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I'm ready.
Welcome to the California Public Utilities Commission
voting meeting on this day, Thursday, August 10th,
2023. Today's call is being recorded if you have any
objections. You may disconnect at this time. President
Reynold. You may begin. Good morning, everyone and
welcome to the California Public Utilities Commission
I'm calling this meeting of August 10th 2023 public
agenda number 3531. To order, we need to start by establishing
a quorum and I will note that commissioner Douglas
is necessarily absent today. Um And so we will not
be calling her name for the roll call agenda clerk
Could you please call the roll? Commissioner John Reynolds
Commissioner,
Commissioner
President Alice Reynolds, we do have a quorum. So today
we are meeting at the CPUC headquarters in San Francisco
and I would like to start with a few housekeeping instructions
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And if you wish to make a comment by telephone and
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The public can make comments addressing items on the
consent and regular agenda as well as items not on
the agenda. CPC rules do not allow for parties in proceedings
to speak about open proceedings. All speakers will
have one minute to speak. You will hear a bell sound
when your time is up. Please be mindful of other speakers
waiting to speak and keep to your allotted time. We
really do want to get to everybody today. So if there
are a large number of people waiting to speak again
the time um may be changed to accommodate all colors
But um it given the number of people today, I think
we'll we'll stick with one minute. Um And as a reminder
please speak clearly and slowly to accommodate accommodate
Spanish interpreters. So, with that guidance in mind
I welcome today's speakers. Um I am going to call the
names of the speakers. And what I'll do is I'll call
three names so that you'll know that you're coming
up in the queue. And so I'll ask the first person to
come forward and then the other two to either queue
up or just get ready to approach the podium. Um So
the first three speakers are um, Brett Bertolucci,
Adam Alan Shore and Carol Brownson. So I'll ask, um
Mr Be Berto to approach the podium right down here
Hi, I'm Robert to, I'm a software engineer and I'm
very concerned by the lack of regulation around A V
software in any other industry where software controls
dangerous mechanical devices, there's significant regulation
to make sure that software is safe. We regulate autopilot
software and airplanes. The commission knows that we
regulate the software, controlling power plants with
A vs. We have none of these assurances. We don't know
how they are deploying their new software. We don't
know how thoroughly it's being tested or in what scenarios
we don't know what kind of bugs they're finding. These
are all basics that need to be covered before they
are allowed to expand. Cars can be extremely dangerous
and it's negligent to expand before we have made sure
that the software is safe. Expansion is a disaster
waiting to happen. I urge the commission to vote. No
Thank you.
Thank you. And next we have Alan Shore.
I am here to read a statement. Is that too loud? I'm
sorry. I am here to read a statement by Doctor Sandra
Ross of Mill Valley who is unable to attend due to
an illness concerning the possibility of retirement
of copper land landlines. She states I need the safety
and reliability of wired equipment. It is a matter
of survival in the hills of Marin County where wildfires
can happen quickly. As a volunteer fireman of 15 years
I need to send emergency calls. I cannot hear people
when a cell phone is in use. Exposure to Wi Fi puts
my blood pressure up to dangerous levels. I cannot
use any wireless Wi Fi or smart technology without
actually risking my life. My position on the County
Health Commission also requires
there is also considerable rigorous scientific evidence
that microwave radiation can damage DNA. It is foolish
Therefore to decommission copper landlines today, when
future federal mandates may require that they be redeployed
causing unnecessary costs in the future. Thank you
Carol Brownson is next.
Thank you
on the.
Ok. Take your time. We won't start until you're organized
Are you ready? Ok. Uh My name is Carol Brownson and
I oppose expanding the use of A vs on the streets of
San Francisco at this time for three reasons. Uh First
one might mistake me for a small dog and just run over
me. Second, I've already had a worrying interaction
with one. I was entering a crosswalk with the green
light. I looked carefully in all directions and abruptly
an empty cruise a turned right in front of me and went
on its way third, I sometimes take taxis particularly
to the airport. I have luggage and the taxi driver
helps with folding up my mobility scooter and loading
it in the trunk. Once I was going to sfo alone to
meet my husband on the east coast, excuse me, the taxi
driver took care of storing my luggage and loading
my mobility scooter and then setting it up again at
sfo making sure I was on it safely. He was also a
very good driver. He even warned me we'd have to stop
that interesting conversation when he got on the freeway
because he had to watch those rapid drivers. Thank
you. Thank you. And the next three speakers are David
Friedlander, Holm Ruth Malone and Paul Wermer.
Good morning commissioners. I'm here to ask you to
oppose the motion to allow more A vs on our streets
Listen to what these two companies are telling you
They don't have the monitoring data up to the standards
that you asked for. They don't have the data that show
clearly much of anything other than what they want
to show. I come here with data on citizen reports of
A VS acting dangerously between the beginning of this
month and the beginning of your Tuesday meeting there
have been 37 reports since the beginning of Tuesday's
meeting. There have been 10 more reports including
one involving blocking the N Juda Muni Light rail for
a rough average of 30 per week. No matter what they
tell you, it's only a matter of time until an occupant
is put at extreme risk by one of their cars. The very
evening of the last meeting, a crew's car stopped for
three minutes almost between an active fire truck and
a police car monitoring that scene. Imagine if a driver
did that, these cars are not ready for prime time,
they they are here because at the time of the automobile
is coming to a close and the companies are engaged
in a desperate attempt to stay relevant and profitable
stop them. You have the power and responsibility to
do so. Thank you. Thank you,
MS Malone is next.
I strongly oppose the authorization, the expanded authorization
of autonomous cars in San Francisco. Contrary to what
a spokesperson was quoted as saying, these cars have
not gone unnoticed as they cruise around and around
and around and around with nobody in them. The future
of cities is not cars, no matter what kind of cars
they are, the future of cities is expanded and well
connected public transit and active transportation
My husband and I are seniors e bikes have been transformational
for us. I'm not denying that there is a need occasionally
for taxicabs, but we do not need thousands more cars
on our streets. We don't need them and we don't want
them finally in closing. I hope that those with recent
ties to the companies under discussion here will recuse
themselves from voting on this matter. Thank you. Thank
you. The next speaker is Paul Wermer.
Uh Good morning Commissioners. My name is Paul Wermer
Uh I too urge you to oppose, uh or reject this proposal
I strongly oppose the A VS uh for several reasons.
Most significant, they discriminate, they discriminate
significantly against anyone who does not have credit
cards or paypal or Venmo, anyone who is unbanked, anyone
who relies on cash. So where will they get service
Uh I, they discriminate against people who cannot use
um, digital devices. My father at age 44 lost taxi
cab service about 2015 when Uber displaced the available
taxis in Providence, Rhode Island, the service went
away and instead of having freedom, he was trapped
because he could not use the service because he could
not use the cell phone. This is planned discrimination
against a vulnerable population of many types. Thank
you.
Thank you. The next three speakers are Marcelo Fana
Charles Minster and Lana Nieves.
Good morning. My name is actually Marcelo Fonseca and
uh I am a career cab driver based on all the incidents
reported so far, especially from the San Francisco
Fire Department. It's very clear that Wman crew's technology
is premature. It's not ready for prime time if you
allow them to operate full time and deploy an unlimited
number of vehicles before their technology is fully
developed. The problems they have caused can only get
worse. So I urge you to put the brakes on. I urge
you for a no vote. There's no need to rush. Uh I
believe in technology. I know someday it will be ready
but at the moment when cruz technology is not ready
for prime time. Thank you. Thank you,
Mr Minster.
Uh uh I speak as an advocate for a workers' government
The only way out of this situation we're in now, the
billionaires are calling the shots in this country
and around the world. They're, they're providing the
money to build these uh Robo cars and Robo buses that
are already testing over in the uh uh Treasure Island
They want to eliminate the human being from the productive
wealth
as they're doing in Hollywood and anywhere else they
can use A I and for us to allow this to continue
means we're happy with having human beings doing nothing
trying to scrape by and make a living. Go on the dole
They can't find a way be homeless like we have a homeless
society in this city. So uh I'm here as a working man
Want to put a foot down on this process. Thank you
Thank you. The next speaker is Lana Nieves.
Good morning. My name is Lana Nevis. I'm a person with
a Disability. I'm the executive director of the Independent
Living Resource Center of San Francisco. My organization's
mission revolves around every person's right to live
as independently as they so choose and to work towards
a fully accessible community for all. The following
is from a New York Times article entitled Lunacy in
England. And it's a quote, there is not the slightest
doubt that engaging in the use of this modern form
of transportation if persisted in leads to weakness
of mind. General lunacy and homicidal mania. This quote
from 18 94 isn't about autonomous vehicles but about
the dangers of bicycle riding, which was thought to
have been a have a devastating effect on the nervous
system. Fear of the new untried and misunderstood has
always been with us. When it comes to emerging technologies
There will always be those who instead of embracing
progress, choose to dig their heels in and stick their
heads in the sand as if their pet can or will stop
progress. It didn't work with bicycles, it won't work
with the we're here to talk about for those of us who
are part of the disability community, autonomous vehicle
technology represents a future with greater independence
the ability to go where we want to go when we want
to go and to do so on our own without having to
get into a car with a complete stranger, are autonomous
vehicles fully accessible, not yet, but they will be
and probably sooner than most people think, especially
if the C PC makes it mandatory that any and all A
V developers in California present a robust accessibility
plan, provide parallel service to people with physical
disabilities and truly accessible A vs are possible
and that they fully engage members of the disability
community in their accessibility efforts. In the meantime
it's imperative that instead of being like the folks
who believe that bicycle riding would lead to homicidal
mania. We let cooler heads prevail A V. Technology
represents progress, the promise of safer streets.
And I'm gonna ask you to wrap up. OK. Thank you. The
literal translation of the word progress is to go forward
So go forward today instead of backwards, choose progress
Thank you.
All right. The next uh speaker is Ian Smith and then
after that, we have Brent Ritz and Michael Martinez
So Mr Smith is next
is Mr Smith here, Ian Smith.
Oh, ok.
Do we need? Yeah,
hi, I'm Ian Smith. I'm here to talk about the uh the
resolutions on the on the agenda. Um I see a lot of
potential in these technologies for the disability
community. I see a lot of potentials for independence
as somebody just talked about. And my concern is that
we don't yet have an agreement on what accessibility
looks like for our community. We don't yet have vehicles
on the road or even in pilot programs that serve our
community's needs. And I'm asking that the CPC not
only vote no on these items today, but also work to
establish standards that ensure access in the future
both on the theater level. How do folks like myself
who are full time wheelchair users enter and use and
exit these vehicles safely? But also in terms of equivalence
in hours of service, service areas, response times
All this is something that's missing right now and
this is a great opportunity to solve that problem,
but we should not let it pass up just because the companies
in question argue this is going to someday be wonderful
for the disability community. It's not here yet. Thank
you.
Our next speaker is Brent Ritz.
Hi, good day ad D contractor. I've actually already
reported information to the state Department as well
as the anti trust unit of the Department of Justice
I don't think you have jurisdiction on this issue.
Both of these are actually Saudi backed. So Madi
Fund is probably about 71% owned by the Saudi government
At this point, Uber technology is distributing through
Waymo. They're also backed by the Saudis. They just
want to burn fuel. You saw so desperate because this
one is down 60% that they're trying to do their arm
transaction or IP O in the UK to avoid regulators.
And of course, they did a deal with intel and held
back by Google. Funny how that happens. Coincidently
also this month is labor reform. The president refers
to this as the American Jobs Plan. So Kamala Harris
which is how you pronounce it. And then Speaker Pelosi
authored the Pro Act. This is actually going to be
up for the Department of Labor this month and rule
making. I would ask you to defer to uh
and so you can actually do that. Yeah, so certainly
it's not in line with our national agenda at this point
Thank you. Thank you. Our next speaker is Michael Martinez
Jesus Christ. Here we are again, San Francisco about
to have four people make a decision on whether or not
the city is going to be pimped out by yet another couple
of large tech companies so that all their employees
here today wearing yellow shirts might get to cash
out their stock options. That was part of their on
boarding at Waymo as employees. They're over here talking
about safety trotting out blind people with dogs and
the very elderly and so forth and so on. But yet in
order to even get in one of their cars, you literally
have to sign something that says that if you die in
one of them,
you can't sue your family, can't sue, you can't sue
anybody, anybody, anybody. So when all of these little
kids and the tech bros and the tech girls come up here
and say this is about 50. Really? I'm like, but you
just have to sign your life away to use it and know
you four are about to make a decision as to whether
or not you're going to let them run Rams shad. Oh,
and by the way, the original mayoral Pimp Willie Brown
he's actually on Cruz's payroll grease and holes around
here. You guys aren't stupid. Don't be stupid. Thank
you. The next three speakers are George Jenko. Matthew
Sutter and Evelyn Ingle. Mr Jenko. Uh, good morning
Uh, commissioners. I have a somewhat different tone
to take. Uh, but it's nice to have this opportunity
to speak. Um My name is George an, I'm an orthopedic
surgeon. I have been practicing in San Francisco and
serving our citizens for over 30 years. I'm also an
avid bicycle rider and an enthusiastic Waymo rider
Hoping that you'll see the good side of this technology
as a physician and as a surgeon, I treat, I treat many
patients who are, whose injuries are the consequences
of distracted drivers, impaired drivers, angry drivers
road rage and the like I have operated on citizens
affected by these instances of road rage and preventable
human error with often devastating injuries and too
often patients who don't make it to my operating room
because they have been killed by distracted drivers
or road rage. I also cycle all over our city and always
have to avoid driving. I come, I'm a defensive cyclist
and I see how these ad vehicles behave, how they respond
and I trust them much more than distracted drivers
or angry drivers. I see this as an eventual improvement
Finally, quickly as a father of three adult daughters
who have had unwelcomed advances by drivers, no such
no such inappropriate behavior will ever be incurred
by autonomous vehicles. I encourage the panel to please
embrace this technology that our city and region have
long been renowned for. Thank you for your time. Thank
you. The next speaker is Matthew Sutter. Good afternoon
My name is Matthew Sutter. I'm a cab driver in San
Francisco. 31 years. I'm urging you to vote. No, I'm
all about technology but this is not ready guys. We
heard the first responders the other day and we saw
the charts. This is a danger to the citizens of San
Francisco. We cannot pass this through today. It is
definitely not ready. And we are talking about 400
cars that aren't all in operation and they're doing
their test out in the sunset in Richmond where we don't
have all these people, all these cars handicapped people
We have wheelchairs and what happens when they stall
Why don't we tow them? Why don't we tell the MTA if
there's a car that is abandoned and a fire engine comes
up, they tow it. If a car stalls, you must tow it
you bring money into San Francisco. Let's stop jing
these tech companies, money guys. It is time to bring
money into San Francisco. We see the conventions we've
been losing. We are in desperate need of people. Coming
to San Francisco. You're going to take away jobs with
this thing. You have to vote. No, today it is not ready
Nor will it be ready any time soon? The technology
and the communication between the first responders
and the AV cars is zero. The chart showed it every
month the incidents are going up. How can you vote
Yes. Those incidents must go down before you vote.
Yes. Thank you.
The next speaker is Evelyn Ingle.
Good morning. My name is Evelyn Ingle. I've lived in
San Francisco since 1978. I spent many years working
in the medical device industry and I've also driven
a taxi and I'm very familiar there. Therefore, with
regulated industries on a very broad spectrum. I can't
imagine uh, a manufacturer of a sophisticated medical
device or a driver of a taxi self certifying that their
technology or service is safe. I really ask you to
delay this vote or vote. No, until you have a more
robust regulations. And don't rely on this self certification
by these manufacturers. I've actually seen reports
of what can happen when, when you leave it up to the
corporations to self certify. I also want to ask you
to, you know, think of all the residents of San Francisco
I've seen so many of these cars on my street. I can't
believe it. Especially knowing the limited number that
are in operation and both way mo crews were very coy
about how many cars they're going to put on the street
if they have no restrictions or caps. I know as a taxi
driver that their business is not sustainable unless
they can cut down the arrival times and to do that
they will have to put a lot more cars. So please vote
No, thank you. Thank you. Our next uh three speakers
are Jessica Ellis King Ellis and Jessica Felix.
Hello, President Reynolds and Commissioners. My name
is Jessica Ellis. I am a mother of an incredible child
with autism. A has given me a new hope. My son will
grow, will grow up to have a greater level of independence
and safety that I really ever thought was possible
as advocates. We work to break down barriers. Um So
all families or of all backgrounds, cultures, race
and income, income levels can get services that they
um services and support that they need and deserve
has, has partnered directly with our community. So
people with disabilities can benefit from a please
vote. Yes. On do I say like, what you can wait for
them to call your name? Ok.
All right. Thank you, Miss Ellis. And now we have King
Ellis. Hello. My name is King Ellis. I love technology
in NASCAR. It was really cool riding in the YMO and
seeing everything around me. And I would like to keep
using Mo to get around San Francisco
and we would like to end with this like the king of
Nascar Richard Petty once said, the good Lord doesn't
tell you what his plan is so all he can do is
get up in the morning and see what happens next. Thank
you.
Thank you.
All right next we have Jessica Felix.
Hello. My name is Jessica Felix and I'm the taxi driver
representative on the San Francisco Paratransit Coordinating
Council. I could talk to you about the many unsafe
behaviors of driverless vehicles from my experience
driving around all day in San Francisco. But instead
I want to speak to you about the Americans with Disabilities
Act ad A ad A clearly states entitled to subtitle B
that public transit systems must provide people with
disabilities equal opportunity to benefit. And the
same is true for private transit systems doing business
Tell me how does a person who uses a wheelchair get
into a cruise or a Waymo? So when using a walker in
most cases, is not able to load their walker in the
trunk, they cannot use these vehicles. How does a blind
person find safe passage when the ay drops them several
doors down from their destination. Google and General
Motors play with billions of dollars every year and
are more than capable of helping people with disabilities
and have refused this governing body, especially with
today's vote. Must tell them it is not ok to discriminate
approval of the A B companies today will hold this
government body liable in disobeying the ad A the demand
The law supports equal access and suspension of their
permits to operate and do business until all members
of the community can be served. Thank you. Thank you
Our next three speakers are Mara Math, Cheryl Miko
and Barbara uh Wins.
And so next we have ah Mara Math, Miss Math.
Thank you. Hi, I'm Mara Math. I'm a member of the paratransit
Coordinating council. Speaking here for myself, I oppose
the current draft resolutions because they leave disabled
San Franciscans out in the cold. Um, driverless cars
already fail minimum accessibility and safety standards
like recognizing street signs, double parked vehicles
emergency street responders and yellow cones on their
roads. The can driverless vehicles assist passengers
who need escorting to and from the vehicle. Can they
load and secure mobility aids like wheelchairs and
walkers. Can a driverless car spot a blind passenger
waiting? Can it call out to that blind passenger that
it has arrived to pick them up? Does the CPUC really
want to defend these exclusions in the ad a lawsuits
that will follow the arguments for driverless cars
are all too reminiscent of the 19 fifties and sixties
when automated was touted as automatically superior
to human. Remember, the Jetsons Den is now were promised
that automation will usher in a golden age for us.
And as usual, it turns out to be more of a golden
shower on us. Thank you. Thank you. The next speaker
is Cheryl Domico.
So
sorry. Can you hear me? Yeah. Yes, we can. Ok. Uh,
my name is Cheryl and you happen to get three in a
row, uh, from a transit recording Council. Uh, I too
am speaking from the angle of the ad a it's a federal
uh, legislation where people with disabilities or elderly
should have equal access to, um, including transportation
Um, and these vehicles would not be. I'm in a power
chair. Uh, yes, I, there are special vehicles to the
city. They need extreme training in order to make sure
I am safely in there. These new vehicles are they gonna
be taught by a robot on how to secure renown to uh
the vehicle?
And I would like you to think about that before voting
Thank you. Our next speaker is uh Barbara and I apologize
uh for the pronunciation of your name. Ok.
Uh Hello Commissioners. My name is Barbara Winches
I live in West Marin County. I am here today to ask
you to please turn down AT&T S application to uh discontinue
using the copper landlines. They are a lifeline for
us in the rural areas of California when the fires
are raging and the power is out and the cell cell phone
excuse me, cell phone towers will not operate because
they're out of generator fuel and no one can get up
to the towers. The same thing in the winter with the
storms. The roads are muddy, trees are down, they cannot
replenish the fuel we have no cell phone service. Therefore
we absolutely need our landlines. They're the only
thing that attaches us to emergency services and the
outside world. I am also electromagnetic sensitive
I need my landline. I cannot use a cell phone without
becoming ill. There are so many like me that are unrecognized
I represent probably 100 more people. Thank you so
much for your time. Thank you. All right. Our next
three speakers are John Doherty, Tim Elder and Abdul
had Mr Doherty.
Good morning. Uh My name is John Dorty. I'm the business
manager of IBW local six in San Francisco. And uh we
have represented electrical workers in San Francisco
since 18 95. We've been at the forefront of electrical
uh transportation in San Francisco uh from our founding
uh and is with that history that we call on the CPUC
uh to approve uh crews and os uh applications to expand
uh all electric autonomous vehicle ride hail service
We opened discussions with crews about a year and a
half ago and asked them to partner with the IBW on
the build out of their electrical vehicle charging
infrastructure. We and the IBW have invested heavily
in the training necessary for the successful expansion
of ev charging infrastructure and stressed the importance
of this training for the development of the next generation
of electrical workers in San Francisco and beyond.
Uh by allowing Cruz's expansion. The CPUC will make
a commitment to green
in charging infrastructure that will help California's
transition to clean energy while working to hit our
emission reduction goals. Thank you for your time.
Thank you. Next we have Tim Elder
come to my voice. Oh, ok. Thank you.
Hello, my name is Tim Elder. I am the elected president
of the National Federation of the Blind of California
I'm here to represent the interests of blind people
throughout the entire state, including those in our
San Francisco chapter and the many other blind people
in the city of San Francisco. We're very much in favor
of the commission granting these two permits. We are
here in our genuine interest in seeing this technology
benefit the blindness community. We're not being trodden
out. We are an independent organization. We're not
in anyone's back pocket or payroll or employees. We
are here to say that blind people really benefit from
this technology. We've used it. It's been proven that
it is safe. It's been operating on streets for a while
now. We need to responsibly expand it. I think these
permits are a responsible expansion and the the the
need for these is very high. Taxis are too expensive
for blind people. Uber and Lyft ride sharing often
discriminates causing blind individuals with guide
dogs to be left on the street corner. Public transit
doesn't has a last mile problem. Pair of transit has
unreasonable delays. This would be a great independence
improvement for blind people. Please vote yes on this
Responsible expansion of this safe and innovative technology
Thank you. Thank you. The next speaker is Abdo Haddin
Hello, my name is Abdul Had with the CIU local 87 here
in San Francisco. I'm here along with my brothers and
sisters to fully support autonomous vehicles to uh
operate 24 hours. I firmly believe that the development
and integration of autonomous vehicles will bring about
a new era of economic prosperity and jobs maintaining
and creation here in the state. I encourage your support
by voting. Yes, on this today. Thank you so much. Thank
you. All right. Our next three speakers are Ying X
uh Malea Ortiz and uh Noelia Noelia Linear.
Do we have Yingxing me in the audience?
Hi. Um My name is I'm an SI U local, 87 member
I'm here to uh support in the stay in the San Francisco
They will provide us uh the job we have. Uh we still
have 3000 member uh on the bench. Thank you.
Thank you. Uh Ortiz.
Hi, good afternoon. My name is Ella Ortiz and I'm with
the AC IU local at 87. I'm here to support Cruz to
stay in San Francisco because they would create jobs
for our members. Since the pandemic, we had 3000 members
without jobs they're not able to provide for their
families. And we believe that a lot of, a lot of companies
are live in California. Cruz is saying we want to stay
in California and provide jobs and also provide service
for a much needed community. Thank you very much. Thank
you.
No,
Les.
Hello. Uh My name is Lena. I am one of the representatives
of local 87. I am in support of Cruz. Staying in San
Francisco. Cruz is one of the tech companies that is
willing to become unionized and provide work for our
3000 union members that right now are on the bench
waiting for the opportunity to work. Having crews here
in San Francisco will provide work and stability for
our members and their families. We at local 87 support
Cruz. Thank you very much. Thank you. All right. The
next three speakers are Wing Luck. Jose Castillo and
Rhonda Campbell.
So uh Wing Luck,
right? I don't see anyone approaching, so I
OK.
Yes,
great.
Hello. My name is Jose Castillo. I am here to support
Cruz because um they are gonna provide jobs to our
industry janitor. That is the one that are suffering
a lot of lost jobs right now.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. All right. Next, we
have Rhonda Campbell.
Good morning commissioners. Um Thank you for your time
this morning. My name is Rhonda Campbell and I am the
California State lead victim service advocate for mothers
against drunk driving. And I'm here to read a statement
from our California executive director, Patricia Riera
Drunk driving is the number one cause of deaths and
injuries on America's roads. Taking the lives of more
than 13,000 people. In 2021 drivers are increasingly
testing positive for other drugs and combinations of
substances contributing to historic rises in roadway
deaths. We know that we need technology to step in
when people refuse to make the right choice to never
drive impaired. That's why Matt is proud of our partnership
and our shared mission with autonomous vehicle companies
like Waymo and Cruz Autonomous Technology that is now
in development will help prevent tragedies on our roads
including those caused by impaired drivers, advanced
vehicle technology such as autonomous vehicle is a
pillar of Mad's campaign to eliminate drunk driving
as the largest nonprofit organization serving victims
of these 100% preventable crimes and advocating for
laws that will stop the crisis on our road. Mad supports
the safe development and deployment of autonomous technology
Since our founding in 1980 Mad has helped save more
than 400,000 lives, reduce drunk driving deaths by
more than 50% by promoting a non a designated non drinking
driver. While great progress in highway safety has
been made over the past four decades, traffic, traffic
fatalities, injuries and crashes continue to take an
enormous toll on our country. And I'm going to ask
you to wrap up. We welcome all efforts to end impaired
driving and make our streets safer. Thank you very
much.
Ok. Our next speaker is Jamie Crane and then we have
Fran Taylor and Kathleen Fung.
Take your time.
Good morning. Uh My name is Jamie Crane. I am the elected
president of the Silicon Valley chapter of the National
Federation of the Blind of California. Um You can hear
I have my two year old in my arms. I'm also a
mother of two Children, one of whom is blind and I
myself am blind. Driverless vehicles would be an amazing
advantage for us getting around as a family with two
car seats, diaper bags, a stroller and a lot of other
things that Uber and Lyft drivers frankly are not comfortable
with us having just trying to get here today. I was
almost a half hour late because an Uber driver denied
me transportation because he didn't want my children's
car seats touching his his vehicle seats for safety
I need to know that when I get into a vehicle, I'm
allowed to install my children's car seats and make
sure they are safe before we start moving. Uh I urge
the commission to approve yes dear to approve expansion
of self driving vehicles and to do so responsibly so
that we can get all of the safety and accessibility
and all of the measures that we need to make this effective
and accessible to everybody. Thank you. Thank you.
All right. Next we have Fran Taylor.
This process reminds me of an old twilight zone episode
where you have this normal happy little town, everybody
going on about their business and wholesome and all
And then the camera pulls back and you see it's like
a giant ant farm
and there's some big hulking spider like being behind
it sort of chuckling and saying, I think they're almost
ready to eat now. And San Francisco has been an ant
farm for crows at Waymo and we're the ants and we're
asking you to please not be the spiders. I've been
working for almost 40 years in safe streets with, you
know, pedestrian organizations, disability and senior
action and transit. And I was just hanging out on the
steps waiting to come in with all the paid yellow shirts
and I didn't recognize one face of anyone who has ever
lifted a finger for safe streets. So it's BS.
Thank you. Our next speaker is Kathleen Fung.
Um Thank you very much supervisors Kathleen Fung. I
live in San Francisco in Ashbury. Um Actually I own
my own company. I work full time. I take public transportation
I take buses, I take taxis and since August of 2021
I have been a trusted tester for. I know the importance
of safety. My grandfather was killed by a hit and run
driver. So this hits me in the heart every time I get
into a Waymo, I'm well aware that my comments and my
evaluations are important to the company. I try my
best. I critique it if the car is acting erratically
I note every single detail because this is the information
that Waymo needs. This is the information that these
cars need. I am very happy to report my reports have
been excellent. Over the past two years, I urge you
please to consider and driverless cars. The technology
is good. Let's give it a chance. Thank you. Thank you
Our next speakers are Renee Claudia Vie. And uh,
and I think I mispronounced your last name. Apologies
It's ok. Ok. Hi. Uh Thank you so much, everybody for
hearing me out. My name is Renee Turcios. I'm an A
I startup founder and I just wanted to real quick,
uh share a little thing. I want to highlight a critical
aspect of autonomous vehicles, their potential to save
lives by employing advanced algorithms that remove
the possibility of human error. Autonomous vehicles
are not just a technological innovation. They are a
life saving measure in a city like San Francisco where
innovation thrives. The adoption of autonomous vehicles
could mean a future where traffic accidents are significantly
reduced and lives are spared. The choice to support
autonomous vehicles is more than a policy decision
It's a commitment to prioritizing human life and safety
in our transportation system. Thank you. Thank you
Next, we have Claudia Vie.
Good morning. My name is Claudia Vee and I've been
working with community based nonprofit organizations
in the city for almost 50 years. And I'm here today
to ask you to, to um vote against AT&T S um proposal
to eliminate copper landlines um these this uh policy
would disproportionately affect home based peop, homebound
people and the elderly. It would also particularly
um affect emergency calls. Um The emergency calls with
the landline. Um the address and the map is posted
immediately so police and ambulance can respond. I
experienced this myself firsthand. When 911 did not
respond, I hung up and then the police arrived in five
minutes. This um would not be happening with cell phones
So thank you for considering this uh request to refuse
AT&T. Thanks. Thank you. Next we have Miss Scull.
Hi, I'm Sudi Skull. Good morning. EMF sensitivity follows
a continuum such that many of us here could not function
without accommodations at and Ts Copper landline is
my only connection to the outside world. We are the
canaries in the coal mine. On the other hand, my therapy
clients increasingly present with anxiety, panic attacks
and sleep disorders. A reflection of the public's high
exposure to EMF from their workday, computers and social
media addiction moderating their ef exposure lessens
their symptoms. A legacy landline will work for 10
days after an electrical shutdown. And even then it's
only needed for the ringer when hurricane Sandy struck
the east coast in 2012, cell phones became jammed with
911 calls, intentional physical attacks on the power
grid substations rose 71% in 2022 according to a recent
CNN special that combined with earthquakes and fires
makes at and TS essential for California. Don't be
fooled by at and TS corporate profits scheme. Thank
you. Thank you. Next, our next three speakers are Dwayne
Post, Elizabeth Grisby and Sharon Giovanna.
Good afternoon. I also strongly support that the CPUC
deny any and all requests from AT&T to be relieved
from their obligations to maintain copper landlines
Other companies are not equipped to do the job, senior
citizens and people with disabilities rely on landlines
and regular telephones. They frequently do not have
the means or skills to pay for and use expensive cell
equipment. And you know that during an emergency cell
service gets overwhelmed and the battery backups on
the towers can go out. Please keep at and t responsible
for copper landlines. Thank you. Thank you. Next, we
have Elizabeth Grisby.
Thank you. Happy to be here again.
Oh, yeah, I'm all for the.
Well, I can have fun. These cars are not
to be on the road to pick up people. I'm in a
wheelchair. Can you please tell me how are these
curves go like
safely? I'm done for
that technology. What was at work? And when it doesn't
it doesn't. And I'm not about to make my life. I, I
the man in the work ain't going somewhere and I have
this car go out
and what can I do if I buy myself and of car
The fight to go
and then it turn out. We have no technology. Have you
So I encourage you. You got
right now. Wait a few more here they did. I would love
to have way more. And the question, did they actually
have it out with somebody with and disability? But
if not, then you can't tell me it's a good thing. Thank
you very much. Uh Thank you.
Next we have uh Sharon Giovinazzo. You know, the name
seems to be getting easier as we go on here. Commissioner
honorable commissioners. Imagine a world where independence
knows no boundaries, where the city streets becomes
a canvas of opportunity for everyone. As a person who
is blind, I stand before you to share my excitement
about the incredible benefits of autonomous vehicles
that bring to our lives in San Francisco for many years
Navigating the bustling streets has been a challenge
limiting freedom and potential for so many people with
visual impairments, autonomous vehicles promise more
than just mobility. They offer a renewed sense of confidence
and empowerment. Imagine if you woke up tomorrow and
you couldn't see, imagine the fear of crossing the
busy intersections or struggling with public transportation
until you could receive life saving training today
because of your positive boat. I envision a future
where I can hop into a self driving car, input my destination
and relax as I smoothly and safely take me to where
I need to go in the journey towards an autonomous future
Let us remember that technology's true. Potential lies
not only in its capabilities, but in the capacity to
uplift and empower all. Thank you commissioners. Thank
you. The next three speakers are Sherry, Sherry Albers
Jessie Wolinsky and Patrick Crowe.
Thank you. Thank you, President Reynolds and honorable
commissioners.
Um I am here to um in favor of the expansion of
the testing for and cruz. Um Transportation has.
Always been an issue for um people who are blind or
have low vision. I stand before you as a blind person
I was born with a generative eye disease. Um Transportation
has been a barrier for employment, for recreation,
for socialization and for just about everything that
we do. I don't know if we and Cruz had in mind
to develop this technology for a blind person, but
I will take it what it means to me is independence
it means freedom and it means just having the opportunity
to do what I want when I want and not having to
ask anyone to help me. I have been in a way car
It is the most confidently driven car I have ever been
in. And I thought my dad was the best driver in the
world. Um Don't I don't want people to speak for blind
people because they have no right to. But um I need
to tell you that um rideshare, Uber and Lyft is not
our friend. Thank you so much. Thank you. The next
speaker is Jesse Wolinsky.
Good morning Commissioners. My name is Jessie Wolinsky
and as a blind woman, I am here fully to support autonomous
technology. Not only has being a way tested writer
provided me with a level of independence that I have
never been able to experience before. It has provided
me with a feeling of safety that I've never had before
I have been harassed on public transit, para transit
Ubers, lifts, taxis, even walking down the street.
And quite frankly, I am absolutely tired of it. And
when I get into a vehicle, I feel not only that I
am able to get to where I need to be on my
own terms, which is huge, but I am able to do so
without the fear of being harassed, groped, assaulted
attacked or potentially worse. And I deserve to get
to the places I need to go without that fear. So please
please support this today. Thank you. Thank you. Our
next speaker is Patrick Crowe.
Hello, good morning. My name is Patrick Crowe. I'm
a resident of San Francisco and a Waymo trusted tester
I've been using Waymo for several months and I just
love it. I think it's great technology. The reason
I'm here though is not, has nothing to do with Waymo
or cruise. The reason I'm here is on behalf of San
Francisco and California. I feel that this issue represents
something that's much more important than self driving
cars. I feel that this is an opportunity for us to
say no and shut things down or say yes and open up
new possibilities for our city. I have a sustainable
San Francisco growing San Francisco and a San Francisco
that provides new opportunities. I think that the concerns
that people have can be addressed through working with
these companies. And there's so many ways that we can
use technology to help emergency services or maybe
have self driving cars, avoid areas. So I urge you
to vote for this resolution. Thank you. Thank you.
The next three speakers are Kazuko Jones, Brent Johnson
and Brian Hamilton.
Uh Good afternoon. This is Kat Jones. Um, thank you
Um, my name is Kat Jones. Uh I've been a, a trusted
test for way more since 2021. October and I wrote,
um about 1400 uh minutes and quite a few um times and
uh I wanna say you should trust this technology. It's
evolving rapidly since, uh, since I started to uh test
it, it was some iffy moments, not safety issue. But
um, it's been great and now I just, uh, I, I find
way more safer than any other drivers, including myself
It's its cautious side. That's why you see the articles
in the newspaper. It stops because of the safety issue
and it's not good, of course. But, um, I, I'm sure
the technology can overcome the issue, cooperating
with the authorities. So I, I just want to emphasize
please vote. Yes. Thank you. Thank you. The next speaker
is Brent Johnson.
Good morning commissioners. Good morning, everyone
Ok. Hey, my name is David Brent Johnson. I have lived
and driven taxi for over 30 years in San Francisco
in life. I like to focus on a simple mantra in a
good way that may include many elements, including
integrity, responsibility and respect. I urge you to
vote no on the expansion of autonomous vehicles. I'm
here today to report what I see on the streets as a
full time driver in San Francisco, I see empty A V
cars stopped in traffic often, usually on major thoroughfares
such as Howard street fell and go streets during peak
traffic times. Way and crew want to be taxis. They
are not taxis and it is illegal for them to imply or
advertise as such in any way. San Francisco taxis are
regulated by the S FA and Waymo are not driverless
cars are of little use to the public when we have so
many other viable safer options for transport. Let's
explore those I do not oppose the people here today
I do not on either side of this issue, I don't oppose
anyone with this. I understand autonomous vehicles
are simply not ready for prime time. Corporate greed
Folks feel differently, they're ready for the money
Um,
as a tax driver, my coworkers and I have assessed in
public countless episodes, we could write volumes,
help helping disabled folks, people in danger, taking
folks in need to the er, and helping them home from
them, interrupting robberies. I'm gonna ask you to
wrap up your time. And recently two of my cabby friends
literally saving lives traveling with Narcan two times
in the last month that I know of. Uh I urge you
to vote no on this matter in a good way. Thank you
Thank you. The next speaker is Brian Hamilton.
Thank you. Our son Christopher is an adult with autism
and a way more trusted tester not driving means ride
sharing services are important to his independence
He goes to the San Francisco Arc using Uni to get there
He uses ride sharing services to return at night. When
safety concerns exist in the neighborhood for individuals
with autism, socialization can be challenging. Drivers
often want to engage in conversation. This only heightens
Christopher's anxiety, autonomous cars will significantly
improve his life by eliminating the stressor. Another
aspect to consider is safety. While most drivers are
reliable, there have been and will continue to be security
and safety issues. We worry about Christopher being
vulnerable or being taken advantage of making the absence
of a physical driver a security enhancement, neurological
conditions like autism often go unnoticed because the
individuals appear just like anyone else. Self driving
cars offer more than just convenience. They provide
an opportunity for independence for people like Christopher
As you assess the input on this matter. I urge you
to keep in mind those that lack a voice or struggle
to use it effectively their well being and independence
matters in this discussion. Thank you. Thank you. Our
next three speakers are Vicky Severs, Rachel Gaunt
and Garry Page
Vicky Sandra. It is imperative that at and ts application
for relief from its carrier of last resort obligations
be denied ensuring reliable voice service for every
customer, including disabled populations is critical
at and ts claim that customers can choose another provider
is meaningless when at and TS competitors are not obligated
to serve anyone at all. Surely it is the responsibility
of this body to deny an application that threatens
health and safety because of my work with a network
devoted to protecting people from the harms of wireless
radiation. I know and know of many at and T customers
who are EMF disabled and rely on the copper line system
for low EMF voice service and reliable connection during
outages and disasters already compromised and marginalized
These citizens would experience exacerbation of their
conditions unless this application is denied. Thank
you. Thank you, Miss Gaunt is next.
Hello, good morning commissioners. My name is Rachel
Gaunt. I live out in West Marin and last year we had
a number of power cuts. Some for several days. The
only, um the only link to the outside world was our
landline. It was really important. It for the same
reason in fires to when things back up or the towers
go down. It's a wonderful connection to the outside
world. I use it exclusively for work. I don't use wired
or voice over. IP because it doesn't make me feel so
good. Um So I urge you to deny AT&T s application to
phase out our copper landlines. It's just a lifeline
for all of us
and I wasn't going to speak on this, but I, I moved
to, on behalf of the EMF sensitive community around
the world, which is a much higher proportion than people
realize whilst I think AV cars are probably here to
stay. I urge you to look at the radar that they send
out from hundreds of yards around them endangering
possibly people walking by. Thank you very much. Thank
you. Our next speaker is Garry Page.
Good afternoon. I live in a dead cell area by choice
Wireless RF radiation is contra indicated after radiation
for cancer. In March, I had a dead cell phone or a
dead phone and a doctor suspecting a heart attack who
told me to go to the nearest er, to get help. I
left my home and walked down the public street until
I could flag down someone to drive me to the hospital
at and T spends a large sums of money lobbying for
its own self interests at and T has proven ability
and infrastructure for landline service, which frontier
does not. And I ask for a functioning well maintained
landline. We need the CPS help cpc's help to assure
the resilient redundant, reliable phone service in
California at and TS a application of landlines limits
diversity and danger in communication. As California
wildfires and Maui's ongoing tragedy proves cell service
fails in emergencies. Please save and maintain at and
Ts copper landlines. Thank you. Thank you. Our next
speakers are Jess Myers, Leslie Dialer
and Ryan Deer.
Good afternoon, President Reynolds and the commissioners
My name is Jess Myers. I'm a resident of the Bay Area
and I serve as Legal Advocacy Council for Chamber of
Progress. A tech industry coalition committed to ensuring
all Americans benefit from technological leaps. Our
corporate partners include companies like Cruz and
Waymo, but our partners do not have a vote nor a veto
over our positions. We urge the commission to vote
in favor of draft resolution. TL 19 144 and TL 19 145
which would grant both Waymo and Cruz's respective
applications to provide transportation service to the
public in autonomous vehicles under the ongoing jurisdiction
of the CPC. Over the past year, San Francisco experienced
record traffic fatalities making the safety benefits
of avs urgently needed. We applaud the commission's
commitment to promoting safety and its regulation of
its passenger carriers particularly as it relates to
AVS according to the draft resolution, Waymo and Cruise's
technology policies and procedures have successfully
demonstrated a commitment to passenger safety by meeting
the passenger safety plan minimum for these reasons
We urge the commission to vote to approve Waymo and
Cruz's draft resolution so that they may continue to
advance the safe commercial deployment of autonomous
vehicles and bring their benefits to more Californians
including San Francisco residents and workers. Thank
you for your time. Thank you.
Are you Mr Door? Yes. Ok. Maybe we switch the order
I think. Is that ok? Ok, great. Thank you. Please go
ahead Mr Dor. My name is Ryan Deer. I have been a
San Francisco resident since 2011 and I'm recently
a new property owner. This is Pumpkin. She is a service
animal. She is a guide dog. Her service she performs
she guides me. I am totally blind. In the last month
I have had three Uber drivers very explicitly deny
pumpkin access to their vehicles simply because she
is a service animal. This is not something that an
autonomous vehicle is going to do. No autonomous vehicle
is going to have this particular bias. Another thing
to consider is that when we as blind people are traveling
and trying to communicate with current ride share drivers
sometimes this can be difficult. I am able to use an
application on my phone that is fully accessible to
do things like make the vehicle honk to be able to
find it acoustically. I have high levels of what are
called orientation and mobility skills. This makes
me very independent, these vehicles add to my independence
and I strongly encourage you to vote. Yes, thank you
Thank you.
Next, we have Leslie Dalian Dier. Good morning, President
Reynolds and Commissioners I'd like to speak about
the public's need to keep both copper at and T landline
phone servers also known as pots, plain old telephone
service and at and TS DSL wired internet connection
which receives data via a copper telephone landline
These two communication mediums do not expose users
to harmful amounts of electromagnetic radiation. Seniors
also depend on at and T copper landline phones. I know
this first hand because I am a caregiver and to seniors
and landlines are their connection to the world outside
and the fact that landline phone, audio quality is
superior. Excuse me to absolutely is superior. It's
essential for seniors with hearing difficulties to
have this type of phone service for a senior at and
T copper. Landline phones are the simplest and easiest
communication device to use. Thank you very much. Thank
you. The next three speakers are Sheila French, Rebecca
Miller and Sue Vaugh.
Oh,
my name is Shea French and I am the Transit organizing
Director of Senior and Disability Action. We reach
5000 seniors and people with disabilities in the Bay
area. We oppose the draft resolutions. We want more
regulation. We want the public to continue to have
a voice in making this technology accessible, affordable
and safe. There are no wheelchair accessible vehicles
on the road, they don't pick up or drop off at the
curb which endangers people's lives. And cruz have
been in conversation with the disability community
which we appreciate, but it would only take a change
in CEO or falling stock for the accessibility, approve
improvements. We need to get dropped. If it's left
up to the companies, we need you to use your power
to make accessible requirements that are specific and
have a timeline and consequences for not following
through until that happens. And other concerns are
addressed. We urge you to vote. No,
thank you. Our next speaker is Rebecca Miller.
Hi. Oh, thank you. No problem. Hi. Uh I'm flying on
the right side of both eyes. I take public transit
to increase my freedom. A BS would need to be as affordable
as public transit. They would need to drop me off at
the curb. And I have concern also for pedestrians in
addition to not mainly concern about A vs being fast
but for myself. So somebody like myself with disabilities
as well as pedestrians. And um so they need to not
take away public transit options. Uh The only way to
make that happen is to regulate them more. Please vote
No, thank you. The next speaker is Sue Bon.
Good afternoon commissioners. I'm going to urge you
to vote. No, on the proposal to expand Robo taxi operations
in San Francisco. And um I'd like to point out that
Waymo Cruz and our Google are sponsors of a number
of the organizations that have submitted letters of
support for this proposal to unleash unlimited numbers
of Robotaxis on San Francisco's streets. These include
the Richmond neighborhood center, Green Bell Alliance
independent Living Resources and the Curry Senior Center
among others. I didn't have time to research them all
Additionally, when is that going to happen? This authorization
falls under the same authorization for TNC. These vehicles
have been congesting traffic and exacerbating pollution
and especially global warming for a decade. Still.
No. Er, I, now you're considering authorization and
for an unlimited number of robotaxis that will compete
for passenger taxis and our best tool for fighting
climate change, our public transportation. Um I don't
have time to read the passage from the document in
which you talk about not doing the eir. I don't know
why. Thank you. Thank you. Our next three speakers
are Kathleen Sullivan, Michelle Cassano and Sage Korn
Good morning commissioners. My name is Doctor Kathleen
Sullivan and I am the executive director of open house
I urge you to support the resolution granting Avi's
and cruise the permit to provide a passenger, commercial
driverless passenger service in San Francisco. I'm
a rider of this service. Um And more importantly, my
organization benefited from driverless vehicle service
which weekly delivers groceries to home bound LGBT
Q seniors throughout San Francisco when Waymo is permitted
to provide driverless passenger service throughout
our wonderful city, seniors who otherwise would be
isolated in their homes will be able to safely travel
to open house for social support service services,
educational and enrichment program. It's important
to recognize that many of the seniors that we serve
have been victims of violence, discrimination and marginalization
A Waymo car does not discriminate, it does not marginalize
and it certainly does not cause violence towards its
passengers. The safety of a vehicle for older LGBT
San Francisco's San Franciscan is a transformative
experience. I urge you to support the resolution. Thank
you. Thank you. Next Michelle Cao,
President Reynolds and Commissioners. Thank you for
this opportunity to hear from the community about autonomous
vehicles. My name is Michelle Cassano and I'm the executive
director of the Richmond Neighborhood Center at the
Richmond Neighborhood Center. We run food pantries
and a home delivered groceries program where volunteers
from the community come pick up groceries to drop off
to Home Bound senior so that they can continue to cook
and live independently as they age in place. Many of
these managing over 100 volunteers as you can imagine
that some, sometimes they're unable to pick up their
bag for the week due to vacations or illnesses. We
see the potential of having A vs, help our non driving
staff during those times so that they can get food
to and from folks to deliver food more efficiently
and effectively without interruption A VS could also
help our food insecure neighbors without cars get to
and from our pantries, especially working parents who
are on tight schedules, getting to and from work. Both
Waymo and Cruz have been supporters of these ideas
and the work that we do they demonstrate what true
community partnership should look like? Personally
I support AV vehicles. I have been on a total of 87
rides in Waymo and have never felt safer in San Francisco
Street. You can tell where every pedestrian and every
bicyclist is on the screen in front of you and it never
rolls through a stop sign and always goes the speed
limit. I've even taken my family and friends and my
80 year old aunt says it's a who? Thank you.
All right, the next three speakers are oh, Sage Kor
sorry. Thank you. Yes, please proceed. My name is Sage
Koren and I live in the Sunset District. I'm a ceramic
artist and a crossword puzzle constructor. I'm here
today to encourage the commission to approve ao's application
My top concern is safety. My primary mode of transportation
is bicycle. I biked here today. I am a keenly aware
that my biggest risk in biking is that I may be taken
out by a distracted human driver. Humo is not the problem
when I'm not biking. I prefer to walk most days. I
walk to the public library to print out my word puzzles
This requires me to cross 19th Avenue. When I get the
walk signal, I count how many human driven cars accelerate
through the red light or make an illegal left turn
through the crossing pedestrians. Yesterday, there
were four red light runners and one illegal left. It
has never been a Waymo
when I'm not walking or biking, I do ride Way mo I
have taken 183 trips as a member of the trusted tester
program. My reality is that the Waymo driver is already
safer than human drivers and it keeps getting better
with every trip. I strongly believe the responsible
deployment of autonomous vehicles is making our city
safer. I encourage the commission to approve the application
Thank you. Thank you. Our next three speakers are Sean
Durkin, Adam Zoo and uh R Wang.
All right, please proceed. Thank you. Good afternoon
commissioners, President Reynolds and thank you for
your time. My name is Sean Durkin. I'm a rider in driverless
vehicles, a machine learning engineer and a resident
of San Francisco. I rise today in support of the resolution
to expand access to this revolutionary accessibility
technology for three reasons. First, as a gender non
conforming person, I have chosen a particular presentation
today. This is not how I always present in those circumstances
I had experienced ride share drivers who had left me
on the side of the street refused to open their vehicles
Drivers can discriminate against vulnerable populations
including queer black and trans folks far more than
any computer. Second, as a machine learning engineer
I know well, the complexities of deploying these systems
I do not have any financial or other stake in self
driving, but I have worked on safety fairness, bias
and antitrust, often seeking to regulate the very tech
companies that are accused of sponsoring the supporters
of Avis here today. Third, ensuring the future of San
Francisco is the technological engine, not only of
California, but of the world requires our support for
this acceleration of technological progress. Fleets
of autonomous electric vehicles powered by green energy
reducing the need for private vehicles are an essential
part of that future. Your decision here today will
echo far beyond this room. You have a choice between
stagnation and growth between hope and fear. I ask
you to choose, hope. I ask you to vote in favor of
this resolution. Thank you. Thank you.
Our next speaker is Adam. Y
Hi. Uh My name is Autumn. I live in Hay Ashbury. We're
asking you commissioners to allow some driverless cars
by Waymo, not to ban humans from driving cars or public
transportation. There will always be people who want
to take cars driven by humans. My mom is very traditional
and one of them, there will always be some workers
driving cars. It's not so black and white. We can have
driverless cars and driver operated cars, coexist for
people with different preferences. If you're afraid
of people not wanting to take cars driven by humans
you must ask yourself why you feel entitled to force
people to do something against their will to deny them
the right to a ride without a human stranger. If you're
worried about driverless cars discriminating more than
humans, regulate them so they have to be accessible
Don't ban them entirely. I say this as a former regulator
and policy maker, we don't have to be so afraid of
progress in new technology. Technology can liberate
humans from work, create abundance and empower us to
spend our time doing what brings us joy and peace.
Thank you. Our next speaker is R Wang.
Hello everyone. My name is Rae Wang. Two years ago
when I moved to San Francisco, I was often very frustrated
by the riding journey with the unpredictable wait times
the often prohibitive costs and the discomfort silence
with the drivers which hampered my willingness to explore
and connect with the city. With the advent of the Robo
taxi. I found an entirely new level of freedom. These
A vs were not constrained by the same issues they were
available on demands and offer a consistent, reliable
and cheap service. Robo Taxi has allowed me to fully
immerse myself in San Francisco. They have become more
than just a means of transportation. They have been
an integral, integral part of my urban life. The full
rollout of commercial driverless passenger services
give me the new hope and the reasons to continue living
and contributing in the city instead of the other location
in the Bay area. I'm here to urge the CPC to expand
the AV services to next.
Thank you. The next three speakers are Brian Bernard
via Fuentes, Maria Blanco de Mazzo.
Hi, good afternoon. Um two years ago while I stopped
at a red light, I was rear ended by a vehicle at
50 MPH. Um, the driver wasn't paying attention.
Try one more time, I'll try it again. Um, he never
breaked. I was severely injured in the accident for
the past two years. I've worked to regain my independence
My story is one of thousands of people injured in this
country each and every day by human error, drunk drivers
and other, um, just human led accidents. Uh, autonomous
vehicles represent a route to safer roads. Today. You
have an opportunity before you to embrace a technology
that promises to protect our friends, our families
and our fellow residents of San Francisco. I call on
you to exercise this duty in protecting our public
safety. Thank you. Thank you.
Ok.
A
she's ok.
Is it Rosalia or Rosalinda?
Hold up.
Uh, Fuentes.
Oh, ok,
Peter Leah.
Hello. My name is Victor Pala. I've been working for
Uber for two years.
I'm here because I'm totally against the idea that
automatic drivers are working,
first of all, because the driverless cars are gonna
take the passengers away from Uber.
I'm raising five Children and the, as the drivers expand
as the driverless cars expand, they're gonna take away
the work from us and I have five Children I'm trying
to raise and I don't know how I'm gonna be able to
do it with that work without that work.
A
so as I was coming in today, I saw a driverless car
kill a dog and maybe it's a dog now. But when will
it be an elderly person? A disabled person? Thank you
very much. Thank you.
Thank you. The next speaker is Maria Blanco de Monzo
Ok. Uh Then we'll move to, uh I'll read out the next
three starting with Alba Guzman. Um Santiago Cesar
Uh
um
Yes. So I think this is a very essential, essential
part of our city. I was attacked in 2019 because I
was driving and I was attacked by someone. I think
it's essential that we have driverless cars. Thank
you very much. Thank you.
Next, we have uh Santiago
Buenos Aires, Santiago. Uh So your resident in Santa
Cruz?
Yes, my name is I'm here because I want to talk about
the transportation of driverless cars.
I'm, I'm the head of a family and I've been, I'm driving
for a lift for the last six years.
These um, driverless cars are taking away the income
that people need and driving. Um, the cost of lifting
Uber up.
So these are very dangerous cars. Imagine if there's
an accident with one person driving, it would be even
worse with a driverless car.
Ok.
So another point that I'd like to make is there are
people that are gonna need help, for example, someone
bringing their luggage into a car
of the
so, and there's also disabled people who are gonna
need help getting in the car and imagine if there's
a driverless car who is gonna help them disabled people
get in the car,
people that transport.
So those of you who have the deciding power, please
don't allow the driverless cars to continue. Thank
you. Thank you.
The next speaker is Cesar Polica.
Good afternoon, everybody. Uh uh
The gig work is rising. My name is and I'm an organizer
of gay workers writing,
driverless cars cannot communicate with passengers
the way human driving cars are,
they also are very congesting traffic in the city.
Taxes,
driverless cars, take away the income that people need
to raise their families. Yes. Good work is rising.
Um And that's why um workers rising would implore you
to not continue with this project. Thank you. Thank
you. Uh We have one more speaker uh for with interpretation
That's Laura Fras.
Good afternoon. My name is
I'm a senior citizen, but I've been working driving
Uber for the last six years.
And that's why I've chosen to speak in Spanish
because I feel that we don't have enough support in
this language.
I'm here against the robot cars. That's what I call
them.
And I only work half time at Uber.
So they um don't drive, well, they drive very badly
and I ran into them and at the stop sign.
So the other reason is that I've seen four or five
cars go through the stop and they don't do that.
And the other reason is that there's not any help for
older people.
So for one thing, they, they don't have help to put
luggage in the car and they also don't have help to
put people, uh elderly people or disabled people in
the car while at a hospital.
So I'm also taking care of my two grandchildren and
I only part time and I've had issues with these driverless
cars. That's why I'm here in, excuse me, that's why
I'm here in opposition to them. Thank you.
That's all for today. Thank you so much. Thank you
The next three speakers are Karen Williams, Graham
Isam and Sarah Hoffman.
Ok.
One second,
one day.
Yeah.
Um Good afternoon. My name is Karen Williams. I'm a
15 year San Francisco resident. I live in the Castro
District. This is Leonardo. I just woke him up. He's
my guide dog puppy in training. Um I came here on my
own accord. Uh I'm here to strongly urge you to allow
and other autonomous vehicles, the permission for passenger
service in the city and the state. Um One of the main
reasons is personal safety. As a woman who frequently
needs to take ride share or public transportation on
a regular basis, and especially during evening hours
I feel much safer knowing that I'm writing in a judgment
free discrimination, free beer, free vehicle rather
than one that you nervously navigate. We've all been
there where you pretend to make the call to say here's
the license plate of the car I'm in, you know, I'm
calling my partner or you get off the bus, maybe a
couple of stops early and end up in an area where you
don't want to be all because you didn't feel safe.
In addition to road safety, personal safety could be
highly impacted in a positive way with cars like Waymo
Cruise. Thank you. Thank you. The next speaker is Graham
Isam.
Hello, my name is Graham Isom and I was born and raised
in San Francisco and I've lived here my whole life
I am asking the commission today to consider the possible
future impacts on jobs that expanding autonomous vehicles
could have. We've already heard from service drivers
who fear that their jobs will be automated away and
they'll be unable to take care of their families. But
I also encourage you to think of the 3.5 million truck
drivers in the United States. And to think that Cruz
is currently rolling out delivery vehicles that they
call driverless delivery with the express intent of
replacing delivery drivers, long haul truckers and
affecting the livelihoods of millions of American families
and millions of working people. I'm not saying that
there can be no place for autonomous vehicles, but
there can absolutely be no expansion of autonomous
vehicles at the cost of middle class and working class
and union jobs which this will take.
Thank you all for your time. I appreciate you. Thank
you, Sarah Hoffman,
President Reynolds and Commissioners. My name is Sarah
Hoffman and I'm here on behalf of the Autonomous Vehicle
Industry Association or a dia we urge the commission
to approve the draft resolutions, grounding cruises
and Waymo permits as the commission itself has recognized
A vs, have maintained good passenger safety records
and the resolutions will provide more opportunities
for San Francisco residents to access the safety, mobility
and affordability benefits of A VS as an A V user myself
I feel much more safe in an A V than I have
with many human drivers, including those I'm related
to. Um And the performance of A VS far exceeds that
of traditional vehicles primarily because they remove
human error and human emotions from the equation. In
light of the demonstrated safety record of A VS and
because crews and applications comply with all regulatory
requirements. We encourage the commission to vote favorably
on the draft resolutions. Thank you for your time.
Thank you.
We have one more speaker uh for interpretation uh Rosalita
Munez.
Uh
I know
I've been working for, for the past seven years.
I'm not here to say that you should entirely quit having
autonomous drivers.
So the problem with them is they're taking away the
necessary income and the necessary food and drink that
people are gonna have raising their families.
So I'm a single woman with two Children, raising two
Children and I know a lot of single people raising
kids and we depend on the income that we get from driving
for these companies.
Uh The uh the,
so the thing is, is that with crews and the other autonomous
driver, driverless cars, it is not being put into effect
for people who need the income because they drive
interfering.
So also I have noticed that the driverless cars get
to a place and they don't know like what to do and
they don't know how to stop or which way to turn. And
there's a lot of fire firemen that have to come out
and save the people that could possibly be hit by these
cars because they don't know where to go and how to
get there.
So I'm here to express my opinion and say please do
not permit the continuing autonomous drivers from.
So this is gonna be the issue that the middle class
will not have the income, they need to support their
families and this is not helpful for all of us.
Thank you very much. Have a nice day. Thank you. Our
next speakers are Regina Chao
Chala Regina.
I'll come back to you. I don't see her here. Ok. Um
Lisa Moscow and Jennifer Laporta,
I'm here to ask you to vote no for the at and
T request to eliminate landlines. Social connection
is a very important part of human health. The landline
provides a quality and precision sound that can not
be equaled by cell phones or by text or email in a
society plagued by isolation, loneliness and environmental
disasters of fire and flood, reliable communication
can be a matter of life and death in a storm. In
recent past, in Marin, the self towers were disabled
So only people with landlines had the ability to make
calls. We have already invested large amounts of money
and labor to create the technology. For landlines.
We need to maintain this technology. A device has been
invented that can be installed in electric wire to
tell us if there is a problem. A device which can even
shut off the current in an emergency. I've asked you
again. Please vote no on the AT&T attempt to eliminate
landlines. Thank you, Jennifer Laporta.
Hi, I'm from Santa Rosa and I live through the 2017
Tubbs fire and the 2020 glass fire resulting in loss
of many lives. The fire departments could not communicate
with each other because the cell phone providers would
not share their data plans. Adding to these disasters
copper landlines are vital to emergency communication
for all of us, especially when cell phone towers are
damaged during natural disasters. I rely on my landline
in part on my landline, in part because the reception
is better than my cell phone and as was noted earlier
quicker location for 911 from landline versus cell
phone
at and T has an obligation to be the carrier of last
resort for landlines at. And Ts claim that customers
can choose a different provider is false because other
providers are not obligated to serve anyone. Please
deny that at and t application to ensure that everyone
including EMF disabled customers have access to voice
service that is crucial for communication. Society
must ensure that ef customers are not discriminated
against. We cannot use cell phones and we rely on landlines
Thank you. Thank you. Our next three speakers are Tarell
George Rusty Caddy. Carolyn Leonard.
Good afternoon commissioners. I'm Tarell George. I
live in West Beren County and um, I'm here that to
ask that AT&T not be allowed to dismiss its obligation
to provide uh safe, reliable, uh, clear communication
via, via the uh copper landlines. Um Yeah, I've been
in West for, for over 40 years and pretty much every
year we're out of power and dependent upon those lines
Um, at one point, the expense of it was so much that
I decided I would try to use the universe and the connections
was always so unreliable and unclear that I had to
go back to spending a whole lot more money for the
AT&T um landline, but it's worth it for communication
and safety. So I ask you to deny their request to dismiss
their obligation. Thank you. Thank you, Rusty Caddy
Hi. My name is Rusty Katie and I live in rural West
Marin also and it's absolutely vital for us to live
out there without a landline. We don't get very good
cell service and we like it that way because we live
with ems sensitive people. And in fact, their only
communication with the outside world is through landlines
And
like the rest of California, we suffered through a
lot of disasters. This winter, the power went out five
times one time. It was out for five days. And our only
communication with the outside world was our landline
and we did have verse one time and when the power goes
out for days at a time, then we're completely cut off
Um, so I'm also here representing two other people
who live on the land and they can't even come here
today to represent themselves because of the Ems here
And, uh, at and t hasn't communicated their intention
to pull landlines. So I really urge you to deny their
requests. We need a safe, reliable service and it disproportionately
affects people who are disabled and elderly and who
live rurally. Thank you. Thank you. The next speaker
is Carolyn Leonard. Good afternoon, honorable commissioners
and staff. My name is Carolyn Leonard. Samra urging
you to support copper landlines. I'm not here as an
environmentalist. I'm not here as a leader of the largest
homeowners station in San Rafael, nor as the leader
of a coalition of 37 homeowner associations representing
a zip code in Marin County. I'm not here as a cert
community emergency response instructor, federally
certified. I'm not here as a former fire commissioner
I'm not here as a realtor of 22 years but, or a
citizen of the year, I'm here as a friend of someone
who's disabled and asks me to come in her stead, I'm
here as a citizen and a third generation Californian
Um What is important is that you understand why? And
what is the basis of your decisions today on any subject
Are you clear on your values that you are of acting
on in the environment? You would lose resilience. The
economics would be that more electricity would be required
ethically, you're increasing the digital divide. So
what are your values that you're choosing to act on
Because there are advantages and disadvantages from
any proposal that you see here? I support the protest
of Nina uh beat, beat and hope you have a chance to
read that. Appreciate the time today. Thank you. Good
day. Thank you. Our next three speakers are Jackson
nut beers, Jason Sap Ford and OK. Uh Kinko.
Thank you. Hi, my name is Jackson and I'm speaking
on behalf of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce
Uh The San Francisco Chamber of Commerce urges the
California Public Utilities Commission to approve without
delay the expansion of the operations of autonomous
vehicles in San Francisco right now. We need innovative
businesses like and Cruz to help revitalize our city
and to put us on a sustainable path to meet the climate
action plan goals. If the California Public Utilities
Commission approves the wide scale commercial use of
these autonomous vehicles. It would bring lasting benefits
for businesses, large and small their workers and local
communities. Humo cruises service also creates excitement
among residents and visitors, encouraging them to enjoy
and explore the city, bringing much needed energy into
the local economy. The Chamber of Commerce urges the
commission to vote. Yes. On expansion of autonomous
vehicles in San Francisco. Thank you. Thank you. The
next speaker is Jason Sad.
My name is Jason Spafford and I live in the mission
I'm your neighbor. I want CPC to vote. Yes on AV technology
San Francisco truly believes in having zero traffic
deaths. Then the city has the moral obligation to support
life saving AV technology. When my wife and I take
our dog for a walk, there are so many instances of
drivers flying past us inches away, completely ignoring
stop signs, taking illegal turns. But guess what? I
never ever have to guess if Cruz is going to decide
to follow the traffic rules today, no matter what time
of day how it was feeling at work. If it received some
bad news, self driving cars always create a safe environment
for my wife, my dog and myself. I'm tired of watching
my family be put in danger and we have a solution to
the danger that human drivers cause which nobody is
really addressing. And I think self driving cars are
infinitely better than human drivers right now and
I'm going to take a bike to go to work after this
And I hope I don't get hit by a terrible human driver
Thank you. Thank you,
honorable president, commissioners, staff members.
My name is Alexander Poko. I have been a resident of
San Francisco for over nine years. I urge the CPC to
approve the resolution granting Bay more cruz and other
auto, auto vehicle companies and grant them permit
to provide commercial driverless passenger service
in San Francisco. As a future driver, I'm looking forward
to being able to access autonomous driving technology
in San Francisco. I would use the technology both to
commute to take to visit drugstores, hospitals, restaurants
go shopping and errands.
Most of all, I'm excited about the safety, sustainability
and accessibility benefits that autonomous vehicle
companies offer
was a famous driver, autonomous, other autonomous vehicle
companies. They know how to avoid collisions better
than any other human uh alternative driver and has
always improving safety for the road users, cyclists
pedestrians and public roads. Uh Recently I graduated
from University of California and I know so many business
advantages of this impressive innovative technology
But today, I would like to address your commission
because I think it brings a lot of safety advantages
that no other human alternatives can provide as of
now. Thank you. Thank you. Our next speakers are Brian
mcconn. Oh, I'm, yeah, that's right, Brian mcconnell
Alvaro Silberstein and Kim Hah.
Hello, I'm Brian mcconnell. I'm a 30 year San Francisco
resident and I'm also a licensed pilot autopilot has
been used in aviation for decades and that automation
is one reason why not one person has died in a US
airline crash in 14 years. We have zero tolerance for
airline airline fatalities. Yet we allow tens of thousands
of people to die on our roads each year. From my experience
av technology is already on par with human drivers
and it will only continue to improve exponentially
I also say this as somebody who is skeptical of AV
technology up until fairly recently when I started
riding, I would ask you to vote yes, to expand the
permits for Weibo and Cruz. And also I just want to
point out this is a public hearing in San Francisco
about robot taxis and I don't see one robot costume
R two D two. Where are you San Francisco? You're better
than this. Thank you.
Thank you. Um The next speaker is Alvaro Silberstein
We can come back to Mr Silverstein. Let's go to Kim
Hah.
Mm
Kim Han San Rael.
Thanks for letting me speak today about at and Ts proposal
to take out the copper infrastructure. First. I would
like to mention that the last time I stood in this
room, your past President Michael Peavey announced
that as his good farewell gesture on the last day of
his reign, he would give us an opt out for smart meters
This gift has saved the lives of many people who have
electromagnetic hypersensitivity and it was because
of the installation of a smart meter on my electrical
service that my life changed in a moment. The first
person that I spoke to, who knew how to dance around
this em or EMR as she had been similarly injured years
before while working at Yahoo was Jolie Andrezak and
sadly, we lost Jolie last year who ended up in a tiny
shack on the Russian River. The medical examiner said
that she died in her sleep from a bad heart. But it's
my feeling that she died from a broken heart because
she had been let down by the people in the world who
were supposed to take care of her. Please say no to
at and t thank you so much. Thank you.
I'm going to call three more speakers and then we'll
take a 10 minute break. We still have a number of people
left and we do want to get to everyone. So we have
Robert Ernst, Joshua Sanders and Shana Ray
Mr Ernst.
How are you doing? I'm Bob. Uh Well, here we are again
uh different faces. Same problem. I have a question
for you all. Uh anybody up there, a former uh utilities
executive at and TPGE uh no response. Just what I thought
Um uh the cp's very own rulebook, the revival. I quote
from rule 2.6 regarding your concept of universal service
quality, this is I quote, the commissioner's carrier
of last resort requirements are the foundation of the
universal service policy, ensuring that every customer
is able to obtain voice service and that, that the
public utility and that's PG and at and T is obliged
to serve and serve end quote. The recent federal indictments
of Trump are listed as three overlapping conspiracies
to defraud to disrupt and to deprive these charges
Could also be applied to at and T in their application
to the CPC, they referred to taking down the copper
wire landline system. Number one, this application
would harm no one that's totally fraudulent. Number
two at and T wants to disrupt, silence the voice of
a disabled fringe minority of society that is critical
of them because they have so often been done to by
them. Number three at and T obviously wants to deprive
them of their only voice and contact they have left
with the outside world. Are you folks sitting up there
in judgment going to allow AT&T to bully you by dictating
to you an unreasonable timeline. I need to ask you
what your rule book says. You make sure every customer
has the kind of service they need. Thanks for the great
thank you.
Right. Next speaker is Joshua Sanders.
Hi. My name is Joshua Saunders and I'm a member of
the California Council, the Blind of San Francisco
And I wanted to speak to you about autonomous vehicles
And I wanted to speak a little differently about this
issue. And the reason I'm going to speak differently
is basically what you heard is either I'm for this
issue or I'm against this issue. This is good or this
is bad about it. And I wanted to say that I for
a long time, have thought positively about haunted
this vehicles and thought it would be a good thing
for the future and stuff and what I wanted to say was
that
I want you to look at their issues and stuff and look
into if you decide to grant their, their petition and
what they want, then I also want you to provide required
for safety regulations and ensure that they have safety
requirements provided. And this is the time to do it
because this is when they are asking to have their
fleet expanded, trying to do that in the future would
be much more difficult than doing it at this time.
And also try to make sure that they have accessibility
requirements provided for people like me who are visually
impaired. For example, I got out of a lift vehicle
today um out in front of this auditorium and the driver
was able to say that I had arrived at the destination
the app that I had provided that and I want to make
sure that the app that Cruz and has has the same functionality
Thank you. Thank you,
MS Ray is next.
Hi, my name is Shana Ray. Um I also came here by
uh a lift today and
the benefits of having a human driver is that if I
call a lifter, an Uber, I can tell that the driver
I can text them and say, please look for me. I'm blind
I have a cane and I don't know how I would communicate
with an autonomous vehicle also. Um As far as Cruz
is concerned, they, they don't pick people up on the
curb and they, and they drop people off in the middle
of the street, which is extremely unsafe. I'm not opposed
to autonomous vehicles, but I think there should definitely
be some safety regulations in place at the, at the
outset. Thank you. Thank you.
Ok, we are gonna be taking a 10 minute break. Um, we'll
be back in 10 minutes which is uh 1 32. Thank you
Sure,
momentarily. Thank you for your patience.
Ok?
Yeah,
that all right, we're gonna get going again. If everybody
could, please find a seat.
Today's conference has resumed.
Ok, thank you. Uh We do need to reestablish a quorum
and uh, I'll note that Commissioner Douglas is necessarily
absent and ask the agenda clerk to call the role. Commissioner
John Reynolds. Commissioner Commissioner
Alice Reynolds here. We have a quorum. We're back in
the public comment portion of today's meeting. I'm
going to be calling three individuals as the next commenters
to provide their comments today. So the next commenters
are Rena, we are Markowitz and then Frank Fay and John
Potter.
Good afternoon. Um I'm Renata Vivi and I've been a
cab driver for 30 years and I just want to say my
concern is always public safety and I like to drive
and get my passengers safely wherever we go. I have
a lot of ladies that I drive who are disabled, they
appreciate it. I can get them in and out of the car
with their walkers, their canes. I take them shopping
We go inside, I go in the store with them shopping
I help them with everything. Driverless car can't do
that. And, and, and, and another thing, a car has to
have a driver in it. It's insane not to have a driver
in a car. I, I don't know why anybody can say that
That's ok. I've, and I've been driving around all these
driverless cars. One almost hit me when I was parked
at Scott and Bush. I was waiting for a customer to
come out from the tennis club there. And then, and
it, it, it swerved and missed me by inches. And then
uh, one customer told me they saw the driverless car
hit a little dog. Another customer told me that they
saw him hit a post. Uh, there was a, uh, several months
ago a news report about the driverless car hitting
the back of a bus that was on the news and that's
just me and I, and I'm hearing and seeing, uh, fire
on high street. Ok, block the fire truck, block the
police cars. They stop in the middle of the intersection
Those, those drivers cars, they'll stop at a green
light and not move or they get behind. Thank you your
time. I know. But they, they get behind a double parked
car and they go back and forth because they don't know
where to go or what to do. Nobody's reporting this
or talking about this. I drive 10 hours a day and I
see all these different things going on with these
cars. They're not totally safe and a car needs a driver
in it. Thank you very much.
We appreciate everyone's comments. We do have a lot
of folks who would like to speak today. So I ask everyone
to pay attention to the timing, Frank Fay. Yeah, it's
me. I'm a, I'm a retired taxi driver and uh, I, I
what let me take, put it simply, I think it's ok for
the suburbs and not for the cities, especially not
San Francisco. I think it's got too many unique aspects
to it. Um, but, and, and you're in that you're a state
and you can, you can't really micromanage the counties
I guess that's not an option. You know, I'm, I'm thinking
of telling more stories about the, you know, people
throwing up in the back and some of the guide dogs
getting sick and, and, you know, pooping in the back
and uh,
having people fighting in the back
things happen that sometimes you have to be a little
captain of your little ship and, and fix them and uh
I maybe that's possible remotely, but I doubt it. So
I'll keep it simple.
I asked the road down and uh, unless you
thank you, the next speaker is John Potter.
Yeah, good afternoon, John Potter. I'm not with Waymo
or Cruz or any particular organization other than the
EAC movement on Twitter, if that counts, which would
be uh effective acceleration is. But I, I would just
say there's a lot of fear and what I would, what I
would in my view call emotionalism, which is understandable
on this topic. And I would just urge people to look
at the huge potential benefits of self driving cars
and what they've already proven in the data, which
I feel bears out pretty clearly, it's very safe, very
effective, lots of potential to benefit the economy
No one's going to be forced to use these cars. There
will still be Uber and Lyft drivers for quite some
time and I feel, you know, the benefits in my view
very clearly outweigh the risks.
Thank you. The next three speakers are Jennifer Walsh
Max Gregor and Jason Beckham.
Ok.
My name is Jennifer Walsh and I work
here to express our concerns regarding the resolution
19145,
one day
of autonomous self driving vehicles as the ultimate
assistive technology holds great promise, but it is
crucial that appropriate safety standards and accessibility
regulations are enforced by the CPUC. Many in the senior
and disability communities cannot drive themselves
and must rely on public transportation resulting in
lengthy commutes of up to three hours round trip due
to scheduling limitations as someone who relies on
others to drive, I urge the commission to delay the
draft resolutions at today's meeting instead taking
a more incremental approach that prioritizes safety
and accessibility in the long term. Thank you for listening
and ensuring access to A vs for all abilities.
Thank you. Our next speaker is Max Grego,
president, members of the commission. Good afternoon
My name is Max Gori and I'm an engineer in San Francisco
and a cruise rider. I'd like to strongly urge the commission
to approve the resolution granting the permit to A
B companies. I'll start with a short example. I was
just in China and on the streets of a large city, electric
vehicles comprise about half of the traffic. California
used to be the hotbed for innovation in electric vehicles
but only about 7% of all cars sold last year in California
are electric would definitely falling behind. But area
companies are building the future of transportation
right now and their technology is state of the art
It is not absolutely safe but neither are distracted
exhausted or aggressive cab drivers. As then if its
cyclists, I can assure you of that the v safety numbers
should be looked in contest of general car safety statistics
accidents per miles driven is what matters. The comments
saying technology is not ready also is missing the
point. As an engineer with 23 years of experience,
I can testify that no device or software can be completed
in the lab without context without context for the
real world. We can always add regulation later, but
we can't make up for the last time. If we hold these
companies back now, this technology will be built somewhere
else. One can build the future by prioritizing perceived
safety above everything else that lets us fall behind
again. Please vote. Yes. Thank you. Thank you. Our
next speaker is Jason Beckham.
Jason Beckham. You in the audience.
Ok. Um I'll go to the next three speakers. We have
James Naci, Nacio Tua, Eugene Choo and Charles Rael
Hello, my name is James Nasso Tua and I'm a born and
raised resident of San Francisco and a rider with crews
and I fully support the expansion of autonomous vehicles
in San Francisco. My experience using AVS has been
a very helpful tool to ensure I get from point A to
point B entirely safely. An electric autonomous vehicle
ride ensures that I don't have to worry about unsafe
driving while I'm in the vehicle. Nor do I have to
fear for comments, harassment or worse, physical assault
regarding my ethnicity, gender presentation or sexuality
from human drivers. The rides, I take keep me safe
coming home from late night shifts at work without
fear. For days when I need a little more help, I also
can appreciate that an AV will never turn me away on
days. I need to use my cane and it lets me take
my time entering an visiting a vehicle without moving
before I'm ready. I can always know if it'll let me
off on the correct side of the street. So I might easily
get to the destination and I don't have to worry about
judgment or comments when explaining my accommodations
and it fills the gaps in public transit service. I
would like to see the California Public Utilities Commission
vote. Yes, on allowing AV expansion so that we can
create a safer world for people like me, the often
overlooked members of all communities who want to feel
safe and accommodated above all else. Thank you. Thank
you, Eugene Chow.
Do we have Eugene Chow? Right. Let's go to Charles
Right.
Good afternoon. A bunch of people have spoken about
how self driving cars will improve their lives. My
grandmother's 92 can't drive and lives outside of the
reach of public transit, self driving cars would give
her and other seniors freedom that they have not experienced
in years. But there's a quote about statistics often
attributed to philosopher Bertrand Russell that goes
like this. The mark of a civilized human is the ability
to look at a column of numbers and weep. That sounds
a bit pompous. But I think it's appropriate here. I'm
a resident of San Francisco and a physicist and I urge
the commission to be quantitative and remember that
the stories people have shared here today in this meeting
represent a truly enormous daily impact every single
day without self driving cars. 10 Californians are
killed, about 100 Americans, another 200 Californians
and 2000 Americans are injured and there are literally
millions who cannot drive and are unnecessarily prevented
from going where they need to go to live their best
life every day matters. Please approve the expansion
of self driving cars without delay. Thank you. Thank
you. The next three speakers are Jose Quintero, Patrick
Mulligan and Christine Willey.
Good afternoon. My name is Jose Quintero and I live
in the out of Richmond. Um about 20 years ago, my daughter
was born at home and however, we had not planned for
home birth. That meant I got my first and only ride
in the front seat of an ambulance. And what I saw that
day, I will never forget so many cars that did knock
it out of the way. The one, the one woman who looked
at us clearly panic stricken as she turned, left in
front of this ambulance that had its lights on and
its um sirens on. I read some of the complaints from
the emergency services and I don't want to minimize
their concerns. I think they should be addressed and
definitely you should hold the self driving cars feet
to the fire on that, that they should address those
problems. There are serious problems that should be
fixed, but that is the thing, they can be fixed and
that's a real promise of autonomous vehicles. Once
a problem is fixed, it stays fixed. Um And for that
reason, I urge you to approve the draft resolution
Thank you. Thank you. The next speaker is Christine
will help me.
Good afternoon. My name is Christina. I live in Haight
Ashbury. So I'm speaking as a private person who experience
non autonomous vehicles in present life every day.
The group cars, way more cars are all over the street
every day. And I'm a pedestrian and a bicyclist in
San Francisco and I've never feel safer. Those cars
they stop when I'm around. Uh my experience with personal
drivers in cars is totally different. I've been in
dangerous situations here in San Francisco. I lost
a family member to a traffic accident that was caused
by a person who just fell asleep in the car. And um
while I think yes, there are safety issues with autonomous
vehicles. I do think they can be addressed and also
see it as the same way as it was brought up. Um
We have to look at the credit data as well and it
supports that autonomous vehicles are safe. So I would
like you to put. Yes, on the application. Thank you
Thank you. Our next speaker is Ja our next three speakers
Uh Jason Munder, Michael Smith, Jefferson. So we have
uh Jason Munder first.
Hello, my name is Jason Mundlow. I'm a San Francisco
native and a part time ride share driver. My concern
is this, where does the money go when you get in my
car? I spend about half of what you paid on fare on
average back into the community when you pay for a
ride in a driverless car, where does the money go?
It's just gone. That money leaves the city when I'm
paid for a ride. I spend it here and the person I'm
paying it to, whether it's for food or rent also spends
it locally and it circulates all of which is taxed
for spending on infrastructure, including roads, money
spent on driverless ride is just gone. Maybe it gets
taxed once which will not be enough to pay the cost
on infrastructure that we're hearing so much about
today. As I mentioned before, the lift corporation
and its investors take about half of what you pay for
lift the ride share company. The ride share economy
is a mess and though those same investors want to take
100% of what passengers pay. No, they're either unwilling
or unable to fix problems with the Americans with disabilities
act compliance and a host of other things. They've
got to clean up the mess they've already made. Shouldn't
we investigate the total overall cost before making
a change? Thank you. The next speaker is Michael Smith
Thank you Commissioners. My name is Michael Smith and
I'm the technical co founder of a successful startup
here in San Francisco and I'm currently the Chief Innovation
Officer there. I also cannot drive. Thank you. I also
I cannot drive and I strongly support tech when it's
useful, safe and actually works And so I expect everybody
to applaud for me and the Robotaxis. I want to point
out though they currently do not meet that criteria
and should not be expanded at this time. Their weak
technology is completely befuddled by the simple traffic
code.
They have caused over 600 incidences and interfered
with emergency services. They are not 88 accessible
as required. And the AV companies have been refusing
to honestly answer your questions for the CPC C nor
give you the data you need first. Have them fix their
weak technology and provide the means for the CPC to
truly verify that it is fixed. Please listen to our
firefighters. Their motivation is solely to save lives
Thank you.
I'm going to call Patrick Mulligan. I think I may have
missed him previously, Mr Mulligan and then we'll go
to Jefferson life.
Thank you. Hello commissioners. My name is Patrick
Mulligan. I live in the inner sunset neighborhood of
San Francisco. I'm speaking today in support of expanding
way Mo's deployment of self driving cars. I have yet
to ride in one of way, Mo's vehicles, but I have shared
the road with them as a fellow driver and as a pedestrian
they do not run stop signs or stop lights. They do
not drive at unsafe speeds. They take care on other
pedestrians and they do a more than adequate job of
sharing the road with other drivers. I do not disregard
the concerns, prioritizing public safety, but from
everything I've personally witnessed and after reviewing
each of the documented incidents involving Waymo and
other rideshare vehicles, my opinion is that adding
thousands of these vehicles to the streets of San Francisco
would improve public safety. It would be an asset to
this city and any others that would allow it. I look
forward to the day that their service along with others
like it fully replaces all current ride share offerings
Thank you for the opportunity to speak today. Thank
you. The next speaker is Jefferson Live. Welcome. Thanks
CPUC commissioners. I'm here to request the commissioners
to approve the resolution for and only for way more
operating in San Francisco as a future rider, they
replace expensive low income city scooters and taxi
drivers specifically on fly wheel that keep canceling
our ride, especially just recently just to get here
And also have we take the sensor chip card also make
this single permit only as no A V is perfect, but I
have high hopes for Waymo as they are brave just like
Tesla and I'm hoping to work with Waymo to patch the
traffic on floor, expand the areas and address any
concerns for our future.
Thank you. Thank you. Our next three speakers are Emily
Loper, James Mahen and Todd Kawakita.
Good afternoon commissioners, Emily Loper with Bay
Area Council. We represent over 300 major employers
across the region and we strongly urge you to vote
to approve both applications by Waymo and crew to expand
operations in the city. Um As you've heard at length
today, for many residents who don't own a car or can't
drive a car or for whom public transit is not convenient
driverless cars offer a safe, comfortable and uh affordable
mobility option. And the data is very clear that they
are extremely safe, safer in most cases than human
drivers. It's also important to note that the companies
are planning a gradual and incremental rollout of these
vehicles and they have proceeded through a very thoughtful
and reasonable regulatory process so far. So the council
is proud that San Francisco is home to this innovation
that will transform the way that we move. And we urge
you to move forward with these applications today to
deliver the many benefits to San Francisco residents
and visitors. Thanks so much. Thank you.
The next speaker is James mcgahan.
Hey, good afternoon. I'm James mcgauran. I'm a San
Francisco resident in the Glen Park neighborhood. I'm
not yet a Waymo customer, just a pedestrian and cyclist
just a normal guy. And on September 22nd of this year
I want to share a kind of a nerdy fact. On September
22nd of this year, Governor Newsom passed assembly
bill 19 09, which is known as the Omni Bike bill A
19 09 amends the California vehicle code to require
drivers to change lanes when overtaking a bicyclist
This law went into effect on January 1st of this year
And the interesting anecdote I want to share is that
all autonomous vehicles such as Waymo Cruz and Tesla's
autopilot software immediately started complying with
the law because they were programmed to do so many
human drivers are still either completely oblivious
to this new law or intentionally defined of it. This
is an absolutely amazing win for road safety. And as
a bicyclist, I want to see more of this in my personal
experience, Waymo and crews have been infinitely patient
and respectful to pedestrians. They never get drunk
high or distracted. And it's amazing to see these safety
improvements instantly deploy to an entire fleet of
vehicles. So I urge you to vote. Yes, on expanding
the autonomous vehicle program. Thank you. Thank you
Next, we have Todd Kawakita.
Hello, my name is Todd Kawakita and I live in the Richmond
District without a car and I've taken over 200 rides
on a Waymo. I've taken my senior citizen and mom previously
as a skeptic and also friends on the Waymo and as a
driver myself, I believe the Waymo is safer for both
people inside and pedestrians, bicyclists and cars
outside of it. It follows a speed limit. It doesn't
blast through yellow lights, it sees all pedestrians
cars and cyclists and in my experience, it's recognized
and made space for emergency vehicles at all times
I believe there's a common misconception about stalled
cars. This is not sort of mechanical error. It's cars
waiting for occupants and because there aren't enough
cars on the road, a lot of people hail the cars before
they're actually at the curb. I think this is an area
where the CPC can help waymo improve. But overall,
I would encourage CPC to look at the data, their magnitude's
more ubers and lifts on the road, Waymo are just recognizable
because they're white and look like stormtroopers.
Um So overall, in summary, I'd like to just basically
pose the question. Will we mo change the face of usa
Yes. But will it make our roads safer and protect our
citizens? Yes. And I'm confident once the broader public
can access the service, the public will support it
and it can exist in a landscape of multiple modes of
transport. Thank you. Thank you. Our next three speakers
are Oleg Vaskevitch, Milo Stern and Utah Hashimoto
Right. Good afternoon commissioners. My name is Oleg
I'm a software engineer who's lived in San Francisco
for eight years and I currently live a few blocks away
from here. I'm here in support of the commission granting
these permits to. And cruz today over the past nine
months, I've had the opportunity to take cruises at
night and experience autonomous driving first hand
And as a regular biker during the day, I've shared
a road with Waymo and cruise vehicles for several years
As far as safety is concerned, I have only great things
to say for autonomous vehicles when compared to distracted
and careless human drivers on the road. While there
are a few issues to work out such as long routes and
requesting rides. It's a short matter of time before
they're addressed. And I believe Waymo and crews have
the right incentives and expertise to address them
I know we long cruises might not meet the requirements
of some people with luggage, accessibility needs or
assistance requirements. But I believe this is in black
and white and these services can coexist with traditional
taxis and rideshare. I believe we're witnessing the
future of safer, more sustainable and more affordable
transportation and innovation. And I'm excited for
San Francisco to be the pioneer. Thank you. Thank you
Our next speaker is Milo Stern.
Yeah.
All right, sweet. Hi, good afternoon. Um, so I was
gonna have something prepared for you guys today. But
um I want you to consider the irony that I was in
an accident with a road rage in the time that I was
gonna spend doing that. Um I'm not exactly the average
supporter of Cruz or, or any of these other companies
Um I'm an 18 year old kid who's working as a doordash
driver to pay off a little tuition to keep the loans
down. Um I think the biggest thing that I want you
guys to consider is when you're considering the decision
obviously is, you know, people have a big kind of opposition
to when these um, vehicles stop in the middle of the
road or, you know, put their hazards on and freak out
Um as someone who's had the privilege to study artificial
intelligence and work on it. Uh For almost half a decade
at this point, I'd like to, I'd like you to consider
it um as instead of it making a mistake, uh consider
it as it. Artificial intelligence is just like any
other learner on the road. Every time it makes a mistake
it gets corrected and the algorithm learns from that
So just please consider that and thank you very much
Thank you. Our next speaker is Utah Hashimoto.
Hello, everyone. I'm Yuta Hashimoto and as one of the
Japanese student of San Francisco, I think the city
should accept we by two reasons. First, I believe that
on innovation vehicle, like we will not only provide
a novel mode of transportation for citizens but also
like iconic C car potentially become a new tourist
attraction in San Francisco. Second, other countries
are advancing technology through widespread use by
their citizens in everyday you. Um The question at
hand is whether San Francisco will contribute to the
advancement of driverless car technology in the United
States by blessing women or if it will left being pressed
by other countries due to the emotional bias, considering
the factors, I believe it would be difficult for San
Francisco to permit to introduce the technology to
the public. Thank you. Thank you.
All right. I have a next three speakers.
Um, no, Leon, although I believe I've called her before
so. Ok. Um, Jason Rabinowitz and I'll do one more.
Tony Delreal
and that's all. Oh.
Oh, dear, President Renault and Commissioners. My name
is, and I've been living in San Francisco, um, sunset
District for 25 years. I've been riding Waymo for six
months now. And in my humble opinion, the benefit that
way more autos this vehicle has provided is invaluable
Waymo is over cautious when it comes to driving. Way
more, always go below the allowable speed limit. And
I'm grateful for the state of safety, especially at
night when I uh come back from work at home uh from
from home to uh um when I take and um at least
I don't have to worry about my driver at um attempt
to speed through the street in San Francisco in order
to meet or exceed the unattainable financial quota
that would jeopardize the safety of passengers and
pedestrians. I also appreciate how the app and the
car service experience in um we that offer Spanish
and Chinese language and I don't have to worry about
uh my mom when she wants to head to the store on
her own, especially when she doesn't speak English
when she use a Way App. Um I strongly urge that you
vote yes to expand the autonomous vehicle for San Francisco
Thank you for your time. Thank you. Our next speaker
is Jason Rabinowitz. Thank you. Hi, Commissioners.
I'm Jason Rabinowitz. President of teams who joint
council seven on behalf of 100,000 workers across northern
California and Nevada and 1.3 million across our country
including hundreds of thousands of safe professional
drivers. All of labor stand united with first responders
and our community members and urging the PC to deny
expansion of unsafe robot taxis. I have a letter from
all the labor unions including Teamsters, Eu State
Council, California Federation of Labor and more, I'll
give it to you. You know, San Francisco residents have
seen with their own eyes that this technology is not
ready to be deployed safely with just a few 100 avs
on the road. Currently, they're wreaking havoc on the
city, hundreds of accidents, injuries causing traffic
jams, interfering with first responders and their vehicles
If you expand this unsafe technology, those problems
will grow exponentially. Not to mention the threat
to our jobs, millions of driving jobs that support
families and our economy are at risk in the labor movement
We have a saying, which side are you on commissioners
Which side are you on? Are you on the side of greedy
tech companies and their profits and robots or are
you on the side of human beings? Our jobs, our communities
our safety, the choice is clear. We urge you to vote
No, thank you. The next speaker is Tony de Lorio
the war.
All right. And let's go then to Quentin Booker, Robert
Sandoval and Saul Medina.
Good afternoon commissioners. Uh, I'm Robert Sand Quinton
Booker is not here. Good afternoon. My name is Robert
Sanville and I'm a resident of San Francisco and a
business agent for teams. There is local 350 which
represents the hard working men and women who collect
solid waste and recycling in the city of San Francisco
I'm here today to ask you not to expand the use of
waymo and cruise vehicles because of the dangers. It
presents to our workers and the public. The push for
autonomous vehicles like cruise and Waymo in San Francisco
not only raises safety concerns but also demonstrates
a stark disregard for the daily lives of its residents
and the employees or my members, I should say while
tech corporations tout the benefits, the reality is
that these vehicles have become a downright downright
nuisance that the people of San Francisco have rejected
In fact, just today, I have received a video from one
of my members where a cruise car was stalled in front
of his vehicle, his truck and our member had to perform
unsafe maneuvers to back up and remove himself from
the street being a garbageman is the fifth most dangerous
job in the country and these vehicles just make it
more dangerous. These are first hand accounts of affected
residents and workers of the middle class, but they're
being drowned out by tech giants. Utopian promises
disregarding the overwhelming opposition to autonomous
vehicles and their expansion in San Francisco, the
city has become a tech playground eroding trust as
these corporations prioritize self interest over safety
It is crucial to prioritize residents, employees, workers
and the well being and to listen to their concerns
Again, I ask you to not approve this expansion. Thank
you. Thank you. The next speaker is Robert Sandoval
Oh, that was you. I'm sorry, Medina
nurse Medina.
Uh I am a UPS driver in San Francisco and a member
of the team of local 275. We are professional drive
We are a professional drivers union and pride ourselves
of being safe drivers and keeping our roads safe. We
go through a lot of training to get to where we are
yet. It seems contradictory to what you expect from
crews and Waymo. Today you plan to give the unrestricted
access to our roads despite these companies providing
the technology isn't there yet. There was literally
an accident on Monday as a professional driver. I would
never get away with anything that crews and Waymo are
getting away with. We need to have higher standards
for these vehicles like you do for professional drivers
like myself, you may just see another driver, but I
am someone who is part of the community who sees what's
what's going on and helps people in need. I respectfully
ask that you reconsider the restricted expansion of
Waymo and Crews in San Francisco. I was also born and
raised here. I drive here all the time. I've been driving
for 22 years.
There's a lot of cars, a lot of cars, they're all in
the way already. It's hard for someone to move over
and get out of the way. That's my job to get out
of the way to not cause the traffic jam. These vehicles
can't move out of the way. There's only one lane in
the streets. There's a lot of bike lanes. I'm ok with
bike lanes. I'm ok with bus lanes, there's only one
lane. We got to get them out of the way. Thank you
Thank you. Thank you. Our next three speakers are Mariana
Porras, uh Darius Mora and Rosalina Munez.
I think so too. I was just realizing. Ok,
good afternoon commissioners. I am Mariana Porras.
I am a San Francisco native. I am also here with gig
workers rising. I've been driving for Uber in San Francisco
since 2017. I started off doing Uber and Lyft and collectively
have done about 7000 rides. I'm here today to ask the
CPC to vote against driver, driverless taxis in the
cities. Please take the time to listen to our concerns
I am a single mother of three school aged Children
due to the cost of living here in San Francisco. I've
had multiple jobs at once and have been dependent on
rideshare app based work to make ends meet. Like I
mentioned before, I've done about 7000 rides and a
lot of them have required me to help passengers by
giving them a hand in and out of the car with many
types of disabilities, injuries, injuries, over indulging
day or night out, loading, unloading luggages, groceries
equipment, et cetera. I also want to bring attention
to human trafficking. Are these driverless taxis equipped
to possibly detect human trafficking. Human drivers
are essential as we can easily adapt and handle complex
situations while assisting passengers. The role goes
beyond driving as we provide valuable information and
support particularly to visitors. We play a crucial
part in ensuring safety, preventing delays and offering
assistance. Drivers like us are an integral part of
the city. I have voiced my concerns. I urge you to
make the right decision. Thank you. Thank you.
The next speaker is Darius K Mubarak.
Good afternoon. My name is Dash Mubarak and I'm a right
shirt driver. I've been driving with, been driving
in San Francisco for the past 10 years and drive for
Uber and Lyft. I'm here today to ask the CPC to vote
against the expansion of driverless vehicles in the
city because it takes time to listen. Please take time
to listen to the concern of drivers like me and of
public safety advocates before making a decision that
will impact our work. Driverless cars struggle with
complex situations. They're risking safety for passengers
and others on the road. Driverless taxis can't communicate
like human drivers causing sudden stops and traffic
congestion. The rapid expansion of driverless cars
on our roads will make it more difficult for us to
do our jobs safely and efficiently. Drivers like us
are an integral part of the city. We urge you to listen
to our concerns and make the right decision so that
the city remains safe and welcoming to everybody and
that drivers like us can have jobs. Thank you for that
Thank you.
The next three speakers are Miranda Oga Shema Hernandez
Gill Abdulla, um
Miss Olga.
Oh, great.
Oh, good afternoon commissioners. My name is Olga Miranda
I'm the president of Sciu local 87 and I represent
uh janitors in the private sector.
Um I'm here speaking in support of autonomous vehicles
and the expansion of that for cruise. Um We have seen
the work that's been done, not just with labor, but
also we already represent workers within cruise spaces
Cruz is one of the few, one of the few companies in
San Francisco that is going celebrating the fact that
they want to stay in San Francisco and operate in San
Francisco. And right now, we need to be able to celebrate
those opportunities. I understand what is on your shoulders
and the decision to make. But A V is here and we
want to make sure that the partnerships that have already
been built with communities. I represent workers that
are typically invisible and we have partnered up with
communities that are not treated equally the same and
the same services and accessibility is where it is
at right now. So I ask every commissioner, please support
it
again. We are labor, we are our organized labor and
we support crews and the expansion of a vehicles. Thank
you. Thank you.
Good afternoon. Honorable Commission commissioners
My name is Chema Hernandez Gill. I stand before you
today as a representative of the 60,000 member Strong
Service Employees International Union. Eu local 1021
voicing our strong opposition to the proposed expansion
of Cruz way more autonomous vehicle operations. Street
safety is paramount. The autonomous vehicle industry
hasn't convincingly ensured public safety raising value
valid concerns. Our members believe we must focus on
reducing vehicle miles traveled and congestion, prioritizing
public transit and active transportation, especially
during our climate emergency. An expansion of these
autonomous vehicles could would also negative negatively
impact some of the densest working class communities
in the Western United States neighborhoods that are
already disproportionately impacted by traffic violence
Consequently, seu local 1021 urges you to reject this
expansion. Our communities deserve thoughtful evaluation
and true dedication to their well being. Thank you
Thank you.
The next speaker is Abdu Ghani Agam.
All right. Uh Did we have the next three speakers?
Claudia Center, John Hahn and Mary Maguire.
This center.
Uh Good afternoon. Uh My name is Claudia Center and
I am with Disability rights Education and Defense Fund
Safer Road for all should include people with diverse
disabilities. Dr has been engaged in this issue and
these proceedings from the beginning. And we have long
urged the C PC to require a V providers to provide
services that are accessible to and equally safe for
people with disabilities. This has not happened. The
foundational principle of the ada is that new things
should be built fully accessible. This is a new thing
We have new vehicles, new systems, new infrastructure
The time is now to require av providers to build and
include adequate numbers of wheelchair accessible vehicles
as components of their fleets and to ensure equal safety
including curb pickup and drop off for people with
disabilities. Um We urge a no vote until these elements
are included. Thank you. Thank you. Our next speaker
is John Ha.
Hello, my name is Johan. I'm a former San Francisco
taxi cab driver. I drove a cab for about 14 years.
Uh I look around the room, it looks a lot like uh
10 or so years ago when the C PC was listening to
Uber and Lyft make their case for approval. Um And
Uber and Lyft didn't turn out to be everything that
they were claiming they were going to be. Um I don't
I don't, I just want to say that so far it's been
a trusted tester program. But once you open this thing
up for everybody out there to go ahead and take one
of you, it's not going to always be these rosy stories
as a cab driver. You know, I've witnessed abusive spouses
interacting in the taxi cab and if there's nobody there
I don't know what's to stop domestic violence or date
rate from happening in a driverless robo taxi. So I
think you really need to take these kinds of things
into consideration. I would strongly urge you to assert
your regulatory authority for a limited expansion pilot
program. 3 to 6 months down the road, you have to do
an evaluation and have an independent study, determine
the pros and cons and the impacts of robo taxes. Thank
you. They'll just let these companies put as many as
they want out there. That would be a big mistake. Thank
you. The next speaker is Mary mcguire.
Good afternoon. Um One thing that's been going through
my mind since I've seen these out on the road is how
can you, you compare the safety records of cars that
have been out there? What one year something when automobiles
have been on the road for over 100 years? So that just
makes no sense to me. Um Another thing is I've, well
I can't really go into everything I've seen. I don't
have time because I'm a taxi driver. So I just question
are, are these companies in compliance with your current
regulations?
I guess the most important thing I want to say is,
you know, to all you janitors and all the young people
here in the yellow shirts, private citizens supporting
this, you're really victims, you're victims of short
term thinking sometimes I wonder, do you all just hate
people? But we're people, we're supposed to be taking
care of other people and these are jobs and you know
what? It's going to be your jobs, it's going to be
your jobs next. So take that into consideration. Uh
and I think I'm going to go join those people with
those orange cones because they're way cooler than
you are.
Thank you. Our next three speakers are Rosine Bussi
Barry Toronto and Rachel Clyde.
Thank you.
Hello, good afternoon commissioners. My name is Rosine
Bussin. I am a Uber and a Lyft driver for over seven
years. I am also a member of a G worker right wing
Um It's kind of interesting to me to see other human
being speaking down on human being drivers as the worst
thing on earth, just like the lady after he just said
we just discovered this new self-driving taxi and all
of a sudden we're making, it seems like it's the best
thing that ever happened and that we are worse and
yet we want human beings to become the passengers of
those robot taxi. If you allow this self-driving taxi
to expand is gonna take our job away from families
like me, I'm a, I'm a single mom. It's gonna take a
job away from people. Therefore, it's gonna cause more
homelessness in this city, we already see clearly.
The main reason for this is San Francisco City going
down is because of remote working. It's causing businesses
to crash. So allowing self-driving taxi to expand is
gonna just make the situation worse. It's gonna cause
more homelessness, more drugs on the street. We don't
want that. So I urge you to please vote no for expansion
of the self-driving car. Thank you. Thank you. Next
speaker is Barry Toronto.
Hi, good afternoon. Uh on Monday, we heard from the
fire department, the police department and the SF MA
and the impact it has on the services they provide
Today. You heard from the sanitation workers and from
and from taxi driving community and from uh the the
parcel delivery community. So I know a lot of the labor
unions are divided except the ones who are doing the
work on the streets are impacted by the by the incidents
occur, occur with these autonomous vehicles. But I
want to say don't call them Robotaxis, have them, make
them buy medallions if you're going to call them Robotaxis
Because of your decisions over 300 medallions have
been foreclosed on and and, and this and the airport
is restricted to only those who have purchased medallions
I cannot work at the airport. So this, so I urge you
to understand the ramifications of your decision today
And to please I ask you to put off the decision and
to have more regulations and the actual number of clamping
down. How many can be on the road at one time? I
see them in groups of 4 to 7 at night. A cab
driver goes home. These, these drivers just stay on
the road. Thank you. Thank you. The next speaker is
Rachel Clyde.
Hello, my name is Rachel Clyde. I am a community organizer
with the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition. We are in
strong opposition of the A B permit expansion. The
San Francisco Bicycles coalition is to make bicycling
accessible to all San Franciscans and to ensure their
safety and comfort while doing so.
In our experience, autonomous vehicles operating in
San Francisco are currently hindering our ability to
reach the school. We have seen and heard countless
events where an AV has threatened the safety of a person
walking or biking. Just two weeks ago, we went on a
bike ride in the Fillmore with a group of inexperienced
and new bike riders where an AV almost crashed into
several bikers someday in the future with strong regulation
AVS might play a role in street safety but the events
we've seen recently do not indicate that that day is
today. We urge the commission to oppose the permit
expansion today. Thank you. Thank you. Our next three
speakers are Joseph Nelson Wing Luck and Michael Howie
Howley.
Hello, my name is Joseph Nelson and I'm a bicycle advocate
with the San Francisco Bicycle Commission similar to
my colleague Rachel. Here
we are here in opposition to the approval of permits
allowing AV companies to roam our streets with no fleet
limits 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day
We hear and see more instances of autonomous vehicles
causing traffic jams inhibiting emergency services
and endangering road users such as pedestrians and
bike riders. While we believe these vehicles may play
a very important part in the future of transportation
They should not be allowed free range on our streets
today until these companies are able to prove without
a doubt that they can operate on our city streets with
safety, reliability and transparency. We urge the CPUC
to oppose the expansion of these permit applications
Thank you.
The next speaker is Wing Luck.
All right, we'll go to Michael Howley.
Hello, commissioners. My name is Michael Howley and
I urge you to oppose allowing autonomous vehicle companies
to expand revenue passenger service. I'm not here to
tell you that EVs are bad or that these companies should
be banned. That's not what you're voting on today.
There are many ways these technologies could be used
to make money. We're here today because these companies
have chosen a business plan that requires your consent
to operate as a public utility. These companies want
to charge rates because they're in the business of
making money for investors allowing them to charge
creates an incentive to maximize profit. This commission
cannot allow that incentive without ensuring regulations
control the real world consequences of moving violations
emergency response interference, accessibility, compliance
buggy software rollouts and other as yet unknown issues
with this brand new technology. This commission has
a mandate to ensure safe, reliable utility service
at reasonable rates. You wouldn't let PG and E raise
the rates without adhering to safety regulations allowing
full revenue service here without any regulations would
put the passengers and general public at unacceptable
risk in their current form. Please vote. No. Thank
you very much. Thank you. The next three speakers are
Praveen, Vila Lamu Lauren Renault and Jason Beckham
Hi, my name is Praveen and I am a transportation safety
researcher for the last 13, 14 years developed and
developing countries. So even though there are challenges
with autonomous vehicles, I would like to encourage
adopting that on a gradually incremental basis so that
we can roll out all the possible income outcomes from
that one, especially like when it comes to safety,
there are different kinds of crashes. So we want to
look at what kind of crashes are happening to the autonomous
vehicles which can be eliminated when it comes to California
and when it comes to innovation, California, we are
the leaders and if we cannot implement these kinds
of innovations, then who else? And if you look at like
how autonomous vehicles are neatly or you know, deployed
in Phoenix, Arizona, then that's a role model for us
to implement that. Thank you. Thank you, Lauren Renaud
Uh Good afternoon. The question is not, are EVs today
or in the future safer than human drivers? The question
is not, have people in this room had individual good
rides in a car here and there. The question is, should
they be expanded without much regulation? As Michael
just testified about it seems that there are very clear
issues they have come up many times that says to me
that it's pretty obvious we need some rules, we need
some regulations, we need some more safety. If the
point of limiting the rollout so far was to learn and
test before creating regulations because the technology
is too immature, then stop. The time is now pause,
make those regulations figure out what safety checks
need to happen or code goes onto public roads. These
are private companies testing their private R and D
on public roads. You are a regulatory agency. Please
do your job and create regulations. I did not consent
to be a beta tester walking around on our public streets
Thank you. Thank you. The next speaker is Jason Beckham
All right, I will go to the next, um, two speakers
Um,
and Jay Chatfield.
Hey, uh, my name is,
and I'm here to say, let's allow autonomous vehicles
on sf streets. Um, I'm a software engineer and I grew
up here in San Francisco and the technology is rapidly
improving. It's at the point where it can help San
Francisco and the fact that we can use more modes of
transportation here in the city. Um, the, you know
there are people who work evenings and the ability
to have a vehicle that can pick them up at any time
of the hour. It's something that San Francisco should
champion. This brings clean electric, uh, transportation
to the city. So we have um, cleaner, um modes of transportation
safety for all the residents here in the city. So I
think we should be championing this technology to help
improve San Francisco's infrastructure and not, um
impede it and stifle innovation. Thank you. Thank you
The next speaker is Jay Chatfield.
Hello, my name is Jay Chatfield. I'm a San Francisco
taxi driver. Um, if not today, I'm sure you will in
the future approve this. Uh, I'd like to know why cruz
and won't have to purchase a vehicle for hire. Medallion
Like an individual cab driver. Uber and Lyft were able
to skirt existing laws stating they were just an app
Waymo and crews, however, are massing fleets of vehicles
for hire. They will both be prearranged and on demand
Exactly like a San Francisco taxi. The only difference
being billion dollar companies opposed to individual
drivers unable to afford lobbyists, Waymo and crew
should purchase medallions from drivers first, then
the city. Thank you. Thank you.
All right. That is the end of the list of speakers
that I have. But I am going to ask if there's anyone
else in the room who would like to make a public comment
All right, I don't see anyone approaching the dias
So I'm now going to go to the operator to take the
callers that we have on the phone line operator.
Thank you. The public comment line is now open if you
wish to speak during the public comment period, please
unmute your phone. Press star one and record your first
and last name slowly and clearly when prompted. We
currently have 63 and Q. Our first three callers are
Alan Kornhauser, Alan Marling and Karen Hudson. We
will go to Alan Kornhauser first. You may go ahead
Your line is open. I speak today in support of the
development of safe, affordable equitable, sustainable
and high quality mobility to improve the lives of all
institutions. Such mobility can be delivered only through
the deployment of vehicles that don't encourage the
high cost of drivers. That's reducing the cost of a
ride by more than 50% cruise and rain have proven that
vehicles without drivers can deliver safe demand response
rides 24 7. But their focus to date has been on technical
solutions. Affordability is the real value proposition
because the cost at scale for driverless mobility is
really inexpensive ride sharing further cuts the cost
in half. We believe that a well managed state serving
San Francisco can achieve vehicle productivity of 100
person trips per vehicle day. Average vehicle occupancies
of two yielding costs under 85 cents per person trip
mile and break even fares without subsidies of $2.43
per person.
Such low cost makes high quality mobility affordable
by all, especially by those who need a ride because
they can't drive themselves. Thank you.
Thank you operator. Next caller, please.
Our next caller is Allen Marling. You may go ahead
President and commissioners. I'm a Livermore resident
and often visit San Francisco. I oppose a V because
cars are a dead end technology. They are a scourge
on cities and unsustainable. Instead we need better
public transportation. However, I called in today concerning
solar energy, the C PC must protect Californians from
the fiery greed of PG and E to avoid wildfires, we
must reduce our reliance on high voltage lines and
for that, we need more distributed power such as from
roofed off solar. The proposal today on multi family
housing discourages this life saving energy for no
reason except to enrich colonist corporations guilty
of burning people alive in their homes. Commissioners
modified the proposed decision to include on site netting
then regulate PGE back where it belongs into bankruptcy
Thank you operator. Next caller please.
Our next caller is Karen Hudson. You may go ahead and
um my name is Karen Hudson. I vote. I urge you to
vote no on hr 3557 when near cell phones or towers
I get sharp pains in my head. My husband who has low
cholesterol had a stroke last year causing aphasia
I'm a two time cancer survivor. We use landline phones
without phone access. My husband would not have survived
It was not from cell phone use but studies show cell
phone use can trigger a stroke and cause premature
thinning of the cerebral cortex. Cancer rates where
cell towers are installed exceed 10 times. The average
in studies reviewed globally, 73.6 showed effects 73.9
for radio frequency sickness. 76.9 for cancer and 75%
for changes in biochemical parameters. Older people
will be adversely affected. Most have landlines have
never owned cell phones or may not remember how to
use them in an emergency.
Households currently use copper landline phones. A
Harvard Harvard City showed that EMF radiation from
looking at a cell phone is directly related to brain
changes. I urge you to vote now on hr 355 7. Thank
you. Thank you operator call, please.
And our next three calls are Alan Whitmore, Pat Patty
Wick and Julia Ross. We will go to Alan Whitmore. Next
you may go ahead. Hello, I'm here today to express
my strong support for the expansion of riders ride
hail services in the city of San Francisco as we are
increasingly have new tools to move our world towards
cleaner and more sustainable transportation. It's crucial
that we embrace innovative solutions that reduce our
carbon footprint and enhance urban mobility. The ABC
that we've seen successfully deployed in San Francisco
represent a significant step forward in achieving the
climate, access and broader societal goals with the
coalition for reimagining mobility and safe share by
expanding service. Excuse me, expanding service in
San Francisco. These services have the potential to
improve traffic traffic congestion reduce air pollution
increase accessibility and provide a safe mode of transportation
for residents and visits alike. We know this isn't
a silver solution but the bottom line is that supporting
the expansion will help build a more resilient and
city and act as improving down for other cities in
our nation. In conclusion, I urge the CPUC to vote
in favor of driverless right ha expansion in San Francisco
that ac opportunity contribute to a greener future
and stronger local economy. Thank you. Thank you. Operate
our next call, please.
Our next caller is Patty Glick. You may go ahead. Thank
you, Patty Glick of the Aliso Moms Alliance. I urge
the commissioners to vote against any increase in capacity
at Aliso Canyon. Instead, please enact the 2022 staff
proposal to shut down Aliso by 2027. The latest more
gas stored at Aliso means more. If a quake erupts on
a fault line which runs through every well or on one
of the other fault lines in the area, more gas stored
at this very high fire hazard security zone means more
danger. If a fire reaches the wells, more gas means
more polyox emissions of the car engine. We've already
seen too many of our family members and neighbors become
diagnosed with cancer and other serious diseases that
could be related to the lethal facility. Nearly 2 million
people are at risk every day that Lisa remains in operation
Let's get our state on the right path and off of this
dangerous fossil fuel. Thank you. Thank you. Operate
our next caller, please.
Our next scholar is Julia Ross. You may go ahead
again, Julia Ross, your line is open. You may go ahead
We're not able to hear you. Please check your mute
button.
And should we go to the next caller? Yes, please. Thank
you operator. Our next three callers are Ari Kenner
Stephanie Sier and Audrey Ichinose. We will go to Ari
Kenner. May go ahead uh as an avid biker in San Francisco
for the last 25 years. I average about uh 50 miles
a week on my bike. I bike everywhere and I can tell
you we wouldn't need bike lanes if all the cars on
the road were automated cars. I strongly urge you to
try to get as many automated driver cars as we can
on the street for the safety of me, my kids and my
fellow bikers.
Thank you operator. Next caller, please.
Our next caller is Stephanie Si. You may go ahead.
Hi, my name is Stephanie Kiper. Um I'm calling to urge
you to vote no on expanding the automated vehicles
Um, automated cars cause danger to other vehicles,
cyclists and pedestrians. They also pose a risk for
emergency vehicles by blocking them from accessing
roads. The future of San Francisco needs less cars
and more public transportation and cycling infrastructure
not automated vehicles. Thank you. Thank you, operator
Next caller, please
Our next scholar is Audrey. I, you may go ahead. Thank
you. My name is Audrey. I live in South Berkeley on
the Oakland border. We're a small landlord with a duplex
in the back and I wish to address the issue of VMM
And M MA I urge the commission to include on site netting
in the proposed decision sharing the benefits of solar
and storage benefits, tenement tenants and landlords
But to my mind, more important is that including on
site netting would substantially facilitate the necessary
dialogue and solutions that we must have on how landlords
and tenants can share, share equitably the costs and
benefits of adopting clean energy solutions. I recently
returned from a family event in Hawaii and the current
wildfire catastrophe on Maui underscores how urgently
change is needed. We should all stand ready landlords
and tenants to do our part to mitigate
very much. Thank you, operator. Next color, please
And our next scholars are Howard Su Gabriel Kauffman
and Heat.
We'll go with Howard Sue. Your line is open. You may
go ahead
again, Howard Sue. We're not able to hear you. Please
check your mute button. I'm here. Hello. Can you hear
me? Yes, we can. Hello. Oh, awesome. Ok. Uh yeah, my
name is Howard too. I'm a proud resident of San Francisco's
Bernal Heights neighborhood um here to express my unwavering
support for autonomous vehicles and specifically cruise
A VS and their expansion across San Francisco. I personally
experienced the convenience and safety that they bring
to our city uh compared to Uber or Lyft Cruise A vs
provide consistency and predictability. They stay in
their lane, avoid obstacles while never exceeding their
set maximum speed of 35 MPH. This contrasts with personal
experiences of sitting with rideshare drivers that
speed and weep through traffic to get to their next
fare quicker or those that become distracted with their
smartphones as they juggle ride requests from both
rideshare apps. The technology gives me peace of mind
especially as my daughter approaches her teenage years
and becomes more independent. I would feel more at
ease putting her in a cruise A V knowing she will not
be exposed to distracted drivers. Truth is I just wouldn't
put her in a car with a stranger. I look forward to
being able to put her in a cruise A V to ST
in town when my wife and I aren't available to take
her or for those occasions, she's too embarrassed to
be dropped off by her parents.
The commission will have a hand in making this a reality
not just for my family but for everyone. Um I strongly
urge the public utilities commission to yes in allowing
Cruz and we to expand their services. Thank you for
your time. Thank you operator. Next caller, please
Our next call is Gabriel Kaufman. You may go ahead
with emergency vehicles blocking cops and first responders
and causing huge risks and operations in the city.
We just can't have so many cars in the city because
this adds to pollution
and also they don't pull over. So traffic comes to
a standstill, especially in certain intersections and
we can't afford to have more and more cars in the city
It'll just continue to get worse and worse.
They promised that they would be sustainable and they're
actually causing worse congestion.
We want to really try to reach our environmental goals
and to be able to do this, we need to not have
so many cars and to be able to cap way more in
and really all commercial vehicles to be able to make
sure that things are sustainable. Thank you. Thank
you operator. Next caller, please.
Our next caller is Kyoko Gino. You may go ahead.
Uh Hi, my name is Kyoko Hino. I live next door to
Addisu Canyon storage for 16 years. I urge you to reject
the proposal to increase the capacity of Aiso Canyon
and support to shut down the facility by 2027. I, my
family, pets and the community were greatly suffered
physically, mentally and financially by the gas blowout
and ongoing invisible toxic plume of chemicals through
the facility. The proposal will increase the level
of carcinogen in our community including BEN, which
is already increasing trend since the opening of the
facility after the blowout has recent report. Uh It
will also rock us up um in the dependency on gas which
makes impossible to meet the California's goal to carbon
free future. It is your responsibility to take initiative
at the pro proposal. Thank you. Thank you operator
Next caller, please.
Our next three colors are Aaron Waters, Dr Matthew
Deleo and Suzanne Reyna. We'll go with Aaron Waters
You may go ahead. Hi. My name is Aaron Waters. I'm
an apprentice with the IBEW local six. I'm calling
in support of cruise and applications to expand their
all electrical vehicle ride, ride hail services. Uh
The expansion will provide valuable training opportunities
for local apprentices and prepares for the expansion
of the green economy and environmentally friendly greenhouse
gas, free transportation. Thank you. Thank you operator
Next caller, please.
Our next caller is Dr Matthew Deleo. You may go ahead
Yes. Hi. I am a geology professor at Cal State Northridge
an earthquake geologist and I have testified before
the joint legislative committee for emergency management
back in 2019 about the Aliso Canyon gas storage facility
I just wanted to remind you about some of the things
about it that are really important. All 66 active wells
at the site are cut by the Santa Susana fault and that
fault is capable of generating magnitude seven earthquakes
And according to SOCAL gas analysis, such a large earthquake
could cause in the worst case scenario, all 66 wells
to rupture simultaneously causing blowouts on every
single one of them with about three times more gas
released. The rate of gas released is three times higher
than the 2015 blowout. This is not the place to put
a gas storage, a critical facility. So I urge you to
deny any requests to expand it and to work on closing
it at the timeline specified in the governor's request
Thank you so much. Thank you. Upgrade our next color
please.
Our next caller is Suzanne Rana. You may go ahead.
Hello, can you hear me? Yes, we can. Fantastic. Thank
you. Good afternoon commissioners. My name is Suzanne
Rayna. I appreciate the opportunity to express my support
for Cruz's deployment permit and the draft resolution
tl 19145. In addition to the incredible environmental
and economic benefits provided by Cruise's technology
the company is committed to being a good community
partner in each of the regions that it's operating
in a more sustainable city relies not only on its climate
goals being met, but the ability for its residents
to thrive in quality jobs to assist in that effort
Cruz has created a program called Future Work to provide
career support to communities and individuals who are
historically under represented in tech in partnership
with local and nonprofit organizations. Future work
provides educational and skill building activities
to the community. This is a wonderful opportunity for
both residents and businesses across the state. And
I urge you to approve this item before you so that
we can continue.
Thank you. Thank you, operator Nick color, please.
Our next caller is Matt Paco. We save the Porter Ranch
You may go ahead.
Hey, my name is Matt. I'm just speaking as a Valley
resident in San Fernando Valley. Regarding investigation
17 02002. I employ you to not approve any storage increases
for the SOCAL gas Leo Canyon facility and urge you
to adopt your own staff proposal to close that facility
by 2007 and to reinstate the mitigation measures required
right after the gas blow out there that worked and
have been removed by you before you consider any increased
storage. And again, that facility was shut down bypassing
the C PC because of the health disaster it caused in
the blowout in the nearby communities. So health issues
are a reliability issue and they must be addressed
and also a Q MD data from 2021. The latest available
at that facility when the pressure was lower before
you approved the increase in November 21 shows an increase
year over year in benzene, a known carcinogen and other
toxins after the blowout. That place continues to deteriorate
It needs to be retired according to
the least you could do is look at the latest A Q
MD data before making any decisions. Thank you. Thank
you, operator. Next caller, please.
Our next three callers are Annie Hens, Adam Anderson
and Jeff Shield. We'll go to Annie Hen. Next, your
line is open. You may Go ahead and, hi, my name is
Annie and, and I'm a resident of San Francisco. I support
Cruz's ability to expand across San Francisco. I'm
a young woman and a student who came to know Cruz through
their partnership with the University of San Francisco
Cruz has allowed me and my friends to get safe and
easy rides around the city at night and early in the
mornings where I never have to think twice about my
safety like I would on public transport where I've
had several close calls or in some Ubers or lifts because
of this, I urge you to vote. Yes. In Cruz's ability
to expand within San Francisco and help ensure the
safety of other people like me in the city. Thank you
Thank you, operator. Next color, please.
Our next caller is Adam Anderson. You may go ahead
Your line is open. Hi there. Long time residents, each
company here I think should be judged on their own
individual track record. But without the data sharing
that's impossible. We've heard a lot about the passenger
safety. But what about the rest of us walking in the
streets of Sf Waymo seems to be doing a little bit
better of a job, taking it slow. But the crews AVS
and their machine learning have already turned their
cars into aggressive robots, constantly making me feel
threatened while crossing the street or riding my bike
multiple times. Just this week, the vehicle was turning
the corner while I'm still in the crosswalk and instead
of slowing down and playing it safe, it aggressively
tried to swerve around me as I stopped in surprise
and just baffled that it was even allowed on the street
as it is, let alone being given permission for more
of these rambunctious Johnny cabs, unfettered access
to our dear city again. You know, where is the data
I urge you to vote. No, on
our hungry companies, especially crews and their robots
from turning our town into a dystopian nightmare for
those of us that are left fixed. Thank you, operator
Next caller, please.
Our next caller is Jeff Shields. You may go ahead.
Thank you, President Reynolds and members of the commission
My name is Jeff Shields. I for the last decade longer
than that 12 years have served as the treasurer for
turn the utility reform network. I'm calling on a frustration
that the commissions put consumer interest in jeopardy
of losing effective professional representation at
your proceedings uh as a result of this uh lack of
inter compensation and the backlog that I've never
seen in the last 12 years to the extent that it exists
today. Uh You put the physical integrity of turn at
risk and the board frankly can no longer stand down
on this issue. I really implore you to take immediate
and decisive action and to remedy this injustice. Thank
you. Thank you, operator. Next caller, please.
Our next three colors are Isaia, Beverly Heilig and
Julie Kornstein we will go to is next. You may go ahead
Your line is open. Thank you. Um I'm addressing the
uh AT&T application. Um Communication is the key to
life. CPSC do not give at and t the right to cancel
out our safe, reliable landline communication. My power
was out because of storms for over a week. My sheets
were cold and damp but I had my old reliable landline
do not allow AT&T to rob us of our right to reliable
and safe communication. I want to keep my landline
deny AT&T application to cancel out our amazing landlines
Thank you. Thank you operator. Next caller, please
Our next caller is Beverly Heilig. You may go ahead
Yes. My name is Beverly Heilig. I'm 79 years old and
driving is getting more difficult all the time, especially
night driving for me to have another technology that
would give myself and my friends who are all aging
the ability to go to the store, go to doctor's appointments
and especially social engagements when we are looking
forward to probably not being able to drive in the
future at a, at a later date. So to maintain the way
I look at it to maintain a full life in our senior
years is the objective, aloneness and isolation is
the problem if we can't get out when we need to. So
I really do believe that this is the future. So please
vote Yes, and thank you very much for your time today
Thank you operator. Next caller, please.
Our next caller is Julie Kornstein. You may go ahead
Hello, my name is Julie Kornstein. I am against any
increase of gas at Aliso Canyon. I want the commission
to vote. Yes. On staff's proposal to close Aliso by
2027. At the latest, I moved into the Porter Ranch
area over 45 years ago. We knew nothing about the gas
company storing over 80 billion cubic feet of natural
gas in the hills behind our homes and our schools.
We knew nothing until the massive methane explosion
that affected our lives forever. No one was ever warned
We live in a geographic seismic area with two fault
lines. The North Ridge earthquake was massive with
extensive damage and loss of lives. The wells are also
in a fire zone area where there have been massive fires
one being caused by the gas company causing the community
to be evacuated. It feels like
we feel like we have a hydrogen bomb about to go off
at any time in the hills behind our homes. I implore
you, please do not increase the capacity at Aliso Canyon
and please support closing the facility. Thank you
Thank you operator. Next caller, please.
Our next three callers are Arian Marcus, Teresa, Brady
and Thomas Foley, Arian Marcus. You may go ahead. Your
mind is open. Thank you. Uh good afternoon and thank
you, Commissioner I know today has been a slog. Uh
My name is Arian San Francisco resident of 15 years
and an avid cyclist. Um I've been riding happily with
for over a year now. And the only time I feel safe
riding my bike on our streets is when I'm around autonomous
vehicles. Uh San Francisco really has the opportunity
to lead the country in addressing the preventable epidemic
of vehicle related deaths and injuries. Uh way and
crews really have a tangible solution here. And I understand
some of the opposition to a tech are concerned about
the replacement of jobs as well as other traffic related
issues. But if someone prefers a human to help with
their luggage or boxes, then there's an option for
that. If you don't want to ride in an navy, you don't
have to, no one is forcing anyone to do that. But by
approving crews and we application today, we'll have
access to innovative and sustainable and most importantly
safer options, transit options today that translates
to immediate live stage. So let's show the world that
San Francisco
for progress. We know it can be and keep the companies
and jobs in California and not end up on another story
on clocks. Um And lastly, I just wanted to recommend
those who in the room who say wheelchair users are
not able to access cars and suggest you look up wheelchair
accessible vehicle wave program which is available
and in use, I urge you to approve the application today
Thank you. Thank you operator. Next caller, please
Our next caller is Teresa Brady. You may go ahead
again, Teresa Brady, your line is open. We're not able
to hear you. Please check your mute button. Oh, ok
Can you hear me now? We can please go ahead. My name
is Brady and I'm against any increase in storage of
gas at Aliso Canyon and I also want you to vote. Yes
on the staff report to close Aliso Canyon by 2027.
Thank you. Thank you. Operate our next caller, please
Our next caller is Thomas Foley. You may go ahead.
Thank you for the opportunity. Again, my name is Thomas
Foley. I'm a person who is totally blind, but I'm also
the CEO of the National Disability Institute. Um We
work exclusively on issues of financial and economic
inclusion for people with disabilities. Um The current
workforce participation rate for folks with disabilities
is 21% versus 67% for people without disabilities.
And one critical barrier to integrated employment for
people with disabilities is transportation. It's one
of the most highly cited issues for people with all
sorts of different disabilities. It's that lack of
affordable accessible transportation. Um autonomous
accessible vehicles are a potential solution for these
issues. Our economic analysis indicates that for people
with disabilities with widespread adoption of accessible
autonomous vehicles, 4.4 million people with disabilities
would be able to join the workforce
$160 billion in earnings for people with disabilities
and $867 billion to the economy. So please choose progress
choose inclusion and choose expansion of rideshare
services. Thank you operator. Next caller, please.
Our next three colors are Marlon Cruz Murcia, Stephanie
Dimon and Cyrus Hall. Our next caller is Marlon Cruz
Murcia. You may go ahead and your line is open. Thank
you. Hello, my name is Marlon. I have been a resident
of San Francisco my entire life and I am here to ask
commissioners to vote for the expansion of A V services
I believe that expanding driverless vehicle services
represents a monumental stride towards redefining urban
mobility. These services offer not just convenience
but an avenue to address traffic congestion and pollution
by optimizing routes and eliminating human induced
errors. They can enhance safety and reduce accidents
Furthermore, this expansion aligns with our quest for
sustainable efficient urban living, promising reduced
dependence on personal vehicles as technology advances
embracing drivers, vehicles services bans as a pivotal
solution for more connected eco-friendly and accessible
urban landscapes. I repeat embracing driverless technology
is a leap toward a smarter and safer and more inclusive
future for transportation. Thank you. Thank you, operator
Next caller, please.
Our next caller is Stephanie Big. You may go ahead
Hi, thanks everyone. My name is Stephanie Dig Dig.
I'm here representing the Arc, San Francisco, Arc,
San Francisco. Partners with adults with developmental
disabilities as they design their futures and transform
our communities through lifelong learning and self
determination. Our organization supports increasing
transportation options with A V vehicles and sees potential
benefits for the disability community. We outlined
those things in our letters of support. However, we
are concerned about the lack of accessibility standards
set by the CPC. The Arc San Francisco is appreciative
of the accessibility and inclusion work that has been
done up until this point by Waymo and Cruz and are
excited to see these practices continuing to be refined
and implemented. But we do not believe corporations
should be responsible for defining their own standards
standards as it could cause inconsistencies between
services. We urge the commission to set standards based
on current accessibility, best best practices and move
forward with expanding A V vehicles in San Francisco
and California. Thank you all for your time. Thank
you, operator. Next caller, please.
Our next caller is
there was,
you may go ahead. Your line is open afternoon commissioners
My name is Cyrus Hall. I have a phd in computer science
with 20 years of experience. I'm also a quote, avid
cyclist and quote in San Francisco. I'm urging you
to vote no on agenda items. Two and three, I commented
Monday on the false narrative painted by and Cruz that
software and A I only make positive progress. But today
I want to focus on what we've learned over the last
week yesterday, a local newspaper published 55 other
reports from the San Francisco Fire Department on interference
by Robo cars. May 4th firefighters could not leave
station 36 as they were blockaded into the station
by an immobilized AV. June 5th engine two was blocked
in its station by Waymo, June 7th engine two was once
again blocked in the station. Took over eight minutes
to resolve. June 12th. A crew failed to yield to a
firefighter leading to a collision of a parked car
A V stalls and uncontrolled driving are not safe. San
Francisco fire commissioner Jeanine Nicholson is correct
until the cars can respond immediately to commands
Increasing. The number of A vs is deeply premature
Please vote. No,
thank you operator. Next caller, please.
Our next three calls are Rebecca Heisler, Lamar Hermans
and Ryan Spurlock. We'll go with Rebecca Heisler. Next
You may go ahead and your life is open.
Hello? Can you hear me? Yes, thank you. I'm urging
you to keep copper lines. I'm a health care provider
I do exclusively telehealth without good signals. I
can't tell if my patients suicidal, dealing with addictions
domestic violence, et cetera. We need clear lines and
my landline helps personally, I've been injured by
wireless and I cannot have a cell phone and so I am
totally reliant on copper lines. My heart flat lined
after 17 smart meters were put outside my condo in
San Diego and I had to go live in remote areas. I
need copper lines I'm a senior. I have ada issues.
There's medical evidence, scientific evidence about
the wireless, the impact of a wireless, harming our
hearts, our brains, all kinds of stuff. I get, I get
pain syndromes. If you take copper away, I'll have
no fire warnings. I'll have no way to work and no way
to participate in our present culture. Please. We need
copper lines. It's an ada issue
for all of us. Thank you so much for listening to me
Bye bye. Thank you, operator. Next caller, please.
Our next call is Lamar Herman. You may go ahead. Your
line is open.
Good afternoon and thank you for your time. I've been
calling to express my strong position on expanding
a V use and permitting within San Francisco for and
Cruise. Um I live in this community for 13 years with
my three generational family here. My wife, my daughter
and my aging father who is managing Parkinson's. We
walk around the neighborhood all the time and we've
noticed a dramatic difference in driving behavior ever
since the pandemic, people are driving faster. People
are driving more aggressive. They're not paying attention
to all of the changes that have been made by the m
to try and make our road safer. But you notice a very
big difference with the autonomous vehicles. They slow
down for crosswalks, they don't blow past stop signs
into the intersections, which is incredibly important
for my father who has Parkinson's when easily startled
he can lose balance and fall. Having AV vehicles respect
the stop signs where they're posted before creeping
into the intersection increases his safety when walking
in his community. And also vehicles are approaching
crosswalks without stop signs and traffic lights, av
vehicles will slow down whereas human drivers oftentimes
don't. And we are creatures that will follow the environment
around us, especially when driving, seeing an AV vehicle
slow down when I've been using them. Other vehicles
have also slowed down increasing our safety within
the neighborhood. These improve the um increase the
expansion of youth and, and thank you for your time
and thank you for my community members for expressing
their opinions in either way. Thank you, operator.
Next caller, please.
Our next caller is Brian Spurlock from human made.
You may go ahead
again, Ryan Spurlock. Your line is open. We're not
able to hear you. Please check your mute button
and shall we go to the next caller? Yes, thank you
operator. One moment.
Our next three colors is Justin Pinar
and Michael Tortilla. Go with Justin Pin car. Next
your line is open. You may go ahead
again, Justin Pin card. Your line is open. We're not
able to hear you. Please check your mute button
and should we go to the next caller? Yes, let's do
Thank you.
Our next caller is land when you may go ahead, your
line is open.
Hello, I'm speaking on behalf of the school Energy
Coalition, California's Statewide Association of School
Energy Professionals. SEC is profoundly disappointed
that the proposed decision fails to address the impact
it will have on the education sector. California cannot
meet its decarbonisation and greenhouse gas reduction
goals without adequately supporting public schools
This PD sets us back by making solar energy more costly
which will require us to take resources out of classrooms
at a minimum. The PD should be amended to allow for
15 minute netting across the benefiting meters as schools
by design require multiple meters on each site with
nearly 11,000 public K through 12 school sites across
the state. The failure to address or even mentioned
schools in the PD is glaring and short sighted schools
want to be partners in achieving California's energy
goals. But in order to do that, we need the commission
to be responsive to the serious issues we have raised
with respect to the Ne Ma. Thank you.
Thank you operator. Next caller, please.
Our next scholar is Michael Tortilla. You may go ahead
Hi, my name is Michael Tortora San Francisco resident
I am strongly urging CPAC to oppose the expansion of
A vs due to their failures around the common edge cases
of city driving, namely their behavior around intersections
that have lost power and around emergency vehicles
I myself was almost hit by a Waymo earlier this year
when all the storms have left many sf intersections
without power. A Waymo did not recognize the traffic
light was out and then it had to treat it as a
stop sign and instead followed the car in front of
it through the intersection without stopping, yielding
slowing, re acknowledging my presence in the crosswalk
Had I not been looking both ways. I would have been
hit by it. It's the commission's job to look past all
the marketing and hype and objectively look at the
failures and problems they are causing and rule accordingly
These AVS still need much more testing. They're not
ready for wider release with public passengers. Thank
you very much. Thank you operator. Next caller, please
Our next three calls are Sherri Wolf, Trish Suzuki
and Stephen Naser. Our next caller is Sherri Wolf.
You may go ahead. Your line is open. Hi there. I'm
calling to voice my strong opposition to removing the
landline telephone. So even though that I have a cell
phone, I also depend on my landline when I want to
make longer calls. But I know in cases of emergencies
especially if there's ever an earthquake or fire. How
essential these landline telephones are to us. I was
born and raised in San Francisco and I know a lot of
elderly people here that didn't grow up with cell phones
they're not accustomed to using them and they completely
depend on landlines. My mom happens to be one of them
and her landline is her only way to make a call. It's
simply discriminatory to the elderly and anyone else
who wants a landline and is willing to pay for the
service to do away with landline phones. Please keep
them, please allow us to use them. Even those of us
who are not EMF sensitive per se. It's really not healthy
for anybody. It's been classified by the World Health
Organization Electromagnetic Radiation to be a type
two carcinogen. And so for all of our health, please
continue to allow us to have landline telephones if
we choose to do so. Thank you so much. Thank you operator
Next caller, please.
Our next caller is Trish Suzuki. You may go ahead.
Your line is open. Hi, my name is Trish Suzuki. I'm
the political director for team joint council seven
Our president Jason Robin submitted a letter that demonstrates
that organized labor is united and stands with police
and fire. And again, we ask you to reject the application
to expand Weimer and Cruz due to safety concerns that
shows it's not ready for prime time. The union signatories
against the expansion are California Labor Federation
asked me, Alameda Labor Council Transit Union, California
Federation of Teachers, California Nurses Association
California professional firefighters, California school
Employees Association, California Public Affairs Council
Central Coast Labor Council Labor Council Entertainment
Union Coalition, Machinist Union L A County Federation
of Labor, Monterey Bay Labor Council, Napa Sala Labor
Council, North Bay Labor Council, Orange County Labor
Federations after San Diego and Imperial Labor Council
San Francisco Labor Council Labor Council, smart transportation
division, Labor Council State Building and construction
trades union, transportation, Workers, Union, United
Auto Workers, United Food and Commercial Workers. Western
States Council unite here and last at CIU State Council
Thank you. Thank you, operator. Next caller, please
Our next caller is Steven. You may go ahead. Hello
and thank you. I'm against any increase in the capacity
of gas at Aliso Canyon which is the location of the
largest methane gas disaster in the history of the
United States that also made thousands of people sick
Please do not set us up for another potential disaster
I would appreciate if the commission would vote. Yes
on the staff proposal to close Aliso Canyon ASAP. Thank
you very much. Thank you operator. Next caller, please
Our next three colors are Nick Ivaco, Ming Zao and
Chris Wilson, Nicky Vasco. You may go ahead. Your line
is open. Hello, commission. I live in the Richmond
District and I'm not a driver. I'm a biker. I encourage
the C PC to vote. No. On the expansion in light of
the undemocratic nature of the potential approval.
I've nearly been hit two times by way, mill and crew
because they do not recognize hand signals common with
bike riders. When I contacted my supervisor for help
I was told they could not help. When I contacted my
state assembly member, I was told they could not help
And finally, when I contacted my state senator, I was
again told they had no power, billion and trillion
dollar corporations like General Motors and Google
depend on their ability to influence our society through
obscure rule making, overseen by an unelected commission
because they fear what real regulation could mean for
their future. Not ours. When democratically elected
officials are empowered to represent us. Commissioners
please choose people over profit. Vote now on a expansion
and end the social experiment, terrorizing San Francisco
Thank you. Thank you, operator. Next color, please
Our next call is you may go ahead. Your line is open
again. Your line is open. You may go ahead with your
comments.
Hi. Um Can you guys hear me? Yes, we can. Great. Thanks
I would like to support I support way and I think that
way deserves its chance to be distributed more broadly
throughout San Francisco. Um I think that it is necessary
to allow greater access for the algorithm to improve
even more. Um I'd also like to point out that as a
woman in San Francisco and I'm sure many other women
in San Francisco can attest to this as well. Um We
often feel uncomfortable um as riding in the back of
Ubers and would much prefer riding in the back of a
where there is no risk of sexual harassment or anything
or any behavior of such. So I would advocate uh for
the commission to support the expansion of way. Thank
you very much. Thank you operator. Next color, please
Our next caller is Chris Wilson, you may go ahead.
Your line is open.
Thank you and good afternoon commissioners. My name
is Chris Wilson with the Los Angeles County Business
Federation. I serve as their senior policy manager
I am here today to encourage the commission to support
uh item two Waymo, driverless deployment program and
item three deployment permit and draft resolution.
We believe both items will provide clean, safe and
accessible transportation options to Californians that
will, that will strengthen regional economies and make
a positive impact across the states. Maintaining California's
position at the forefront of A B development is transformational
and improving these items will go a long way in ensuring
that these innovative technologies continue to grow
right here in California. Given the many economic and
environmental benefits that both and Cruz will provide
I encourage the commission to approve both items according
today. Thank you so much for your time and consideration
Thank you, operator. Next color, please.
Our next three callers are Susanna Portee, Shelley
Casini and Justin Costco. Susan, portly, you may go
ahead and your line is open. Hi. Uh I'm calling about
your proposed decision on virtual net metering of solar
panels on apartment buildings, schools, et cetera.
Please modify your proposed decision on virtual net
metering to include on site. Netting your plan effectively
forces customers to first sell their solar production
to the utility and then buy it back at higher rates
This is just absurd. It's yet another profit giveaway
To the Pgesdge and S CE and it's part of their plan
to take over rooftop solar entirely. You failed us
on them 3.0 so please don't be a follow up here. Please
do your job as intended, which is to regulate the utilities
not side with them on every decision. This PD is disastrous
for renters, small farmers, schools and colleges and
for California's economy and environment. Thank you
Thank you, operate our next caller, please.
Our next caller is Shelley Costantini. You may go ahead
Your line is open. Hi, I'm calling in support of driverless
cars. I live in downtown San Francisco and I've taken
27 times as a woman. I feel much safer with driverless
cars in some taxis and Ubers. I've encountered the
smell of marijuana. I've seen beer cans in the back
and I, you know, I don't have to have strange conversations
or fear for my late night drop offs. Um Also, I've
had a lot of tourists get super excited um, as it fuels
our city's reputation for innovation to have things
like this. Um Lastly, a cab driver earlier mentioned
that she drives 10 hours a day, which I find unsafe
I wouldn't want my driver on the end of a 10 hour
shift. And then also, um, for the cab driver or the
cab drivers who were talking about arguments and sexual
you know, misconduct in the back of the cars, there's
cameras in each car. So everything is noticed and documented
In fact, I fell asleep one day and kind of went to
my side towards the seat.
You have to get up now, please wake up so they're aware
Thank you so much. Thank you operator. Next color,
please.
Our next caller is Justin Costco. You might go ahead
and
hi Justin Ko consumer watchdog, um commenting on the
resolutions to expand driverless cars. Um You know
why are, why are we doing this? What is this all for
Um driverless cars will take away jobs and they're
definitely not safe. There have been over 250 stopping
incidents around the city of Assaf over the past year
But we wouldn't know that if we ask these companies
they don't have to report it. The C PC wouldn't, wouldn't
know that if the public didn't say something. There's
a huge financial pressure on this vote. Cruz lost over
a billion dollars so far this year. It hasn't been
profitable in 10 years.
Uh This is all just a big assist. The CPUC has just
been assisting in a massive transfer of wealth away
from working people. That's what these tech monopolies
have been accelerating for years now. Uh So we know
we know
a
yeah, we, we urge you to vote no on, on these resolutions
Thanks. Thank you operator. Next caller, please.
Our next caller is Josh Hart. You may go ahead.
Hi, can you hear me? Yes, we can. My name is Josh
Hart, a founding member of Save Landlines. We also
oppose hazardous driverless cars on California's roads
Personally. I live in Plymouth County where the climate
fuel dixie fire burned two years ago.
At and T now seeks to pull the plug on our essential
landlines, potentially leaving millions with no voice
communication from our homes. AT&T discontinued DS
L without alternatives. And now they want to do the
same with landlines like millions of Californians.
I suffer pain and discomfort from wireless communications
at and T landline service is the only wired voice and
internet connection available to us. If you allow at
and T to discontinue landline service, our household
will lose all access to voice and internet services
including evacuation alerts with no viable alternative
Californians must have basic, reliable and affordable
communications that are not dependent on the electric
grid during increasing wildfires and other extreme
weather events. C PC commissioners please turn down
at and T
and basic reliable landline phone service and the carrier
of last resort obligations for the people of California
Finally, no public transportation options should be
permitted to exclude people simply because they choose
not to use a cell phone. Thank you. Thank you, operator
Next caller, please.
Our next three colors are T Ma Isaac Rogers and Michelle
Gates.
You may go ahead. Your line is open. Hi, my name is
and I'm with Curry Senior Center. We have a partnership
with which has allowed our seniors to travel safely
to places they normally are not able to go due to lack
of parking or a car. And it's also given them the ability
to experience the excitement of the futuristic technology
Many times our seniors get left behind when it comes
to innovation and it's so wonderful to see how excited
they get when they get to ride in a driverless vehicle
and safely at that. Um I've also experienced these
rides myself and I prefer them over alternative ride
options way more safe and it's clean and they offer
a service that can greatly benefit the community. And
I urge the PV C to approve their application. I also
urge the PV C to deny AT&T S application to eliminate
landlines so that we don't take away communications
from vulnerable populations who rely on them. In addition
to ensuring reliable communication, ems sensitivity
is a serious health issue for those who suffer from
it and those who don't are very fortunate. And a lot
of times they don't understand how serious it is and
it becomes something that gets ridiculed or ignored
So again, I urge PC to deny ATT S application for this
Thank you. Thank you operator. Next call, please.
Our next caller is Isaac Rogers. You may go ahead and
your line is open. Hi there. I'm calling uh in support
of the expanding of in San Francisco, I as a person
with a visual disability has, has used way o now 200
times with over 1000 fully autonomous miles with 00
major incidents that 1000 miles has definitely, definitely
learned a lot about autonomous driving and I believe
it is safe and it provides me as a person with a
disability or many other people with disabilities,
the freedom that they have never frankly have never
had. And also in regards to cruise, I probably would
hold off on cruise for now, but we definitely is a
lot safer than the than the average human driver. Again
taxi drivers doing 10 hour, 10 hour shifts, working
10 hours a day. I don't want to ride in a taxi
with someone who's been up for 18 20 hours. Thank you
Thank you operator. Next caller please.
Our next caller is Michelle Gates. You may go ahead
Good afternoon. I've lived in San Francisco for over
20 years. I have had the opportunity to ride in both
Waymo and Cruz in the last year and they are safe,
reliable and easy to use. Also, their customer service
is extremely quick to respond. Once contacted as someone
who has been a test writer in Waymo, it is impressive
to see the changes they continue to make, to improve
their quality of service. They are continually evolving
to become better reliable drivers. I can't say the
same about the human drivers. I see on the road I've
rid in the car with a friend who is in a wheelchair
and it has accommodated us perfectly. He loved the
experience. I like that when riding in the car, I am
safe in both Uber Lyft. In the past, I've had inappropriate
unwelcome physical advances and even a driver's dick
picture shown to me it's emotionally unsettling, unprofessional
and traumatic. I'm grateful. I don't have to worry
about that kind of crap with and cruz these cars are
safe and reliable as I say, vote. Yes, to expand A
B services.
Thank you, operator. Next color, please.
Our next call, next three colors are Maya Waldman,
Alex Ryan and Tony Deloria, Maya Waldman. You may go
ahead. Your line is open.
Hey, everyone. Thank you for your time. I'm a local
educator born in sf I speak in favor of a V expansion
Writing over 20 months with Wayne, I've kept a detailed
spreadsheet of my 785 rides. I read the data and I
keep my own too. I observed the Waymo driver as a researcher
during my rides. The Waymo driver has prioritized my
safety and the safety of pedestrians, cyclists and
others. The Waymo driver doesn't run lights or stop
signs or speed. It doesn't punitively honk get angry
with cyclists or get tired and it keeps learning and
improving. I've had dozens of positive way mo interactions
with emergencies and construction while writing to
hearing some comments. I'm reminded of historical distrust
of innovation, but I don't uncritically support A B
when the research or experience changes, I'll adjust
my stance. I urge to vote supporting the data, not
misinformation and anecdotes based on fear, resisting
change is a historical tradition, but so is innovation
I can get you off. Thank you. Operate your next color
please.
Our next caller is Alex Ryan. You may go ahead.
Hi, I live in the Castro and work in downtown S A
I'm not affiliated with Waymo Cruz or any other organization
Please vote. Yes. To move Avis forward since December
I've taken 87 Waymo rides in all those rides. I've
never witnessed a single dangerous mistake over the
same nine months. I've also taken TNC rides with human
drivers who are talking on the phone, texting, driving
aggressively and high. The bar is just so, so low,
Avis have perfect vision even at night, they never
get tired or have a bad day. And every one of those
87 rides felt safer than the safest PNC ride I've ever
taken. And I, I haven't just felt safer. The data shows
that I was in fact safer as were the vulnerable road
users around me. I never have to wonder when I'm crossing
the street. If a way or cruise is going to blow through
a spotlight the way that I wonder about human drivers
on behalf of the Californians whose lives will be saved
by the wider roll out of a vs over the coming decade
I urge you to stand up to the pressure from Luddites
and self-interest actors and do everything you can
life saving technology. Thank you. Thank you operator
Next caller, please.
Our next caller is Tony Deloria. You may go ahead.
Your line is open.
Yeah, my name is Tony Deloria from team local 6 65
Proud San Francisco resident. I speak on behalf of
the vast majority of not only San Francisco residents
community and labor leaders that are highly against
the expansion of these A V vehicles. There's roughly
500 on the street as we speak and it just seems like
most people in support of this obviously do not read
or listen to um the negative press of accident after
accident and walking lanes of emergency responders
fire police and we need to not let these expand. Can
you imagine the damage that this will do when that
500 number turns into 5000? One other thing I would
like to quickly mention is they're not here for Robo
taxis. Ok. That's the start. They're here for parcel
delivery and they're trying to take all of our jobs
away by eventually rolling out parcel delivery all
through the city. And if you don't believe me, go look
on their website, that's what they're here for. They're
not here to car people around us, rubble taxis. Thank
you. Thank you operator. Um We're now gonna take a
short break. Um So I would ask people to be back in
a, in 20 minutes. We'll take a 20 minute break and
then we'll come back. We still have a large number
of callers on the line. So I ask for everyone's patience
as we continue to get through the public comment, period
Thank you everyone
for this streaming event brought to you by admin monitor
dot com. We'll begin momentarily. We're gonna get started
again. If everybody could take a seat. Great,
Robert. Are we ready to open up?
I think.
Thank you all for standing by today's conference has
resumed. Ok, great. And I'll ask for a roll call again
and note that Commissioner Douglas is necessarily absent
Commissioner John Reynolds, commissioner hacker Chroma
Alice Reynolds here. Ok. We have a quorum. We're in
the public comment portion of today's meeting. We'll
go back to the operator to uh resume the callers on
the telephone line.
Thank you. We currently have 37 in Q. Our next callers
are Cormac mckay, Anthony Miller and Albert for Mac
mckay. You may go ahead. Your line is open.
Good afternoon. President and commissioners Robotaxis
are not ours. They are the next evolution of both public
and private transport. The world is watching what is
happening here in San Francisco for this much needed
road safety development to reduce deaths and life altering
accidents on our roads. San Francisco's transport authorities
have had many years to prepare for Robotaxis and have
been under development for over 10 years and have not
just appeared overnight, but unfortunately, they have
chosen to stick their head in the sand and pretend
that it wasn't actually going to happen and are worried
about losing street parking revenue and fines rather
than providing pick up and drop off spots on every
block. The city is now blaming way and crew for the
city's failure to prepare, who have actually engaged
with all members of the community, including first
responders who have been very responsible, cautious
and cautiously learning from their deployment and are
ready to expand your approval to the expansion. Today
will encourage San Francisco and other cities around
the world that they must must now realistically plan
and prepare for large scale deployment of robotaxis
in a much better manner. And yes, there must be a just
transition for current workers whose jobs will evolve
into new roles within the autonomous vehicle ecosystem
Just like jobs have always evolved into new roles over
time. Thank you for your consideration. Thank you operator
Next caller, please.
Our next caller is Anthony Miller. You may go ahead
Your line is open. Hello, commission. Hello, President
Thank you all for taking all of our calls and going
with us all today in this long day. I currently live
in San Francisco for over 20 years. I am a business
owner. I am a commuter. I walk to work sometimes I
walk a lot and I drive a car. I commute over 15,000
miles on my car yearly in the city of San Francisco
I strongly advise the moving forward with A I driving
technology. I am a writer with Cruz. Currently, I have
noticed that there are some hiccups in the road, but
we cannot move forward if we just stop everything in
its tracks. Right now. I strongly see some problems
that do occur but mainly with other drivers cutting
off the cars and then coming to a complete stop, riders
that are almost getting hit from what I could see.
I live off of 26 in Balboa. There is no stop sign
in that intersection, pedestrians feel that they have
it right away in the city which they do. But when you
are coming across the car and it's in the medium of
the intersection, it does not have time to move our
stop sometimes, but it doesn't move around. We cannot
fit these cars in p a pedestrian in an unsafe environment
and expect the car to react the way it does even us
as drivers make mistakes. The only way to learn is
to keep moving forward. Thank you, operator. Next caller
please.
Our next caller is Albert. You may go ahead.
Hello, commissioners. My name is Albert, longtime lower
hate resident. First time caller, I'd like to urge
this commission to approve Waymo and Cruz's application
for expansion. She can't be on the car right now, but
when my mom was 16, she was involved in a severe car
accident when she was t boned by a drunk driver. She's
now ac six quadriplegic and she's in a wheelchair and
has been for my whole life, which has obviously been
a hugely impactful thing for our entire family. The
only way to truly prevent more tragedies and costs
to society from drunk and distracted drivers is to
take human drivers out of the equation entirely. We
mo and crews have shown an incredible safety record
especially for being at such early stages and their
safety will surely only improve from here. I've been
very impressed from a personal standpoint at how safe
and confident the way mo and cruise drivers are the
worst malfunctions of a current self driving car do
not approach the level of danger of even a typical
distracted driver on the road, let alone a drunk driver
I'd also like to note that human drivers frequently
impede emergency vehicles as well, even if, even if
that is so routine as to not be noticed and more importantly
often know the cause of their necessity in the first
place. Please support the safety of everyone on California
roads and approve this application. Thank you for your
time and thoughtfulness in this matter. Thank you,
operator. Next caller, please. Hm. Thank you. Our next
three callers are Richard, Jake Jackson Wong and via
Gumble, Richards, you may go ahead your line is open
Um
Can you hear me now? Yes, we can, you can,
uh I don't know whether you can hear me. Yes.
Ok, thank you. Can I start now,
these um, proposed new public transit systems clearly
serve some people. There's no question. Um There are
questions, serious questions about safety and operation
that absolutely must be dealt with before these go
prime time. However, there is something even more structural
that's a problem here and the commission is prepared
It sounds like to do the same thing they did when Uber
and Lyft came before them. I, I don't think your ad
a coordinator, Mr Cho has apparently educated the commission
as to its responsibility, its actual mandate that it
must comply with. And that's the Americans with Disabilities
Act. We have not only the Americans with Disabilities
Act but the 504 Civil Rights Act and these proposed
programs cannot be moved forward and started until
they are fully accessible. If you suggest that it will
come in the future, we've been waiting for that with
Uber and Lyft. Look where we are. Can't still get a
wheelchair accessible ride on Uber and Lyft. If this
goes forward, there will be action taken. Thank you
Thank you, operator. Next caller, please.
Yeah, next call is
you may go ahead. Your line is open. Hi, my name is
aka Bula. I'm a tech worker living in the district
I'm here to ask you to vote. No, and oppose the expansion
of robot cars. We've heard a lot of good reasons to
oppose this a expansion today, eliminating human jobs
interference with emergency vehicles, unaccountable
surveillance and unpredictable behavior on our streets
I want to talk about the environmental angle. Our,
our state climate goals require reducing vehicle miles
traveled and expanding robot cars would only increase
them with much VNT. Completely empty. Uber and Lyft
also promised to reduce VNT 10 years ago, but we all
know how that went moving. two tons of metal per person
takes an unconscionable amount of energy, whether that's
stored in oil or in lithium, mined out of indigenous
land. Tire pollution is the greatest source of particulate
pollution in the air causing asthma in poor black and
brown communities next to highways and killing salmon
in our rivers for ecological stability. Our only option
is to increase public transit, encourage biking and
create car free spaces. Environmental safety is public
safety. Robot cars are a VC funded distraction away
from building healthier more sustainable cities.
Thank you. Thank you. Operate our next caller, please
Our next three colors are Chris Revere, Karen Cederholm
and Zach Butter.
Uh Chris Revere, you may go ahead. Your line is open
Thank you. I'd like to express my opinion in favor
of Cruz's ability to expand operations in San Francisco
I found it provides a safe alternative to existing
modes of transportation, addressing some gaps, buses
and bark are not the most reliable, especially at night
Um Not the safest options as well. Um I, I'm a huge
fan of lift bike share and use it on almost a daily
basis um for fear of not having my personal bike stolen
Um, but I think we really should be focusing on providing
more options um with these existing modes for residents
Thank you. Thank you operator. Next caller, please
And our next call is Karen Cederholm. You may go ahead
Hi, good afternoon, President Reynolds and Commissioners
My name is Karen Peter Holm. I'm with Hammond Climate
Solutions Foundation and I'm a resident of the city
of San Diego for my entire life. My family has rented
apartments because we can't afford to own a home of
our own. We are part of over the 16 million renters
in the state and the large population of residents
who want to benefit from solar but will never have
the opportunity to if the utilities have their way
The recently published proposed decision on net energy
metering goes against the governor's own commitment
to affordable housing because it sides with the utility
companies that will make building and maintenance costs
even more expensive everyday people such as my family
a navy, veteran father, an immigrant mother and a first
generation college student will only be burdened by
this decision. Please modify the proposed decision
to include on site netting so that renters can access
the local and affordable energy in the form of rooftop
solar. Thank you. Thank you operator. Next caller,
please.
Our next call is Zach Butter. You may go ahead High
Commissioner and President. Uh, I'm calling as a sf
resident who's been living here my whole life. Um,
and I can see that in the short time that A vs
have been a part of the streets of San Francisco, that
they've become a danger in the streets to other residents
Not only do they block emergency responders from getting
to emergency situations in a quick and responsible
manner and therefore they could be costing lives, but
they also prove dangerous to everyday citizens by blocking
streets and causing other drivers to need to perform
dangerous maneuvers to get around them because there's
no way for them to move forwards or backwards. If I
were to block a street causing dangerous situations
just like that, I would receive a ticket at the very
least. There is no accountability for these cars and
we're letting billion dollar companies get away with
crimes that average day citizens would not be able
to, to me this is just half of the issue that I
urge you to vote against the expansion of AV vehicles
coming from a lower middle class
driver services. How for lower income families providing
ways for working class citizens to be able to fit in
their time to work in between their primary job and
taking care of their kids? Thank you for listening
to me. Thank you operator. Next caller, please.
And our next three calls are Tyler mcclure. Jim Sprouse
and Julie Martin Tyler mcclure, you may go ahead and
your line is open.
Um Hi. Yeah. Uh so I just wanted to say that I
am a Cal State students and I have been writing in
a way mo this entire semester. So for, since December
and I know there's a lot of confusion about the car
the or the, the A TV S uh blocking traffic. But part
of the reason is that they're in my experience, they're
very defensive drivers. So like many people have mentioned
today, any any near accident was just that it was a
near accident and not, not an actual collision, which
is not something that happens very commonly with normal
human drivers. Uh I also wanted to point out that this
technology is a new tool that is going to get better
as it develops and if there isn't a financial incentive
for the
to move forwards progressed and they won't make that
progress. And thank you for my time. Thank you operator
Next call, please.
Our next caller is Jim Sprouse. You may go ahead.
Yes. Can you hear me? Yes, we can. Well, thank you
and good afternoon commissioners. I'm calling to voice
my strong opposition to the proposed decision on the
MM 3.0 version of virtual net metering. Um Bottom line
is it discriminates discriminates against lower income
citizen and citizens and renters? Um You've heard a
couple of comments and I'm sure you probably hear a
couple more. Um What I like to do is challenge you
in a courteous manner. I'll preface my challenge by
talking about a prolific American statesman. He was
an entrepreneur, scientist, businessman and helped
draft a declaration of independence. And yes, it's
Benjamin Franklin. When Ben would make decisions, he
did it in a very simple way and this is my challenge
to you. He would make a simple T graph and write down
the pros and cons of his decisions. I challenge you
to do that. In the case of the proposed regulations
regarding VM, make two graphs, label them one utilities
and the other side, label them as citizens of California
Then table the pros and cons to each side of the current
if as if the current language were to be passed as
commissioner, you do have a
thank you very much for your time and we look forward
to seeing if your duty of care relies upon the citizens
of California or the utilities. Thank you. Thank you
operator. Next caller, please.
Our next caller is Julie Martin. You may go ahead.
Thank you. Hello, commissioners. Um I'm an educator
parent and a 25 year resident of San Francisco. And
I urge you to adjust the A V expansion resolution.
You already know that they are not required to produce
or share any safety data and that the safety data that
the city of NASA produce places them at a point on
their learning curve that's still unsafe for other
cars and pedestrians relative to human drivers, that
they obstruct emergency workers on a regular basis
and that they don't yet meet the needs and safety requirements
of disabled people. Under the. Ada additionally, mass
deployment will immediately threaten the food and shelter
safety of countless families losing their jobs as drivers
to rower taxis. And there's strong implications for
climate safety by prioritizing development of individual
car service over public transit. The consequences are
just far too serious to leave the improvements to wishful
thinking that the car companies will rise the task
on their own with transparency. That's why we have
regulatory bodies such as the CPC. It's your duty to
make the decisions based on protecting
and my sons, students and community should not be endangered
by being a testing ground. Banking on the notion that
they'll improve their skills before too much damage
is done. Please focus on developing regulatory guidelines
allow cities time to prepare and improve expansion
of a resolution like this. Once driverless cars have
demonstrated through data that it's not just potential
but they've already received that bar. Thank you. Thank
you operator. Next caller, please.
Our next three callers are Daniel Butter, Trisha Greer
and Lorraine Lindquist. Daniel Butter. You may go ahead
and your line is open.
Most of the evidence or arguments made for the safety
and defending the safety of driverless cars have been
based on anecdotal experience. People who have experienced
being test drivers for way more include, but anecdotal
experience is fine unless it is directly contradicting
the empirical evidence that we have about the safety
of these cars. Now, the fire chief herself of San Francisco
has reported over 50 incidents of self driving cars
getting in the way of emergency vehicles just this
year. And self driving cars are actually reported to
have collisions at 130% more than human drivers. That's
130% more. And this is with the important factor that
right now the cars are only allowed to drive at 35
ph. Now, the new proposal for them would allow far
far, far more cars to be on the roads of Sanan and
they would be allowed to drive as quickly as 65 ph
that has the risk of drastically increasing the number
of collisions and with the collisions already being
so much only at 35 MP H. And on top of this
we cruise would drastically increase the amount of
vehicles on the road worsening the climate crisis for
people. And so what's important about my point, please
Until A vs are actually as safe as human drivers. Please
do not let them on the road. It may come one day
But right now, this is wishful thinking, this is hope
for the future, which means that this cannot be rolled
out right now in a way that won't harm San Franciscans
and California Thank you. Thank you operator. Next
caller, please.
Our next call is Trisha re You may go ahead.
Yes, can I be heard? Yes, you can, we can hear you
Hi. My name is Trisha Grider and this is a statement
on behalf of Rachel Grider, the first vice president
of the National Federation of the Blind of California
He had to step out to go to work. And I quote
I would like to urge the commission to vote to expand
the use of autonomous vehicles in San Francisco as
a blind person. I use public transportation and rideshare
to travel and I always need to plan for extra time
to get anywhere. I am forced to use rideshare to get
to work because public transportation does not go anywhere
near my job, but I often face discrimination from ride
share drivers because I use a guide dog, having access
to autonomous vehicles would be an absolute game changer
for me and others because it will allow us to travel
more efficiently and independently responsible
autonomous vehicles in San Francisco. Keeping safety
and accessibility in mind is an essential step in empowering
all blind Californians with the right to travel independently
and without discrimination. Thank you so much for your
time. Thank you operator. Next caller, please.
Our next caller is Lorraine Lundquist. You may go ahead
and your line is open.
Hi. My name is Doctor Lorraine Lures. I, I just want
to thank the commissioners. I know it's been a long
meeting and I really appreciate the opportunity to
speak to you today. I'm calling about Aliso Kenyon
and asking you to vote um to close down the facility
according to the governor's proposed timeline, uh to
close down the facility by 2027. This is good for the
community. It's good for public safety, but it's also
good for our critical climate goals for our state.
Um The Aliso Canyon gas storage facility is in an active
earthquake fault zone. Literally every well actually
crosses the Santa Susana fault, um which has had major
earthquakes in the past. And if there were another
major earthquake, all of the wells could rupture multiple
wells. Our community suffered greatly when the there
was a well blowout in 2015. And it just makes sense
to use this opportunity where we've been operating
to shut down the facility. Thank you. Thank you operator
Next caller, please.
Our next call, our next three callers are Ming Samuel
Luke Kheer and Joseph pre savage, Ming Samuel. You
may go ahead. Your line is open.
Hi, my name is Mwai Samuel. I used to think cruise
A vs were all right. Then last month I started paying
attention, June 23rd cruise serves a crossing pedestrian
July 11th cruz runs at red lights almost hitting bus
a few stalls in intersections, blocking buses and crosswalks
Sure, whatever. But as the data turned from a short
list into a 180 item on spreadsheet. It's become clear
to me that A V are simply not ready and that there's
a huge regulatory vacuum. We've collected 48 in instances
since the start of August. Today's August 10th, 40
unsafe stalls, actually 40 42. Now 15 of those walking
crosswalks five times, messing with police and firefighters
six times walking the box. We're averaging 30 a week
reported with photos and videos at space streetb dot
com slash a failures including four stalls during this
meeting. AVS are not self driving. They use a team
to remotely direct them during stalls. In June 2022
crews had a network outage. Cars were on their own
within hours, 60 cruises stalled all across the city
mainly when encountering other stalls plotting the
streets like platelets after a expansion. I look forward
with morbid excitement to the day 2000. Please vote
No, especially against Cruz. Thank you. Thank you operator
Next caller, please.
Our next caller is Luke Kheer. You may go ahead.
Yeah, my name is Luke Bheer. I urge you to vote. No
on the expansion of and Cruz's ability to operate evs
in San Francisco. I'm a former tech worker as well
as a father and a safe street advocate who has seen
the negative effects of our car dominated streets.
The proposed expansion of A BS in San San Francisco
streets will have widespread negative effects on our
streets. The city as a whole and the planet including
but not limited to an increase in vehicle miles traveled
I urge you to vote no on today's resolution. Delaying
further authorization of autonomous vehicles in San
Francisco roll back previous authorizations while the
impacts of A vs on vehicle miles traveled, climate
change, pollution and public safety are studied by
an independent government body and demand that A V
companies share unredacted incident data with the public
I my child and the rest of the general public rely
on you to regulate EB companies like and Cruz so as
to protect us our streets and our plants from the negative
impacts of unregulated corporations who have and will
continue to put their business interests
of the general public and public land. Please do everything
in your power to regulate these companies to ensure
the public is protected from the negative impact of
unlimited expansion of beta A B software on our streets
We, the people do not consent to being guinea pigs
for these for profit corporations and their beta software
Please vote no on the expansion of Way and Cruz's ability
to operate beta software on our streets. We need way
mo regulation. Thank you.
Thank you, operator. Next color, please. Our next caller
is Joseph Krensavage. You may go ahead. Good afternoon
commissioners. Thank you very much for your public
service. My name is Joseph Krensavage. I support the
expansion of operations of autonomous vehicles by cruise
in because my daughter is a developmentally disabled
person, she may never be able to obtain a driver's
license and will very likely benefit from autonomous
vehicles by enabling her access to reliable and convenient
transportation without the risk of human error or negligence
by a driver of an Uber or Lyft, a vehicle, autonomous
vehicles will also eliminate the risk of a driver taking
advantage of my daughter's cognitive limitations and
compromising her personal safety and well being. I
believe autonomous vehicle technology is ready for
responsible expansion and it will continue to improve
I believe the enormous benefits of autonomous vehicles
far outweigh the potential risks. Thank you. Thank
you operator. Next caller, please.
And we currently have 25 callers in queue. Our next
three callers are Mary Morris Ryan Walstrom and Logan
Ivaco. Mary Morris. You may go ahead. Your line is
open. Good afternoon, President Reynolds and Commissioners
My name is Mary Morris and I'm here on behalf of thrive
and the small school districts association to thank
the commission for investing in rural communities through
the digital Divide grant program. This program will
be a life changing transformative investment, ensuring
that communities though we are not disconnected. It
will also ensure that teachers in rural places have
the tools to create transformative learning experiences
for their students. So from the bottom of our hearts
we wanted to show our gratitude for this investment
in rural California communities. Thank you. Thank you
operator. Next caller, please.
Our next caller is Ryan Walstrom. You may go ahead
Yes, ma'am. Um, uh, hi, my name is Ryan Walstrom and
uh, I'm currently 1/5 year apprentice in, uh, the IBW
and local six. I'm calling to show my support for a
cruise and application to, uh, expand the EV, uh, Ride
Hill Services in San Francisco. Um, you know, I, I
know it's a subject that might rub some people the
wrong way and some people the right way. I just, I
really appreciate how everybody today has been really
civil. And um you know, I hope in the end that, you
know, everybody feels at least ok about the solution
and it works out for everybody, but this is what America
is all about. It's about talking about things and expressing
our views publicly. And um yeah, I just hope it works
out for everybody in the end, but I do support it.
We lost a lot of jobs during COVID as electricians
and this would be a great way for us to kind of
you know, I'll get back on the map. So, um thank you
for listening to me today and y'all have a great day
Thank you operator. Next caller, please.
Our next caller is Logan Ivaco. You may go ahead. Hi
I urge you to vote against the expansion of the A BS
These companies have no fiduciary responsibility to
their writers or the public. They have a responsibility
to their investors and that's not how safe cost effective
environmentally just or labor oriented utilities work
I live in the Richmond District where A VS showed up
suddenly without community involvement. I've personally
had multiple dangerous experiences with A VS in my
neighborhood including one blocking a fire truck after
a motorcycle accident and ignoring bike hand signals
These A VS are doing much Uber and lifted. They're
superficially keeping prices low to gain public support
and will raise prices once they become a monopoly and
run humans out of business, this is all being done
without appropriate oversight or real jobs transition
plan. Additionally, people who say these are environmentally
friendly solution failed to note that the regional
air district has cited that the largest pollutant to
our air and water actually comes from tires rather
than expanding car infrastructure. We should be investing
in improving, meet the needs of those on the call.
Finally, how did we get to the point where we're relying
on another human is seen as more dangerous than corporate
greed? Thank you. Thank you operator. Next caller,
please.
Our next three calls are Bruce Wolf, Kane, Shay and
Julia Dillard Bruce. If you may go ahead, your line
is open.
Hi, my name is Bruce Wolf Pack of San Francisco and
Animal Welfare Group. Please vote no on this for uh
the and uh cruise autonomous vehicles making these
publicly traded companies a utility will allow them
incumbency just like any other municipal utility franchisee
And we've seen the problems they bring which uh come
before you. And I echo the previous speaker on ad a
requirements for all disabilities before approving
use of these vehicles. Instead, the public's concerns
will have to come back here before you. And according
to you, as regulators, your charge is to follow the
law and not public opinion words that you have mentioned
many times and many other issues such as smart meters
and public power. But the public's concerns must pay
heed to you. Our voices should affect your assessments
on life changing decisions like this and not be discounted
voicing this on the public without our voice having
an effect is disingenuous. Any advantages or benefits
to the public by exist as independent businesses in
regular market competition. But allowing them full
access statewide with no local ability to regulate
is excessive and overbearing which will cause more
harm to humans, pet some wildlife and lawsuits which
I for one do not want my tax funded state budget to
pay for. I personally had to scrape a dog who was run
over by an autonomous vehicle after midnight that didn't
stop even after the salt and battery. Who's responsible
How are you going to account for their Felonious responsibility
Recall the gas leak explosions. Uh Thank you. Please
vote. No, thank you operator. Next color, please.
Our next caller is Kane. She, you may go ahead. Your
line is open. Uh Hi, I'm calling from 22nd and Harrison
Street in San Francisco where last March, a human truck
driver ran down and killed an elementary school teacher
in broad daylight. Um I know there's a lot of positive
and negative emotional reactions to technology. So
I'm just going to directly cite some SF MC A and CPUC
publications the 2022 SFMT A speed management evaluation
summary said San Francisco is at a record number of
pedestrian deaths over double our vision zero goals
all from human drivers last year, they tried to reduce
speed in 28 corridors with 300 speed limit signs and
the direct quote here, speed is the leading cause of
severe and fatal crashes. In San Francisco, speed limit
compliance has decreased on every street where they
implemented new signs and there was essentially no
change in egregious speeding. So that is where we are
with human drivers. I'm now studying CPUC agenda resolution
TL 44 that found in millions of miles with four accidents
caused autonomous vehicles. All four were human faults
So in three human drivers hit the car and then the
other in the last one, the human driver tried to cut
across the limo and cause an accident. I urge you to
vote to expand the autonomous vehicles for safety.
Thank you. Thank you operator. Next caller, please
Our next caller is Julia Dillard with IBEW local six
You may go ahead.
Good afternoon commissioners. Uh My name is Julia Dillard
and I'm an apprentice in IVW local six as well as the
San Francisco resident. And I'm just calling to uh
to support with my support for the expansion of Cruz
and uh applications to expand their vehicle ride services
in the city. Um This expansion will be especially valuable
to uh us local six apprentices. Um It'll also help
us prepare for the expansion of the green economy uh
in terms of helping us learn more about electrical
infrastructure and how to install charging stations
and things like that. So, um overall, I think this
is going to be a net benefit for the city for the
residents as well as for labor here in the city. Um
So I'm very much in support of this and I just wanted
to thank you for your time.
Thank you operator. Next caller, please.
Our next three calls are Devin Terry, Ryan Gilmore
and Ryan Spurlock seven Perry. You may go ahead. Your
line is open.
Hi, can you hear me? Yes, we can. Hi, my name is
Devon Terry. I'm a current cruise writer. I have to
say I strongly urge the support for expanding cruise
and I've written in the person, I'm running in them
with the person as a person with a disability. I feel
real safe riding them and because it's like they go
like they go everywhere. I had drivers like fall asleep
on me and lift in Ubers and almost got into an accident
Never had that happen in a cruise vehicle. Thank you
for your time. Thank you operator. Next caller, please
Our next caller is Ryan Gilmore. You may go ahead.
Hi, can you hear me? Yes, we can. Great. Hi, my name
is Ryan Gilmore and I urge you all to vote against
the expansion of A V operations on the streets of San
Francisco. As a driver in San Francisco. I have seen
a vs behave erratically and break the rules of the
road. I was on a heavily backed up Irving Street in
a sunset a few weeks ago and a cruise vehicle seemed
to have thought the line of traffic before a stop sign
was a row of parked cars. It was driving west on the
wrong side of the street, oblivious to the countless
drivers honking and waving at it as I understand it
there is no pathway to accountability for the traffic
violations committed by these who will be held responsible
when a software or logic error results in death. Even
beyond my doubts as a driver trying to conscientiously
share the road with public transit bicyclists and avs
I am also greatly concerned with the complete absence
of obligation on the part of Waymo and crews to share
operations data freely with the city and the public
We were not consulted on whether we wanted to live
in a test course for A VS. And I think it's reasonable
to demand visibility to how these machines impact our
communities. I also have great concern over the surveillance
these vehicles conduct on our neighborhoods, not to
mention the way er jobs and work opportunities, increasing
the number of A vs on the road will also increase energy
consumption and create more waste. And I deeply appreciate
the comments given today about how these technologies
can improve the lives of the elderly and different
enabled members of our community. But disregarding
these concerns I and others have raised will undoubtedly
cause great harm to our community and society. I urge
you not to expand authorizations and to roll back existing
authorization until these questions of accountability
have been addressed. Thank you. Thank you, operator
Nick Color, please.
Our next caller is Ryan Spurlock. You may go ahead
and your line is open. Hi, my name is Ryan Spurlock
and I'm the founder and CEO of Human Made, a nonprofit
advanced manufacturing training and workforce development
organization that serves underserved individuals through
our career training and placement as well as we support
the hardware and startup community here in San Francisco
I'm calling in to share our strong support of Cruz's
request to expand its operations 24 7 to service all
of San Francisco as an important community partner
to us. And many other organizations in San Francisco
Cruise is helping to advance sustainable clean and
safe transportation options for everyone in all communities
Human made is proud to be a long time partner of Cruise
for many years through its social impact program. Crews
for good. Cruz has used its all electric self driving
fleet to deliver more than 2.3 million meals to San
Franciscans. In our program, participants receive meals
delivered by cruise through our mutual partnership
with at that New Deal. And we are grateful for their
efforts to support our community with this critical
need. As soon as insecurities continue to persist.
We asked the commission to approve Cruz's application
to expand its services
through first hand experience of the impact that autonomous
vehicles have in the lives of our workforce, trainees
here in San Francisco through our new delivery partnerships
We believe that approving cruises application will
help grow the number of green jobs in the bay area
like fleet repair technicians and charging station
technicians and will provide clean transportation options
that benefit our city businesses, residents and visitors
and more importantly, better serve our most vulnerable
communities. Thank you commissioners in advance for
your time and consideration. Thank you, operator. Next
caller, please.
We have 20 currently in Q. Our next three callers are
Bonnie Jane and Erica Bonnie Jane. You wanna go ahead
Your line is open. I can see the older Republican guys
just like saying whatever the fuck they put in front
of that reality
again, Bonnie Jane, your line is open. You may go ahead
with your comment
and shall we go to the next caller? Yes, please.
Our next color is fennel. You may go ahead.
Hello, good afternoon. My name is Fennel Doyle and
I'm calling because I am adamantly opposed to A V.
I'm a San Francisco resident of 13 years and the PPUC
must delay any further authorization of the autonomous
vehicles in San Francisco roll back previous authorizations
while the impact of A vs on vehicle miles travel, climate
change, pollution and public safety are studied by
an independent government body in demand that A V companies
share unredacted incident data with the public.
I unapologetically demand that all cars are banned
from San Francisco on a breastfeeding birth giving
mother of a human child. The cars are problematic and
harmful to all living beings.
I had to even start a home school because San Francisco
was unable to provide a clean environment for my son
and I during COVID, we put on double. Have you even
researched the chemicals? This object which is fundamentally
trash is roving around our city according to the provisions
and chemicals listed on California prop 65.
My son and I, we've been fighting for car free spaces
transit, equity and end of car dominance, people, community
and open green space. Once they prioritized over polluting
dangerous and murderous vehicles, all cars should be
banned in San Francisco
Robotaxis. Add more. I need to ask you to cars
during a climate and traffic violence crisis. If we
allow these become as pervasive as the proponent so
often to be our cities will be forced further into
car dependency and these to sell more cars for private
profits. American Auto Auto need to ask you to wrap
up your time. Thank you very much for your cars, addressing
the problems that come with car to tenancy means changing
our city neighborhoods to function with fewer of them
driverless are not. Thank you for your comment operator
Let's go to the next caller.
Our next call is Erica. You may go ahead. Your line
is open.
Hi, I'm Eric. I live in the Castro in San Francisco
I'm a UX researcher in tech and I urge you to vote
no on the authorization, uh authorization of autonomous
vehicles in San Francisco. You can't ignore the fact
that the rollout of A VS has been a disaster. The number
of incidents of A VS, blocking emergency responders
which is a life or death scenario, blocking buses,
creating congestion and dangerous traffic scenarios
and putting pedestrians in harm's way are overwhelmingly
high. Personally, I've been pushed out of crosswalks
by them and I can actually never tell if they can see
me allowing the expansion of this, given all the data
we have on what's going wrong is reckless premature
and it will kill people. This company's ethos is to
move fast and make profit and we can see that with
all these incidents go to their lack of transparency
with data use of surveillance without our consent and
seeing accessibility as an afterthought in the non-compliance
with ad A as we've heard about today. Is unethical
It's, it's unethical to put our transit system into
the hands of these CEO S with the wrong motivations
Thank you. And I urge you to vote no and oppose the
expansion of A Ds in San Francisco and roll back previous
authorizations. Thank you, operator. Next caller, please
Our next three callers are Brian Kilton, Bill mcleod
and Andrew Kennedy. Brian Kilton. You may go ahead
Your line is open
again, Brian Culton, your line is open. We are not
able to hear you. Please check your mute button.
And should we go to the next caller? Yes, thank you
operator
and Bill mcleod. You may go ahead. Your line is open
Great. Thanks very much as a San Francisco native.
I'm a biker. I'm a pedestrian and I really appreciate
the potential safety of non distracted drivers at a
time where driving or drivers have really gotten incredibly
dangerous. But um, also I was at the DARPA Grand challenge
19 years ago, which was really the watershed moment
for these cars. None of the cars, autonomous vehicles
finished the course and several didn't even get out
of the starting gate. Um So we've come a long way since
then and that's really incredible, but we are not ready
yet. I don't think a 10 fold increase in having these
on the road. I've been biking along and an autonomous
vehicle will be next to me and it just stalls in the
road next to me, blocking the road. This happened this
week on Valencia Street, which has a new center bike
lane and that shuts down the entire street because
there's no flexibility anymore. In Valencia,
all the cars had to go up and drive through and pummel
the new bike lane barriers. So it's when more, more
oversight is needed. I think if you come back in six
months and you know, they, they not just oversight
from the PC, but also there needs to be a system where
first responders can immediately contact the vehicles
not just from a QR code, but they can speak to the
car and there have to be people watching and monitoring
every car that doesn't have a driver. And if and if
you do allow this, I mean, I need to ask you to
wrap up like Valencia Street that will be shutting
up if one car stops. So, thank you. Great. Thank you
operator. Next caller, please.
We currently have 15 in Q our next caller is current
I'm sorry, Andrew Kennedy. You may go ahead.
Thank you. Hi, my name is Andrew Kennedy. I'm an sf
resident. I often use a scooter to get around sf as
well as drive. And the one thing that I think I noticed
the most is with a driver and a pedestrian and scooter
rider on the streets is that there is a very, very
low enforcement of ss traffic laws. People are constantly
speeding. I see run stop signs red lights roll through
stop signs as a driver. It infuriates me watching other
drivers endangered pedestrians like this. And the one
thing that as a way, Mo and cruise rider I've noticed
is the cars are perfectly obeying the laws all the
time. I have never seen a way mo run through a red
light and almost hit a biker, almost hit knee on a
scooter. I've been in one, I've seen them perfectly
carefully stop and move around riders. It's, it's a
thing that we need that people that are never enforced
in the city and that it can be perfectly enforced with
software. So I urge the CPC to expand its rod. So we
get better behaved drivers all throughout the city
Thank. Thank you operator. Next caller please.
Our next three calls are Ronald Martin Jerry and Helen
at our next caller is Ronald Martin. You may go ahead
Your line is open.
I'm commenting from Fresno, California and to eliminate
virtual net electricity metering is to do the opposite
of the mission of the public utilities commission.
Your duty is to protect consumers from predatory pricing
by corporations that are necessarily monopolies. If
you eliminate virtual net electricity metering, you're
denying depriving nearly half of the Californians who
live in multi family housing from benefiting from savings
that they could realize from rooftop solar panels to
deny the is not only malfeasance of your mission as
a commission, but it's a threat to our democracy while
the US economy is directing most of its income to the
top 1% of our citizens and our corporations, you are
commissioned to be against rigging the economy against
our least. Well off. At least they should get a break
on their power bills if they participate in sustainable
energy heat, virtual net energy energy metering for
people in multi family.
Thank you, operator. Next caller, please.
Our next scholar is Jerry Ho. You may go ahead.
Hi everyone, dear commissioners. Uh My name is, and
I'm the executive director of car. We are a nonprofit
organization connecting communities in need with the
mobility empowerment. Please vote yes to permit crews
and we to expand their odd um as a trained architect
and urban planner, I wanted to point out that one A
vs, do not discriminate. Unfortunately, humans discriminate
and humans are dangerous with road rages and drunk
driving. Um A vs do not discriminate against who and
where the passengers are. Two A vs can replace cars
Yes, more ride share A V shuttles like the cruise origin
or vehicles will help us replace single occupancy cars
in three most of the vote. No comments point to limitations
of a right now and that I think that's exactly why
you should vote. Yes to expand the services because
these services need to learn and, and grow as an A
I. Um And but it's only,
thank you very much. Have a good day. Thank you operator
Next caller, please.
Our next three callers are Bonnie Jane Helen and Timothy
Matthews. Bonnie Jane. You may go ahead. Your line
is open. Hi. Uh Thank you to everyone. I wanted to
speak up today to announce my support for and Cruz
as they expand accessibility to A vs in San Francisco
I think it's very disheartening to hear the voices
of people today who hate technology companies so much
that they are willing to turn off their empathy and
that they're willing to turn off their consideration
for the needs of our blind people in our community
for elderly people, in our community, for people with
mental and physical disabilities in our community who
need autonomous vehicles to be able to function properly
in their daily lives. And to think that some people's
hatred for technology companies blinds them to the
empathy that they should have as members of our community
to all of those who benefit from the ways that autonomous
vehicles allows us to live our lives fully is very
disheartening to me. I hope these people will be able
to turn off their blind hatred and instead see some
empathy for once to the people in our community who
will benefit from A BS. Thank you. Thank you. Operate
Our next caller, please.
Our next caller is Helen Atta. You may go ahead
president and all commissioners. Thank you for taking
my call on me. It's been a long day. I just hope
you're still listening with your heart. Uh I'm a co-founder
of Alliance and a member of Safe Ranch. I live in,
uh, I have been affected by the gas storage, initial
gas storage. I want you to vote. No on the expansion
of the facility.
Capacity. We are still suffering, believe it or not
After all these years, we are still suffering. I woke
up just this week gathering for the same air that's
making me sick. My husband just had a biopsy. I have
to go every year for a colonoscopy for precancerous
situation. I have, my daughter is suffering night sweats
stomach issues and it's been mentally very difficult
for us. Last for the last eight years and even longer
Please shut this facility down. Uh They are late for
2017 but hopefully soon
the president that you met a few years ago. I don't
know if you remember or not. The Sacramento before
you became president of CPC. At governor's office.
I showed you a girl's picture was suffering. We lost
she lost her battle because her weak body could not
take this poison that the gas company was putting in
her body. She was only 28 years old and just look at
the human side of this another financial game for gas
Please do what I know, you know in your heart. That's
the right thing to do. Please do the right thing. Thank
you very much for your time. Thank you operator. Next
caller, please.
Our next caller is Timothy Matthews. You may go ahead
Your line is open.
Hi. My name is Timothy Matthews. I'm the research director
for Teamsters local 856 and a San Francisco resident
I wanted to take the opportunity to thank my fellow
labor siblings for all of their opposition to the expansion
of autonomous vehicles. Unfortunately, there are two
local unions who are, who are on the wrong side of
this issue and they also just so happen to have the
same lobbyist that's on the cruise payroll. This whole
thing looks to be another instance of big money buying
policy, politics, and friends. It's disappointing since
I was unable to attend in person. I wanted to say a
quick hello to all the way employees in the back of
the hearing room, the ones wearing the yellow shirts
I hope that you've enjoyed your field trip today. Um
Please vote no on the autonomous vehicle issue. Oh
and if you used to be the lawyer for Cruz, perhaps
you should recuse yourself from this issue. Thank you
for your time. Vote. No, on the autonomous vehicle
issue. Thank you operator. Next caller, please.
And at this time, we currently have 14 in Q. Our next
three calls are Alice Sung, Sarah Ruth and Re Shackley
Alice Sung. You may go ahead. Your line is open.
Thank you. Can you hear me? Yes, we can. Thank you
Thank you. Commissioners. I'm here to express opposition
to the current discriminatory proposed nem three VVNEM
decision um for these reasons. Number one, it discriminates
against our 3 million students. Um Title one students
over 6 million students who do not currently have solar
schools, unlike their wealthier counterparts who may
already benefit disproportionately. Second, as our
federal state and energy and climate goals and rules
require more energy efficiency, decarbonisation and
solar. This will further burden especially the title
one public schools and increase disparities, working
against equity in resilient communities.
And lastly, I would like to say that I would like you
to please please consider modifying the decision to
include on site netting at least for our public school
districts, our Children and our grandchildren will
Thank you.
Thank you operator. Next caller, please.
Our next caller is Sarah Ruth. Let me go ahead. Thank
you. Um I'd like to second the remarks of the previous
caller. They were spot on. I'm calling in with opposition
to the commission's ma proposal. My name is Sarah Roose
I'm a parent living in West L A. And though through
my interest in children's issues, I've assumed the
chair of the Children's Caucus of the California Democratic
Party. In my own personal opinion, it's critical that
we adopt and expand our use of alternative energies
This proposal introduces perverse incentives to that
goal in the form of penalizing or making economically
infeasible the participation of properties that are
not single households that means schools, it means
apartment buildings, it means large institutions. They
are all financially harmed by this proposition. Instead
of being allowed to lead the way forward by adopting
clean or safer alternative energies. This is not a
beneficial proposal for any of us. Please amend the
proposal to include on site netting. Thank you. Thank
you operator. Next caller, please.
Our next caller is re Shackley. You may go ahead. Your
line is open.
Hi, my name is Garren Check. I am a resident of San
Francisco and biking is my primary mode of transit
as a biker, I feel much safer around autonomous vehicles
Just yesterday. A human driver almost killed me. This
is a regular occurrence. I ride near autonomous vehicles
all the time and yet they've never threaten me. In
fact, since we're talking about who to who to allow
on the road, I urge you to vote to ban human drivers
on the road. Human drivers drive drunk and drowsy.
They threaten me as a cyclist. They drive aggressively
when they're late or even hungry. Human drivers are
weirdly attached to incredibly polluting internal combustion
engines, counterintuitively safer cars, autonomous
vehicles will help get people out of cars and bike
more just like I feel safer around babies and taxed
appropriately to help fund transit. I urge you to vote
to accept autonomous vehicles and sure, let's ban human
drivers.
Thank you operator. Next caller, please.
Thank you. Before we go to the next caller again, if
you would like to make a comment, please unmute your
phone. Press star one and record your first and last
name slowly and clearly when prompted. So I may introduce
you. We currently have 11 in Q. Our next three callers
are Henry Swanson Lei is, and Brian Donohoe
Rewson, you may go ahead. Your line is open. Uh Hi
Can you hear me?
Yes, we can hear you. Uh Hi. So, um uh thanks for
taking my call. Um I'm calling to express my support
for expanding we's operation. Uh I have a close friend
with the sea disorder and we allows her to get around
independently. Um, she can't take ride shares but like
a lot, like from a lot of the stories we've heard,
um, she'll often encounter some unsavory behavior from
uh some drivers. Uh public transit gets here part of
the way there sometimes, but the last mile problem
is still difficult and I know we've all seen the news
articles. Uh I mean, I've read them too but when I
look at the streets with my own eyes, I see much, much
better behavior from way most other rabies and from
human drivers. Um I know that's just anecdotes. But
what we see in the news, there are also anecdotes.
I think the responsible thing for the commission to
do is look at the aggregate safety data which only
you can demand um, and decide whether uh we safety
record exceeds that of human drivers. I think that's
the bar that needs to be cleared. I think that's the
bar that they do clear and I would like to see them
continue to operate. Think so. Yes.
Thank you, operator. Next caller, please.
Our next caller is Leilani. Is, you may go ahead. Your
line is open. Hi. Um, I am a San Francisco native and
I've actually been using crews throughout, um, the
Richmond district. Um, and parts of the city I usually
use it at night. Um, after 10, which is when I get
off of work and I prefer using crew. Um, sometimes
I've written with Uber taxi drivers and the experience
has been unpleasant. And so to me, it was upon Uber
and the taxi drivers to get their act in order to provide
customer service to us. And when that failed, some
of us turned to cruise which became available. I feel
that I deserve to have a safe ride home. One that is
free from bigotry, free from discrimination free from
misogyny. And that's what Cruz is offering. Um, at
night, there's less cars on the streets in the Richmond
district. What I do see is a lot of cars that don't
stop at the stoplight that lurch into the um, cross
have gone around crew that have literally draw, driven
around cruise because it doesn't want to follow the
rules. And I want to say I understand that cruise is
not perfect and is not perfect. But we need to understand
that drivers themselves, um they've killed a lot of
people in this city and they refused to follow the
rules of the road. And so I'm sorry, Uber and taxi
have brought themselves here. Um and that would have
helped with better customer service and respect that
their customers just as you want. Respect. And you
know, I said before in my written comments, I am ok
with giving some type of wage and training so that
they can be retrained. But when humans start to treat
humans better, maybe we can work together. But until
then I want to use a driverless car because then there
is no argument. Then there's just a nice calm ride
home. Thank you. Thank you operator. Next caller, please
Our next caller is Brian Donohoe. You may go ahead
Your line is open. Hello, my name is Brian Donohoe
I'm a civil engineer and San Francisco residents. I
oppose the expansion of a VY service in San Francisco
We've heard time and time again, even from the people
that are pro the expansion of av service that these
vehicles are glitchy. They're bad, they mess up, they
make mistakes during the meeting earlier this week
Cruz was directly asked how many vehicles had unexpected
stops. Cruz said they had 100 and 77 Vres this year
but Vres are vehicle retrieval events when they have
to bring the vehicle back to the garage. They completely
sidestepped the question, which was the number of unexpected
stops. This attitude will persist at every step of
the way when working with billion dollar corporations
that do not have the best interests of this city at
heart. And last month alone
operator, should we go to the next color? Yes, he's
dropped. And we have 13 in queue at this time. Our
next three colors are Regina, Mike and Dylan Sabre
Regina. You may go ahead.
Hi. Hello, President Reynolds and members of the calculated
public commission. My name is Regina. I'm the vice
president of Berkeley Federation of Teachers and a
school board member with Emory Unified School District
and a first grade teacher. I'm here to urge members
of this committee to add on site into the N MA successor
tariff decision. So our public schools can consume
generate energy in real time or store it on site. Increase
in energy expenditures directly reduces funding for
educational services and hurts already overburdened
school districts. Last night, our Emory school board
passed a resolution supporting net energy metering
for schools and our district just begun installing
our solar panels but without on site netting, there's
a real change that they won't pencil. Please remedy
cost of solar on a rooftop. Thank you. Thank you operator
Next caller, please.
Our next caller is Mike. You may go ahead. Oh, hi.
My name is Mike debating. I'll try to make this brief
police fire and first responders. Generally all urge
a no vote due to what we've seen the demonstrated impedances
Some people will die waiting for a blocked fire truck
or ambulance. It's going to happen and people are going
to remember this meeting and the outcome of this vote
as far as the, if not here, they'll do it somewhere
else. Argument. So what let cruz and Waymo put lives
at risk elsewhere, not here in my hometown and transparency
I feel is important. Uh I think it's, it's worth putting
on the record officially. I haven't heard already that
uh Commissioner John Reynolds has made a lot of money
working for Cruz and I think it's important that he
recuses himself. I mean, otherwise, I mean, I want
to know that. Yes, money buy a lot of fucking cheese
won't it? You goddamn rat. That's the truth. Recuse
yourself. Have some self respect, respect, the respect
democracy. Simple as that. Thank you. Next caller,
please.
Our next caller is Dylan Sabras. You may go ahead.
Your line is open.
Thank you, commissioners. My name is Dylan Fabris and
I'm the community policy manager at San Francisco Transit
Writers, which the member supported nonprofit advocacy
organization sf pr opposes the applications to expand
Robotaxis in San Francisco A vs, may play a role in
the future of our transit network, but we and many
of our members are concerned about the way it is set
to be rolled out. You heard earlier this week that
even with the relatively small yet unknown number of
A vs on the road. Right now, the SFMT A has documented
hundreds of incidents involving them, many of which
have created dangerous situations and obstructed transit
vehicles. Companies are not currently required to report
many of the unsafe situations they cause unexpected
stops, create a safety issue for all road users including
AV passengers by forcing cars and transit vehicles
into oncoming traffic or bike lanes. We're also concerned
that our unregulated expansion will add more cars and
congestion to our streets just as Uber did after the
CPC granted them similar permits years ago. Among promises
that they would reduce car usage wide AV expansion
goes against our state's transit and climate goals
San Francisco transit riders urges you to vote no,
on the application before you today. Thank you. Thank
you operator. Next caller, please.
We currently have 11 in Q. Our next callers are Jackson
Wong, Steve Torres and Brian Kilton Jackson Wong. You
can go ahead. Your line is open. Hi, can you hear me
Yes, we can. Ok. So give me one second. I know and
I'm gonna pull that.
Ok. Hello. Uh My name is Jackson Wong and I'm an engineer
who lived and worked in San Francisco. I oppose the
expansion of autonomous vehicles in the city
algorithm as a single driver as there have been over
600 reported incidents of behaving erratically and
dangerously in if any single driver was the cause of
600 safety incidents, their license would be revoked
dozens of times over. There's no mechanism to hold
these companies accountable when their cars cause moving
violations on our roads. They must prove their safety
before they can be allowed to exponentially expand
their potential for errors. Putting more of us at risk
Furthermore, it is clear that the community of San
Francisco rejects the presence of these unaccountable
surveillance drones on the streets based on the phenomenon
of disabling these vehicles with cones before any expansion
can be made. The community must be engaged to address
our valid concerns over mass surveillance, undercutting
labor and public transit, the environmental dangers
of electric, single occupancy vehicles, accessibility
and safety. Thank you. Thank you operator. Next caller
please.
Our next colorist Steven Torres. You may go ahead.
Thank you. Good afternoon commissioners. My name is
Steven Torres and I'm a San Francisco Entertainment
Commissioner and serve in the Cultural District program
Although I'm speaking on my own behalf, I am well aware
of the barriers to accessibility and equity that face
residents and workers in the city. Unfortunately, the
privatization of transportation will not improve these
conditions and none of the current Navy companies have
met the threshold of good faith or transparency. Furthermore
like the concerns shared around the Decommissioning
of landlines, these companies have also not demonstrated
an ability to make contingencies for emergencies or
for first responders. The current situation in Hawaii
draws how quickly draws into focus, how quickly emergencies
can arise and how accessibility and communication by
both first responders and residents is essential to
saving lives, innovation and proper regulation, process
and oversight. Do not need to be mutually exclusive
Thank you. Thank you, operator. Next caller, please
Our next caller is Brian Kilton. You may go ahead.
Hi. Can you hear me now? Yes, we can. All right. Thank
you commissioners. I'm calling today to oppose the
expansion of Mo and Cruz. A couple days ago, this commission
heard about significant safety gaps with A VS. And
during this meeting alone, there were four A V safety
incidents that I know of on the visits on coal on Fillmore
And on 18th, we heard from, at that meeting, we heard
from the SF fire department that A vs dangerously interfere
with emergency responses. Like happened earlier today
on 18th and this happens almost every day. We heard
that the SF police department is not allowed by law
to ticket A vs for the dangerous moving violations
They commit a driver, human or robot that cannot immediately
respond to direction of first responders, puts passengers
at risk in emergency situations and a driver, human
or robot that consistently breaks traffic laws should
be ticketed and have their license suspended. A companies
should return for approval after they have finished
respond immediately to hand signals and verbal direction
from first responders as SFFD has requested. And California
has fixed the regulatory gap to allow ticketing A VS
for their consistent breaking of our traffic laws.
Uh Thank you and I encourage you to vote. No, thank
you operator N call, please. And our next three calls
are a poor of Naro Kent Bullard and Margo Woolsey.
A poor of you may go ahead. Your line is open.
Hi, I'm a, I'm a resident of San Francisco. I'm a driver
and I'm a biker and I urge the C PC to allow
a companies to move ahead. Um cities and states around
the world would be begging to be the capital of innovation
and have the future built in those cities. But for
some reason, people in the state have a habit of saying
no to every single positive change for the next generation
and just thinking about themselves, I've used these
cruise cars and they're safer than like any cars I've
driven in humans are killing 2 to 3 people every month
on the roads of San Francisco. These cars are safer
than any driver, including me as a driver. They will
unlock a world of opportunity for disabled and old
folk. They will change our lives for the better. And
yes, there are genuine concerns on traffic and jobs
and we should solve them over time, but we shouldn't
slow down innovation for no good reason for now. Please
let these companies expand and show us the future.
We should be celebrating them in San Francisco and
we should be very lucky to have them here in California
Thank you. Thank you. Operate our next caller, please
Our next color is Kent Bullard. You may go ahead. This
is Kent Bullard. I live in Ventura California. I'm
an advocate for sustainability including solar energy
I wish to have President Reynolds and the fellow commissioners
modify the proposal to continue allowing net metering
on multifamily units. Do not tax solar with the new
metering proposals allowing you in front of the meter
um billing we have to move forward with solar, continue
clean energy adoption in the state. It's totally critical
Think about Maui, think about climate change. Keep
people in the loop with their personal decisions to
install and utilize solar energy. Thank you. Thank
you. Operate our next caller, please.
Our next caller is Margo Wool.
You may go ahead. Your line is open. Hi, I'm Michael
I don't drive. So having the opportunity to the
is really important to me. One thing I love is, is
this controversy is not pretty well.
And
where
of this?
I bought this rainbow. I
will grow.
Oh no, this is
and they will grow very fast. Yeah. Well, I I just
I don't like to shoot this. I believe they will or
can they be young?
Find your company?
Hey guys. Great dad. How
on this show, California? We just most of the two years
to falling behind of the. Thank you. Thank you operator
Next caller, please.
Our next caller is Laria Burnell.
You may go ahead and your line is open. Thank you dear
President and commissioners. I'm a resident in the
city of SF and I want to encourage the commission to
approve cruz's request because their service is safe
and reliable. My experience with cruises A B has been
satisfactory and exceptional since I began using the
service in December 2022. Their A B has improved my
transportation options and safely transported me from
point A to point B Alive. Well, and out of harm's way
of any unwanted advances or harassment. I accept that
the vehicle does not drive too fast for the road or
weather conditions, but it requires me to wear my seatbelt
at all times that it succeeds to obey road signs and
signals or yield the right of way that it does not
ride recklessly or aggressively and that it reacts
safely to unexpected hazards such as pedestrians, animals
slow moving or halted vehicles on the road in all 80
plus rides. I've taken with Cruz, I've experienced
consistently the same level of safe, low risk driving
I trust cruises, driverless service and recommend the
commission to approve the request. Thank you. Thank
you operator. Next caller, please.
And we currently have six callers in queue. But again
as a reminder, if you would like to make a comment
please press star one unmute your phone and record
your first and last name slowly and clearly our next
callers are Louis Luis Amaral, Steve Rhodes and Joshua
Babcock Luis, you may go ahead. Your line is open.
Hi. Um I'm Louisa Mal and I live in North Beach. Uh
I support the cruise expansion. I believe that voting
no to the and cruise expansion might be a big hit,
not only for the bay area but also to in general to
the A V industry all over the country. A are probably
one of our best options today to deal with drunk driving
road range and drivers working around the clock, but
also to indirectly stop crime. This expansion may be
may not be the perfect solution, but it's part of the
transportation industry development and we can't be
stuck forever on regulation while perpetuating vehicle
related deaths and life threatening accident. Um, in
a way, I do not understand that humans by default,
we prefer accidents provoked by other humans rather
than by a machine. Um And I guess we got so used
to human provocate accidents that we've accepted them
Uh We are very fast in tracking E va V accidents, but
nobody talks about
more than 100 people die in related car accidents every
day in the U si urge the commission to vote yes to
the expansion. Thank you. Thank you operator. Next
caller, please.
My next call is Steve. You may go ahead. Your line
is open. Hi, I live in Bernal Heights where and cruz
cars use the narrow streets. There are testing ground
for a long time. Um First of all, they don't always
follow traffic laws. It is against the traffic law
to not pull aside when there is emerged vehicle and
to not follow the orders of a police officer or firefighter
Um I've an unexpected stop is also not following traffic
laws. I saw an unexpected stop in April on Geary street
near Van. He just before seven pm with heavy traffic
it stopped in the middle of the street. Buses, cars
had to pass on either side as it, he was stuck there
It was named Grits, which is cute but something scary
could happen during an unexpected stop. I don't hate
technology. I just think technology should be regulated
and you have the power to do that. You can't ban humans
from driving though. Certainly most humans will
yield, will yield to an emergency vehicle. I hope you
will both know at the very least you should cap the
number of these vehicles and also require far more
data to be reported to the city of San Francisco so
they can monitor what is happening. Thank you. Thank
you, operator. Next caller, please.
Our next caller is Joshua Babcock. You may go ahead
Your line is open. Hello, my name is Joshua Babcock
I am a resident of San Francisco and I work for an
energy engineering firm devoted to solving issues related
to climate change, including transportation electrification
And unfortunately, these firms like Cruz and are making
a lot of claims that aren't backed up by any data.
And I urge the commission to oppose the expansion of
the Navy operation in the city due to the numerous
safety concerns side of the date. I've personally witnessed
these cars seriously interfering and interfering and
impeding traffic numerous times including emergency
vehicles. Recently in my neighborhood, one of these
cars blocked a lane while emergency vehicles were trying
to get to the scene of a shooting with multiple victims
This technology is currently deployed with a menace
to the public safety and benefits private corporations
at the expense of the public good through the avoidance
of an appropriate regulatory framework. San Francisco's
unique geography and density specifically requires
less cars and more public transit, biking and pedestrian
infrastructure. I believe it's absolutely urgent that
the CPC Act and respect the interests of the residents
and the city government to block
vehicles in San Francisco. Thank you. Thank you operator
Next caller, please.
We currently have seven callers in queue. Our next
three callers are Erica. Oh, Andre and Melissa Garcia
Erica. Oh, you may go ahead. Your line is open. Hi
Um, my name is Erica and I'm a resident of
and we cruise operations allowing hundreds of more
cars on the road is only going to drive up emissions
and do more harm to our environment, allowing way more
and crews to expand with an unlimited number of vehicles
will only increase our city's reliance on cars and
decrease public transit use if we want to meet our
city's climate goals. We need to vote. No. And all
these comments about unsafe human drivers are missing
the point. We should be decreasing the total number
of cars autonomous or not. If we truly want to fight
for our differently abled community, our elderly community
low income community and everyone else who needs better
transit options. More vehicles are not the answer.
We should instead be focusing on cheap, accessible
and safe public transit for all and investing in the
jobs of our bus drivers and street car operators. Thank
you and I encourage you to vote. No, thank you, operator
Next call, please.
Our next caller is Andre. You may go ahead. Your line
is open.
High commissioners. I'm wonder accurate. I live in
Hills, San Francisco and I'm asking you to approve
and support and Cruz expanded autonomous vehicle service
I've taken many rides in self driving cars in San Francisco
and I feel the service is ready for expansion. Now
more importantly, I ask you to consider long term impacts
of your decisions. Future generations of San Franciscans
Californians, people around the country and the world
They need us to invest in their safety as well. And
we need to be able to test these things outside where
there are people where there are traffic and other
instances these cars have to navigate. We need to make
a decision that thinks a little bit longer term than
next year and the year after generations from now will
benefit from us
things. Thank you for investing and for doing the right
thing for future generations. Thank you. Operate our
next call, please.
Our next caller is Melissa Garcia. You may go ahead
and your line is open.
I'm Melissa Garcia. I live in the de Viro and page
area of San Francisco. The lower today. I shot a viral
video of a car blocking all of the visits, traffic
for a tourist bus and an emergency vehicle who had
to drive over some bumpers to get to where they were
going and it took about 20 minutes and this is a regular
occurrence on our street. My concern is also shared
with transit. I'm a lifelong uni writer. I love uni
we should be putting way more energy there and letting
tech companies use us as guinea pigs while they figure
things out doesn't mean more generations are going
to have a cleaner future. Means more generations might
not even make it to that future. Will it take a kid
getting hit on their way to school? That the way can't
see for us to really think about regulations? We don't
have any data to support any of the things these folks
from and Cruz are clearly paying and encouraging people
to call on this line and say, I don't think any of
those are legit and I thank you for your time today
Thank you operator. Next caller, please.
And again, as a reminder if you would like to ask,
I'm sorry, make a comment. Please press star one unmute
your phone and record your name clearly when prompted
Our next caller is Andre. I'm sorry, Erin Rice. You
may go ahead. Your line is open.
Hi, my name is Aaron Rice and I'm a resident of San
Francisco and I encourage you to vote. No. On today's
expansion of access to Robotaxis, there are already
enough deployed on the road for them to improve their
algorithm algorithms, which is an argument that I've
heard a lot today. Um I don't know why we would need
to expand the number that are already on the road in
order for them to be able to, to get it right, which
they haven't clearly so far. I also absolutely don't
think an expansion should be authorized without open
access to real data, not just convenient talking points
I'm pro innovation, but I'm very against private corporations
being given unlimited access to our streets, especially
without a full citywide vote. So all residents can
have a proper say. Um I also want to echo the point
that any member of the commission that is making any
considerable money from any of these companies should
recuse themselves from the vote. Thank you. Thank you
operator. Next caller, please.
Our next call is Walter Park. You may go ahead. Your
line is open.
Thank you. My name is Walter Park. I live in San Francisco
I was the founding director of America Office Disability
I'm currently a member of the California Department
of Justice Disability Advisory Group. I'm not speaking
on behalf of either of those organizations today. Safety
is of course a concern. I think that the NBC news story
on Tuesday night was pretty much the ultimate nightmare
demonstration of a vehicle that blocked two lanes of
traffic for 20 minutes when they were trying to show
off how good they are. Very embarrassing and something
that we really can't tolerate on a daily basis. My
main concern though is not safety. It's full accessibility
You may not approve something that excludes one protected
class of citizens, potential riders and that's people
with disabilities. These cars are not designed to allow
a person in a wheelchair to use them. They could be
I think the software is fine. The software needs matching
hardware, New York City um has recently introduced
a fleet of fully accessible goods
manufactured in America and they're on the streets
today. These cars, the software in these cars can be
put into accessible vehicles. You may not approve them
without that. The alternative means that they propose
are not equivalent facilitation to wave and the center's
health care programs are not equivalent promising to
later add on accessibility while we do this now, it
always fails. We cannot have accessibility in the future
As an add on it has to be part of the original
full design. Let's not start retrofitting the stuff
please again, vote. No, on two and three. Thank you
very much. Thank you operator. Next caller, please
Our next caller is Shica. You may go ahead. Your line
is open.
Hello. Um I would strongly support the motion to allow
more Avis on our streets. Um I believe they are better
than many, many human drivers who are increasingly
distracted and sleep deprived these days. As a parent
of young elementary school kids, I see drivers run
over red traffic lights even when a crossing guard
is present. It is very scary and shocking how irrational
humans are behaving on roads these days. In contrast
I took a 40 minute long way more ride. It was very
safe and at no point in 40 minutes, I felt a lack
of trust or lack of confidence, writing it. I wrote
it with my kids and so I would highly uh support this
motion to allow more Avis on our road. Thank you. Thank
you operator. Next caller, please.
Our next caller is mu you may go ahead. Your line is
open.
Hi there. Uh Thanks for giving me a chance. I work
in San Francisco. I would like to, I, I'll keep it
short and everyone's tired. Uh I expressed support
for, uh, for allowing the expansion of A V. Uh I think
Well, I mean, uh, my is these machines do not get distracted
they don't text while drivers, they don't get drunk
Uh, and I think we also need to be less about ideologies
and more about looking into data and statistics. Um
from what I've looked at most of the so-called incidents
have been, uh the A is being actually rear ended. And
if the biggest thing that is that they, they stall
I think um it is worth giving a chance and uh kind
of make San Francisco still like the at the cutting
edge of technology. Uh That's it. Thanks. Thank you
operator. Next caller, please.
And before we go to the next caller again, if you would
like to make a comment, please unmute your phone, press
star one and record your first and last name slowly
and clearly when prompted. So I may introduce you.
Our next caller is Bridget Bailey. You may go ahead
your line is open. Hello, I would like to encourage
you to vote. Yes, in favor of planet Earth just experienced
the hottest year on record as a grandmother. I worry
deeply about the climate crisis and how it will impact
the future of my grandchildren. When given the opportunity
anyone in a position of leadership such as the members
of the public Utility Commission should use their power
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Autonomous vehicles
would bring electric vehicle transportation to thousands
of people who can't afford or don't need to purchase
their own electric vehicle. Please use this opportunity
to advance sustainable transportation and help us meet
the climate crisis. Also, my 66 year old brother in
law is losing his sight and is now legally blind the
ability for him to use self driving cars such as would
provide him with much needed independence. Thank you
Thank you operator. Next caller, please.
Our next caller is the men. You may go ahead. Your
line is open. Hi there. Uh, just calling in that also
Uh, of course, safety is a complex topic and there
there's many aspects to it, but as a person who, who
worked in San Francisco and has lived in San Francisco
for almost a decade. Uh I, I very much feel a lot
safer with a V than I feel with uh with human drivers
Uh In particular when I'm biking. Uh So wanted to contribute
their perspective. Thank you very much. Thank you operator
Next caller, please.
And at this time, we have no additional callers on
the public common telephone line. All right. Um Thank
you operator. And with no more callers on the line
the public comment period is now closed.
Sure,
you the comment. It will be one minute.
Sorry.
Ok. I'm a 23 year San Francisco resident, a mom and
a bike person here to advocate for liability, liable
streets, liveable cities, liveable earth, make the
solar thing work. Uh close the gas thing tomorrow.
Um And likewise, can we end the century long experiment
that is human driving? No one cried for the lamplighters
the elevator and switchboard operators or the typing
pool. There are other jobs, there are better jobs,
the drivers, regular and professional are injuring
and killing us. People have asked for statistics. Here
it is. Here's what has happened in San Francisco and
in the streets around us since 2014, there have been
about 30,000 incidents, injury, crashes by cars and
drivers since 2014. Um, here is a B 17 by three companies
and nearly always they were the victim. Oh, and if
the city wants to be serious about what they're doing
about safety, here is what they have done. San Francisco
Fire Department, police any workers, I count count
358. But the data hygiene is poor and I'm sure there
are many, many more. How many more need to be injured
and killed before we do something? Our city won't make
the necessary infrastructure changes because the taxi
drivers, labor folk and firefighters have rejected
the improvement. I need you to wrap up, made transit
faster and people walking and biking safer because
with slow drivers, I believe a vs can help us. It is
Thank you very much for your, it is hard to hear street
rebel and people that I actually have blocked car traffic
with in protest of cars and others that I greatly respect
to over you for your comment and try to ask you to
step
in. We did hear you.
We did hear your comment. Thank you very much.
All right. Uh we have no more callers on the line and
took all of the comments in the room. Um So the public
comment period is now closed. I did want to thank everyone
uh who waited patiently today and to uh let everyone
get a chance uh to speak. So uh we're now going to
move to the public agenda. I'm going to start by reading
the following changes to today's agenda items. 234
and six have been moved to the regular agenda and with
those changes, I'll move on to the consent agenda.
So we're taking up the consent agenda. We need a motion
for the consent agenda. So, all right, we have a motion
from Commissioner Sharo. Do we have a 2nd 2nd, 2nd
from Commissioner Hauck. So with a motion and a second
for the consent agenda, I'm going to ask the clerk
to call the role. But before starting, I did want to
note that Commissioner Douglas is necessarily absent
agenda. Clerk, Commissioner John Reynolds. Commissioner
Hak. Yes, Commissioner Chroma President Alice Reynolds
Yes, the vote is 40. The consent agenda has been approved
I will now move to item two on the regular agenda and
we are going to be taking up items two and items and
item three item two and item three together. Item two
is authorization for Waymo LLC service, an autonomous
vehicle, passenger service phase one, driverless appoint
deployment program resolution TL 19144 item three is
resolution for authorization for crew LLC S expanded
service, an autonomous vehicle passenger service. Phase
one, driverless deployment deployment program resolution
TL 19 1 45. And I will turn to executive Director Rachel
Peterson to make a presentation on these two items
And I did also want to note that we'll be voting separately
but we'll discuss both items together. M Peterson.
Uh Good afternoon. Thank you, President Reynolds and
Commissioners for the opportunity to present this overview
of items. Two and three. I'll start with item two addressing
WO LLC S application. The resolution approves wmo's
advice letter requesting authorization to participate
in this program. With this approval, Waymo may offer
passenger service in its autonomous vehicles without
a safety driver present in the city of San Francisco
and a portion of San Mateo County at all hours of day
or night per wmo's operational design domain which
is approved by the Department of Motor Vehicles. Waymo
Autonomous Vehicles may operate on roadways with speeds
up to 65 MPH and in inclement, weather conditions including
rain and fog. Waymo may collect fares for these rides
The draft resolution was issued on May 11th. 2023 was
served to several transportation related service lists
It received 27 timely comments 23 in support of wmo's
application. One expressing conditional support and
three expressing concerns or in opposition to wmo's
request. I'll go to item three. This proposed resolution
approves cruise LLC S advice letter requesting expansion
of its operational design domain under its existing
driverless deployment authorization. With this approval
Cruz may offer faired passenger service in its autonomous
vehicles without a safety driver throughout the city
of San Francisco at all hours of day and night per
its DMV approved operational design. Domain crews may
operate on roadways with speed limits up to 35 MPH
and will not operate in weather conditions such as
heavy fog, rain or smoke crews may collect fares for
these rides. This is an expansion of cruise's existing
authorization which presently allows it to provide
fared driverless service in a limited geographic area
of San Francisco from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Similar to
the WMO uh resolution. This draft resolution was also
issued on May 11th, 2023 served to several transportation
related service lists received 30 timely comments 27
in support. One expressing, expressing conditional
support and two expressing concerns or in opposition
I want to thank the staff who worked on these resolutions
and supported your offices and the public by answering
questions and providing information, Tara Curtis, Josh
Honeycutt and Ashlyn Kong led by director Doug Ito
and deputy executive director, Pat Sun Brian cars provided
key publication support and our staff team was assisted
along the way by attorneys on our legal division, Ian
Culver Jonathan Cots and of course under the leadership
of General Council Christine Hammond. Thank you for
your consideration of these resolutions. Today and
I'm happy to take any questions.
Thank you, Executive director, uh Peterson. Um I'm
gonna now go to commissioner comments and I'll start
with Commissioner Sharma. Thank you, President Reynolds
colleagues. And first, thank you to all the public
who gave extensive comments and I really hung in there
to this late hour. I very much appreciate it colleagues
We have before us today on the voting agenda, two resolutions
that if approved would permit both Cruz and Waymo to
provide fair driverless autonomous vehicle services
throughout all of San Francisco on a 24 7 basis. I
asked that these be put on the regular agenda because
before taking such a monumental vote, I believe it
is important to stress that the record that it has
been developed through the advice letter process, the
comments to the advice letters from government entity
parties who speak for our first responders and the
responses to those comments from Cruz. And in my view
it demonstrates that the commission lacks at present
sufficient information to evaluate in a comprehensive
fashion that the safety aspects of this mode of transportation
especially insofar as driverless autonomous vehicles
impact the ability of our first responders to carry
out their life saving duties because of this insufficient
record. I believe it is premature to vote to approve
these resolutions today. Instead the resolution should
be held or withdrawn so that crew and we have the additional
time to explain with greater granularity. One why its
driverless autonomous vehicles are making unexpected
and unexplained stops. Well, how cruz and we plan to
improve the technology to prevent these unexpected
and unexplained vehicle stops in the future? Three
how cruz and we will ensure that driverless autonomous
vehicles will not interfere with first responder activities
and for what additional training will be provided to
our essential first responders so that they will know
how to communicate with these driverless autonomous
vehicles. I see the achievement of these goals as occurring
on three simultaneous tracks, the technology improvement
track, the information sharing track and the training
track that should be completed before the resolutions
are voted on the first responders. The A B companies
and the DMV can work together to update the DMV mandated
law enforcement interaction plans prior to us avoiding
out these resolutions, any updates to the law enforcement
interaction plans would then be included in our required
passenger safety plans and that update would be attached
to these resolutions for comment and approval seeking
a delay in this vote is not unreasonable. In fact,
the commission would be legally justified in not voting
on these resolutions today. Pursuant to General order
96 B, the commission has until November 7th, 2023 to
decide to approve way's advice letter and November
11th 2023 to decide whether to approve Cruz's advice
letter. There is no reason to rush to a vote today
when there are still three additional months for Cruz
and Waymo to meet and confer with the city and county
of San Francisco. And to explain to the commission
how the existing driverless autonomous vehicle technology
can be improved to prevent the unexpected and unexplained
vehicles loss from occurring. Such a delay is also
supported by the comments the commission has received
in response to the advice letters. The city and County
of San Francisco Transportation authorities, the Los
Angeles Department of Transportation commented on the
cruise and waymo resolution that first responders do
not know how to communicate with AVS effectively during
emergencies and that the commission's required passenger
safety plans filed by the companies need to be revised
to address these concerns. The comments of the County
of San Francisco. Transportation authorities provide
examples where a driverless autonomous vehicle has
impeded the ability of first responders to respond
to potentially life threatening situations. In response
the resolutions claim that San Francisco's anecdotes
do not represent a sufficiently robust, robust set
of facts upon which to alter the draft resolutions
finding our conclusions. I disagree. All it takes is
one real life example of a driverless autonomous vehicle
that prevents a first responder from doing its job
in real time that convinces me that we should not approve
citywide deployment of driverless autonomous vehicles
until crews of take the time to improve their vehicles
so that there are no such interferences. Now imagine
if one of those so called anecdotes involved a family
a member of your family uh in need of urgent medical
attention or is trapped in a burning building. I would
not characterize such an event as anecdote. Human life
is not an anecdote. Instead, the city and county of
San Francisco are confronted with life threatening
situations in which first responders do not know how
to communicate with this new mode of transportation
I believe a delay in the vote is also warranted by
the safety record that has been developed to date.
The resolutions claim that available data show that
crew and we have maintained a good safety record because
none of the incidences have resulted in bodily harm
to passengers or the public. I consider that conclusion
to be short sighted passengers and the public should
not be endangered. First responders should not be prevented
from doing their job. The fact that an injury or fatality
has not occurred yet is not the end of the inquiry
The commission needs a better explanation regarding
why these events occur and what Cruz and we are going
to do to prevent such occurrences in the future. Now
I would think that Cruz and we would want to share
this information with the commission. So we commissioners
have as full a picture as possible before voting to
permit driverless autonomous vehicles to operate throughout
San Francisco. Finally, we do not know how the cruise
and way business models will alter if the resolutions
are approved, neither Cruz or way will have informed
us as to the number of driverless autonomous vehicles
they will seek to deploy if the resolutions are approved
Cruz is a subsidiary of General Motors Way is owned
by alphabet Google's parent company given their financial
backing Cruz and we will have the capacity to fund
alter our understanding of passenger service in San
Francisco. So it's not unreasonable for the commission
to have a better understanding of the safety impacts
before the resolutions are approved Because of my concerns
I asked the commission not to vote on the resolutions
today. Instead, I ask that these be suspended so that
the issues I've identified can be resolved in suggesting
this pathway today. I'm not asking the commission to
travel down a road that interferes with the jurisdiction
of the California Department of Motor vehicles over
autonomous vehicles. Nothing in the vehicle code presents
the commission as a regulatory body that has jurisdiction
over autonomous vehicles, acting as permanent charter
party carriers from engaging in necessary fact gathering
activities, providing prescriptive suggestions to ensure
the safety of driverless autonomous vehicle operations
Thank you for considering my comments. Thank you, Commissioner
Shiroma. I'll turn to other commissioners. Commissioner
Reynolds. Thank you, President Reynolds. Good evening
everyone. I would like to begin by recognizing the
leadership of my keen partner in this uh in this matter
Commissioner Shama who's exercised leadership over
the course of the, the considerable journey that this
industry has been on as it's regulated by the puc.
I would also like to thank her chief of Staff, Cheryl
W and her advisor Jack Chang on the subject area which
has been full of challenging issues that they've been
working through.
I would like to offer my appreciation for the work
of the consumer protection enforcement division and
the A V program staff team, Deputy executive director
Pat director Doug Tara Curtis, Josh Honeycutt and Ashlyn
who developed these resolutions and have been supporting
our A V passenger programs. I would also like to offer
my thanks to Judge Mason for all of his work on the
proceeding that crafted the rules that these resolutions
are prepared. Under.
Lastly, I would like to thank the parties and external
stakeholders for their ongoing active engagement in
recent workshops and public forums on this topic as
well as the members of the public who have appeared
before us today and at prior forums to offer their
comments about these resolutions and this industry
these resolutions have received a fair amount of attention
in the press and in the public. I would like to begin
by discussing some of the broader context around this
industry which has been the subject of public debate
surrounding these resolutions. We have heard concerns
raised by the city of San Francisco about this emerging
technology covering multiple general issue areas, first
responder interactions, compliance with the rules of
the road traffic tickets, congestion and more. We have
also heard from A V companies about the danger on our
roadways today and the potential for this technology
to reduce those dangers. I can understand what these
arguments are raised before us. Ultimately, advocates
on both sides of this issue, care about the future
And so do we,
I also observe mistaken assumptions echoed in the press
regarding these resolutions. For example, I see debate
about unlimited 24 7 operation of self driving vehicles
yet unlimited 24 7 operations are already permitted
These resolutions have no impact on the ability of
these carriers to operate 24 7. Nor did they impact
the number of cars authorized to operate on the road
The question before us is not how many cars should
be on the road or what times of day should they operate
Those questions are addressed by other formats. The
question before us is whether these two companies should
be permitted to charge fares for carrying passengers
when operating without a human driver in particular
geographic and hours of operation where the DMV has
already determined that these companies are deployment
ready
as these resolutions acknowledge some advocates have
deployed anecdotal data analysis lacking sufficient
rigor to justify a change to our resolutions.
And some such data has filtered into the public debate
surrounding self driving cars. The context surrounding
this industry has captured the public view around these
resolutions. But I would like to turn now to the substance
of the decisions before us and within our area of responsibility
I would like to first touch on the regulatory split
in the autonomous vehicle space. This is an industry
involving several different regulators. The puc is
the state's regulator of charter party carriers of
passengers. These are prearranged commercial transportation
providers in that role. The passenger charter party
carriers act directs the commission to regulate certain
types of passenger transportation service in the state
Per the act. The use of the public highways for the
transportation of passengers for compensation is a
business affected with the public interest. It is the
purpose of this chapter to promote carrier and public
safety through its safety enforcement regulations.
End quote. At the same time, we fit into a landscape
of regulators related to this emerging technology and
rely upon one another for different aspects of this
oversight. Alongside us in this journey, we have the
Department of Motor Vehicles or the DMV, the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration or NHTSA, the
National Transportation Safety Bureau, the California
Highway Patrol and local law enforcement who enforce
the rules of the road.
Vehicle safety is addressed primarily by the DMV and
NSO. The dmv's primary position with respect to vehicle
safety at the state level derives from its legislative
mandate as set forth in vehicle code section 38750
And NSA is the national regulator of roadway safety
with staff divisions dedicated to crash safety, vehicle
safety compliance defects, investigation, and other
vehicle safety subject matter
at the state level. The California legislature in SB
1298 established an approach to regulating the safe
testing and operation of autonomous vehicles. The legislature
designated the California DMV as the implementing agency
to oversee the implementation of this approach. The
California DMV has established regulations governing
the safe testing and operation of autonomous vehicles
including specific regulations governing a law enforcement
interaction plan that a companies must develop and
update as well as regulations related to following
the rules of the road. When I spoke earlier about the
broader context of this industry and the subject of
public debate. What is really being debated broadly
here is the interactions of A vs on the roadway which
falls within the jurisdiction of our sister agency
the California DMV. Some parties are asking us to override
the judgment of the DMV, even though it is the agency
tasked with this oversight.
And while on the topic of safety, it is also worth
acknowledging the broader context of roadway safety
Over 30,000 people in the US die on roadways annually
and over 4200 people died on California roads in 2021
according to the Office of Traffic Safety, while we
don't yet have the data to judge a vs against the standard
that human drivers are setting. I do believe in the
potential of this technology to increase safety on
the roadway and collaboration between key stakeholders
in the industry and the first responder community will
be vital in resolving issues as they arise in this
emerging technology space.
I would also note that NTS A under the under the leadership
of the Biden administration has engaged its oversight
function in the autonomous vehicle space by establishing
a standing general order governing self self driving
vehicles which includes a collision reporting requirement
And NSA has also initiated inquiry into a V I mobilizations
and unexpected heartbreaking.
So with all of the swirling debate in recent weeks
some might ask why consider these resolutions now,
first and foremost, as I see it, these resolutions
apply the rules this agency adopted regarding commercial
A V passenger service. As a licensing agency for commercial
passenger transportation, we establish rules, then
we apply them. If we determine that rules need to change
then we can make different rules through our rule making
process here. However, we apply our rules to the commercial
services proposed by these carriers. Of course, if
we determine the future that different rules are needed
for these carriers, then such new rules would apply
to these carriers after we adopt them, these carriers
So permits under our rules eight months ago, these
resolutions are before us because these character,
these carriers satisfy our rules. Well, there has been
some debate in recent weeks. Many months of review
and analysis have been underway before these resolutions
reached our agenda with opportunity for further stakeholder
input.
Additionally, this technology has the ability to help
California meet its clean energy and transportation
goals. As these carriers offer service in electric
vehicles and evs also provide people with more transportation
options and have the potential to offer transformative
options for those with disabilities. As a passenger
transportation regulator, the puc often sits in a market
facilitator seat for passenger transportation. California's
increasingly multimodal system with people choosing
which transportation options work best for their needs
has the potential to improve our lives daily. Given
that the safety regulator has already approved deployment
for these companies. There is a customer benefit in
having more competition in the passenger transportation
space.
And I'll note that in our deployment decision, we outlined
four key goals for our AV deployment program. First
protect passenger safety as we discussed in our deployment
decision. This is distinct from vehicle safety and
roadway safety.
Second, expand the benefits of A V technology to all
Californians, including people with disabilities. And
I'll note here that we've, we've heard from many members
of the public who have expressed views on both sides
of these resolutions who have access needs, some of
whom have indicated that the services today may provide
them with an option that's really beneficial to their
access needs. Others have told us that their access
needs are not met by these services and there is, I
think it's fair to say continued work needed to make
sure that the transportation system provides access
to those regardless of their needs.
Our third goal is to improve transportation options
for all particularly disadvantaged and low income communities
And our fourth goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
criteria, air pollutants, toxic, air contaminants and
particularly reduce all of those in disadvantaged communities
So the resolutions before us would allow two autonomous
vehicle companies out of the 41 licensed A V entities
who are licensed by the California DMV to provide expanded
driverless passenger service with fares.
The resolution for Waymo would approve wmo's application
for a phase one driverless auto autonomous vehicle
passenger service deployment, satisfying the requirements
of the deployment decision. We would be able to offer
passenger service and its autonomous vehicles without
a safety driver present throughout the city of San
Francisco at all hours of day or night. Among other
conditions specified in its operational design domain
approved by the DMV,
may currently offer fared passenger service throughout
San Francisco with a safety driver present non fare
passenger service throughout San Francisco without
a safety driver present and non Fareed passenger service
in parts of Los Angeles and in and around the cities
of mountain view with a safety driver present all of
those authorizations allow operations at any time of
day
for Cruz. Our resolution would approve Cruz's request
to expand its odd under its existing phase one driverless
autonomous vehicle passenger service deployment authorization
satisfying the requirements of the deployment decision
Crews would be able to offer passenger service in its
autonomous vehicles without a safety driver present
throughout the city of San Francisco at all hours of
day or night. Among other conditions specific in its
hoodie D that is approved by the DMV.
Crews may currently offer fared passenger service in
limited areas of San Francisco from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
without a safety driver present, faired passenger service
throughout San Francisco at any time of day with a
safety driver present and non fared passenger service
throughout San Francisco at any time of day without
a safety driver present.
I would like to offer my appreciation for the thoughtful
revisions on both resolutions that identify and need
to continue collaboration with the Department of Motor
Vehicles first responders, local law enforcement and
transportation agencies. It is with these constructive
conversations that we can move forward with the resolutions
at hand and make improvements. While I acknowledge
that these subjects are regulated by the DMV, I expect
industry to engage in ongoing dialogue with first responders
to resolve issues as they arise. This will be critical
to forging partnership between cities and the companies
operating this technology genuine partnership. As I
see it is a shared interest we heard this week from
city departments and from these carriers, all of whom
expressed a desire to work together to find solutions
to problems as they arise. That is a start and I expect
to see these carriers and the cities follow through
on this desire where there is a will, there is a will
as both resolutions find it is reasonable for a V regulation
and policy at the commission to evolve as a V technology
and operations scale and change. It's appropriate and
necessary for such an innovative transportation service
Before closing, I do want to take a moment to address
comments regarding my prior employment as is publicly
disclosed before my appointment and confirmation to
the puc I had the opportunity to serve as staff here
at the commission as well as staff at res. Both experiences
drew heavily from my legal training, critical thinking
and dedication to public service in this regard. When
I returned to the commission in February 2022 as a
commissioner, I took a step back from the commission's
A V and TNC proceedings for a year and I recused myself
on votes for these matters during that time period
And now, well after such passage, passage of time,
I plan to use my experience as a consumer advocate
and my familiarity with this emerging technology to
the benefit of the Californians that we serve as the
state through multiple agencies. Continues to develop
the regulatory environment for this technology. I look
forward to continuing to work with my colleagues on
building forward looking policies across all of our
regulated industries. I would like to offer thanks
to my advisor, Duo for this matter, Kate Pollock and
Sasha Goldberg, who have embraced this emerging topic
and have worked diligently to stay on top of all of
the moving, moving parts throughout this resolution
process.
Today is the first of many steps in bringing a V transportation
services to Californians and setting a successful and
transparent model for other states to follow. And with
that, I will be supporting these items. Thank you.
Thank you, Commissioner Reynolds, Commissioner Hogg
Thank you, President Reynolds. Um I want to begin by
thanking the public for their time and thoughtful participation
in our process, both for the written comments and the
many meetings that you've attended and provided feedback
I also um want to begin by thanking Commissioner Sharo
and her office for their leadership in um rulemaking
R 12 12 01. The order instituting rulemaking on regulations
related to passenger carriers, ride sharing and new
online enabled transportation services. She has and
continues to diligently work to ensure the integrity
of the program and ensure public and passenger safety
And I want to thank our Consumer Protection and enforcement
division or CPD staff um and Judge Mason for all of
their work in this area. I also want to thank my advisor
Maram Mosari Nicky Baa and Victor Smith for all of
their work on examining this issue. Um advising me
and looking into this matter, we at the commission
have the responsibility to ensure safe and reliable
operation of passenger carriers and we take that responsibility
seriously. Staff have carefully considered this matter
in submitting the proposed resolution to us for a vote
It's important to note that the resolution before us
recognizes that the department of Motor vehicles may
suspend or revoke a carrier's permit if it determines
based on the performance of its vehicles that the carrier's
vehicles are not safe for the public's operation. The
commission also has the authority pursuant to the public
utilities code to initiate investigatory and or enforcement
actions against its permits and may modify suspend
or revoke an A B program authorization if warranted
The resolutions also acknowledge continued and emerging
challenges related to passenger and public safety as
well as data collection reference. Some of which was
referenced by Commissioner Shama in moving forward
with phase one driverless autonomous vehicle passenger
service deployment. The commission must ensure safe
and reliable operation of passenger carriers as such
We must approach the deployment of these technologies
with caution. And to this end, the commission staff
will continue to engage with stakeholders including
meeting regularly with the industry, the city, the
department of Motor vehicles, other go government entities
and the public to continue the dialogue regarding the
process and substance of updating our requirements
for our A V program on an ongoing basis. And through
um the rule making under Commissioner Shamas leadership
for this program to work. It is critical that the industry
work directly with the city to ensure one effective
incident review and development of corrective actions
and two to work towards effective standardization and
training between first responders and the industry
Something that I believe both the industry and the
first responders committed to earlier this week. I
strongly encourage the industry to meet regularly and
share information with um first responders regarding
all incidents of interaction between San Francisco
emergency vehicles and personnel and driverless A VS
and to identify of operations and training that can
be standardized. Both the city and the industry should
have appropriate personnel present to conduct these
meetings and take sufficient time for these meetings
to work through any issues and communicate the results
of these meetings on a regular basis with our staff
to ensure the commission continues to be updated on
the status of the program. I ask my colleagues to join
me in asking staff to come back in three months to
provide an update to the commissioners and the public
on the program if the resolutions are approved today
um If we find an increase in traffic impediments, particularly
as it relates to interaction with emergency responders
staff should examine um options to modify the permits
to place limits on the number of vehicles that could
be on the road or suspend the programs if warranted
the companies have met the requirements of decision
2011 46 as set out in the resolutions and are in compliance
with their department of motor vehicle permits that
said I want to stress that issuance of approvals today
would not alleviate any obligations for cruz or way
o to comply with any existing or future requirements
The commission may adopt going forward for operation
of A B passenger programs or prevent suspension or
revocation of permits if warranted a broad range of
opinions have been presented to us by the public regarding
the resolutions before us today, I do not take this
decision lightly. The companies must understand that
any decision to grant authority to either or both companies
come with tremendous responsibility and they need to
live up to this responsibility by putting safety first
and foremost, which means close, continued and ongoing
coordination and with San Francisco first responders
the Department of Motor Vehicles and Commission staff
Again, it's important that we as the commissioner stay
informed as to the rollout of the program and the coordination
between industry and emergency responders into this
end. Again, I would like staff to come back in three
months to provide an update to the commission and the
public. I do believe that staff have demonstrated that
the companies are in compliance with the requirements
that were set out by the commission and the state and
therefore will be voting to support the resolutions
Thank you, Commissioner Hack. Um I'd like to just turn
to executive Director Peterson just briefly given Commissioner
Hacks, uh, comment about a staff report back. Uh Thank
you. Um, Commissioner Halk and President Reynolds.
Um Yes, we can come back to you in three months by
my calculation that would be around the middle of November
Um in order to provide a report on how the program
is going. Um, you know, as I think we um know we
are in still in the process of setting data and reporting
requirements and that is under the leadership of Commissioner
Chroma in the broader proceeding. And so we will endeavor
to bring you what we can at that point, knowing that
um, it might be still in, in the works and whatever
we can make public and bring to you. We will. All right
I heard take that as a yes, that you were brought back
to the greatest extent possible. All right. Um Thank
you, commissioners. Um I did want to start also by
thanking Commissioner Sharo for her leadership in this
proceeding and for what I anticipate will be continued
work in the proceeding, both with our staff and the
DMV to track progress and improve the operation and
services of um A vs throughout the state. I also wanted
to thank Commissioner Reynolds um as Commissioner Sharma's
Bagley Ken, partner for his continued work on this
proceeding. Um We heard a lot of discussion and comments
today and I did want to emphasize a few points. Um
I'll start by pointing to the resolutions themselves
Staff has done a very thorough job of uh outlining
the evidence and the data in these resolutions. We
must base our decision on this data and evidence and
on the proper scope of our authority. The C PC regulates
private passenger carriers in the state including limos
buses, ferries, trains, transportation, network companies
and of course the subject of today's resolutions, autonomous
vehicle companies. The CPC verifies that these companies
have proper licenses, vehicle registrations and insurance
and, and that they comply with rules to protect passengers
and the public. In the case of A V companies, the state
legislature has given the DMV the role of evaluating
and granting licenses to operate and deploy A V services
and the DMV registers vehicles enrolls their safety
drivers, develops the regulations that ensure the safe
operation of the vehicles and enforces regulatory compliance
These duties include monitoring of autonomous vehicle
performance and suspending or revoking operating authority
when necessary. The advice letters before us as you've
heard, provide crews and Waymo with authority to collect
fares for their autonomous vehicle services in San
Francisco during all hours of the day and night with
limitations such as preventing prohibiting services
from operating on certain streets and roads such as
busy freeways. And as you've heard, this is an incremental
approval. It builds on existing approvals and it's
not the last action the CPUC or the DMV will be taking
in regulating these vehicles. This is part of the ongoing
process of oversight and testing of a new technology
This process of course has been developing for a number
of years with the DMV first granting authority for
the vehicles to operate in California in 2014. And
the Navy companies have been piloting autonomous passenger
service since the C PC granting them authority in 2018
including collecting fares in some circumstances. Additionally
cities across the country are also testing and authorized
authorizing these services. Um And as you heard at
the all party meeting, for those of you who were in
attendance on Monday, the conversation on how best
to integrate AVIS into our communities is far from
over. We'll work with our partner agency, the DMV to
refine data reporting requirements. Consider the best
strategies for coordinating with local governments
and continue to improve communication with emergency
responders and any requirements that are adopted in
the future will apply to the services of A vs including
in San Francisco. And as you've heard, we do expect
companies the AV companies to engage with first responders
with law enforcement, with city officials and we do
expect actions to address concerns. In the meantime
the resolutions before us do meet our requirements
And for that reason, I will also be supporting them
with that. I will now ask for a motion on item number
two. We'll start with item number two. Is there a motion
so moved. We have a motion by Commissioner Reynolds
Is there a second
second? Ok. We have a motion and a second agenda clerk
Could you please call the roll? Commissioner John Reynolds
Oh, I'm sorry, can we just, we'll start over. I did
want to note that uh Commissioner Douglas is not in
attendance today because of a necessary absence. And
with that, a agenda clerk, could you please call the
role on item two. Commissioner John Reynolds. Commissioner
commissioner? No, President Alice Reynolds. Yes, the
vote is 31. The item pass the motion passes. I'll now
call for a vote on item three a motion. Do we have
a motion on item three?
So moved motion by Commissioner Reynolds. And is there
a second? Second? Ok. Second by Commissioner Halk.
Um I'm going to ask the agenda clerk to call the role
on item three. and I wanted to note before you call
the role agenda clerk that Commissioner Douglas is
abs is, has a necessary absence. So she's not here
today. Commissioner John Reynolds. Yes, Mr Halk. Commissioner
no, President Alice Reynolds. Yes, the vote is 31.
The item passes.
All right, I will now move to item four.
Item four is R 20 08022. And this is a proposed decision
on an order. Instituting rule making, authorizes authorizing
the expansion of the on bill financing programs for
non residential customers administered by Pacific Gas
and Electric, Southern California, Edison, Southern
California Gas Company, and San Diego Gas and Electric
to support clean energy technologies beyond energy
efficiency.
And Commissioner Shara, would you like to present this
item? Thank you. Thank you, President Reynolds. I'm
gonna give a truncated presentation given the lateness
of the hour. That sounds good and I know there's a
little noise with people um leaving the room but I
think everyone can still hear you so feel free to go
ahead. Ok. Thank you. Uh So financing strategies are
becoming increasingly important as California gains
traction, transitioning to a clean energy future. Achieving
the goal of 100% clean energy by 2045 will require
the involvement of Californians in all market sectors
at unprecedented levels including those in urban, rural
tribal and disproportionately burd communities to fully
reach the state's goal. By 2045 or sooner, large numbers
of electric heat, uh electric uh heat pump, water heaters
electric space heaters, electric vehicle, charging
infrastructure and energy efficiency measures will
need to be purchased and installed. Um Many Californians
struggle to pay for these improvements or will not
make those technologies a priority for purchase without
available financing. So this rule making intends to
provide a comprehensive strategy for helping customers
finance energy improvements for their homes and buildings
and to expand the current financing programs to include
clean energy technologies beyond energy efficiency
It is designed to improve access to capital for energy
improvements, improve equity and accessibility, increase
customer protection and ensure financing programs backed
by rate payer funding are targeted to attract investment
by third party partners. It, this rule making coordinates
across multiple commission proceedings with finance
related options and works closely with our sister agencies
The California Energy Commission, California Air Resources
Board and the California Advanced Energy and Alternative
Transportation Financing Authority or which is housed
within the California Treasurer's office. Um uh The
the proposed decision uh addresses clean energy financing
proposals that were submitted uh as President Reynolds
outlined from the utilities and also also Silicon Valley
Clean Energy Authority and the local government sustainable
energy coalition. This proposal approves many of the
proposals denies others. Launches the next phase of
this proceeding which will focus on new options for
residential customers. This proposed decision focuses
on commercial non residential customers. Uh There are
existing on build financing programs that are well
established and administered by the electric and gas
utilities. They have a default rate of less than 1%
and demonstrates that the utilities have have prudently
administered their programs. The on bill financing
programs provide loans ranging from $5000 to $250,000
and for exceptional projects to a maximum of $4 million
depending on the investor owned utility for energy
efficiency upgrades paid through a fixed monthly installment
on the customer's utility bill. The program uses rate
payer dollars uh to fund a revolving loan pool. Uh
offers loans with no interest, no finance charges or
prepayment penalties. So now we are expanding these
programs to include beyond energy efficiency. Uh things
uh that um I think you mentioned solar storage uh um
uh electric, electric vehicle infrastructure micro
Now the program is being expanded as well. Uh They
go green program. Uh And what we are doing there is
that uh they they currently are authorized for uh 70%
energy efficiency. Again, this, this decision expands
uh these financing programs beyond energy efficiency
Uh this proposed decision based on comments will allow
uh to, to go up to 100% uh and also will allow
for uh 30% of other kinds of clean energy equipment
So, so basically, it will expand our sister agency's
ability to provide financing for clean energy. There
is going to be a new tariff on bill working group uh
that uh effort for residents for residential customers
uh is a, a little more complicated in terms of how
does that financing occur on the bills and then should
somebody sell their house? What happens to uh that
loan? So there will be a working group. Uh Pacific
Gas and Electric will be assigned as the lead. They
have quite a bit of experience. Uh The Silicon Valley
Clean Energy Authority tariffs on bill financing proposal
will be a starting point. They will be a part of this
working group. Uh And there will be an eye to assuring
that stakeholder groups representing low income disadvantaged
communities, travel communities and tenants are also
uh involved. So, uh with that, I asked for your eye
vote. I do have many to think by the way. So I
I wanted to think, OK, testified Deputy executive Director
for Energy and climate Policy, Simon Baker, Jim, Cali
Hal, Peter Francis and Kevin, also our administrative
law judge uh toy, also judge Sofia Park Legal Divisions
Matt Kovich and Intern Malia Libby, also my bay partner
Commissioner Darcy Hak, her chief of staff, Karen Sung
advisors. Uh, Adam, uh I think I've been mispronouncing
it, Blitz. I've been mispronouncing his name all this
time. Intern Jill Ferguson from my office, my chief
of Staff, Cheryl Wynn. Uh, and, uh, thank you, I ask
for your eye vote.
All right. Thank you. Uh Commissioner, how would you
like to go next? Yes. Thank you. Uh, President Reynolds
Um I'd first like to thank Commissioner She Roma for
her leadership in this very important proceeding. Today's
decision is a strong step forward in embedding equity
into clean energy deployment in both residential and
industrial sectors. While the commission and other
state agencies and utilities have worked for decades
to provide numerous rebates and incentives programs
for residential energy efficiency and clean energy
technologies. Our funding and financing solutions have
left out many Californians, for example, rebates and
incentives function as coupons which exclude those
without enough disposable income to make up the difference
and loan programs exclude renters and anyone unable
or unwilling to take on debt because access to debt
is restricted based on income, credit score and renter
status. Disadvantaged communities are disproportionately
affected by this systematic disqualification from our
new clean energy economy and recognition that the surest
path to reaching our state climate targets must be
an inclusive one. Today's clean energy finance decision
will form a tariff on bill inclusive utility investment
working group that aims to make home upgrades for energy
efficiency and other related technologies accessible
without any out of pocket expenses or incurring debt
At the conclusion of the working group, all investor
owned utilities and Silicon Valley Clean Energy are
to file a joint proposal for inclusive utility investment
based on the robust consumer protections embedded in
pay as you save programs which have been highlighted
by the US Environmental Protection Agency. This decision
also expands existing debt based on bill financing
programs for non residential customers to support clean
energy technologies beyond energy efficiency and approves
the California alternative Energy and advanced Transportation
Financing Authority proposal to expand the clean energy
technologies eligible under the California hub for
energy efficiency financing programs. Um So again,
I want to thank Commissioner Sharo for all of her work
in this historic decision. I want to thank Judge Park
Judge Toy Peter Franzi, Kevin, um Bay Ha Kane Jennifer
Cali legal divisions. Matt Yo, uh my former advisor
Adam Buchholtz, my intern Joe Ferguson and my chief
of staff, Karen Sung for all of their hard work and
dedication on this important matter. So, thank you
Thank you, Commissioner Commissioner Reynolds. Thank
you, President Reynolds. I would also like to thank
Commissioner Chroma for her leadership and for her
office's work on this critical rulemaking to expand
clean energy financing options. And I want to thank
Judge Choi for responding to my office's questions
about this PD
in my mind. What makes this rulemaking so critical
so crucial is that we're implicitly recognizing the
importance of financing and recognizing that customers
can face barriers to deployment of critical technologies
because of a lack of financing. It's here that this
rule making becomes key. We need new and creative ways
to finance projects if we're going to hit our climate
goals. And I'm glad to see this PD expand on built
financing for a portion of our customers. I want to
acknowledge as, as has been discussed, but there's
still much work to be done here as this proceeding
will remain open to vet proposals to enable residential
customers to engage in similar financing strategies
I look forward to seeing what parties come up with
and want to encourage them to focus on financing solutions
that will focus on expanding clean energy access to
communities historically left out or left behind in
this transition with that. I will be supporting this
decision. Thank you. Great. Um I will start by piling
on my thanks to Commissioner Chroma. She really does
have, has done a wonderful job in uh leading on this
um proceeding and also would like to thank her uh chief
of staff, Sheryl Winn and then specifically Energy
division staff um would like to thank them for offering
answering the questions from my office on this proceeding
including um Peter Fr Easy. Uh Kevin, uh I've been
pronouncing names all day. Um I'm gonna get this wrong
Um Kevin Fey, uh Hal Kane and Jen Cali and then also
um my chief of staff uh carry Fleischer. Uh I'll start
by saying I'll be supporting this uh proposed decision
and I do appreciate how stakeholders have put forth
um thoughtful proposals on how to expand the existing
non residential on bill financing program so that it
can evolve to help us reach a high electrification
future faster. And it's really wise in my mind that
this proposed decision leverages already authorized
and underutilized rapa funds to test a new approach
with oversight, annual oversight checkpoints. And I
also think it's prudent that the PD defers adopting
a tariff on Bell financing pilot for the residential
sector until a working group can pressure test all
of the creating ideas put forth by the parties. There's
a lot of promise here and the proceeding is, is appropriately
taking a careful approach when contemplating complex
financing tools that will impact consumers and their
homes in the past. In the state of California, we've
unfortunately witnessed unintended consequences through
well intentioned programs like pace financing for the
residential solar industry. So I that's why I'm very
grateful for the long list of pointed questions that
the PD poses to the parties on critical issues like
bill savings estimates, disclosures and disconnections
Um With that, uh I will be looking forward to keeping
my eye on the working group um and I will be uh
and reviewing the joint proposal. So thank you to everyone
for their work on this proceeding and I will now call
for a vote
on the PD. So let's see. We're on item number four
and I need to ask for. So a motion on item number
four. Do we have a motion? I'll make the motion. All
right. Uh, motion by Commissioner Chroma. Is there
a second? A 2nd 2nd, from Commissioner Houk. So we
have a motion and a second on item four. And um, I
will note that Commissioner Douglas is not present
uh, she's necessarily absent. And with that, I'll ask
the agenda clerk to call the role, John
Alice Reynolds.
The vote is 40. The item passes, I'll now move to item
six. Item six is resolution T dash 17794. It approves
four grants totaling $997,480. Uh In the digital divide
grant program, pilot reuse uh to reduce the digital
divide in nine schools located in low income urban
and rural areas. I'll turn to uh executive director
Peterson to present this resolution. Thank you, President
Reynolds and Commissioners. I'll also do a truncated
presentation in recognition of the hour. Um staff recommends
approval of these four grant awards which will go to
four community-based organizations outside the lens
Human it, the small school district association and
thrive each one will support digital access initiatives
in low income, urban and rural areas. They'll be serving
schools in San Diego, Ino County, Modoc County and
Kern County and all of the schools that will be served
to have a majority of students or all of their students
eligible for the free and reduced price school lunch
program. I did have snapshots prepared of each one
in the interest of time. I would like to only provide
a description of one of them because I think that these
stories are quite um they're the reason that we do
these grants um thrive thrive is an organization that
will support two rural schools in Modoc County which
includes students from the Fort Bidwell Indian community
thrive has decades of experience. Implementing community
based projects in schools thrives project will include
a hot spot for connectivity for 115 students with prepaid
data plans for 12 months, an ipad or chromebook for
each student, six charging carts to facilitate charging
workshops and training sessions for the students and
for their families on device usage, safety, digital
citizenship and career development partnership with
Arizona State University and Copernicus Solutions to
offer professional development for teachers and school
staff so that they can make sure that the learning
is maximized with the new devices and the connectivity
And last a access to online courses through a su prep
This is just one of the very worthy four projects that
we'll be funding with these grant uh proposals today
Pursuant to your vote, I've had the privilege of presenting
this to you, but I definitely want to mention and thank
the Community Communications division staff who worked
on these grant applications. The staff team is Carole
Daniel, Lukin Leia Serpas and their supervisor, Lena
Coy and they had assistance from attorney Lisa Marie
Clark. Thank you commissioners. Uh And I'm happy to
answer any questions. Thank you, Miss Peterson. Um
comments on this item, Commissioner hack.
I just want to thank you. Um, Director Peterson. I'm
pleased to support this resolution that approves a
million dollars for the four digital divide grant programs
These grants provide support to nine rural and urban
low income schools in California to provide digital
literacy training, take home devices, broadband connections
and teacher training, broadband availability by itself
will not close the digital divide if we do not provide
our students and teachers the skills to utilize the
full benefits of the essential services. And therefore
I look forward to seeing these grants implemented to
further our collective efforts to close the digital
divide. And I want to join in thanking the communications
to staff that director Peterson referenced my advisor
um Nicky Baa and uh Director Osborne for all of their
work on this. Great Commissioner Sharma. Thank you
Uh simply put, I appreciate the continued progress
being made in low income and rural uh schools, digital
literacy is so important to the success of students
and for uh going into adulthood. Hood. Thank you, Commissioner
Reynolds. Thank you. I'll be brief. Uh I'd like to
echo the thanks for the communications division in
preparing this resolution for us today. I'm looking
forward to following the progress of each of these
grant recipients. And I look forward to our agency
receiving the progress report within four months of
implementation. I'll be supporting this item. Thank
you. Great. Thanks. I am really pleased to be supporting
uh this resolution as well. I'll just note that um
this program was created 20 years ago by the late assembly
member Marco Antonio Firebaugh. Um and the program
at the time was way ahead of its time. And so I'm
just thrilled to see it um come to fruition now. And
the community organizations that are being funded today
will provide invaluable services to school districts
across the state. They'll be providing digital literacy
training, take home uh devices, broadband connections
and teacher training and will serve, serve approximately
777 students. And we all know how important um these
items are for students across the state. Um The program
also is just one part of our larger broadband for all
effort. Um And so I'm just really pleased to be supporting
this individual um piece. I think it, it will make
a real difference in the students lives. And so I just
wanted to celebrate that for a minute. And um we'll
ask for a motion on uh item six.
So, all right, a motion from Commissioner Reynolds
Is there a 2nd 2nd, 2nd from Commissioner Hawk. Um
Before we vote on the motion on item six, I'll note
that uh Commissioner Douglas is necessarily absent
and I will ask the agenda clerk to call the roll. Commissioner
John Reynolds. Commissioner Commissioner
Alice Reynolds. Yes, the vote is 40. The item passes
All right. The next item is item 32. Um, this is a
21 09008. It's an application of Pacific Gas and electric
um for recovery of recorded expenditures related to
welfare, mitigation, catastrophic events and other
recorded um costs. Um I will be introducing this item
I will try to keep it brief given the late hour, but
I did want to provide a bit of an explanation. The
proposed decision relates to an application filed by
PGE seeking recovery of recorded expenditures incurred
primarily in 2019 and 22,020 related to wildfire mitigation
and to respond to catastrophic events. The proposed
decision approves an uncontested partial settlement
agreement among PGE the Public Advocates Office and
the Utility reform Network under which PG and E may
recover 831 million in costs consisting of 681 million
associated with operations and maintenance expenses
and 150 million associated with capital expenditures
Um So unlike uh capital expenses, utilities don't earn
a um return on O and M expenses which constitute a
majority of the costs that may be recovered by PGE
under the terms of the settlement. Um So the um just
you know, in raising this uh in bringing this um proposed
decision uh today or, or highlighting it, I wanted
to take the opportunity to really underscore the significance
of wildfire mitigation activities and what the CPUC
is doing to address the continued risk of catastrophic
events. Um Most of our activities are um a collaboration
with the Office of Energy Safety um Energy Infrastructure
Safety. And in July, I'll just note that we held our
third annual Utility Safety briefings and we heard
from all three, all of the IO us on their welfare prevention
programs and related action. So again, this settlement
is just a piece of a larger picture of activities that
we have going on at the puc and in cooperation with
our sister agencies. I wanted to thank the parties
for working together to settle these contested issues
And I also want to thank Judge um Camil Watz um and
to staff who worked on this proceeding, Julia Ende
Franz Chang, Sarah Thomas Matt Jovic, and also my advisor
Drew Holl and my advisor Simmy George. Um with that
I will ask for a motion on item 32 or no. I'm
sorry. I'm going to let the other commissioners speak
to um who would like to go first. Commissioner Reynolds
Thank you, President Reynolds. I want to start by thanking
you for your leadership on this important application
And I also want to extend my thanks to Judge Zaga for
answering my office's questions about this decision
and the underlying settlement agreement,
the settlement agreement is a positive example of stakeholders
before our commission engaging constructively to agree
on a set of complex financial considerations. Settlements
are never easy and require compromise in the engagement
of everyone involved. I want to thank the parties for
engaging constructively and coming to a resolution
on many of the underlying issues in this application
I also want to echo um the importance of the underlying
wildfire mitigation work that's connected to portions
of the settlement agreement. I'll be supporting this
decision. Thank you. Thank you, uh, Commissioner Hawk
Uh I just wanted to thank you, President Reynolds for
your leadership and all of the staff um that worked
on this, particularly Sarah Thomas who helped answer
questions for my office and my chief of staff, Karen
Sung Commission Sharma. I just want to echo and acknowledge
the tremendous amount of work that went into this settlement
for this first batch of expenses. I'm in support. Thank
you. All right. Wonderful. Um Now I will ask for a
motion on item 32. I'll move it. Ok. We have a motion
from Commissioner Chroma. Is there a second second
Ok. With a motion and a second on item 32. Um I
want to turn to the agenda clerk and note that uh Commissioner
Douglas is necessarily absent and I'll ask the agenda
clerk to call the roll. John Reynolds commissioner
Yes, the vote is 40. The item passes and now we move
to item 33 item 33 is management report on administrative
actions and consumer protection and safety activities
We do have a management report today. Um, Executive
director, uh Peterson. Uh, would you like to start
the management report? Yes. Thank you, President Reynolds
and Commissioners. Now, noting the late hour, what
I'm about to do is introduce our summer interns. It
wasn't part of their job description to stay until
6:40 p.m. at a voting meeting there might I believe
they've all departed, but at least I can present this
to you and we can give them their recording to watch
tomorrow. Um I think it's such a special thing that
we have interns here during the summer at the CPUC
You heard about A LJS and legals and the ones I'll
talk about today are in, have been working in our consumer
protection and enforcement division, Energy Division
and hr and it divisions. OK, Sean Vincent in the Consumer
protection and enforcement division. Uh Sean is from
the Bay area and he joined the Transportation Licensing
and Analysis branch this summer after his first year
at the University of California College of the Law
San Francisco. He conducted research and analysis on
issues including the clean miles standard and the applicability
of existing transportation regulations to the next
generation of transportation technologies. He enjoys
hiking in the East Bay and visiting new restaurants
in energy division. Evan Chen is from San Francisco
and is an incoming senior at UC Berkeley majoring in
economics and mining in data science. This summer,
Evan has been supporting energy divisions, compliance
with ordering paragraphs by researching and identifying
commission orders involving energy and climate initiatives
His interests lie in the intersection of data and policy
making. Moon Moon is an incoming fourth year at UC
Davis pursuing a degree in civil and environmental
engineering with a focus on transportation. This summer
she has also been supporting energy divisions compliance
with ordering paragraphs by similarly researching and
identifying commission orders involving energy and
climate initiatives. She is from San Francisco and
enjoys outdoor activities and has run three half marathons
Spencer. Goldstein. Spencer is a rising senior studying
genetics and plant biology at UC Berkeley. This summer
Spencer is interning with the gas cost and rates section
and is working on the implementation of the cost and
rate tracker tool. An excel workbook used to model
the residential bill impacts of pending proceedings
In his free time, you can find him at the beach hiking
or exploring the bay area with his friends. Devin.
Hunter Devin is a graduate of UC Merced with a Bachelor
of Arts in economics and is pursuing a master's degree
in economics at CS U Sacramento. He's joined the CPU
CS Energy Division and has assisted the customer generation
team. He's interested in understanding how renewable
energy projects can be valued by the time of day that
the resource generates energy. We'd also like to congratulate
Devon on the birth of his son. Reel this June during
his internship, Kel, if you're listening, it is never
too early to start thinking about a career at the CPUC
Krishna Harri holds bachelors and Masters of Technology
degrees in chemical engineering and is currently completing
a master's degree in public policy at UC Berkeley is
working within energy division and contributing to
a project exploring rate based solutions for effective
distribution system management. Now I'll turn to our
hr and it interns. Hr Devon Williams. Devon is a communications
major at Sacramento State and is entering his final
semester in the fall. Devon works in the talent acquisition
unit in HR where he assists with big picture recruitment
efforts like championing direct out outreach to collegiate
departments with the goal of finding new talent pipelines
for the CPUC in his free time, Devon enjoys exercising
lifting weights and video games. Emily, Ne Emily will
be starting her senior year of high school and has
worked in the Sacramento hr office this summer. I'm
so delighted when we have high school students working
with us. Emily is currently assisting hr with making
documents available online so that staff has easier
access and hr has streamlined processes. This is her
first job and she's taking the opportunity to gain
experience for her future growth, information technology
Lindsay de Lindsay is a college student at San Francisco
State University majoring in accounting with a minor
in information systems. Lindsay is is assigned to the
It service desk where she assists with the deployment
and disposal of computer equipment. Lindsay is a San
Francisco native in her free time. She likes to watch
TV, shows youtube and listen to music. Davis. Davis
is a freshman at San Francisco State University majoring
in computer science. Davis is assigned also to the
it service desk and is working on the deployment and
disposal of computer equipment and with fulfilling
requests for hotel and configurations. Davis is always
looking forward to learning and meeting new people
No,
Maddy is a senior at Cal State Sacramento where he's
pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science. His
internship this summer has also been at the IT service
desk helping CPC employees with their technology issues
and working on fulfilling requests for hotel configurations
Elton Wang Elton is working toward a Bachelor of Science
in Business Administration with a concentration in
management information systems at San Jose State University
He has been working on fixing a bug with our preceding
common online form. He's been learning oracle Apex
and working with our data analytics tableau software
Elton has a keen interest in the intersection of information
technology and project management. Cayman Ribald o'keefe
Kaman is working toward a Bachelor of Science in Computer
Science at San Francisco State during his internship
in our software development section in it. This summer
Kaman has been fixing bugs in our C PC employee directory
working on our oracle Apex environment and writing
procedure documentation which is a tremendous help
to us. Kaman enjoys writing, reading web tunes, programming
small gains and automating tasks. Nicholas maybe last
one, Nicholas joined software development, the software
development section in it as an intern nearly 14 months
ago and has interned virtually during two semesters
at UC Santa Barbara where he just graduated with a
BS in electrical engineering. Nicholas' focus has been
on the oracle apex environment and supporting our power
plant outage reporting application which we are making
active use of during these hot summer months. Thank
you, Commissioner so much for letting me introduce
our interns at this late hour. I am so delighted to
have them and I really want to say to all of them
virtually. It is well known that an internship is a
pipeline to leadership positions at the CPUC. We are
hiring now and we will be hiring when you finish your
degree. So I hope you've had a rewarding experience
and please consider us in the future. Thank you so
much.
Thank you, Executive Director Peterson so much for
those introductions and the details about the interns
I think it's fair to say we're all also delighted to
have them here at the CPUC. All right. Uh We'll now
move to commissioner reports.
Who wants to go first, Mr Shama? Thank you, truncated
Uh There are workshops coming up in the epic program
and the group of C program. They're all going to be
on the day of the calendar. But the one I'll highlight
for tonight is, uh, we have upcoming public participation
hearings in the suburban water, uh, general rates case
Uh, and those will be held on. Oh, gosh. Now I managed
to not have a date in my notes here. Uh, they will
be in the daily calendar and we'll be holding them
virtually this time. They'll be one at 2 p.m. and one
at six pm. And customers will be able to call in and
express their views and they will receive bill inserts
about the dates and times and what the proposed uh
uh rates are from suburban water. Thank you.
Great commission help. I will also try and make this
quick. Um We are looking to hold a workshop in the
public um the service quality workshop for um telecommunications
um on September 7th in San Francisco. It will be in
person in hybrid um that hasn't been noticed yet, but
that is the date we're looking at. Um We also have
um items in our bead proceeding that can be commented
on our initial our five year plan and we will be holding
workshops um soon and that proceeding will be moving
fast. So if you're interested, please continue to watch
for that. Um
I had an opportunity to attend one of the tribal broadband
boot camps um that are being put on around the country
and that was um just a really amazing event to get
first hand um hands on experience seeing what it takes
to um have the internet run and talk with tribal communities
about the work they're doing to develop their own um
telecommunications companies. And so hopefully more
to come and maybe we can talk about bringing a presentation
to the commission at some point. Um Last but not least
I wanted to announce a staffing change. I have a new
advisor in my office, Carrie Anne Shepherd. Carrie
Anne Shepherd Johnson is from the beautiful island
of Saint Croix. Um The US Virgin Islands she completed
did her undergraduate education at Liberty University
in Lynchburg, Virginia and majored in government with
a concentration in pre-law and minored in business
administration. She then went on to attend law school
at the University of Pacific MC George School of Law
in Sacramento and graduated in 2009. Carry Anne was
admitted to the California State Bar in 2009 and obtained
a master's degree from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix
Arizona with a concentration of in business marketing
In 2012. She's practiced tax law, employment law, civil
and criminal law. Prior to working at the California
Public Utilities Commission. She began working in the
commission star unit in 2014 and joined the legal division
in June of 2014 as an advocacy attorney. Carryanne
then became an advisory attorney in the legal division
in 2018 and has advised on legal matters in telecommunications
water, transportation and energy. She's been married
for almost nine years to her husband Dominique Johnson
They have a beautiful four year old daughter named
Kari and has another baby on the way. Um That's due
in February. Please join me in welcoming Carrie to
my office. We're very excited to have carry on board
Great Commissioner Reynolds. Thank you. I will be brief
Um Yesterday, I was in Bishop California in the Eastern
Sierras and I had the opportunity to attend a ribbon
cutting for the first tribal. So a project that has
been successfully delivered by the bishop. Um It's
a solar installation on some tribal low income housing
Um It's really tremendous to see the project developed
and I look forward to the bishop sharing their uh their
experience and expertise now with the project with
other tribes so that hopefully we can get some more
some more projects going. Thank you. Great. Everyone's
so efficient today. Um OK, I do have a report uh to
take us home. Um I'll start off with a brief uh CPUC
staffing update. I'm pleased to announce that Hank
Brady has been appointed as our director of, of the
Office of Governmental Affairs Division and um a little
bit about Hank. He brings more than 10 years of state
legislative experience working in various roles across
California and he steps into a role previously filled
by Grant. Mack. Hank has been a committee consultant
for the California State Assembly local government
committee since 2020. And prior to that, he served
as the SB 13 83 implementation manager at CAL cycle
from 2016 to 2020. And he was chief legislative consultant
there from 2014 to 2016. Pre prior to that, Hank was
a legislative aide in the office of State Assembly
member, Mark Levine and he was a California Senate
fellow in the office of State Senator Joe. So welcome
Hank. Um And then also I would like to take a moment
to thank Amanda Singh in the Office of Government Affairs
for stepping up and taking on such a critical role
during her extended time. Um During, while we had a
director vacancy, she never missed a beat and she had
kept us all incredibly well informed during the better
half of 2023. And she did so with her trademark enthusiasm
efficiency, and candor. So I know I speak for everyone
who interacts with Amanda when I say that I'm very
much looking forward to continuing to work with her
and benefiting from her insights and policy experience
So thank you, Amanda. All right. Lastly, um I wanted
to share that the CPUC will be joining our sister agencies
to host the SP 120 25 joint agency kickoff workshop
on August 22nd. The workshop will take place at the
California Natural Resources Agency building in Sacramento
Um Sp 100 of course requires CE CCPUC and CARB to regularly
complete a joint agency report to the legislature evaluating
the 100% 0 carbon electricity policy. This workshop
will include an overview of the 2021 report. Um and
it will include staff presentations on policy funding
and planning process updates and a presentation on
the proposed 2025 report vision. So I'm looking forward
to this important joint agency work that will help
us chart the path to meet our clean energy goals that
concludes my report And um with that, that includes
all of the commission reports. That is the last item
on our agenda today. And so the public, this public
meeting of the California Public Utilities Commission
is now adjourned. Thank you everyone
and there's.