[Massachusetts-NFB] Need your help tomorrow with testimony about Waymo

Fri Jul 25 22:04:28 UTC 2025

Hi Kyra,

Thank you for this article. Following your idea, I did some looking for NFB publications that talk about Waymo. My way of thinking is that I like to look for things that we publish in the NFB about how we think so that nobody can come in questioning whether our perspective is being upsold by some outside group. I don’t have any experience with Waymo, but it sounds like they are a great friend to the Federation so far.

Here are some additional articles from the Braille Monitor and also a letter that President Mark Riccobono wrote expressing our support for Waymo.’

Going My Way: Driving Accessibility through Innovative Autonomous Transportation
by Michelle Peacock
Braille Monitor, May 2023, a transcript of a presentation at the 2022 NFB national convention in New Orleans:
https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm23/bm2305/bm230507.htm

From a Dream to Really Riding in an Autonomous Vehicle
No author
Braille Monitor, May 2023
https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm23/bm2305/bm230501.htm

Waymo Advice Letter - CPUC Driverless Deployment Service Area Expansion
February 08, 2024
Sent by President Mark Riccobono about the decision process about allowing Waymo into Los Angeles
https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/policy-statements/waymo-advice-letter-cpuc-driverless-deployment-service

In my opinion, the letter that President Riccobono sent in 2024 about the same policy debate in Los Angeles is probably the best kind of material that we could use in this effort in Massachusetts.

Thank you all for entertaining the discussion.

Justin

Justin MH Salisbury, MEd, NOMC, NCRTB
English Pronouns: He/Him/His
Email: President at Alumni.ECU.edu<mailto:President at Alumni.ECU.edu>
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Justin_Salisbury<https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Justin_Salisbury&source=gmail-imap&ust=1727538746000000&usg=AOvVaw3uZJqqJkT2wSVxJDa9dD7W>
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-salisbury<https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-salisbury&source=gmail-imap&ust=1727538746000000&usg=AOvVaw0XtyTG9WXXQ8TWe6UeU4Nz>
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-1786-2786

“Until the lion learns how to write, every story will glorify the hunter.”
Chinua Achebe

From: Kyra Sweeney <kyra.sweeney94 at gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, July 25, 2025 11:58 AM
To: Justin Salisbury via Massachusetts-NFB <massachusetts-nfb at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Justin Salisbury <PRESIDENT at alumni.ecu.edu>
Subject: Re: [Massachusetts-NFB] Need your help tomorrow with testimony about Waymo

This article describes the partnership between NFB and Waymo:

[cid:image001.jpg at 01DBFD85.65D70670]
Waymo’s Autonomous Vehicles Could Be a “Game Changer” Says National Federation of the Blind<https://waymo.com/community/articles/national-federation-of-the-blind/>
waymo.com<https://waymo.com/community/articles/national-federation-of-the-blind/>

On Jul 25, 2025, at 7:59 AM, Justin Salisbury via Massachusetts-NFB <massachusetts-nfb at nfbnet.org<mailto:massachusetts-nfb at nfbnet.org>> wrote:

Hi everyone,

Do we have any cohesive NFB policy positions on Waymo or any policy issue that was involved in the hearing? I understand that there was a hearing that related to Waymo coming to Boston. I do not know further substance to it than that.

This may be helpful across the country, but I’m a bit out of the loop on Waymo policy issues within our organization. The main ideas that I can recall us discussing in the past were
(1) expanding access to transportation options,
(2) accessibility of interfaces necessary to control a Waymo car,
(3) ways of getting information about what is going on outside a car while a passenger is riding in it, especially if we are stopped and don’t know why,
(4) ensuring that Waymo cars can detect a blind person’s cane in addition to their body,
(5) impacts on service dog rider denials, and
(6) urging Waymo to hire blind people to be part of their company.

Justin

Justin MH Salisbury, MEd, NOMC, NCRTB
English Pronouns: He/Him/His
Email: President at Alumni.ECU.edu<mailto:President at Alumni.ECU.edu>
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Justin_Salisbury<https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Justin_Salisbury&source=gmail-imap&ust=1727538746000000&usg=AOvVaw3uZJqqJkT2wSVxJDa9dD7W>
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-salisbury<https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-salisbury&source=gmail-imap&ust=1727538746000000&usg=AOvVaw0XtyTG9WXXQ8TWe6UeU4Nz>
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-1786-2786

“Until the lion learns how to write, every story will glorify the hunter.”
Chinua Achebe

From: Massachusetts-NFB <massachusetts-nfb-bounces at nfbnet.org<mailto:massachusetts-nfb-bounces at nfbnet.org>> On Behalf Of stephen yerardi via Massachusetts-NFB
Sent: Thursday, July 24, 2025 1:17 PM
To: massachusetts-nfb at nfbnet.org<mailto:massachusetts-nfb at nfbnet.org>
Cc: stephen yerardi <spyerardi at gmail.com<mailto:spyerardi at gmail.com>>
Subject: Re: [Massachusetts-NFB] Need your help tomorrow with testimony about Waymo

I just wanted to let everyone know I attend to hearing today virtually. And was able to give my opinions as Nfb. it was good to hear. Carl richard also disabled said what he had to say and support a Waymo, and also a representative from Easter Seals.
 There was a lot of statements from Uber Driver‘s Lyft drivers and about the teamster union. I thought they would lose so many jobs. So we’ll see if Waymo gets authorized to actually conduct business here in the state.
Stephen.
Sent from my iPhone

On Jul 23, 2025, at 5:49 PM, stephen yerardi <spyerardi at gmail.com<mailto:spyerardi at gmail.com>> wrote:

Hello shara and all.
I signed up to do virtual testimony for the hearing tomorrow on Waymo. I do agree that this is a very important thing for us to be giving testimony, when I sent the email I said I would be testifying as a member of the National Federation Of The Blind Of Massachusetts.
I’m looking forward to giving testimony for Waymo because it would be a game changer, or give us another option besides just Uber. And Lyft.
I don’t think this would actually eliminate either of those Ride shares, considering we still would use them here and they’re also. But that would give us a third option.
Sent from my iPhone

On Jul 23, 2025, at 3:08 PM, Shara Winton via Massachusetts-NFB <massachusetts-nfb at nfbnet.org<mailto:massachusetts-nfb at nfbnet.org>> wrote:

Hello NFB Advocates,
We need you in Boston tomorrow, Thursday, July 24. Waymo would help our lives tremendously. If you would like see Waymo come to Boston, our City leaders need to hear from us tomorrow If you can attend tomorrow at 10AM, please let me know immediately.
Here is a note from our contact at Waymo:
Thank you for your help.

there’s a hearing scheduled for Thursday, July 24 at 10:00am at Boston City Hall.

This hearing will include a panel from Mayor Wu's office, a panel for union officials, and one for Waymo. Would Kyra (and/or additional folks from your team) be able to join us in-person that day? We want to make sure the city officials hear about the many ways AVs will benefit people (and already are in the markets Waymo operates in), especially as the unions in attendance will express concerns about human drivers possibly losing their jobs in the future.

I’m linking more details here<https://www.boston.gov/public-notices/16389251>! If you join in-person, they're asking you to arrive five minutes before the call of the hearing to sign up. It’s set for the Iannella Chamber (on the 5th floor) but I’ll reach out if that changes. If you can only testify virtually, you’d have to email Meagan Corugedo (meagan.corugedo at boston.gov<mailto:meagan.corugedo at boston.gov>) in advance.

Let me know if you have any questions! Our Policy team would love to have you in the room with us once again to share how AVs can make Boston’s transportation system safer and more accessible.

We’re so grateful for your support, Hannah

------------------------------------------

So folks, I know this is really short notice, but let’s show up and show them what the NFB stand for and why we are here! We are here  to fight for the rights of all blind people!

With Love, Hope and Determination,

Shara Winton
President, National federation of the Blind of Massachusetts
www.nfbma.org<http://www.nfbma.org/>
sharawinton at gmail.com<mailto:sharawinton at gmail.com>
617-304-0347

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