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SALT LAKE CITY – Utah transportation experts continue to look for innovative ways to cut down on pollution and traffic. Their newest pilot project — a driverless shuttle — will surely make you do a double take.
The Utah Department of Transport and the Utah Transit Authority have partnered up for the pilot project.
The Easy Mile electric shuttle will start picking folks up for free in February at a variety of locations — like special events, exposition centers, or from the end of a transit stop to a hospital entrance, for example.
Officials with UDOT have not released those locations yet. They said they’ll be testing the shuttle most likely on closed campuses, not on busy roads.
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Lisa Miller, UDOT’s outreach and growth manager for the Transportation Technology Group, said the shuttle can slowly transport eight to 12 people, including a supervisor, at about 15 mph.
“Really, the bottom line here is we really want folks to come out, try it, experience it and give us their opinions on it," said Miller. "We definitely want to make sure this is something the traveling public will accept and adopt.”
The $600,000 pilot project will hit the road for one year.
UDOT officials KSL spoke to said they hoped the shuttle leads to improved, efficient and safe transportation in our state.
“We know that the population of the state is almost going to double by 2050. We have to really be innovate and we really have to think of good mobility solutions so we can keep Utah moving,” said Miller.
The state expects to launch a website to let the public know about the shuttle’s whereabouts and they plan to collect feedback.
The shuttle will most likely be making its driverless debut at the Utah State Capitol the first week of February.
