Read This: Inside the poo-festooned human labor that keeps Waymo rolling

In the bustling cities of San Francisco, thirteen others, Waymo's self-driving cars have become a common sight on the streets. These autonomous vehicles, operated by Alphabet Inc. under the Waymo brand, have been on a growth spurt over the past couple of years, despite facing criticism for human driver safety concerns.

However, one aspect of Waymo's growth that has not been in the spotlight is the labor involved in running its depots. In a recent interview with the San Francisco Bay Area Current, a contractor known as "Robotaxi Handler" shed light on the often overlooked and sometimes unhygienic conditions of these depots. The handler, who wished to remain anonymous, described the challenging and sometimes disgusting tasks they had to perform to keep Waymo's operations running smoothly.

The handler recounted a gridlock incident in San Francisco that occurred on July 4th, which left several Waymo cars stranded and unable to function. The article, titled "Cleaning Up Poop: The Human Labor Behind Waymo," highlights the various roles the handler undertakes at one of Waymo's depots in San Francisco, managed by the workforce contractor Transdev. These roles extend far beyond the typical tasks of a regular taxi driver.

The handler revealed that Waymo's hiring practices have been questionable, with new hires often being told, "You're hired," without even going through a proper interview process. The company also collects data from every ride to maintain and improve their vehicles. The handler described this process as "taking that data and putting it into a little offload storage place."

Perhaps the most revolting aspect of the handler's job is the cleaning of human and animal waste left behind during some rides. The handler expressed their disgust, stating, "We're hired for our capacity to do labor and not for our labor itself." The article suggests that those interested in learning more about this underreported aspect of Waymo's labor practices should read the full interview available at the provided link.