June 3, 2022
Introduction:
Read more here: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/954948(EurekAlert) A team from The University of Texas at Arlington’s Parking and Transportation Services (PATS) and Department of Civil Engineering received an award for its work on RAPID (Rideshare, Automation, and Payment Integration Demonstration), the on-demand, self-driving shuttle service.
Funded through a $1.8 million Federal Transit Administration grant, the RAPID project implemented self-driving shuttles for the public in Arlington, including free rides for UTA students from March 2021 to March 2022. Team leaders Greg Hladik, executive director for Auxiliary Services, and Sharareh “Sherri” Kermanshachi, associate professor of civil engineering, worked with the city of Arlington, Via and May Mobility on the program.
The Texas Parking and Transportation Association bestowed its Excellence Award on the UTA team at a conference in San Antonio, where Kermanshachi and Hladik delivered a presentation sharing the lessons learned and findings of successful RAPID implementation. The award recognized the RAPID program for the transportation improvements, efficiencies and high service levels it provided to the UTA community.
“We were happy to offer our students a cutting-edge mobility service that met their needs,” Hladik said. “The program taught us that students will adapt to the services available to them. They embraced this alternative method of transportation wholeheartedly. We continue to look for innovative ways to improve the parking and mobility experience for the UTA community.”
Kermanshachi noted that despite its launch early in the pandemic, the RAPID program still saw significant use. Students were excited to learn more about autonomous vehicles and how the service works.