Waymo cars choose pickup and dropoff spots they’re able to best navigate to, and these may be different from what you’re used to with a human driver.
You may need to walk a bit
Many things can keep the car from pulling up to your exact location or destination:
- Road closures
- Traffic conditions
- Construction or other temporary blockage
- Pedestrians, bicyclists, or parked cars
- Prohibitive parking rules (e.g., bus stops, red curbs)
You'll be notified in the app if it'll take more than 3 minutes to walk to the pickup spot.
If it’s helpful, you can go to Account > Accessibility and turn on Minimize walking time. Keep in mind that a shorter walk may mean a longer ride.
Choose your pickup or dropoff spot
After you enter your location and destination, the app will select the best pickup and dropoff spots for you.
To change the selected spots, tap the > symbol next to your location or destination in the itinerary and choose from the available options.
You can also select from additional spots on the map:
- On the map, tap the > symbol next to your pickup or dropoff spot.
- Drag the map to move the pin to a new spot along one of the blue lines, or tap a new spot.
- Confirm your selection.
Saving pullover spots
When you add locations, such as home and work, as favorites in the app, you can also save your preferred pullover spots. Here’s how:
- Below the search bar in the app, tap Add favorite.
- Enter a location.
- Choose your preferred pullover spot for that location.
Meet your car at pickup
It's best to get to your pickup spot just before the car arrives. If your pickup spot is in a busy area, the car may need to leave quickly to avoid blocking traffic. Otherwise, the car will usually wait 5 minutes.
When the car arrives, the app will count down the remaining wait time. If you’re unable to meet the car before time runs out, you may be charged a no-show fee.
If you need help finding the car, tap Find my pickup.
Edit your trip details
You can edit your trip details, including adding stops, at any point after you’ve requested a car.
Here’s how to edit your trip:
- Go to My trip.
- Swipe up on the bottom card.
- Tap Edit trip.
To change your destination after you’ve arrived at your dropoff spot, tap Adjust dropoff. Based on the change to your destination, you’ll see an updated fare.
Pull ahead at dropoff
If you arrive at your dropoff spot and it’s not ideal for any reason, you can tap Pull ahead in the app or on the in-car screen. The car will find the next eligible spot, up to a block ahead, free of charge.
In rare cases, if there aren’t any eligible spots just ahead of you, the car may loop around the block and find a spot behind you. If you need to, you can always tap Pull ahead again.
Share your trip
You can share your trip progress with friends and family. They'll be able to see your trip status in real time and know when you'll arrive. Once your trip starts, swipe up from the bottom of the screen and tap Share trip.