United States Department of Transportation
i
Improving Access and Equity via Shared Automated Mobility in U.S. Public Transportation Systems
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2022-09-30
[PDF-3.15 MB]
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Edition:Final report
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Abstract:As automated transportation progresses, public transit agencies may address the equitable implications of integrating autonomous vehicles and shuttles into current transit systems. Capital and operating expenses for automated mobility modes handled by public transportation agencies are unknown at this point given the limited number of pilots and deployments. This study evaluated transit systems in various cities to identify opportunities for equitable improvement through shared automated mobility. The authors identified locations of unmet transit demand among the transit-dependent population and prioritized them for future service via shared autonomous vehicles (SAVs) or shared autonomous electric shuttles. Based on current transit and technology costs, the authors estimated levelized operating costs for first- and last-mile service in a transit system. The study examines transit services in four U.S. cities: New York City, New York, Chicago, Illinois, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota. The results suggest that it is possible to operate SAVs and shuttles at a lower cost than buses as part of a public transit system under particular transit demand situations. The sensitivity study identified the critical factors to consider while developing new transportation services with shared autonomous mobility. SAVs were the most cost-effective mode of transportation for expanding transit coverage in Minneapolis-St. Paul and Pittsburgh. However, there were instances in Pittsburgh, New York City, and Chicago where shuttles outperformed SAVs, notably when ridership demand surpassed SAV capacity limits, required larger SAV fleets. This study eventually identified the characteristics of transit systems that are most conducive to the integration of SAVs and shuttles into an existing public transit system.
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