAVE COMPLAINED?
I THINK UTILIZING WAYMO IN AN AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE OPENS THE DOOR FOR ELIMINATION OF PRACTICES, ILLEGAL PRACTICES, DISCRIMINATION.
NO, THAT'S NOT THE QUESTION. BUT THE QUESTION IS RIGHT BECAUSE YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR TECHNOLOGY AND YOUR ABILITY TO BE YOU KNOW, LIKE HOW CAN YOU UTILIZE YOUR TECHNOLOGY SKILLS
TO IMPROVE THE APP, TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF EXPERIENCE OF THESE CARS THAT ARE DRIVING BUT WITHOUT REPLACING THE WORKFORCE? I MEAN LIKE THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET AT. OKAY.
THAT IS TECHNOLOGY ADVANCEMENTS THAT FROM AN ACCESSIBLE CITY STANDPOINT THE BLIND VISION IMPAIRED NOT THE DISABLED HAVE ACCESS TO WHETHER IT'S ON AN IPHONE OR OTHER DEVICE THAT THE
WAYMO VEHICLES ALLOW ACCESS TO. RIGHT. BUT THEN THE QUESTION IS GARY, THE QUESTION IS AND WHAT I NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU RIGHT, IS HOW
DO WE UTILIZE THOSE SAME TOOLS ,RIGHT, TO EQUIP CURRENT CARS SO THAT THEY CAN BETTER SERVE THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY WITHOUT REPLACING OUR APP DRIVERS?
THAT'S THE QUESTION THAT I'M NOT THAT TECHNOLOGY ADVANCED BUT YOU'RE THE CEO OF A TECHNOLOGY COMPANY THAT'S GOING TO BE PUTTING THAT I'M THE PRESIDENT AND CEO THE CARROLL CENTER FOR THE BLIND.
OKAY. I'M A SERVICE ORGANIZATION CEO. WE SERVE MOSTLY NEWLY BLIND AND THOSE BLIND. BUT HOW DO YOU SEE A TECHNOLOGY COMPANY WORKING TO HELP SUPPORT THAT?
I'VE SEEN WAYMO AND COUNTLESS TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES IMPROVE THE LIVES OF EVERYONE WITH DISABILITIES OVER DECADES. MM HMM. DECADES.
JUST LIKE MEDICAL ADVANCEMENTS ,EYE CARE AND SURGERIES AND RESEARCH TECHNOLOGIES PROVIDING EQUAL ACCESS IMPROVEMENT AND
BETTERING LIVES OF SO MANY. AND SO I THINK WAYMO COMING INTO THIS MARKET HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE A GREATER LEVEL OF INDEPENDENCE
THROUGH BOTH TECHNOLOGY ADVANCEMENTS WITH APPS AND SO FORTH THAT DRIVERS TODAY DON'T OFFER IN CIRCUMSTANCES.
BUT DO YOU SEE IS THERE A WORLD IN WHICH THAT COULD HAPPEN WITHOUT HAVING TO REPLACE THE WORKFORCE WITHOUT HAVING TO HARM? I THINK YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S TOO MANY ASSUMPTIONS HERE.
MY MOTHER ALWAYS TAUGHT ME NOT TO ASSUME AND WITH SOMETHING TO FOLLOW THERE. I THINK THE TRANSCRIPT I THINK THE TRANSPORTATION IS BECAUSE WE HEAR A LOT OF THESE COMMENTS
HAVE BEEN I THINK I THINK I HAVE SEEN THE DEMAND FOR TRANSPORTATION BLINDNESS AND SEVERE VISION LOSS IS GOING TO
DOUBLE BY THE YEAR TO 2050. AND WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF GROWTH IN THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY WE'VE HAD IN WITNESS WHAT WE THOUGHT THE BIG DIG IN
THE CITY OF BOSTON IS GOING TO CONTINUE ALL THE ISSUES IN TRAFFIC CONGESTION. THERE'S SO MUCH GROWTH. I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE SO MUCH OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYBODY. I THINK AND I TRULY HOPE I HOPE SO TOO.
I'M WITH YOU. I HOPE SO TOO. BUT WHAT WE AND I'M GOING TO WAIT FOR MY SECOND ROUND BECAUSE I DO HAVE SOME MORE QUESTIONS. UNLESS YOU WANT ME TO FINISH WELL HOW MANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE?
I HAVE FOUR AND THEN COUNCILOR STANTON ACTUALLY HAS MORE. SO WE'LL GO BACK FOR A SECOND ROUND. BUT IF YOU WANT TO DO KEEP GOING OR ONE LAST. WELL I WAS GOING TO SAY GARY,
THAT I. I AM AND IT'S GREG JUST GREG OH MY GOD. SO SOMEBODY GAVE ME THE WRONG PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY GOT YOU AS THE CEO OF WAYMO AND THE LIKE. WHAT? MY TEAM BETTER GET IT TOGETHER.
OKAY, SO LET'S GO BACK LET'S LET ME JUST STAY WITH YOU REAL QUICK. RIGHT. I THINK THERE IS A WORLD IN WHICH WE CAN DO BOTH. AS YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, THERE IS A WAY IN WHICH WE CAN IMPROVE THE QUALITY
OF EXPERIENCE FOR OUR DISABILITY COMMUNITY WHILE ALSO MAINTAINING THE INTEGRITY OF OUR WORKFORCE. AND WE'RE NOT HURTING OUR LOW INCOME WORKERS. I BELIEVE THAT'S THAT'S WHAT
I'M INVESTED IN AND I BELIEVE THE STATE AND THE CITY AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN STEP UP IN BIGGER WAYS TO DO THAT WORK IN WAYS THAT THAT DOES NOT HARM THE GREATER COMMUNITY.
SO I JUST WANT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THAT'S WHERE I'M COMING FROM AND I APPRECIATE YOUR YOUR TESTIMONY AND YOUR ADVOCACY BUT I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M HOPING FOR
IN OUR TIME TOGETHER. I APPRECIATE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. I ACTUALLY DO HAVE QUESTIONS FOR YOU THIS ROUND. I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO SAY THOUGH EVERYBODY HAS THEIR
OWN INDIVIDUAL AGENCY AND ABILITY STAFF MYSELF. THANK YOU. EVERYBODY HAS THEIR OWN AGENCY AND ADVOCATES ON THEIR OWN BEHALF AND I THINK TO SUGGEST OTHERWISE IS ALSO OPERATING
UNDER CERTAIN ASSUMPTIONS. HOWEVER, IF ARE A LOBBYIST AND YOU'RE GETTING PAID, YOU HAVE TO JUST PUT THAT AS A DISCLAIMER. SO I THINK IF ANYBODY IS QUESTIONING THAT, IF ANYBODY HAS BEEN PAID BY ANY SORT
OF SPECIAL INTEREST, YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU REGISTER THAT. BUT I THINK FOR THE ADVOCATES THAT HAVE BEEN HERE AND THAT HAVE PROVIDED PUBLIC TESTIMONY ESPECIALLY MAYBE FROM ON THOSE IN FAVOR OF THIS, I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT TO SAY THAT EVERYBODY HAS THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL AND THEY WERE HERE ON THEIR OWN ACCORD. SO MY MY QUESTIONS HAVE TO DO PRIMARILY WITH YOUR TECHNOLOGY . I'M STILL TRYING TO FIGURE IT
OUT MYSELF AND I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT I BELIEVE I FORGOT HIS NAME BUT HE'S FROM NEW YORK CITY. HE CAME IN AND PROVIDED TESTING . ANTHONY PEREZ YEAH. ANTHONY WE HAD ASKED FOR DATA
BECAUSE HE HAD SAID SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF WE'VE DRIVEN 96 MILLION MILES AND IT'S X AMOUNT OF PERCENTAGE SAFER THAN
OTHER CARS AND I HAD ASKED FOR DATA ON THAT AND I HADN'T RECEIVED IT. SO CAN YOU JUST EXPAND ON THAT AND CAN I MAKE A FORMAL REQUEST TO TO PLEASE RECEIVE THAT? YEAH. AND I'M SORRY THAT WE DIDN'T
FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AGAIN THAT THAT DATA IS THAT IS ON OUR WEBSITE AS WELL. BUT I WILL BE HAPPY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR STAFF GETS THAT TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM. SO WHAT WE DID IS WE LOOKED AT 96 MILLION MILES OF REAL WORLD
DRIVING THAT WE THAT THE WAYMO VEHICLE HAS DONE AND COMPARED THAT TO WHAT HUMAN BEINGS WOULD HAVE DONE IN THE SAME DISTANCE. AND WHAT WE NOTICED IS WHEN LOOKING AT THE THREE MOST SERIOUS CATEGORIES OR THE TWO MOST SERIOUS CATEGORIES THAT
BEING SERIOUS INJURY CAUSING CRASHES AND AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT CRASHES THE WAYMO DRIVER, THE WAYMO VEHICLE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT CRASHES BY 91% AND SERIOUS
INJURY CAUSING CRASHES BY 79% COMPARED TO HUMAN BEINGS. AND WHAT THAT GETS OUT TO IS A FIVE TIMES FEWER INSTANCES IN WHICH THERE IS A SERIOUS INJURY
CAUSING CRASH. BUT AGAIN WE ARE HAPPY TO SEND YOU ALL OF THE SAFETY DATA THAT THAT EXPANDS ON THAT. THANK YOU. AND THERE WAS ALSO A COMMENT THAT WAS MADE ABOUT FOUR FOUR PASSENGERS THAT ARE VISUALLY IMPAIRED. THE CAR ACCOMMODATES TO THEIR
NEEDS. COULD YOU CORRECT THAT ABOUT WHAT THE CAR ACTUALLY DOES AND HOW WHAT THE TECHNOLOGY ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE IN PRACTICE? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE INCREDIBLY PROUD TO WORK WITH
THAT COMMUNITY ON FOR THE LAST DECADE. SO THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE DESIGNED IN DIRECT AS A RESULT OF ACTUAL FEEDBACK THAT WE HAVE GOTTEN FROM CUSTOMERS WITH VISION IMPAIRMENTS SO THINGS
LIKE HAPTIC FEATURES ON THE PHONE SO AS THAT PERSON IS TRYING TO LOCATE THE PHONE, THE PHONE WILL VIBRATE AS THEY'RE GETTING CLOSER TO THE CAR THAT IS DESIGNATED FOR THEM. WE ALSO HAVE THINGS WHERE THERE'S UNIQUE MELODIES THAT
WILL PLAY FROM THE CAR. WHEN WE STARTED THAT IT WAS JUST THE CAR COULD HONK AS WE DEPLOYED SEVERAL HUNDRED VEHICLES IN SAN FRANCISCO, FOR EXAMPLE, A CHORUS OF HONKING CARS WAS NOT PARTICULARLY HELPFUL.
SO THAT COMMUNITY REACHED OUT TO US AND SAID YOU NEED TO DO BETTER WHICH WE DID. SO NOW THERE IS A UNIQUE MELODY THAT WILL PLAY FROM THAT VEHICLE SO THAT THAT PERSON UNDERSTANDS THAT IT IS THE CAR THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO GO IN BUT
THAT TECHNOLOGY THEN TRANSLATES INTO THE ACTUAL EXPERIENCE WITHIN THE CAR. SO THE CAR WHEN THEY GET INTO THE VEHICLE THEY CAN TURN ON AUDIO COMMANDS SO THAT THE VEHICLE IS TELLING THEM EXACTLY WHAT TURN THEY'RE MAKING,
EXACTLY WHAT INTERSECTION THEY'RE AT AND ULTIMATELY WHEN THEY ARE APPROACHING THEIR DESTINATION. SO THESE ARE JUST SOME EXAMPLES OF THE FEATURES THAT WE HAVE DESIGNED EXACTLY WHAT THAT COMMUNITY IN MIND. THANK YOU.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU CAN'T SAY HOW MANY CARS WOULD BE DEPLOYED IN BOSTON, BUT HOW MANY HAVE YOU DEPLOYED IN L.A., LONDON, SAN FRANCISCO AND NEW YORK CITY? I DON'T HAVE THOSE EXACT NUMBERS BUT I CAN SAY IT'S IN THE BALLPARK OF HUNDREDS
OF VEHICLES PER YEAR. EACH ONE OF THOSE MARKETS. OKAY. AND THEY DO I GUESS WHAT'S THE MARKET SHARE WITH UBER AND LYFT AND YOU HAD SAID THAT THERE IS
NO IMPACT ON UBER AND LYFT AND FOLKS ARE GETTING INTO BOTH IT'S AN AND OR IT'S A AND CONVERSATION ON EITHER OR. SO DO YOU HAVE ANY NUMBERS ABOUT THE MARKET SHARE ABOUT THE PERCENTAGE OF HOW MANY
PEOPLE ARE USING YOUR TECHNOLOGY VERSUS UBER AND LYFT IN THOSE CITIES? I DON'T HAVE ANY OF THOSE FIGURES IN FRONT OF ME RIGHT NOW. OKAY. I'M GOING TO FORMALLY REQUEST THEM. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THEY THEY STOP FOR
CONSTRUCTION ZONES AND SCHOOL BUSSES, CORRECT? YES. WE WE ENCOUNTER CONSTRUCTION ZONES ON A REGULAR BASIS. THEY POP UP OFTEN IN VERY REAL TIME AND OUR VEHICLES HAVE THE
ABILITY TO NAVIGATE AROUND THOSE. AND THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE THAT INFORMATION IN REAL TIME TO THE REST OF THE FLEET SO THEY CAN AVOID THOSE CONSTRUCTION ZONES AS WELL. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SOMEBODY TRIES TO COMMANDEERED THE VEHICLE?
IF SOMEONE TRIES TO GET INTO THE DRIVER'S SEAT AND TAKE OVER THE STEERING CONTROLS, THOSE ARE IMMEDIATE. WE NOTIFY SOMEONE IN OUR RIDER SUPPORT TEAM AND SO THEY CAN IMMEDIATELY COME THROUGH THE
AUDIO SYSTEM IN THE VEHICLE UNTIL THEY'RE PASS THAT INDIVIDUAL TO GET OUT OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT. IF THEY DON'T DO THAT AFTER A FEW SECONDS THE VEHICLE WILL PULL OVER. IF THEY CONTINUE NOT TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE, LAW ENFORCEMENT WILL BE CONTACTED. OKAY.
AND WHAT IF YOU'RE ON A HIGHWAY? WHAT IS WHAT HAPPENS IN THAT INSTANCE? WELL, AT THIS POINT WE DON'T HAVE PASSENGERS THAT ARE ACTIVELY IN OR IN VEHICLES ON THE FREEWAY RIGHT NOW. SO WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT INSTANCE
HAPPEN ON A FREEWAY. OKAY. I REPRESENT A COMMUNITY THAT HAS AN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AND SO WE HAVE AN INSANE OF IMPACTS OF PEOPLE COMING IN
USING CARS WE BREATHE IN THAT CO2 IN ADDITION TO THE ULTRAFINE PARTICULATES THAT COME FROM JET FUEL. I AM VERY WORRIED ABOUT THIS IMPACT OR ARE YOUR ALL ELECTRIC.
THEY'RE FULLY ELECTRIC SO FOR EVERY 250,000 RIDES WE DO WE REMOVE 315 CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS AND SO WE'RE INCREDIBLY PROUD TO OPERATE A FLEET OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES. I'M STILL VERY CONCERNED ABOUT
THE CONGESTION WE NEED TO MOVE PEOPLE IN THAT CAR SO THAT'S ALWAYS SIMILAR TO MY COLLEAGUE. THAT'S A STANCE THAT I'LL ALWAYS TAKE AND I THINK MY LAST QUESTION JUST IN REGARDS TO STATE REGS VERSUS CITY REGS,
HAS THERE BEEN ANY INSTANCE WHERE FOR IS FOR EXAMPLE IN PHENIX I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NEIGHBORING CITY MUNICIPALITIES ARE IN PHENIX BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THERE'S A CAR IN BOSTON FOR EXAMPLE SAY THAT WE
REGULATE THIS AND OR IT ACTUALLY HAPPENS? I'M NOT SAYING THAT IT WILL BUT IT'S ACTUALLY IN BOSTON IT GOES TO NEWTON. LIKE WHAT WHAT HAPPENS THEN? HAVE YOU SEEN AN INSTANCE LIKE THIS ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE STATE
WHERE YOU HAVE REGULATIONS FOR ONE CITY BUT NOT THE OTHER AND THERE'S BEEN AN ABSENCE OF STATE REGS? WE HAVE NOT IN THE 25 STATES THAT HAVE ENACTED LEGISLATION THE REGULATION OF AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES IS GOVERNED
EXCLUSIVELY AT THE STATE LEVEL . I THINK SOME OF THE THINKING WAS TO AVOID A PATCHWORK OF REGULATIONS LIKE THE ONES YOU'RE DESCRIBING. OUR VEHICLES OFTEN CROSS INTO DIFFERENT COUNTY LINES. IT WOULD IT WOULD MAKE THINGS
INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT. SORRY WHEN MASTERS AS CHAIR YOU HAD SAID THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY ADD JOBS. I'M GOING TO ASK IT AGAIN. HAVE YOU CREATED JOBS ANYWHERE ELSE THAT YOU CAN POINT TO? HOW MANY CAN WE RECEIVE THAT
INFORMATION IF YOU DON'T HAVE THOSE NUMBER? I DON'T HAVE SPECIFIC JOB CREATION NUMBERS BUT AGAIN, WE HAVE FLEET TESTING. WE HAVE FLEET MANAGERS, VEHICLE TECHNICIANS WORKING IN OUR DEPOTS. IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS THAT WE ARE ACTIVELY LAUNCHING WITH COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND I'D BE HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ON SPECIFICS. THANK YOU. OKAY.
WE'LL GO FOR A SECOND ROUND COUNSELOR SANTANA WE'LL DO 4 MINUTES. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. EXCUSE YEAH.
I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE THE INDIVIDUALS WHO CAME AND TESTIFIED EARLIER AND I THINK COUNCILOR MEJIA I THINK SAID IT PERFECTLY. I WAS TRYING TO FIND THE WORDS EARLIER BUT YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO ADD I THINK BOTH CAN BE
TRUE IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO KNOW WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB AT SERVING ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS AND THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT WAYMO IS THE ANSWER.
TO GET TO THAT POINT ESPECIALLY AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR WORKERS. SO YOU KNOW AND I ALSO WANT YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU SAID THAT DECISIONS HAVE BEEN MADE THAT NO DECISION HAS BEEN MADE. RIGHT.
TODAY'S A HEARING. WE FOLLOW THE AUDIENCE. WE HAVE A HEARING TO BE ABLE TO HEAR FROM DIFFERENT PEOPLE. WE BRING TO DIFFERENT PANELS TO BE ABLE TO HEAR DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES AND WE HAVE THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY TO BE ABLE TO
HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC. AND I'M SURE THAT THERE WILL BE WORKING SUCH AS OTHER SERIES BEFORE ANY VOTE IS TAKEN ON THIS PIECE. SO NO DECISION HAS BEEN MADE AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT
CLEAR TO YOU. I THINK LAST TIME OVER A MONTH AGO WHEN YOU WERE HERE, YOU KNOW, YOU ALL SAID THAT YOU HAD NO PLANS OF STILL COMING IN TO BOSTON. IS THAT STILL THE CASE? CORRECT. WE DO NOT HAVE ANY DEFINITE
FUTURE PLANS THAT I'M READY TO DISCUSS RIGHT NOW BUT I AS I SAID IN JULY AND I'LL SAY IT AGAIN BOSTON CONTINUES TO BE INCREDIBLY THE INTERESTING PLACE THAT WE WANT TO BE AND WE WANT TO SERVE. AND I THINK AS YOU HEARD TODAY
THERE ARE CONSTITUENTS AND RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF BOSTON THAT ARE EAGERLY AWAITING THE ARRIVAL OF OUR SERVICE BECAUSE WE WILL HAVE A MISSION STATEMENT. WE DO. AND DO YOU HAVE IT AVAILABLE?
IT IS TO BE THE WORLD'S MOST TRUSTED DRIVER. THAT'S THAT'S OUR MISSION. THAT IS MY THAT IS OUR MISSION STATEMENT TO BE THE WORLD'S MOST TRUSTED DRIVER. ALL RIGHT. AWESOME.
SO OKAY. YOU KNOW, COUNCILOR COLETTA ASKS THAT'S A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I WANT TO KNOW BECAUSE IT'S REALLY ABOUT YOU GOVERNANCE. FOR ME IT'S ABOUT THE JOB
CREATION AND THE JOB OF WHAT I THINK WILL BE JOB LOSS FROM OUR WORKERS AND YOUR AND YOU KEEP SAYING I WILL CREATE MORE JOBS. I WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THAT. WHAT YOU MENTIONED SOME OF THE JOBS THAT YOU HAVE OPEN.
RIGHT. AND IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT THEY WILL BE OCCUPIED BY BOSTON RESIDENTS OR PEOPLE WHO DON'T. ARE DRIVERS HERE YOU CAN BRING IN PEOPLE FROM YOUR OWN COMPANY FROM OTHER PLACES SO DEFINITELY
WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MORE DATA ON THE JOBS THAT YOU'RE CREATING BECAUSE I YOU KNOW YOU'RE SAYING IT BUT YOU'RE NOT SAYING WITH ANY DATA OR DO YOU HAVE ANY DATA ON THAT? AGAIN, I DON'T HAVE SPECIFIC JOB CREATION NUMBERS.
AS I SAID TO THE CHAIR, I'D BE HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ON THAT. WHAT I CAN SAY IS, YOU KNOW, YOU MADE A POINT ABOUT THE IDEA OF WHETHER WE WOULD HIRE LOCALLY OR BRING WORKFORCE FROM OUT OF STATE IN MANY OF THE MARKETS TO REDEPLOY TO THINGS
LIKE TRAINED HUMAN SAFETY OPERATORS. THOSE FOLKS ARE HIRED LOCALLY AND SO THAT IS AGAIN WE DO NOT WE'RE NOT SHIPPING WORKFORCE IN FROM OUT OF STATE AND SO I
THINK AS WE THINK ABOUT WHAT A FUTURE MARKET WOULD LOOK LIKE IN BOSTON, I WOULD THAT IS EXACTLY THE APPROACH WE WOULD TAKE HERE AS WELL. HAVE YOU HAD ANY CONVERSATIONS WITH ANY UNIONS WHETHER THAT'S
HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON OR SOME OF THE OTHER CITIES THAT YOU PARTNERED WITH? AS I SAID TO YOUR COLLEAGUE WE HAVE PREVIOUS EXAMPLES
OF PARTNERSHIPS WITH ORGANIZED LABOR LIKE THE ONE WITH IBEW HERE LOCALLY WE HAVE NOT BEGUN CONVERSATIONS WITH ORGANIZED LABOR. CAN I ASK WHY WHY IT'S THE CASE? WHY HAS IT WHY HAVE THOSE
CONVERSATIONS BEGUN AS THE COMPANY HAS NOT MADE A FINAL DETERMINATION OF WHAT OUR FUTURE WILL LOOK LIKE HERE IN BOSTON IT FEELS PREMATURE TO BEGIN THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
I THINK THAT PRETTY MUCH I THINK A AND I THINK AS EARLY THOSE CONVERSATIONS STARTED THINGS THOSE WAS BETTER SERVE THE COMMUNITY THE RESIDENTS AND BUILD TRUST WHICH I THINK IS
WITHIN YOUR MISSION STATEMENT TO BE THE MOST TRUSTWORTHY. SO I THINK THAT'S PART OF IT ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE COMING IN AND TARGETING A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OF PEOPLE WHO FEEL
VULNERABLE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE LOSING A JOB. SO I ENCOURAGE THAT. I SPOKE TO A REP FROM A REP FROM ONE OF YOUR YEAH NOW I KNOW THEY'RE NOT HERE TODAY. I SPOKE WITH THEM YESTERDAY. YEAH GREAT CONVERSATION BUT
THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT I THINK IF YOU REALLY WANT TO BUILD TRUST CONVERSATIONS NEED TO HAPPEN. I COULD NOT AGREE MORE TESTING ALREADY HAS ALREADY BEGUN SO SINCE TENTATIVE TESTING HAS BEGUN I THINK IT'S EARLY TO
HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS IN MY OPINION THE TESTING IS CONCLUDED. WE'RE NOT WE DON'T ACTIVELY HAVE VEHICLES HERE AT THE MOMENT BUT I COULD NOT AGREE MORE WITH YOU ABOUT HAVING MORE CONVERSATIONS AND I KNOW THAT
MYSELF AND ANTHONY WHO YOU MET WITH YESTERDAY WERE EAGER TO HAVE THOSE. RIGHT. WELL, I GUESS I DO APPRECIATE YOU ALL BEING HERE AND ANSWERING OUR QUESTIONS. I THINK THERE'S A LOT MORE DISCUSSIONS THAT NEED TO BE HAD
AND I DON'T THINK THAT NECESSARILY YOU KNOW, I THINK I'VE LEARNED A LOT FROM TODAY AND I'VE BEEN ABLE TO HEAR FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT RESIDENTS AND I GOT AN INTERNET.
IT'S THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING. WE ARE LEARNING I THINK HEARING FROM RESIDENTS. I THINK WE AS A CITY COUNCIL AS A CITY NEED TO DO BETTER TO SERVE ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS.
I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK THAT IT NEEDS TO COME AT THE EXPENSE OF OF WORKERS AND OUR DRIVERS AND IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT I THINK WAYMO IS THE SOLUTION TO THAT.
IT COULD BE BUT I DON'T THINK IT HAS TO BE. I THINK THAT'S THE WAY THAT YOU'RE YOU'RE YOU'RE APPROACHING THIS AS IT'S I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER WHEN YOU CAME LAST TIME I DON'T REMEMBER HAVING THE CONVERSATION OF OF
YOU SERVING THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY AND NOW IT'S IT'S LOOK LIKE NOW BECAUSE WE HAVE THIS HEARING THAT YOU'RE NOW MAKING IT A POINT OF OF OF A FOCUS WITH ALL DUE RESPECT
COUNCILOR I THINK THAT THOSE VOICES WERE NOT HEARD APPROPRIATELY AT THE LAST HEARING AND THAT'S WHY I THINK I HEARD THEM AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY SPONSORED AND THOSE VOICES ARE HEARD AND
I'M GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT MY TEAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MY MY COLLEAGUES THAT WE ARE PROACTIVELY REACHING OUT TO THAT COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE REFLECTED IN THIS ORDINANCE RIGHT.
I DON'T THINK THAT NECESSARILY WAYMO IS THE SOLUTION TO THAT. AND YOU KNOW, I REALLY WANT TO TALK TO THAT COMMUNITY TO SEE HOW WE CAN BETTER SERVE THEM AS A COUNCIL. SO SORRY CHAIR, I KNOW I'VE BEEN WAY OVER TIME AND I KNOW
MY OTHER COLLEAGUES THERE. I KNOW THOSE PEOPLE HERE WHO WANT TO TESTIFY. SO AGAIN THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR . THANK YOU. WE HAVE COUNCILOR BREADON AND THEN CONCILOR MEJIA HERE COUNCILOR BREADON, DO YOU HAVE
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? I THINK I WANTED TO RUN BACK TO THE QUESTION I HAD ABOUT CYBERSECURITY AND THE VULNERABILITY THAT WE'RE ALL FEELING AT THE MOMENT WITH REGARD TO IT POPS UP ALL OVER
THE PLACE. WHAT SORT OF STRATEGIES DO YOU HAVE TO AVOID CYBER ATTACK AND BASICALLY CRASHING YOUR SYSTEM ?
YEAH, I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION OBVIOUSLY I THINK TO YOUR POINT CYBERSECURITY IS ON THE MINDS OF EVERYONE AND I THINK SPECIFICALLY HERE AT WAYMO WHEN WE OPERATE THIS TYPE OF TECHNOLOGY IT HAS BEEN SOMETHING WE HAVE BEEN MONITORING AND DEVELOPING
TECHNOLOGIES AND MAKING CONSCIOUS DECISIONS ABOUT HOW WE PREVENT INTRUSIONS LIKE THAT. SO ONE OF THE THINGS AND AGAIN I A LOT OF OUR PROTECTIONS ARE THAT'S NOT SOMETHING I'M GOING TO GO INTO IN A PUBLIC FORUM OF COURSE.
BUT WHAT I CAN SAY AND WHAT I HAVE SAID PUBLICLY IN OTHER SETTINGS LIKE THIS IS ONE EXAMPLE IS ALL OF THE MAIN STEERING COMPONENTS. SO THINGS LIKE THE BRAKES, THE WHEELS, ALL OF THOSE MAIN
STEERING COMPONENTS WE HAVE ACTUALLY PROTECTED THOSE FROM REMOTE ACCESS AND SO THOSE CORE FUNCTIONS OF THE VEHICLE THOSE ARE NOT ABLE TO BE ACCESSED BY A FOREIGN ACTOR AND SO WE WE
HAVE TAKEN MANY STEPS EVEN BEYOND THAT. BUT CYBERSECURITY IS THE TOP CONCERN FOR US AND WE CONTINUE TO EVALUATE THREATS IS THE WAY THAT A CYBERSECURITY ATTACK COULD JUST CRASH THE SYSTEM AND
YOUR CAR WOULD JUST BE IMMOBILIZED AGAIN, I'M NOT A CYBERSECURITY EXPERT. WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT AS IN THE EVENT OF SOME SORT OF NETWORK DISRUPTION WHICH SOUNDS A LITTLE SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING, THE VEHICLES
ACTUALLY HAVE A LOT OF THEIR CAPABILITIES ON THE VEHICLES THEMSELVES NOT LIVING IN A CLOUD. SO FOR EXAMPLE IN THE EVENT OF A NETWORK DISRUPTION LIKE THAT, THOSE VEHICLES HAVE THE ABILITY TO PULL OVER INTO WHAT
WE CALL A MINIMAL RISK CONDITION. SO NOW IF THERE IS A NETWORK DISRUPTION, THOSE VEHICLES CAN PULL OVER AND THEY CAN WAIT FOR FUTURE COMMANDS FROM US AS FAR AS WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO. SO IT'S NOT AS THOUGH IN THE
EVENT OF THAT THE VEHICLES WOULD JUST BE STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET OR DRIVING AROUND. THEY WOULD THEY WOULD PULL OVER ON THEIR OWN AND THEN IN THE EVENT OF AN INCIDENT LIKE THAT,
IT'S SORT A WAY THAT THE CAR CAN COMMUNICATE WITH FIRST RESPONDERS OR OR ALERT, YOU KNOW, THAT SOMEONE'S WEIRD GOING ON HERE WITH THIS CAR. SO WE INTERACT WITH FIRST RESPONDERS ON A REGULAR BASIS
EVEN OUTSIDE OF THE OF THE IDEA OR AREA OF CYBERSECURITY. SO WE HAVE WE HAVE FIRST OF ALL WE HAVE A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS THAT WAYMO THAT ARE ALL THEY DO IS FIRST RESPONDER ENGAGEMENT
SO THAT AS A TEAM IN-HOUSE THEY'RE ALL FORMER RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT OR FIRST RESPONDER AND THEY ACTUALLY GO ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND TRAIN FIRST RESPONDERS ON HOW TO INTERACT WITH OUR VEHICLES.
AND I THINK TODAY WE ACTUALLY TRAINED ABOUT 22,000 MEMBERS OF THE FIRST RESPONDER COMMUNITY. BUT EVEN WHEN THEY'RE INTERACTING WITH THE VEHICLES ARE THINGS WHERE THERE'S A QR CODE ON THE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE THAT THE FIRST RESPONDER CAN
SCAN AND UNDERSTAND HOW TO INTERACT WITH THE VEHICLE. NORMALLY WHAT'LL HAPPEN IS THAT WE ARE THE WINDOWS WILL LOWER AND A MEMBER OF OUR TEAM WILL ACTUALLY COME THROUGH THE AUDIO SYSTEM AND BE ABLE TO
COMMUNICATE IN TWO WAY WITH THE FIRST RESPONDERS. SO THERE'S A THAT VERY MUCH IS SOMETHING WE DEAL WITH ON A REGULAR BASIS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. SO MY HEAD THANK YOU, COUNCILOR BREADON COUNCILOR MEJIA.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND BEFORE I DIVE INTO SOME OF MY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR THE FOLKS WHO CAME HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY, I'D LOVE TO BE ABLE TO ORGANIZE AND WORK
ALONGSIDE YOU ALL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THIS RIGHT FOR Y'ALL. SO I WANT TO WORK WITH YOU AND GREG JUST FOR THE RECORD, I GOT YOUR NAME RIGHT. I DEFINITELY WANT TO WORK WITH
YOU ALL SO THAT WE CAN FIGURE OUT A PATHWAY THAT DOES NOT PICK ONE GROUP AGAINST THE OTHER AND THAT WE CAN ALL WIN. THAT SHOULD BE THE GOAL THAT EVERYBODY WINS AND NO ONE GETS LEFT BEHIND.
SO THAT'S GOING TO BE MY OBJECTIVE AS A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER TO WORK ALONGSIDE THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY SO THAT WE'RE NOT CAUSING HARM TO OUR DRIVERS AND YOU GET WHAT YOU WHERE YOU NEED TO BE WITHOUT THE USE OF WAYMO THAT'S GOING
TO BE MY NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. HOW'S THAT SOUND TO YOU GREG THAT SOUNDS GOOD, RIGHT? OKAY. GOT THAT. ALL RIGHT. SO NOW HOW MANY OF YOUR SO LET ME MAKE SURE I GET EVERYBODY'S NAME RIGHT, MATTHEW THAT'S
CORRECT. I'M NOT THE CEO BUT I APPRECIATE THE PROMOTION. I DIDN'T GIVE YOU A PROMOTION. I GAVE IT TO GREG. DON'T EVEN TRY IT. I THOUGHT HE WAS THE BOSS OF ALL OF US SO DON'T EVEN TRY IT. MATTHEW. MATTHEW?
YES? HOW MANY OF YOUR WORKERS ARE UNIONIZED? I AM NOT AWARE OF THEIR CLASSIFICATION AT THIS TIME. DO YOU HAVE ANY UNIONIZED LABOR
WORKERS WITHIN YOUR EFFORTS? AGAIN, I'M NOT AWARE OF THEIR CLASSIFICATION. WAIT, SO YOU ARE PART OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS AND POLICY AND YOU DO NOT KNOW
WHETHER OR NOT YOU HAVE A WORKFORCE THAT IS UNIONIZED YES OR NO? WE HAVE MANY WORKFORCES ACROSS ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN DIFFERENT CAPACITIES. I'M SAYING TO YOU RIGHT NOW IN THIS MOMENT I'M NOT I'M NOT
AWARE OF WHAT THEY'RE UNION CLASSIFICATION BUT I'D BE HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU. YEAH, PLEASE DO. I'D LIKE TO NOTE THAT FOR THE RECORD THAT I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHETHER OR NOT YOU ARE UNIONIZED OR WOULD YOU CONSIDER
THEN HOW ABOUT THIS WOULD YOU CONSIDER LIKE GOD FORBID IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN, IF YOU WERE TO DO BUSINESS HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON, WOULD YOU HAVE A COMMITMENT TO MAKING SURE
THAT EVERYONE THAT WORKS FOR WAYMO IS 100% UNIONIZED? I'M NOT IN A POSITION TO MAKE THAT COMMITMENT RIGHT NOW. SO NOW YOU UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE AFRAID, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE'RE NOT MAKING COMMITMENTS.
THIS IS A LONG TERM RELATIONSHIP THAT WE WANT TO ENTER IN AND YOU'RE NOT MAKING ANY COMMITMENTS WHAT YOU'RE MAKING IF YOU'RE NOT WILLING TO MAKE THOSE TYPE OF COMMITMENTS SO THAT YOU CAN ASSURE OUR
WORKFORCE SO THAT THEY CAN FEEL MORE LESS HOSTILE TOWARDS THIS WHOLE CONVERSATION LIKE THIS IS A REALLY A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO KIND OF ENTER TO SOME
SORT OF EXPLORATION. SO COUNCILOR, LET ME TELL YOU WHAT I WHAT I CAN'T MAKE A COMMITMENT ON TODAY. WHAT I CAN'T MAKE A COMMITMENT ON TODAY IS TO HAVING A ROBUST DISCUSSION WITH YOU WITH OTHER INDIVIDUALS IN THIS IN THIS IN
THIS WHOLE DEBATE THAT WE'VE HAD TODAY ABOUT WHAT YOU BELIEVE THE WORKFORCE NEEDS TO LOOK LIKE IN THE AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE INDUSTRY IN BOSTON THAT I CAN COMMIT TO YOU TODAY TO HAVING A CONVERSATION. SO MY MY HOPE IS IS THAT WE
COULD HAVE A CONVERSATION THAT HELPS ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY HAS ADDRESSED WITHOUT TAKING OUT MY WORKFORCE. SO LET ME ASK YOU THIS QUESTION
WHEN THERE IS AN ACCIDENT RIGHT. WHO IS WHO IS AT FAULT WHEN IT IS A A ROBOT WHO IS HELD ACCOUNTABLE LIKE WHO PAYS FOR THE INSURANCE?
WELL, WHO DOES THE BLAME FALL ON WHO WHO WHO COMES OUT AND SHOWS WHAT LICENSE LIKE WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? SO IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION FIRST OF ALL, WAYMO CARRIES OUR OWN INSURANCE. WE DO NOT REQUIRE OUR RIDERS TO
CARRY THEIR OWN INSURANCE IN THE EVENT ON KNIGHT RIDERS BECAUSE IT'S A ROLL THROUGH I'M REFERRING TO OUR PASSENGERS WHEN THEY'RE IN THE VEHICLE EXCUSE ME SO WE DO NOT REQUIRE THEM TO CARRY THEIR OWN INSURANCE.
WE CARRY OWNER ASSURANCE IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION IF THERE IS LIABILITY FOR PROPERTY DAMAGE THAT IS IMPOSED ON WAYMO BY A BY A JUDGMENT OR A COURT, WAYMO AS A COMPANY IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT LIABILITY. SO WHAT IF THERE IS A HIT AND RUN SO IF SOMEONE HITS A VEHICLE WHAT IF LIKE ONE
OF YOUR ROBOTS HIT SOMEONE AND THE MOVING SO OUR WAYMO VEHICLES AS SOON AS THERE IS A COLLISION THEY ARE IMMEDIATELY PULLING OVER AND ACHIEVING A MINIMAL RISK CONDITION AND THEN
OUR OUR REMOTE ASSISTANCE FOLKS ARE GOING TO LOG IN AND IDENTIFY WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THEIR LAUNDRY THEY'RE LOGGING IN REMOTELY INTO NOT THEY'RE NOT DRIVING THE CAR BUT THEY CAN ACCESS THE CAMERAS THAT ARE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE
TO DETERMINE THOSE ARE BROKEN. WHAT WE HAVE 29 OF THEM. SO I CAN'T IMAGINE ALL 29 OF THEM WOULD BREAK. I'M JUST SAYING WHAT IF RIGHT. LIKE WE'RE LIVING IN DIFFERENT TIMES RIGHT NOW YOU NEVER KNOW. SO SURE. SO IN THE EVENT THAT WE CAN'T
ACCESS ANY OF THE 29 CAMERAS WE HAVE A MEMBER OF OUR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TEAM THAT CAN ACTUALLY GO OUT. THAT'S A HUMAN BEING AND THEY WILL GO OUT AND VERIFY THE CONDITION ON THE ON THE GROUND.
OKAY, I SEE THAT MY TIME IS UP AND I'M SO SORRY THAT I CAN'T KEEP DOING THIS BUT I AM GOING TO RESPECT THE PROCESS BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE WAITING TO SPEAK AND I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS
HAS BEEN A VERY ROBUST HEARING . I HAD ONE EARLIER THIS MORNING. WE WERE HERE UNTIL ALMOST ONE AFTER A LITTLE BIT AFTER 1:00 DEBATING AND IT WAS PEOPLE WHO HAD DIFFERENT DIVERSE EXPERIENCES AND BELIEFS AND I
THINK THIS IS WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE. AND SO I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE TIME AND ENERGY THAT EVERYONE TOOK TO BE HERE TODAY TO LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK AND WHAT YOU WANT US TO DO.
AND I STILL STAND FIRM IN MY POSITION BECAUSE I AM WHO I AM. I DON'T THINK THAT THIS IN THIS MOMENT MAKES GOOD SENSE FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MEJIA I JUST HAVE TWO MORE QUESTIONS AND WE DO HAVE WAY MORE PUBLIC TESTIMONY. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE, EVERYBODY. I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK ABOUT THE ENTIRETY OF THE LANDSCAPE
LIKE IS WAYMO THE ONLY ACTOR OR PLAYER IN ALL OF THIS? LIKE IS YOUR LIGHT OUR TECHNOLOGY? WHAT'S THE I GUESS WHAT'S THE GENERATION OF IT? HOW MANY ITERATIONS HAS IT ALREADY GONE THROUGH TO THE T
UP MY NEXT QUESTION I'M I'M NOT EXACTLY FAMILIAR WITH HOW MANY GENERATIONS OF IT WE'VE GONE THROUGH BUT I'D BE HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ABOUT THE TECHNICAL SPECIFICITY. OKAY. I GUESS HOW LONG HAS WAYMO BEEN IN BUSINESS? SO WE'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS SINCE 2009.
SO ALL THE TECHNOLOGY THAT YOU SEE IN THE VEHICLE TODAY IS A PRODUCT OF MORE THAN 15 YEARS OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. OKAY. I CAN'T ASSUME YOU'RE THE ONLY ONES HERE LIKE IS YOUR LIGHT OUR TECHNOLOGY IS THAT LIKE
PROPRIETARY INFORMATION? DO YOU HAVE SPECIAL DEALER COPYRIGHT OF IT OR ARE THERE OTHER COMPANIES THAT ARE LOOKING AT IT IN THE SAME WAY THAT SO LIGHT IS A TECHNOLOGY IS USED BY OTHER COMPANIES SOME OF THEM WHICH WERE MENTIONED
TODAY. SO THERE ARE OTHER COMPANIES IN THE AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE INDUSTRY AND SPACE THAT ARE UTILIZING LIGHT ARE THE LIGHT ARE THAT WE USE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE YOU KNOW, SORT OF RESEARCHED AND DEVELOPED OVER TIME.
BUT I CAN'T SAY THAT OTHER COMPANIES ARE NOT USING THEIR OWN VERSION OF LIGHT. AH BUT AGAIN THERE ARE OTHER COMPANIES THAT ARE USING LIGHT OUR BESIDES WAYMO. OKAY IN THE MANNER IN WHICH
YOU'RE USING IT THOUGH WHERE YOU HAVE THE 29 CAMERAS AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT ANOTHER MAJOR COMPANY WHO WILL NOT GO NAMED BUT IS PRODUCED THE TOP BILLIONAIRE IN THE WORLD ARE THEY ALSO DOING SOMETHING LIKE
THIS? I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH ANY OTHER ENTITY, ANY OTHER COMPANIES SPECIFIC TECHNICAL OPERATIONS AS COMPARED TO HOW I AM FAMILIAR WITH WAYMO. I CAN'T SPEAK TO THOSE. OKAY.
I'M JUST TRYING TO AGAIN UNDERSTAND THE LANDSCAPE SO THAT WE CAN THEN REGULATE AND CONTROL WHAT IS TO COME, TRY TO ANTICIPATE WHAT IS TO COME. IF IT'S NOT JUST WAYMO IT'S MORE IT'S MORE COMPANIES THAT
MAY BE DOING THIS WHAT THAT MAY LOOK LIKE FOR THIS IN BOSTON MOVING FORWARD. SO THANK YOU. THE OTHER QUESTION THAT I HAD I HAD IT AND NOW I DON'T WHY
DON'T I JUST MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE I LOST IT ON MY PART. WELL, WE CAN ALWAYS CIRCLE BACK ON. THANK YOU. YEAH. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR YOUR TESTIMONY AND YOUR PERSPECTIVE. I THINK THIS IS A GOOD REPRESENTATION OF DEMOCRACY JUST TRYING TO GET OUR PERSPECTIVE.
THIS IS WHY YOU ALL HAD GROWN PANEL AND I APPRECIATE ALL OF THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY THAT CAME BEFORE THIS AND HAVING FOLKS LET THEIR PERSPECTIVE BE KNOWN. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. INTERRUPT THIS UP AND GO TO
PUBLIC TESTIMONY. WE HAVE A COUPLE MORE PEOPLE STILL FROM THE SPEAKERS LIST. OKAY.
WE HAVE NOT ALICIA, TRACI, KAREN CHEN, SCOTT PAGE I THINK OSAMA'S HERE MIKE SCARPA, KIKI
,ARTHUR AND TONY IN THAT ORDER EVERYBODY HAS 2 MINUTES. I WANT TO APPROACH THE MIC. WE'LL START WITH YOU.
SO YOU ALL ARE GOING TO THE MIC . I APOLOGIZE. SO YOU'RE GOING TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY? YES. SO OKAY WE'LL START WITH
NATALIE SAID PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR AFFILIATION AND YOU HAVE 2 MINUTES. OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON. I AM NOT ALICIA. I'M ACTUALLY DR. ENOUGH. ALICIA TRACI THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY LABOR
UNITED. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY IN OPPOSITION POSITION OF DRIVERLESS CARS IN A CITY OF BOSTON AND THE THREAT
IT POSES TO COMMERCIAL AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE AND THE COMMUNITY LABOR UNITED ONE OF OUR COALITIONS IS GREEN JUSTICE COALITION WHICH UNITES
BASED BUILDING ORGANIZATIONS IN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR WITH THE UNIONS AND THE BUILDING TRADES TRANSPORTATIONS IN OTHER SECTORS.
THESE INCLUDE ORGANIZATIONS OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE AND WORK IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. SOME OF WHOM ARE JOINING US HERE AS INDIVIDUAL ORGANIZATIONS.
SHOULD THEY THE GREEN JUSTICE COALITION FIGHTS FOR WHAT WE CALL THE TRIPLE WIN GOOD JOBS, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND EQUITY.
WELL, A TRIPLE WIN LOOKS LIKE IT'S A PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM WITH FAMILIES SUSTAINING CAREERS FOR TRANSIT WORKERS, REDUCED TRAFFIC POLLUTION IN
LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES AND AFFORDABLE MOBILITY FOR ALL WITH PATHWAYS TO UNION JOBS IN THE CLIMATE CRITICAL TRADES FOR WOMEN WORKING CLASS IN
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR WHAT A TRIPLE WIN DOES NOT LOOK LIKE IS ROBOTAXIS CLOGGING OUR STREETS BEGGING DRIVERS AND
TRANSIT WORKERS OUT OF JOBS AND UP INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT WITH WITH THE NEED FOR SUPPORT EQUITY IN OUR ENVIRONMENT.
IN FACT WAYMO AND OTHER AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES CORPORATIONS WOULD RESULT IN A TRIPLE FAILURE FOR OUR CITY ONE
AVS FAILURE WHEN IT COMES TO GOOD JOBS, EVS WILL DISPLACE THOUSANDS OF LOCAL UBER LYFT TEXANS DRIVERS AND THREAT TRANSPORTATIONS WORKERS IN
DELIVERY AND TRUCKING INDUSTRY TO AVS ARE A FAILURE WHEN IT COMES TO ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE . BOSTON IS ALREADY ONE OF THE WORST CITY FOR TRAFFIC
CONGESTION ADDING DRIVERLESS CARS TO OUR OLD STREETS WILL FURTHER DELAY OR THE VEHICLE OR SINK TRAFFICKING POLLUTION ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IN
NEIGHBORHOODS THREE AVS ARE A FAILURE WHEN IT COMES TO EQUITY. BOSTON SHOULD BE SPENDING OUR LIMITED FUNDS IN NOW IN TOUGH
TIME ON ENSURING SAFE AND RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION FOR ALL NOT ON NEW INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS EVS CORPORATIONS REQUIRED TO
CHARGE A PREMIUM TO THE CUSTOMERS AND MAXIMIZE SHAREHOLDERS PROFIT BOSTON NEEDS BOSTON NEEDS MORE TRIPLE
WIN NOT A TRIPLE FAILURE. I URGE COUNCILS TO ADOPT ROBUST PROTECTIONS FOR BOSTONIAN. THANK YOU. IN STARTING BY PASSING THE ORDINANCE TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC
INDEPENDENT STUDY ABOUT THE REAL IMPACT OF EVS ON WORKERS IN AND RESIDENTS OF BOSTON. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH KAREN. THANK YOU.
MY NAME IS KAREN CHEN. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WITH THE CHINESE PROGRESSIVE ASSOCIATION. SO CPR HAS A LONG HISTORY IN ADVANCING THE RIGHTS AND VOICE OF IMMIGRANT WORKERS AND COMMUNITIES IN BOSTON.
WE ARE PROUD TO BE PART OF THE HISTORIC CAMPAIGN LAST NOVEMBER TO PASS QUESTION THREE AND GAVE VOICE YOUR DRIVERS THE RIGHT TO UNIONIZE AND TO HAVE A VOICE ON
THE JOB LAST NOVEMBER THE VOTERS SAID CLEARLY THAT THESE DRIVERS ARE ESSENTIAL WORKERS WHO DESERVE FAIRNESS AND RESPECT. BUT NOW JUST AS THEY ARE STARTING TO GAIN THAT POWER,
THE INTRODUCTION OF WAYMO AND OTHER DRIVERLESS CARS THREATENS TO UNDERCUT ALL OF THAT PROGRESS IF WE ALLOW ROBOTAXIS TO TAKE OVER BEFORE EVEN
UNDERSTANDING THAT THE IMPACTS WE RISK WIPING OUT GOOD JOBS AND PUSHING ASIDE THE VERY PEOPLE COMMUNITY RELY ON EVERY DAY ROBOTAXI IS $1,000,000,000,000 INDUSTRY.
I HAVE TO GOOGLE HOW MANY DIGIT IS IN TRILLION. WE EXPECT THAT THIS COUNCIL TO STAND WITH THE DRIVERS STAND WITH WORKING PEOPLE IN THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY TO MAKE
SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITIES ARE PROTECTED AND WE'RE WORKING FOR THE BETTER OF THIS CITY WHILE I'M STILL LEARNING ABOUT ITSELF AND ITS TRILLION DOLLAR
INDUSTRY, I JUST KNOW THAT A HUMAN DRIVER CAN HELP AN ELDER ELDERLY OR THE DISABLED TO BRING GROCERIES THROUGH CAR WHILE THE ROBOTAXI CANNOT.
SO I URGE YOU TO SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE AND NEED TO STUDY THE POTENTIAL NEGATIVE IMPACT OF ROBO TAXIS ON THE JOB ON BOSTON ECONOMY AND ALSO THE ENVIRONMENT.
WHY? I DON'T KNOW ALL THE DETAILS BUT I KNOW THAT YOU KNOW ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SCIENCE REQUIRES DATA CENTERS AND THAT
HAS ENVIRONMENT TOLL IMPLICATIONS AND ALSO I THINK SOMEONE SAID EARLIER THERE'S LIKE 29 CAMERAS WITHIN THESE CARS, THESE CONCERNS OF PRIVACY
IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT I WORRY ABOUT. SO WE ARE ASKING FOR A FAIR PUBLIC PROCESS TO ENSURE THAT WORKER AND THE COMMUNITY HAVE A REAL VOICE IN SHAPING THE FUTURE OF TRANSPORTATION AND
THAT I ALSO KNOW THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE TESTIFYING AROUND THE IMPACT ON DISABILITY COMMUNITY WE LOOK FORWARD FOR MORE CONVERSATION ON THAT SO THAT WE ALL CAN RISE TOGETHER.
THANK YOU ALSO. THANK YOU, KAREN. IF WE CAN GO. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS SCOTT PAGE. I'M THE DELEGATE FOR DIVISION
TWO OF THE BOSTON CARMEN'S UNION AMALGAMATED TRANSIT UNION LOCAL 589 I RISE TODAY TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF OUR PRESIDENT JAMES EVERS JR AND THE MORE THAN 7000 BROTHERS, SISTERS AND
SIBLINGS WHO OPERATE THE BUSSES, TRAINS, STREETCARS AND EVERYTHING ELSE AT THE MITA IT'S OUR COMMITMENT TO KEEP BOSTON MOVING AND TO KEEP PUBLIC TRANSIT AFFORDABLE,
ACCESSIBLE AND RELIABLE. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MY UNION IN FAVOR OF THE ORDINANCE INTRODUCED BY COUNCILOR SANTANA. THIS COMMON SENSE APPROACH
ENSURES THAT WE STUDY THE IMPACTS OF THESE VEHICLES THE SAFETY THAT THESE VEHICLES HAVE OR DON'T AND THE IMPACT TO OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES.
IT ALSO MAKES SURE THAT WORKERS HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE TO DISCUSS NOT ONLY WHAT THE ROAD LOOKS LIKE GOING FORWARD BUT WHAT OUR WORKPLACE LOOKS LIKE GOING FORWARD. I'M ON THESE STREETS EVERY DAY
AND SO ARE MY COLLEAGUES. THE WAY THAT I SEE IT WAYMO DOESN'T SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS. IT ADDS TO THEM. WE DON'T NEED ANOTHER TRANSPORTATION OPTION. WE NEED TO INVEST IN OUR
EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE AND TO SUPPORT THE WORKERS THAT OUR PASSENGERS AND OUR COMMUNITIES RELY ON MOST ESPECIALLY BECAUSE MOST OF THE WORK THAT TRANSIT
WORKERS DO GOES FAR BEYOND THE SCOPE OF DRIVING A VEHICLE. WE DO NOT NEED ANOTHER UNPREDICTABLE FACTOR ON THE ROADS AND WE MUST PROTECT THE HUMANITY AND THE HUMAN
EXPERIENCE OF TRANSIT SERVICE. PLEASE STAND WITH WORKERS, STAND WITH LABOR'S STAND WITH LABOR AND SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU, SCOTT. GOOD EVENING, CITY COUNCIL STAFF. MY NAME IS ARTHUR BLUFFING AND I'M A PROUD TEAMSTER SINCE 1996. FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS I'VE
WORKED AS A PARATRANSIT SURVIVOR FOR EACH BOSTON NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH CENTER. I LOVE MY JOB AND DEEPLY FOR THE FOLKS I SEE EVERY DAY. I TRANSPORT ELDERLY AND DISABLED PEOPLE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
PEOPLE IN WHEELCHAIRS. PEOPLE WITH SERIOUS MEDICAL CONDITIONS. PEOPLE NEED REAL CARE AND ATTENTION WHEN THEY TRAVEL. I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE PUTTING DRIVERLESS CARS ON A BUS IS NOT
JUST A BAD IDEA IT'S A DANGEROUS ONE. YOU THINK THESE VEHICLES PUT EVERYONE ON THE ROAD AT RISK, ESPECIALLY MY CLIENTS WHO ARE SOME OF THE MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES. A CAR ACCIDENT FOR THEM COULD
BE DEVASTATING. IT'S MORE LIKELY TO BE FATAL THAN IT IS FOR AN AVERAGE PERSON. EVERY DAY I GO TO A STEP BY STEP SAFETY CHECK TO MAKE SURE OUR CLIENTS ARE SAFE BEFORE WE
EVEN START MOVING. I'M TRAINING CPR AND FIRST AID. WE GO TO REGULAR TRAINING BECAUSE WE NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR MEDICAL EMERGENCIES. YOU CANNOT AUTOMATE THE CARE
THAT KIND OF CARE. THERE IS NO ALGORITHM THAT CAN REPLACE WHAT A TRAINED COMPASSION HUMAN BEING DOES BEHIND THE WHEEL. EVEN AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE COMPANIES MAY SAY THEY ALL HAVE
AN ATTENDANT IN THE BACK. IT'S NOT ENOUGH NEED SOMEONE BEHIND THE WHEEL WHO'S FULLY TRAINED TO HANDLE EMERGENCY TRAFFIC IN COMPLEXITY OF A CROWDED CITY STREET. THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT
PARATRANSIT, ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY FOR EVERYONE. BOSTON STREETS ARE NOW DENSE AND FULL OF COMPASSION. PEDESTRIANS, BIKES, KIDS AND SENIORS. YOU NEED INSTINCT AND COMMON SENSE WHICH CAN'T BE PROGRAMED.
THESE BIG TECH COMPANIES WILL TELL YOU THAT THEY'RE NOT TRYING TO AUTOMATE TRANSIT PARATRANSIT JOBS LIKE MINE AND THAT'S TRUE FOR NOW. BUT WE KNOW WHERE THIS IS HEADED. IT'S NOT GOING TO STOP WITH ONE
COMPANY. IT'S GOING TO END WITH JOBS LIKE MINE. PEOPLE WHO TRANSPORT THOSE WHO NEED PROTECTION THE MOST AND WHEN THERE'S AN EMERGENCY IN ONE OF THOSE VEHICLES. WHO'S GOING TO ACT IN A TIME TO
PREVENT A TRAGEDY? THE ANSWER CAN'T BE SOUND. IT CAN'T BE SOFTWARE. IF THAT WERE MY MOTHER IN THE BACK OF THE CAR, IF IT WERE YOUR MOTHER YOU WOULDN'T JUST WE WOULDN'T TRUST HER LIFE TO A
ROBOT. NONE OF US SHOULD. WHEN YOU TRAIN PROFESSIONAL BEHIND THE WHEEL OF EVERY CAR TO PROTECT EVERYONE ON THE ROAD . THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO
LISTEN TO ME SPEAK TODAY. I HOPE THAT HEARING US TODAY WILL GIVE PLAUSIBLE ALLOWING AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES ON OUR STREETS. AWESOME.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. I WOULD HAVE TO BE IN CONTROL. MY NAME IS IBRAHIM. WE ARE PROUD SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS FROM THE COMMUNITY HERE
IN BOSTON. OUR JOB IS TO RUN THE BUSINESS FOR UBER AND LYFT DRIVERS. WELL, UBER CAME IN 2012. WE STARTED WORKING WITH DRIVERS
AND BUILT OUR BUSINESS THROUGH WORD OF MOUTH IS BEING GOOD HONEST WAY TO SUPPORT OUR FAMILIES AND SHARE WITH OUR COMMUNITY. BUT NOW WITH WORK WITH WAYMO
AND OTHER DRIVERLESS CARS COMING WE ARE VERY WORRIED IF DRIVERS LOSE THEIR JOBS OUR BUSINESS COULD LOSE EVERYTHING . WE SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE BECAUSE BOSTON NEEDS TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS CHANGE WILL COME WITH WHAT THIS CHANGE WILL MEAN FOR SMALL BUSINESS AND WORKING FAMILIES. THOUSANDS OF DRIVERS LIVES ARE AT STAKE.
THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES ARE DEPENDING ON THIS BUSINESS. WE RAISE OUR KIDS. WE HELPED OUR CHILDREN TO GO TO SCHOOL AND IF WE LOSE THIS
WE'RE GOING TO BE LOSING MOST OF OUR BUSINESSES LOST OF MAYBE BIG RIGS AND WE ARE HOPING THAT
WE WILL HOPING THAT WE SHOULD NOT RUSH THIS TECHNOLOGY ONTO OUR STREETS JUST BECAUSE BIG COMPANIES FROM OUR OUT OF STATE WANT IT. PLEASE LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY
AND THINK ABOUT WHO BENEFITS AND WHO PAYS THE PRICE IF THINGS GO WRONG. PLEASE LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY, THE SMALL BUSINESSES, THE DRIVERS AND THE FAMILIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU. AND ALSO IF WE HAVE ANY OTHER SO WE HAVE ACTUALLY JOSE'S ADDRESS ONE PHILIPPE VICTORIA
BUT AT THIS POINT IF YOU IF YOU ARE HERE TO GIVE A PUBLIC TEXT OF WHAT IT IS, PLEASE COME DOWN AND ONE OF THE TWO AND WE'LL GIVE EVERYONE 2 MINUTES TO
TESTIFY THEN AND AFTER YOURSELF I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT SORRY IS HERE. ELIAS TO WRAP.
OKAY BUT YOU CAN GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS KRISTEN DELA FANNO. FOR YEARS I OWNED PIZZERIA RUSTICA ON THE NORTH END OF BOSTON.
WHEN I WAS FORCED TO CLOSE DUE TO THE PANDEMIC I THEN FOLLOWED MY GRANDPARENTS FOOTSTEPS AND I JOINED TEAMSTERS LOCAL 25. LOCAL 25 GAVE ME A NEW CAREER IN THE FILM INDUSTRY.
THIS THEN ALLOWED ME TO MAINTAIN A MIDDLE CLASS LIFESTYLE, SECURE EXCELLENT BENEFITS AND BUILD A STABLE LIFE DOING A JOB THAT I ABSOLUTELY LOVE.
WITH THE SUPPORT OF UNION MEMBERS LIKE ME, MASSACHUSETTS INVESTED IN FILM TAX INCENTIVES A FEW YEARS AGO IT WORKED. THROUGHOUT MASSACHUSETTS, JOBS
AND SHOW BUSINESS ARE THRIVING AND THE LAST THING THAT WE NEED DRIVERLESS CARS CAUSING US PROBLEMS. WAYMO A GOOGLE SUBSIDIARY IS
CURRENTLY TRYING TO FORCE MASSACHUSETTS TO PERMIT DRIVERLESS VEHICLES THAT ARE UNDER £10,000. EVERY DAY I DRIVE DIFFERENT VEHICLES LIKE BOX TRUCKS, VANS
AS SUVS DRIVING CAST MEMBERS, STATE BEDS, EQUIPMENT TRUCKS AND MUCH MORE. SOME OF THOSE VEHICLES ARE UNDER THE WEIGHT LIMIT THAT GOOGLE IS PROPOSING. NONE OF THEM SHOULD BE
AUTOMATED. THESE JOBS ARE ACQUIRED RAPID TIMING SPLIT SECOND DECISION MAKING, MULTITASKING, CONSTANT COMMUNICATION AND MANY MORE
OTHER SKILLS FAR BEYOND ANYTHING I CAN PROVIDE. THAT'S A CHALLENGE FOR COMPANIES LIKE WAYMO. IT DOESN'T THAT THEY WILL STOP
TRYING TO DESTROY OUR CAREERS. OUR COMPANIES ARE LOOKING TO MAKE MONEY BY PUTTING NOT JUST EVERY TEAMSTER BUT EVERY UNION MEMBER IN SHOW BUSINESS OUT OF WORK.
THEY HAVE TIME. THEY HAVE RESOURCES AND THEY HAVE TENACITY. WE FOUGHT SO HARD TO BUILD THIS INDUSTRY IN MASSACHUSETTS. IT SUPPORTS THOUSANDS
OF WORKING FAMILIES AND, BRINGS MILLIONS INTO OUR STATE. NOT THAT LONG AGO MEMBERS OF LOCAL 25 FILM CREW WERE OUT OF WORK FOR OVER A YEAR BECAUSE
WE REFUSED TO CROSS PICKET LINES DURING THE BIGGEST STRIKE THAT THE MOVIE BUSINESS HAD SEEN IN DECADES. WE MADE THAT SACRIFICE BECAUSE THOSE JAW JOBS WERE WORTH
FIGHTING FOR. THE FILM INDUSTRY WE'VE BUILT IN MASSACHUSETTS IS WORTH FIGHTING FOR. SO PLEASE LET'S PROTECT PUBLIC SAFETY, PROTECT THE FILM
INDUSTRY JOBS THAT WE JUST REBUILT KEEP HUMAN DRIVERS ON SET, KEEP TEAMSTERS ON THE JOB AND SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. JUST FROM ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO COME DOWN TO STATE YOUR NAME AND OR YOUR AFFILIATION. YEAH.
GOOD AFTERNOON. THANKS FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. MY NAME IS MIKE SWEENEY. I'M A PROUD DORCHESTER RESIDENT AND I'M THE RECORDING SECRETARY FOR IBEW LOCAL 2222 IN BOSTON.
IBEW 22 REPRESENTS OVER 1000 HIGH TECH AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS WORKERS RIGHT HERE IN GREATER BOSTON. BUT MORE. AND I'M HONORED TO STAND HERE
IN SOLIDARITY WITH MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS AND LABOR. WE ARE UNITED TODAY WITH ONE CLEAR VOICE AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES ARE BAD FOR BOSTON AND BAD FOR WORKERS.
OUR COMPANIES LIKE WAYMO WANT YOU TO BELIEVE THAT THEIR DRIVERLESS CARS ARE THE NEXT BIG THING. BUT WE KNOW THE TRUTH BEHIND THE SHINY TECHNOLOGY AND SLICK PR IS A DANGEROUS IDEA.
THEY'RE PUTTING TECHNOLOGY OVER PEOPLE PROFITS OVER SAFETY AND INNOVATION OVER LIVELIHOODS. LET'S BE HONEST BIG TECH DOESN'T CARE IF WORKERS LOSE THEIR JOBS.
THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY RISKS AND THEY SURE DON'T CARE ABOUT THE WORKING FAMILIES WHO KEEP THIS CITY RUNNING. WHETHER YOU DRIVE AN UBER, A
UPS TRUCK, AN AMBULANCE OR A GARBAGE TRUCK, THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR A TRAINED PROFESSIONAL HUMAN BEING BEHIND THE WHEEL. EVERY DAY DRIVERS MAKE SPLIT SECOND DECISIONS THAT CAN MEAN
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH. SO HERE'S THE QUESTION WHEN A DRIVERLESS CAR FACES A CRISIS, WHO DOES IT PROTECT AND WHO DOES IT HARM? DOES IT PROTECT ITS PASSENGER
OR A GROUP OF PEDESTRIANS? THESE AREN'T HYPOTHETIC CALLS. THESE ARE REAL DANGERS THAT AFFECT REAL PEOPLE. OUR MEMBERS, OUR NEIGHBORS, OUR FAMILIES.
AND THAT'S WHY LOCAL 2222 STANDS FIRMLY AGAINST ANY ATTEMPT BY GREEDY BIG TECH COMPANIES TO COME INTO MASSACHUSETTS AND DISPLACE THOUSANDS OF HARDWORKING PEOPLE
ALL IN THE NAME OF AUTOMATION FOR A PROFIT. AND THAT PROFIT WILL NOT BE STAYING IN MASSACHUSETTS. THAT PROFIT WILL BE VACUUM RIGHT OUT OF MASSACHUSETTS AND
BOSTON TO SILICON VALLEY. ALL OF THESE DRIVERS ARE PAYING TAXES THAT TAXPAYING RESIDENTS OF BOSTON AND ITS NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES. THEY ADD TO OUR ECONOMY AND
THEY ADD TO OUR LIFE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. WAYMO IS NOT AN AD FOR US. ANY I FEEL ANY QUESTIONS THAT NEED BE ADDRESSED REGARDING
RIDERS WITH DISABILITIES CAN BE ADDRESSED BY GOING AFTER THE CORPORATIONS. IF UBER AND LYFT AREN'T MEETING THOSE NEEDS FOR THOSE RIDERS AND UBER AND LYFT HAVE TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR IT, WE
SHOULDN'T BE PENALIZING DRIVERS AND WORKERS IN BOSTON AT THE AT THE BENEFIT. THE ONLY ONE THAT WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS IS WAYMO AND GOOGLE. I THANK YOU FOR LETTING
ME SPEAK TODAY AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR CARE AND ATTENTION. THANKS AGAIN. HAVE A GREAT DAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
MY NAME IS TONY EMERALD. I WORK FOR MANFRED LEASING AND I'VE BEEN A TEAMSTER FOR NEARLY 30 YEARS BECAUSE OF MY UNION CARD. I HAVE GREAT HEALTH CARE, A PENSION AND WAGES THAT ALLOW ME TO BECOME A HOMEOWNER AND
JOIN THE GREAT AMERICAN MIDDLE CLASS. I'M HERE BECAUSE ALL THIS IS UNDER ATTACK. DRIVERLESS CARS AND TRUCKS ARE VASTLY INFERIOR TO ME, MY COWORKERS AND ALL MY UNION BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
I DRIVE TRACTOR TRAILERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. EVERY DAY I DEAL WITH TIGHT CORNERS SUDDEN LANE CHANGES, DOUBLE PARKED CARS, MOTORCYCLES, UNPREDICTABLE WEATHER AND MORE.
NAVIGATING THOSE STREETS SAFELY REQUIRES A SPLIT SECOND JUDGMENT. SOMETHING NO MACHINE CAN REPLICATE. WE ALREADY HAVE TECHNOLOGY IN OUR TRUCKS WITH LANE GUIDANCE FORWARD FACING SENSORS AND THEY
MAKE MISTAKES ALL THE TIME. FORTUNATELY I'M THERE TO CORRECT IT. IMAGINE IF NOBODY IS WAITING MIGHT TELL YOU THAT ITS ONLY INTERESTED IN DEPLOYING TAXIS AS WE'VE HEARD THIS WILL
DESTROY THOUSANDS OF MIDDLE CLASS JOBS. AFTER THAT WE KNOW WHAT COMES NEXT. FREIGHT, SANITATION, BUSSES AND EVENTUALLY EVERY VEHICLE. I'M CLOSE TO RETIREMENT. I'LL PROBABLY BE FINE.
I WORRY DEEPLY ABOUT THE YOUNGER TEAMSTERS THE PEOPLE BUILDING THE SAME MIDDLE CLASS MIDDLE CLASS LIFE THAT I'VE BEEN BLESSED WITH. IF THESE JOBS DISAPPEAR, PEOPLE WILL LOSE THEIR HOMES.
FAMILIES WILL SUFFER AND THE ENTIRE CITY WILL BE WORSE OFF THAN BEFORE. WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS SIMPLE KEEP A TRAINED HUMAN OPERATOR IN EVERY VEHICLE. KEEP GOOD UNION JOBS IN OUR
COMMUNITIES AND KEEP OUR STREETS SAFE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO PROVIDE TESTIMONY? OKAY.
I THINK WE'VE COME TO THE END OF THE ROAD. AS BOSEMAN WOULD SAY BOSEMAN. OKAY. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. I APPRECIATE IT. I HOPE EVERYBODY GETS A CHANCE
TO GO GET DINNER AND NOURISH YOURSELF AFTER THIS STRONG SHOWING OF ADVOCACY AND JUST GRATITUDE TO EVERYBODY THAT'S HERE. THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR PANELISTS, OUR FOLKS THAT PROVIDED THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY, OUR UNIONS, MY COLLEAGUES FOR
STAYING UNTIL THE VERY END. I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU AND THIS CLEARLY WE HAVE SOME WORK TO DO. I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE'S
THERE'S OPPORTUNITY BOTH SIDES TO COME TOGETHER TO FIGURE OUT YOU YOU KNOW, WHAT WORKS FOR EACH PERSPECTIVE ALTHOUGH I DO I DO SUPPORT THE CONTENTS
OF THIS ORDINANCE AND JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S INTEGRATING ALL OF THE VOICES THAT THAT WE HEARD TODAY APPROPRIATELY. SO WITH THAT I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT THIS HEARING ON DOCKET ONE
FOR THREE TWO IS ADJOURNED. THANKS A