15-05-2025
Shuttling FIFA fans, no driver needed
Self-driving shuttles could soon carry residents and FIFA World Cup visitors from MARTA's West End station to the breweries and restaurants along the Westside Trail.
Driving the news: Project officials are asking the Atlanta-Region Transit Link Authority for $1.75 million to launch a pilot program with Beep, an autonomous mobility company.
Zoom in: The two-mile experiment route would launch in January and run through 2026, Shaun Green, the Beltline's principal engineer, told the board at a called meeting on Monday.
It would run on city streets between Atlanta University Center, the rail station and Lee+White every 10 to 15 minutes for roughly 10 hours a day.
Follow the money: The award from ATL's transit trust fund would cover roughly 58% of the project's $3 million cost. The Beltline would kick in the remainder.
Yes, and: Beltline officials have not settled on a fare; Green said he thinks the rides would be "on the free side" during the pilot program.
Zoom out: Beep is one of a growing number of micro-mobility companies using autonomous technology for cities, parks, and business districts.
In 2023, Beep and the Cumberland Community Improvement District partnered on a micro-mobility pilot program serving the business area.
Green said Beltline officials have been discussing the project with Beep for the past two years.
Between the lines: Mayor Andre Dickens' decision in March to punt the construction of Beltline rail to his successor shook up Atlanta's transit future, Etch-A-Sketch-style.
How Atlanta plans to move large numbers of people at the same time throughout the city is very much an open question.
What they're saying:"As you all know, transit is a part of our whole DNA when it comes to the Beltline," Clyde Higgs, the president and CEO of Atlanta Beltline Inc., told the board.
"CliffsNotes version: It's going to require lots of different modes and options, and so this is something, as we try to get ahead of the FIFA World Cup for next year, that we want to experiment with."
What's next: The ATL board could vote on the request at the June board meeting. Green said the Beltline would launch a community engagement process while Beep prepares vehicles for the January rollout.
