Three all-electric driverless shuttles will begin operating in Riverside in January, city officials announced Tuesday.
The zero-emission autonomous shuttles will be operated and maintained by the Riverside Transit Agency as part of a two-year trial run to complement its existing bus service.
When the vehicles hit the streets, RTA will become the first public transportation agency in the U.S. to operate fully electric autonomous shuttles.
The shuttles seat eight and are capable of reaching speeds of 31 mph, but will probably operate closer to 15 mph, depending on traffic and chosen route. The city is considering deploying them at UC Riverside, downtown and near the local airport, among other options.
Officials said the shuttles will “move people around the city, at no cost to the public, emitting no emissions and improving air quality by taking cars off the road.”
It’s a plan that’s been in the works for more than a year, as Riverside agreed to purchase the vehicles last November and work with the manufacturer in bringing its headquarters to the Inland Empire.