A $1.2 million state project is testing what some might view as a radical concept: Using autonomous vehicles – which can operate without human drivers – in public transportation.
The public-private partnership includes R.I. Department of Transportation and Michigan-based May Mobility, manufacturer of electrical, self-driving vehicles. It’s being paid for with money from the state attorney general’s office, a Volkswagen settlement and federal and state funds.
RIDOT is quick to point out that Providence’s Little Roady shuttle project – part of the agency’s Rhode Island Transportation Innovation Partnership – is a study to gather information. And it’s looking to make that information as valuable as it can.
“We have not planned further expansion of these vehicles,” said Julia Gold, RIDOT’s chief of sustainability and innovation. “The research helps … [the state] better understand electric and micro-transit, and how it all fits into a larger system, so we can engage stakeholders in an informed way. We can see where it is today, where it is headed and how best to prepare.”
The shuttles debuted in Providence in May, along a low-speed route with 12 stops, free for riders to try.
“Rhode Island has an opportunity to lead the way in cutting-edge, green technology,” Gov. Gina M. Raimondo said at the pilot launch.
‘All vehicles have a fleet attendant in the driver’s seat, with a … set of controls.’
CHARLES ST. MARTIN III, RIDOT spokesman
The shuttle is also about community integration; not only for the public, but for the R.I. Public Transit Authority, which helped define its route. Gold said RIPTA can get a better sense of where there is demand for transportation and how it can better serve the community overall.
The daily shuttle runs from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Stops display signage and have green markings on the curbs, according to RIDOT. Average rider wait time is 10 minutes or so, and the trips take about 20 to 25 minutes from Providence Station to Olneyville Square, traveling on a continuous 5.3-mile loop.
Software and sensors – some of which were provided by KVH Industries in Middletown – are crucial to the operation of the autonomous shuttles. The shuttles know not only the route, but also how to adjust to various types of traffic and weather. But the vehicles, which have undergone hundreds of hours of testing, aren’t just left to their own devices, according to the state.
“All vehicles have a fleet attendant in the driver’s seat, with a T-bar set of controls,” said Charles St. Martin III, RIDOT spokesman. “The [attendant’s] hands are just on his thighs, though. It’s the vehicle making turns and pulling in at stops … the sensors give it a 360-degree view of its environment.” Attendants engage riders with information about the vehicle and answer questions, said St. Martin.
Edwin Olson, CEO and founder of May Mobility, points out in a statement that the shuttles aren’t just “fun to ride, but can also increase access and convenience for a large number of people.”
Gold said that about 1,500 riders used the shuttle in a roughly two-week period, about 100 per day. Many riders use it for their commute or for basic needs, such as seniors using it for trips to the grocery store.
The shuttle’s convenience is a benefit St. Martin has witnessed, as well. One rider of the shuttle, which is not on a RIPTA bus route, had been depending on Uber and other ride shares. “He was spending $600 a month to get to and from work,” said St. Martin. He added that gathering rider feedback is an important part of the pilot program.
The shuttle study itself is also an example of collaboration between state agencies and other groups.
Gold said RIPTA got grant money to have a union bus driver on each electrical shuttle during the week. The drivers work with research partners, offering their expertise. But it’s possible, as the industry needs shift, this information will be helpful for workforce training, she said.
Shuttle operations will be the subject of more-extensive study next year. Gold said research partners from Brown University and other organizations will look at how many riders are using the shuttle, and where they are traveling to and from. An outreach survey is also planned for next year.
Beyond a look at the shuttle and its technology, Little Roady will also show “how RIDOT can be ready for these changes and be forward-thinking with its transportation planning and road and bridge improvements, rather than be in reactionary position when the technology becomes more prevalent,” said St. Martin.
“This is about giving the public what they need in transit,” agreed Gold.