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Rideshare drivers press Atlanta transportation committee for rules on autonomous vehicles, World Cup staging
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Summary
Rideshare drivers urged the Atlanta Transportation Committee to adopt rules to protect drivers’ income and safety and to publish designated staging and pickup plans for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, saying autonomous vehicles are being prioritized by platforms and that event planning must prevent gridlock.
At a Transportation Committee meeting, rideshare drivers told committee members they are losing rides and income as autonomous vehicles are prioritized by platforms and asked the city to clarify staging, safety and enforcement plans ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Izzy Tunka, a full-time rideshare driver and member of the Atlanta Rideshare Drivers Union, told the committee, “These Waymo cars are being prioritized by Uber over the women drivers,” and said drivers are seeing fewer trips and increased safety concerns, citing two school-bus stop violations and online videos she said show unsafe driving behavior. She asked the committee for “fair rules, clear [rider] choice and protection for drivers.”
Maurice Morris asked city officials what transportation access will look like during FIFA, noting that closures of key corridors such as Centennial Olympic Park Drive NW and Andrew Young International Boulevard NW could cause gridlock and safety issues. “What will transportation access actually look like during FIFA?” he asked, and requested clarity now on whether designated staging areas for rideshare and limousine pickup and drop-off will be established and whether the parking garage across State Farm Arena has been evaluated as a controlled staging location.
Saddiq Lakhani, representing the Rideshare Union, warned autonomous technology could displace drivers and raised security concerns after recent violent incidents involving drivers; he asked for platform accountability for passenger verification. Lisa Ramsey of the Atlanta Wideshare Drivers Union said working conditions for drivers have worsened, with “fewer rides, lower pay, and increasing difficulty getting support from Uber and Lyft,” and asked the committee to recognize rideshare drivers as an essential part of the city’s transportation system and to work with drivers on solutions.
Committee members acknowledged the input and noted the Atlanta Department of Transportation is scheduled to appear before the committee in two weeks; the chair said the department’s presentation may supply the operational details drivers requested. The public-comment block closed after four speakers and the committee moved to its consent agenda.
The committee did not take formal action on driver requests at the meeting; several members said they expect the transportation department to provide more detailed plans and that staging and traffic-control strategies for FIFA will be discussed in the upcoming departmental presentation.
