July/August National View on Tomorrow's Transportation
Self-Driving Minibus to be Deployed Later This Year
Arizona-based Local Motors expects to deploy an autonomous minibus in Las Vegas through a partnership with the Governor's Office of Economic Development later this year.
The vehicle, known as Olli, is an autonomous minibus that seats 12. Local motors will test the reliability of the vehicle and is looking to deploy a feel in the city of Las Vegas.
The groups behind the project include the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada and the Arizona Department of Transportation.
Nevada to Test Taxi Drones
The Governor's Office of Economic Development (GOED) and the Nevada Institute for Autonomous Systems (NIAS) have signed an agreement with Ehang, an aerial technology company with headquarters in Guangzhou, China. The testing will take place at an FAA-approved test site, one of six drone-testing locations in the United States.
Testing is expected to begin in 2016.
The single-seat electric drone, named 184, is designed to transport people short to medium distances. It can fly at altitudes up to 11,500 feet at up to 63 mph for up to 23 minutes using eight propellers on four arms.
The passenger enters the destination on a touchscreen and after hitting a button to take off, the autonomous flight system would take care of navigating the flight path and communicating with air traffic control systems.
3D-Printed, Self-Driving Minibus Could Begin Testing by End of Year
Olli, a 3D-printed, self-driving minibus powered by IBM's Watson supercomputer, could be tested on the streets of Miami-Dade County before the end of the year.
The electric-powered bus, designed by Arizona-based Local Motors, can carry up to 12 passengers.
The companies plan for the vehicles to hit the road in Miami-Dade County and Las Vegas in larger pilot tests before the end of the year.
LAVTA Looking to Test Driverless Shuttles
The Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority (LAVTA) approved major changes to the Wheels public transit system, providing more frequent buses and new routes in Livermore, Dublin, and Pleasanton. The agency also introduced two innovations: they are partnering with transportation network companies (TNCs), such as Uber and Lyft, to reach commuters in neighborhoods big buses cannot serve and exploring driverless shuttles to solve first and last mile issues to connect people to stations.
Demonstration Projects
To serve lower-density suburban neighborhoods, LAVTA will test ridesharing service. Customers will receive a discounted rate when they take advantage of Uber, Lyft, or a taxi participating with the transit agency within the project areas.
The LAVTA Board also approved and directed staff to seek partners and funding for a near future driverless shuttle demonstration project in the City of Dublin, which would continue to advance the agency’s focus on improving first and last mile solutions to access public transit.
Capeflyer and Uber Boston Form Partnership
The CapeFlyer has announced a new partnership with Uber to help create more seamless travel for Cape Cod residents and visitors throughout the summer. Thousands of people visit cities and communities throughout the Cape every summer with limited transportation options, especially for those traveling via train and plane who do not have personal cars.
CapeFlyer, which was designed and launched as a solution to reduce traffic and congestion on Cape Cod is excited to announce an innovative partnership that will help connect thousands of CapeFlyer riders to a safe and convenient transportation option. CapeFlyer customers will be able to use the Uber app to request a ride at the Buzzards Bay or Hyannis stations as their train arrives to bring them to their Cape Cod destination. Uber will offer CapeFlyer customers with a promotion code, CapeFlyer, for a free first ride up to $25 for new riders on the Cape.
SEPTA and Uber Announce Summer Pilot Program
SEPTA has announced a partnership with ride-sharing service Uber that is aimed at increasing access to the transit system throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania. The partnership will run as summer pilot program, from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.
Under the partnership, Uber rides will be discounted by 40 percent to-and-from 11 suburban Regional Rail stations in Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties, with a maximum discount of $10 per ride. The stations selected for inclusion in this pilot program are among SEPTA’s busiest, with high ridership and limited availability of parking spaces. Several are key points for Airport travel, and others are at locations where parking is temporarily restricted due to construction.
SEPTA General Manager Jeffrey D. Knueppel said the Authority also wants to explore the potential for ride-sharing to bridge the “first and last mile” gap, or the distance between someone’s home and a rail station.
Stations in the suburbs selected for the pilot program include: Glenside, Jenkintown-Wyncote, Elkins Park, Melrose Park, Warminster, Doylestown, Lansdale, Woodbourne, Swarthmore, Wayne and Exton.
The pilot program is part of an ongoing study SEPTA is conducting on how the growing popularity of ride-sharing services could impact services. A recent study by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) found that ride-sharing complements public transportation, with more than 20 percent of riders already using it to connect to services.