Tesla Inc. was granted approval in California to begin carrying passengers in its vehicles as Elon Musk’s company takes steps toward offering ride-hailing services.
The California Public Utilities Commission said in an emailed statement Tuesday that it approved the electric-vehicle maker’s bid for what’s known as a transportation charter-party carrier permit. That will allow Tesla initially to drive its employees on a prearranged basis in company-owned vehicles, before later transporting members of the public.
Bloomberg reported last month that Tesla had applied for the permit as it works to launch a promised ride-hailing business, opening