The MiCa shuttle runs 5-9 p.m. daily. Photo provided
By Rich Pollack
Boca Raton’s autonomous shuttle is on the move, now making its half-mile loop through Mizner Park on a daily basis, with plans to expand hours come the fall.
The self-driving MiCa shuttle, which seats eight and makes five stops while on a 12-minute trek through Mizner Park, could also be expanding its service to Royal Palm Place, if approval from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration comes soon.
The autonomous shuttle, which began service in Mizner Park in December, initially offered hours from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday through Sunday but has since expanded to 5 to 9 p.m. seven days a week.
Plans are in the works, according to city teams in public works and engineering who are overseeing the project, to have the hours expand again. They said current expectations are for a 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. schedule, with extended or modified hours during weekends and special events — and may be adjusted based on demand.
Since it began, ridership on the free shuttle has been consistent, reaching close to 2,700 passengers over 296 operating hours, or about nine riders per hour.
Not unexpectedly, ridership on the shuttle is highest between 7 and 9 p.m. with passengers visiting Mizner Park restaurants. The stop in front of Eddie V’s Prime Seafood remains the most active.
Project leaders, in an email response to The Coastal Star, said they have received 100% positive passenger survey feedback.
“The MiCa shuttle has exceeded the City’s expectations,” they wrote. “Ridership data shows strong demand for this public transit service within Mizner Park, as well as a willingness among residents and visitors to embrace new transportation technologies.”
The autonomous shuttle, which is powered by software from Boca Raton-based Guident, is an example of how cutting-edge technology can supplement other urban transit options, city staff says.
Because they are still relatively new, autonomous shuttles are still regulated by state and federal agencies, with the transportation safety administration requiring the MiCa shuttle to operate with an attendant on board — taking up one of its eight seats.
The city and Guident are continuing to evaluate the shuttle to determine if it can be safely operated without an attendant and when the appropriate government approval could be obtained, according to city staff.
Since it began operations, the shuttle has traveled through Mizner Park autonomously 93% of the time.
The attendant manually intervenes in anticipation of a problem that in many cases would have been prevented by the autonomous driving software. But the teams involved in the project have been taking a very conservative approach just to be on the safe side.
Once the city receives federal government approval, the autonomous vehicle will cross Palmetto Park Road, bringing passengers to the shops and restaurants in Royal Palm Place.
City leaders have said that they heard from several residents requesting that addition.
In addition to the MiCa in Mizner Park, Boca Raton operates Boca Connect, a manned electric vehicle shuttle that provides service to and from downtown for the area east of Interstate 95 and generally south of Glades Road — including on the barrier island from about the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center to Camino Real. It also provides service to customers going from one downtown spot to another.
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