Page 319 - CityofArlingtonFY26AdoptedBudget

Enhance Regional Mobility

Goal 1: Explore Creative Alternative Transportation Opportunities
Objective 1: Promote Regional Connectivity
Project Performance Measure(s) Department(s)
ERM RAPID On-Demand Trips Completed Transportation
1.1.1 Autonomous Vehicle Pilot
Summary:
Estimated Actual
Milestone
This item supports the Council's "Enhancing Regional Completion Completion
Mobility" priority by improving access within Arlington Execution of COG Fall 2023 Nov. 2023
while complementing the Arlington On-Demand Rideshare Funding
service. Expanded RAPID Service Spring 2024 Aug. 2023
Starts
The Arlington RAPID (Rideshare, Automation, and Service Completion May 2025 May 2025
Payment Integration Demonstration) project combines Evaluation and Reporting Fall 2025
the City’s expertise with on-demand rideshare and AV Completion
testing to integrate a shared, dynamically routed Level 4
AV fleet into an existing public rideshare transit system. Update:
Arlington On-Demand continues to provide the rideshare The RAPID pilot successfully completed operations on May
service and May Mobility provides the AV technology and 30, 2025. For the entire pilot, from launch in March 2021
fleet. Both the rideshare fleet and the AV fleet include a through conclusion in May 2025, the RAPID service
wheelchair accessible vehicle, making this service more provided a total of 113,108 rides. Final analysis, evaluation,
widely accessible. In partnership with the University of and sharing of lessons learned will continue in partnership
Texas at Arlington, the service operates in coordination with the UTA research team.
with UTA’s fare payment system, allowing students to ride
for a discounted rate. This project creates a one-stop-shop The service concluded with a fleet of four Toyota Sienna
for mobility needs in the service area concentrated vans designed for shared and autonomous rides, one of
around UTA’s campus and Downtown, providing a which was wheelchair accessible. The project completed
seamless trip planning, booking, and payment experience work related to preparing for a driver-out operations in the
across modes. future, including enhanced sensors to detect first
responder vehicles and testing remote or tele-assist
The City of Arlington funded the first year of service monitoring of the vehicles.
through a competitive $1.7M grant from the Federal
Transit Administration. The current service is funded
through the North Central Texas Council of Governments
(NCTCOG), in the amount of $4,538,552, for the service to
continue operations through mid-2025. The project
includes analysis and evaluation of the service outcomes
and reporting on lessons learned.

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