(CBS) – Detroit’s free, autonomous shuttle service launched Tuesday and operates Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The Connect is a 16-stop autonomous shuttle service that helps people get to or near their destination. The service runs from Corktown through downtown Detroit to the East Jefferson Riverfront and back.
“Parking is expensive, so if I can park somewhere cheaper and take the shuttle over cheaper, I save money and gas,” said Dana Konieczny, who rode on Connect on Tuesday.
The shuttle service has four wheelchair-accessible Ford E Transit vehicles in its fleet.
“The innovation is already here,” said Marcus Glenn of Perrone Robotics, the company behind the vehicles. “There are engineers from all over the world coming here to study and work at some of these places and companies. There’s a rejuvenation that I think has been going on for some time but is getting more and more attention, and I think this is a great addition to that. Knowing that this is the longest route of an automation shuttle that there is.”
“It’s free. Ride. Ride. You can hop on just one stop or ride all 16 stops. Why not hop on when you’re down in the city and see a Connect shuttle near you or on your way?”
“It’s great because people have the opportunity to get where they need or want to go and it’s great that the city allows them to do that,” added cyclist Ernestine Hamilton-Worford.
There are stops every 10-15 minutes along the 10.8-mile route.
The goal of this pilot program is to create a zero-emission public transportation system and set a new standard for sustainable urban mobility in Detroit.
“I’ve lived in Detroit my whole life and this is a great opportunity for Detroit,” said Vera Kidd. “Transit is free. Come on.”
Jordan Burrows
