Beep has introduced a second autonomous shuttle in California, collaborating with the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) to serve the Rossmoor 55+ seniors community in Walnut Creek.
The PRESTO service aims to provide residents with reliable and free transportation between the Tice Creek Fitness Center and the Gateway Community Center. Operating on a predetermined loop, the shuttles will run five days a week from Monday to Friday, between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Each shuttle can accommodate seven seated passengers and will have a trained attendant on board to address any questions and oversee the journey.
This deployment follows a successful pilot at the Bishop Ranch business park in San Ramon last year. The electric shuttles, utilizing self-driving software from U.K. company Oxa, formerly known as Oxbotica, will be remotely monitored by the Beep Command Center to ensure safety.
Rossmoor was selected for this pilot by CCTA due to its spacious, gated environment, which offers ideal conditions for autonomous vehicles. The data and feedback collected will help inform future CCTA deployments and be analyzed by federal transportation officials to potentially accelerate the rollout of autonomous vehicles elsewhere.
“We are excited to partner with CCTA again, bringing the PRESTO autonomous mobility network to Rossmoor,” said Joe Moye, Beep CEO. “This collaboration underscores our shared vision of leveraging innovative technologies and services to enhance community access to first- and last-mile transportation. Beep autonomous shuttles in Rossmoor will provide reliable and safe transit options, connecting residents to key destinations, people, and opportunities within the community.”
CCTA’s initial partnership with Beep in San Ramon has already transported 1,600 passengers. The agency is considering another autonomous vehicle program in Martinez this summer.
This expansion adds to Beep’s growing list of deployment locations, which include Honolulu airport in Hawaii, North Carolina, Peachtree Corners near Atlanta, Georgia, and Orlando, Florida.
