Driverless Shuttle Pilot Now Operating in Denver

Take a sneak peak at a potential future.

1 minute read

February 5, 2019, 11:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


RTD 61AV

RTD's 61AV driverless shuttle. / Regional Transportation District

Jon Murray reports on the debut of a driverless shuttle, working a free circular route operated by Denver's Regional Transportation District.

The 61AV, as the route is called, runs every 15 minutes from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, mostly using public streets, according to Murray. "It connects the 61st Avenue and Peña Boulevard commuter rail station to … well, not much — at least not yet."

"But there’s a long way to go before shuttles such as the six-seat EZ10 designed by EasyMile, a French company that placed its U.S. headquarters in Denver, are common sights on urban streets," according to Murray.

The long road ahead is apparent in the modest scope of 61AV. The route is considered a "low-pressure testing ground" for lessons in the role autonomous vehicles can play in addressing first-last mile obstacles. In fact, "[t]he goal with the pilot is not to attract a large ridership, though new apartments are set to open soon at one stop."

The feature-length article includes more details on the ambitions of the project, how the driverless shuttle works, and expectations for humans to adopt this new mobility technology.

Monday, February 4, 2019 in The Denver Post

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

Street with parking protected bike lane and parked cars in downtown Portland, Oregon.

Portland Raises Parking Fees to Pay for Street Maintenance

The city is struggling to bridge a massive budget gap at the Bureau of Transportation, which largely depleted its reserves during the Civd-19 pandemic.

July 8 - Willamette Week

Aerial view of Spokane, Washington with river in foreground.

Spokane Mayor Introduces Housing Reforms Package

Mayor Lisa Brown’s proposals include deferring or waiving some development fees to encourage more affordable housing development.

July 8 - The Spokesman-Review

Close-up on black and white "Bike Lane Ends" sign with bike logo.

Houston Mayor Kills Another Bike Lane

The mayor rejected a proposed bike lane in the Montrose district in keeping with his pledge to maintain car lanes.

July 8 - Houston Public Media

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA