ATLANTA — A first-of-its-kind public shuttle service is making its debut on the streets of Atlanta, but drivers won’t be with them.
Channel 2’s Steve Gehlbach got a first look at the ATL Spoke shuttles that are now on the road in the West End neighborhood.
The autonomous vehicles aim to connect people to their jobs, shopping, entertainment and healthcare.
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It will run every 12 to 15 minutes every day from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. with extended morning and late night hours on FIFA World Cup gamedays.
Atlanta Beltline Inc.’s Vice President of Transit Innovation Joe Iacobucci says ATL Spoke is about the last mile connectivity and access.
“People normally wouldn’t close that gap especially during the summer months in Atlanta, so for us at a fundamental level just providing access to the trail and people experience the trail,” Iacobucci said.
The shuttle service is free to ride during this year-long pilot program with the first phase running about a mile.
It has four stops: two at the Lee and White Entertainment District along the Beltline, then travels up Joseph E. Lowery Blvd. to Beecher St. to the West End MARTA station.
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The shuttles from Beep are the first deployment like this on public streets with advanced sensors.
If being on a shuttle without a driver concerns you, don’t worry. There is always an attendant on board to take over manual control if needed.
“They are continually in touch with our command center in case any incidents crop up that needs human intervention,” Beep’s Vice President of External Affairs Alex Poirot said.
If the shuttles do well in that neighborhood, they may expand into more areas.
“As more and more of these systems work and provide an impact for communities, I think you’ll see more and more pop up,” Poirot said.
The next phase of the pilot will extend the route sometime this Fall and continue north from the West End MARTA station along Lee St. to the Atlanta University Center.
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