A new poll released today shows that 75% of MA voters oppose driverless taxis coming to the state.
The App Drivers Union—a rideshare drivers’ union formed by 32BJ SEIU and the Machinists Union after winning first-in-the-nation union rights for app drivers—is part of the Labor United Against Waymo, a labor coalition opposing Waymo’s expansion in MA and calling for elected officials to consider the economic impact of the resulting job loss.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 27, 2026
NEW POLL: Nearly Three in Four Voters Oppose Operation of Driverless Vehicles in Massachusetts
Voters Cite Safety Concerns, Job Losses as Top Issues
(BOSTON) – A new poll released Friday shows nearly three in four Massachusetts voters oppose allowing autonomous vehicles (AVs) to operate in the Commonwealth, with a broad swath of voters expressing concerns about the implications for safety on the road, job losses, and the economic impact to Massachusetts communities.
The poll comes amid a growing backlash to the testing and expansion of Waymo, a Google subsidiary, and other AV services in communities across the country, including in Boston. In recent months — which has seen Waymo facing multiple federal safety investigations and swirling questions about its performance in emergency situations — New York, Washington State, Washington, D.C., and Virginia have all either squashed or delayed efforts to advance legislation that would expand AV operations this year.
These results come from a poll conducted by Workbench Strategy from March 8-12 among 500 voters across the state of Massachusetts. Surveys were conducted in English and Spanish via email and text invitations to an online survey. The overall margin of error is ±4.38 percent. The survey also included an oversample of 300 Boston voters, with a margin of error of ±6.33 percent.
In an unprompted, open-ended scenario, roughly two-in-five Massachusetts voters who oppose driverless vehicles coming to Massachusetts named the safety of AV technology as the top reason for their opposition. Voters also indicated high levels of concern with driverless vehicles and their consequences.
There is nearly a universal concern — 82 percent — among all Massachusetts voters about significant job losses for truckers, rideshare drivers, and taxi drivers. Additionally, 81 percent of Massachusetts voters indicated they are concerned about reduced driver income resulting in a shift of money out of local communities and, instead, to Silicon Valley.
As Waymo continues its high-profile testing in Boston, the poll found that Boston voters are widely skeptical of AVs in the city and support further study before driverless vehicles are let loose on the city’s roads. Among Boston voters, the poll found:
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81 percent support conducting an in-depth study on the safety impacts of driverless vehicles before allowing them in the city.
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74 percent support a study examining the economic impacts.
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64 percent support establishing an advisory board that includes labor unions to inform city leaders’ decision-making around AVs.
More broadly, the poll found 68 percent of voters across Massachusetts support statewide legislation requiring any driverless car or truck to have a human safety operator on board who can take control in an emergency situation.
Labor Unites to Slam the Brakes on Waymo
As Waymo and other AV companies ramp up their expansion plans in Boston and beyond, Massachusetts’ labor movement is standing up to demand state and local lawmakers slam the brakes. Labor United Against Waymo, a coalition of labor unions representing tens of thousands of workers, are demanding serious, rigorous study of the long-term impacts commercial AVs will have on jobs, local economies and the safety of our state’s streets. Labor United Against Waymo includes the App Drivers Union, SEIU 32BJ, IAM District 15, Teamsters Local 25, UFCW 1445, and the Greater Boston Labor Council.
Prisell Polanco, rideshare driver with the App Drivers Union: “Our elected leaders must listen to the drivers who are on Massachusetts’s streets every day and hear us when we say it is time to pump the brakes on Waymo. Driving is more than just a paycheck. It is how I am able to support my family and put money back into my community. Rideshare drivers cannot be treated as an afterthought. Our leaders must put jobs, business, safety and workers first.
Mike Vartabedian, District 15 Directing Business Manager for the International Association of Machinists: “Working people across Massachusetts are united in saying that we cannot allow autonomous technology to jeopardize good, union jobs or compromise public safety. Before Waymo and other AV companies operate in our state, our lawmakers must set clear standards, create strong oversight structures and study the full impacts of this technology on workers and communities. Thousands of jobs and billions of dollars are at stake.”
Autumn Weintraub, Executive Director of the App Drivers Union: ““Massachusetts voters want to know where the discussion is about jobs and working people – about job losses and how will people survive? Clearly they don’t trust Elon Musk, Waymo and other AV companies with the future of our communities. Elected officials must stand up for workers and our communities. AI doesn’t vote or pay taxes — but Massachusetts workers do, and voters are making it clear they won’t let Silicon Valley run roughshod over our jobs and communities.”
Roxana Rivera, 32BJ SEIU: “This poll makes it clear that Massachusetts voters will not accept autonomous vehicles on our streets harming workers, their families and our economy. We cannot let a tech company from California come into Massachusetts and take thousands of jobs and billions of dollars out of our state. Our lawmakers must stand up for working people, fight back against Silicon Valley and protect our jobs, streets and communities.”
Tom Mari, President of Teamsters Local 25: “This poll confirms what we already suspected – unlike the out-of-state Big Tech executives who are championing these machines so they can make money off of them, Massachusetts residents know that allowing driverless cars and trucks to run wild on our streets is a horrible idea. Our elected officials need to abide by the will of the people and pass laws that require human operators in driverless vehicles.
Abby O’Brien, Paramedic for Armstrong Ambulance and Member of Teamsters Local 25: “In my job, a 15 to 30 second delay is the difference between life and death. We’ve already seen robotaxis delay life-saving care before – in San Francisco, or most recently in Austin, when first responders were blocked from reaching the victims of a mass shooting. These companies need to be held accountable because saving people’s lives during an emergency is far more important than taking care of Google shareholders.”
About Labor United Against Waymo
Labor United Against Waymo is a coalition of rank-and-file union members who are demanding safe streets and protection from automation for working families throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
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Published: Mar 27, 2026 | Last Modified: Apr 1, 2026
