Self-driving Shuttle Buses Being Tested

Hi Neighbors,

I wanted to share this article from thetransitwire.com with you about a new technology that offers an innovative new approach to helping travelers get to transit stations, business districts, and other local amenities without the hassle of driving and parking. This could be a replicable solution for many urban and suburban communities in the United States. As our community transitions to a transit oriented development model, we will want to consider methods for moving people the last mile or two from our new metro stations to their final destinations.

Lucinda Shannon

Contra Costa to test driverless shuttles

by Susan on October 15, 2015 (Link to the source: http://www.thetransitwire.com/2015/10/15/contra-costa-to-test-driverless...)

The Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CA) will test self-driving shuttle buses in a mixed-use business park in northern California. CCTA and its GoMentum Station testing facility have partnered with French manufacturer EasyMile for a demonstration of two EZ10 driverless vehicles in the Bishop Ranch office park in San Ramon.

“This technology offers an innovative new approach to helping travelers get to transit stations, business districts, and other local amenities without the hassle of driving and parking, which could be a replicable solution for many urban and suburban communities in the United States,” said CCTA executive director Randell Iwasaki in a statement.

The electric EZ10s are 13 feet long, have room for six seated and six standing passengers, and operate at a top speed of 25 mph. The shuttles use mapping software to navigate and have external sensors to stay on route.

“We’re not saying this will replace all vehicles. There’s still a need for a BART line or major bus rapid transit line,” Iwasaki told Next City. “The hard part for a suburban transit line is how people get from their house to that bus or train station.”

Iwasaki sees applications in business parks, retirement communities, and other locations where full-size buses may not make sense. “The EZ10 application makes a lot of sense in tighter quarters. If you’re running around a business park or a city you don’t want a 40-foot bus maneuvering throughout,” he added.

The demonstration project is expected to begin in Summer 2016. And while the idea of a driverless bus might once have seemed far-fetched, the CCTA test joins recent trials inChina and Greece. Link to full story in Next City.

Photo source: EasyMile

http://www.thetransitwire.com/2015/10/15/contra-costa-to-test-driverless...