Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) and May Mobility have partnered to launch PRESTO, a shared autonomous vehicle (AV) service for the general public in Martinez, Calif. and Contra Costa Regional Medical Center patients. A goal of the service is to improve access to healthcare in the area by providing another reliable and convenient mode of transportation.
The free service will run Monday through Friday, first offering Contra Costa Regional Medical Center patients rides from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and then opening to the general public from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Patients can book rides to or from the hospital and to a preferred pharmacy from a set list of locations by calling or arranging travel with a hospital representative.
From 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., the service will be open to all residents in the area. Those interested can book rides to a list of designated stops within the service zone by using the May Mobility app, powered by transit tech leader Via. In addition to stops at healthcare facilities and local pharmacies, the service zone includes stops that help connect residents to their community, including residential areas, shopping districts and downtown.
"CCTA is once again making history here in Northern California by offering a free, autonomous vehicle transportation service to city of Martinez residents," said CCTA Chair Newell Arnerich. "We established the county hospital [Contra Costa Regional Medical Center] element to aid patients who may need rides in the afternoon to resources in the community. As an added benefit to residents, during the evening hours, the service will carry passengers to an array of destinations in the city of Martinez."
May Mobility equipped a fleet of seven Toyota Sienna Autono-MaaS vehicles with its patented Multi-Policy Decision Making (MPDM) AD technology. MPDM uses in-situ AI to learn in real-time by imagining thousands of "what-if" scenarios every second while it drives and then commits to the safest and most comfortable maneuvers within milliseconds. Each shared AV seats five passengers and all will have an attendant on board to answer questions and assist with passenger entry and exit if needed. Three of the AVs are also wheelchair accessible, with an ADA-compliant wheelchair ramp allowing entry and exit via the rear of the vehicle. The wheelchair-accessible vehicles seat up to three passengers, including one wheelchair user.
"May Mobility is dedicated to filling gaps in public transportation. With the PRESTO shared AV pilot in Martinez, we're redefining how communities connect and move," said May Mobility chief commercial officer Manik Dhar. "We're excited to see how our patented MPDM technology will service local residents and contribute to the broader adoption of AVs."
CCTA and May Mobility have also partnered with County Connection, which provides fixed-route and paratransit bus service for communities in Central Contra Costa County.
"County Connection has partnered with our paratransit contractor to provide union drivers to serve as safety stewards in each Martinez ADS vehicle," said County Connection General Manager Bill Churchill, "underscoring our commitment to innovative transportation deployments ensuring everyone has the freedom to travel safely and independently."
Passenger feedback will be used by federal transportation officials to advance standards in automated mobility through the city of Martinez's PRESTO pilot. The pilot is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Martinez stands as the third location where CCTA has introduced an autonomous vehicle pilot program.
