ARIZONA NEWS

Waymo expands curbside robotaxi service hours at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport to 24/7

Aug 28, 2024, 4:35 AM

Promotional photo of a Waymo One robotaxi stopped on a street as a pedestrian crosses....

Waymo expanded Phoenix airport terminal service hours, making its robotaxis available curbside 24 hours a day. (Waymo Photo)

(Waymo Photo)

PHOENIX – Travelers can now catch Waymo robotaxis to and from the terminals at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport 24 hours a day.

“Offering fully autonomous rides directly to airport terminals 24/7 is another groundbreaking milestone for Waymo One. We’re grateful to our partners at Sky Harbor for working with us every step of the way to enable these critical pickup and drop-off locations for our riders,” Brad Gillette, Phoenix market lead for Waymo, said in a statement Tuesday.

Waymo One, the world’s first driverless ride-hailing service, has been offering curbside service at Terminals 3 and 4 since December 2023, but only during off-peak hours.

Since then, the company has been working with city and airport officials to safely expand availability.

“Sky Harbor is the first airport in the country to offer this service, and we are excited to just continue to improve options and service at Phoenix Sky Harbor,” Mayor Kate Gallego said in a video posted to social media.

How long has Waymo provided Phoenix airport service?

Waymo said it will complete its 100,000th Phoenix airport trip this week. The autonomous SUVs started picking up and dropping off riders at the airport’s PHX Sky Train stations in December 2022.

The company that started as Google’s self-driving vehicle unit has been expanding its capabilities incrementally since debuting in October 2022 with a service area that covered about 50 square miles in and around Chandler.

Passengers can hail the robotaxis through a mobile app, similar to how Uber and Lyft work. The vehicles don’t yet take riders onto freeways, but testing is underway to add that capability.

The service area has grown to 315 square miles, covering parts of Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, Tempe and Chandler.

The latest 90-mile expansion in June of this year included a portion of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community near Scottsdale. It was the autonomous ride-hailing industry’s first entry into tribal land.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Pass it along to the KTAR News team here.

Arizona News

Bronze statue of a blindfolded woman holding a scale...

KTAR.com

Queen Creek man indicted for sexual exploitation of a minor

A Maricopa County Grand Jury indicted an Queen Creek man last week for alleged sexual exploitation of a minor.

2 hours ago

Highway sign...

KTAR.com

Southbound State Route 87 closed between metro Phoenix and Payson due to brush fire

Southbound lanes on State Route 87 are closed due to a semi-truck and brush fire, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

4 hours ago

Proposition 314 debate...

KTAR.com

Watch: Proposition 314 debate in Arizona on border policy

Two legislators stated their cases during the Proposition 314 debate in Arizona on Sept. 19.

4 hours ago

Apache Junction school threat...

KTAR.com

12-year-old Apache Junction girl arrested for posting school threat on social media

A 12-year-old Apache Junction girl was arrested Tuesday for posting a school threat on social media, authorities said.

6 hours ago

ASU student stabbed....

KTAR.com

ASU student stabbed by classmate on campus in West Valley, authorities say

An Arizona State University student was stabbed by a fellow student in a classroom on the West Valley campus on Thursday, authorities said.

7 hours ago

Black Lives Matter poster...

Kevin Stone

Supt. Tom Horne feuding with Phoenix school district over Black Lives Matter poster

Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne and a Phoenix elementary school district are feuding over a Black Lives Matter poster.

8 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

...

Midwestern University

Midwestern University Clinic visits boost student training & community health

Going to a Midwestern University Clinic can help make you feel good in more ways than one.

...

Sanderson Ford

3 new rides for 3 new road trips in Arizona

It's time for the Sanderson Ford Memorial Day sale with the Mighty Fine 69 Anniversary, as Sanderson Ford turned 69 years old in May.

...

Day & Night Air Conditioning, Heating and Plumbing

Beat the heat, ensure your AC unit is summer-ready

With temperatures starting to rise across the Valley, now is a great time to be sure your AC unit is ready to withstand the sweltering summer heat.

Waymo expands curbside robotaxi service hours at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport to 24/7