Former Lyft drivers shift to cleaning and servicing Waymo robotaxis in Nashville
Lyft's Flexdrive unit will open a large depot in Nashville to clean and maintain Waymo driverless cars, hiring about 70 staff, half of whom previously drove for Lyft.
In Nashville, Lyft's Flexdrive subsidiary is preparing to launch its biggest vehicle-cleaning and maintenance hub, an 80,000-square-foot depot opening in October to service Waymo robotaxis. About 70 full-time employees will work there, with roughly half having previously driven for Lyft. Former drivers such as Jonathan Baines, now a fleet operations lead, and Chauncey Thompson, a fleet operations associate, handle visual inspections, charging, cleaning and basic diagnostics, tasks that drivers once performed themselves.
Flexdrive chief John Parks explains that autonomous fleets demand daily servicing, leading to more frequent cleaning and charging than the company's traditional rental fleet. The transition highlights a broader labor trend where AI displaces some duties but creates new, technology-focused positions. Analysts say this reflects a "redesign of work" rather than a simple net loss of jobs.
Why it matters
The story shows how autonomous vehicles are reshaping employment, turning former drivers into maintenance staff.
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