AI Is Taking over. Waymo vs Operators -Taxi Talk- Episode 21

Taxi Talk Heads to the Birthplace of Disruption: SF Yellow Cabs vs. Waymo & Uber 🚕🤖

Host Dave ventures to San Francisco, the original battleground for ride-hailing, to speak with the city's iconic yellow cab drivers. Starting at the Flywheel Cars depot, Dave chats with long-time driver Sal about life behind the wheel, the cost of living in the tech capital, and the daily sight of Waymo autonomous vehicles. Sal shares his surprisingly balanced view on the new robotaxis and the legacy of Uber's disruption, acknowledging how it ultimately modernised the "dinosaur" taxi industry.

Later, Dave meets Chris from Yellow Cab of San Francisco, who candidly discusses how his traditional fleet has adapted and even partnered with Uber via the Curb platform. They explore the seismic impact on taxi medallion values and whether driverless tech is eating into Uber's market share more than theirs.

Join us for a deep dive into the past, present, and future of mobility. Are Waymo's here to stay? Is there still a need for human drivers? Find out as we get the on-the-ground view from the city where it all began.

🌉 From the hills of San Francisco to the heart of innovation, this episode uncovers how technology is reshaping transport — and what it means for taxi drivers in the UK and beyond.

00:00 – Intro & why SF matters (Uber’s birthplace, UK taxi perspective)
01:12 – At Flywheel depot (meeting Sal, grabbing a ride)
03:05 – Cost of living & fuel chat (UK vs US)
04:20 – Speed cameras & fines (UK points vs SF mail tickets)
05:38 – Candlestick Park & Beatles trivia
06:42 – Dogpatch tour & SF property prices
08:02 – Chase Center stop & public art
09:10 – First Waymo sightings (are they here to stay?)
10:25 – Do robotaxis hurt taxi drivers’ earnings?
12:05 – Tech HQ corridor (OpenAI, Uber, Google; SF’s boom)
13:22 – Bus/taxi red lanes advantage (why taxis still matter)
14:30 – Moscone, Harvey Milk & city history
15:46 – Financial District & Salesforce Tower
17:05 – Transbay rooftop park & Millennium Tower fix
18:10 – Cable cars & Tadich Grill (1849)
19:20 – Channel giveaway & new website plug
20:05 – Yellow Cabs interview: Chris’s story (growing up in the trade)
22:00 – Uber timeline (2010–2013 shift to UberX/Lyft)
23:15 – Medallion values crash (£250k → £30–40k equivalent)
24:40 – Partnering with Uber via Curb (drivers’ earnings mix)
26:05 – Waymo pricing vs taxis/Uber (surprising parity)
27:20 – Airport limits & geo-fencing (where robotaxis can’t go)
28:30 – Human service edge (business accounts, assistance, local knowledge)
29:45 – Tesla FSD & robotaxi networks (what might come next)
31:00 – Who’s losing share? (impact on Uber more than legacy fleets)
32:10 – Human oversight still needed (remote ops, interventions)
33:05 – UK takeaways (what’s likely to happen at home)
34:20 – Should you put kids in a robotaxi? (safety comfort chat)
35:30 – Long vs short trips (where robotaxis fit today)
36:20 – Final verdict (drivers still vital for the next decade)
37:30 – Outro & call to action (like, subscribe, site link)