Atlanta launches autonomous Beltline shuttle

A new autonomous shuttle will offer rides between Atlanta's West End MARTA transit station and the Beltline Southwest Trail, reports Elijah Megginson in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The ATL Spoke pilot is the first Beltline transit project currently in operation. "Powered by Beep, a Florida-based autonomous public transit service provider, ATL Spoke is a 12-month pilot program offering free rides along a 2-mile route seven days a week."

According to Megginson, "The 12-passenger vehicle is ADA-accessible and will always have an attendant on board to supervise operations, answer questions and take over the wheel if necessary." The fleet consists of Karsan e-JEST electric vehicles that have passed Federal Transit Administration bus testing and comply with federal motor vehicle safety regulations and accessibility requirements, Beltline officials say.

However, some residents worry that ATL Spoke is a distraction from the larger question of transit near the Beltline. "This is a stopgap measure, a temporary measure, because really there should be rail that goes from the station and links up here seamlessly," said resident Wendy Darling, who used the shuttle on its first day of service.