RivCo Gets Its 1st Driverless Shuttles. What To Know

RIVERSIDE, CA —The city of Riverside is getting its first autonomous, driverless and electric shuttles as part of a two-year pilot program, city officials announced Tuesday.

The Riverside Transit Agency, which is operating and maintaining the shuttles, will become the first public transportation entity in the U.S. to put driverless shuttles on the streets to assist with existing bus service.

Three zero-emissions shuttles, built by the New Zealand-based Ohmio, will likely begin operating around the airport area, downtown, and UC Riverside by January 2025.

RTA is contributing $500,000 to the partnership, supported by $1 million from the South Coast Air Quality Management District, which dropped the city's cost from $2.5 million to $1 million.

“This agreement with RTA means we will have a trusted local partner putting these vehicles on the street, helping the agency fill gaps in transit usage and contributing financially to the success of the effort," said Riverside Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson.

Ohmio shuttles will run on low speeds not exceeding 31 miles per hour. Typically, they run at 15 mph.

"The actual speed in Riverside will be determined by factors such as traffic and route location," city officials said.

The partnership with Ohmio, which has been in the works for about 18 months, will bring shuttle service at no cost to the public. The shuttles are expected to improve air quality by incentivizing cars off the road.

The company is also pledging to hire locally — about seven jobs will be added in the first year and another 25 jobs by the third.