Case Study
Arlington RAPID
Arlington, Texas, USA
Urban
Public, on-demand, mixed microtransit
5 robotaxis
28,000+
autonomous rides in just under one year
7x
growth in monthly ridership since service launch
4.9/5
average rider rating
Overview
In 2020, the City of Arlington was awarded a $1.7 million grant through the Federal Transit Administration’s Integrated Mobility Innovation Program to integrate autonomous vehicles into the existing on-demand public microtransit service. RAPID (Rideshare, Automation, and Payment Integration Demonstration) was one of 25 projects in the country to receive funding under the program, which supports projects using innovative technologies and processes to improve public transportation access and efficiency and enhance overall rider experience. In March 2022, the North Central Texas Council of Governments awarded the City a new grant, which will enable RAPID to expand service and operate through at least 2024.
Solution
RAPID is the first service in the United States to integrate on-demand autonomous vehicles (AVs) into existing public transit. In 2017, Via and the City of Arlington launched a microtransit service, which has since fully replaced the existing fixed route system to serve the entire city of 400,000. In March 2021, Via partnered with the City, UTA, and May Mobility to incorporate five self-driving vehicles into this service. Using a single smartphone app powered by Via, riders can book trips across downtown Arlington and UTA’s campus in AVs or non-AVs. More than 70% of riders use RAPID to travel to essential destinations, including work, school, and medical appointments. RAPID has provided over 28,000 autonomous rides with nearly 90% of riders likely to ride RAPID again in the future.
Via’s transit software platform drives efficiency and convenience for RAPID, which has a 97% on-time performance rate. After riding RAPID, 80% of riders agree or strongly agree that AVs can increase the convenience of travel, with the vast majority finding that booking their trip and boarding the vehicle was easy.
- Fleet: 4 Lexus RX450h and 1 WAV Polaris GEM
- Service Zone: 1 square mile
- Hours of Service: Monday–Friday, 7am–7pm
This opportunity will play a crucial role in advancing our technology development and our overall mission to transform cities with safe, clean, and accessible self-driving shuttles.”
Arlington has developed a reputation around the country as one of the most innovative cities exploring technology-based mobility solutions and the testing of autonomous vehicles. We’re excited to take the next step in this process with our partners May Mobility, Via and UT Arlington, as we explore the latest self-driving vehicle technology on our roads in the Downtown area.”
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