The Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA) in Toledo, Ohio, will launch an AV pilot programme where a Navya shuttle bus will operate along a dedicated route through the city.
The programme has been advanced by a US$1.8m grant from the US Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration, which will fund the whole programme.
TARTA CEO and general manager Jim Gee said, “This grant from the Federal Highway Administration makes it possible for Toledo to be on the cutting edge of new technologies.
“TARTA is proud to play a role in the evolution of public transit on a national and even global scale, especially in a way that makes significant contributions to Northwest Ohio. It is an exciting time for TARTA and public transit in Toledo.”
The autonomous shuttle bus will follow a route that is still to be determined and in the first phase at least, will always have a safety driver to ensure safety at all times. Knowledge gained from the project will be used to improve future developments of AV technologies for eventual use around the globe.
By Illya Verpraet