With an influx of driverless vehicles on the road all over the country, it might not be surprising to know that autonomous vehicles might be headed to the ATL BeltLine!
Here’s what we know about the autonomous vehicles headed to the BeltLine
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution,
The Atlanta Beltline has plans for a $3 million pilot program to bring autonomous vehicles to the Westside Trail in advance of the FIFA World Cup games.
The plans were made public Monday at a specially calledmeeting of the Atlanta-Region Transit Link Authority. Beltline officials have proposed a 12-month trial featuring four driverless shuttles from Beep, the same Florida-based company that operated self-driving shuttles in Cobb County’s Cumberland district during Atlanta Braves games and other events.
Where will the driverless Beep shuttles be?
Right now, the pilot program will place Beep shuttles on a route adjacent to the Westside Trail, between the Atlanta University Center, MARTA’s West End Station and the Lee + White Entertainment District.
The path is about 2 miles long, and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution says,
The buses will operate in general traffic lanes without a dedicated right-of-way… The pilot won’t operate on the trail but will link it with the nearby West End MARTA station, just under a mile away. The route was chosen to help people explore a less-traveled section of the Beltline, particularly visitors traveling to Atlanta for the World Cup games.
When will they roll out the driverless Beep shuttles?
Right now, the plan is for these autonomous shuttles to roll out (literally) beginning next January.
How much will the shuttle cost to ride?
Currently, the BeltLine has yet to announce the cost of the shuttles, but sources say that the trail will probably be free or a very modest fair. It is unknown what the cost will be after the trail.
Driverless cars are coming to the ATL BeltLine, and we’re excited to see how this affects our city before the FIFA World Cup!