ANN ARBOR, Mich., Sept. 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — May Mobility announced it is working with the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) to provide its microtransit service to improve access to healthcare in Martinez, California. May Mobility will provide on-demand transportation for staff, patients, their families, and others in the surrounding community. The service aims to reduce medical appointment cancellations and absences due to a lack of convenient, accessible transportation.
CCTA intends to integrate May Mobility’s autonomous vehicle technology into its existing transportation network, expanding the authority’s autonomous fleet. The fleet consists of seven vehicles, with three being wheelchair-accessible models, equipped with ADA-compliant ramps and securement systems.
Via, the global leader in TransitTech, will power this autonomous microtransit service. Riders will be able to book an on-demand AV ride through the Via-powered May Mobility app (Google Play or App Store) or by calling a phone number. Via’s AI-based booking and routing algorithms efficiently match riders with similar destinations, grouping them into autonomous vehicles for shared trips.
“May Mobility and CCTA are thrilled to collaborate on improving transportation access for public health facilities,” said Manik Dhar, chief commercial officer for May Mobility. “Our on-demand, autonomous microtransit is a perfect solution to aid CCTA’s efforts to improve healthcare outcomes. Moreover, he equity by helping patients get to and from their medical appointments on time. This opportunity further proves that autonomous vehicle technology can fill the gaps in public transportation.”
May Mobility has already taken steps to prepare for service in the state, securing its autonomous vehicle testing permit from the California Department of Motor Vehicles. Moreover, this allows AV testing supervised by a human operator. In addition to stops at local medical facilities, the deployment plans to include stops that enhance transit connectivity. May Mobility, Via, and CCTA will continue to identify stops that connect the community with local points of interest. They will identify stops connecting the community to public health facilities, enhancing resident’s quality of life in the county.
“CCTA is excited to partner with May Mobility on this initiative. Their experience serving communities with accessible first and last-mile microtransit services makes them the perfect partner for this project,” said Timothy Haile, executive director for CCTA. “Improved access to transportation was a direct ask from our community. They need reliable, on-demand transit to help them take care of their needs and improve their quality of life. Moreover, May Mobility worked with us to design a service that provides accessibility and flexibility. Additionally, it is that to serve the healthcare needs of our community and beyond.”
“Vir is thrilled to continue our longstanding partnership with May Mobility to bring AVs to the public transit ecosystem in Contra Costa County. Where our tech will together serve crucial healthcare connections for the community,” said Meghan Grela, autonomous lead at Via. “This deployment highlights our collective belief in the significant contribution of autonomous vehicles to modernizing 21st-century public transportation networks.”
When this deployment goes live, estimated by early 2024, May Mobility will have active operations in California, Michigan, Minnesota, Texas and Arizona.
