Autonomous micro transit vehicles in development for East Contra Costa County
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (Dec. 1, 2023) — The Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) and Tri Delta Transit are marking another milestone in the innovative East Contra Costa County Dynamic Personal Micro Transit (DPMT) Project. This week, CCTA and Tri Delta Transit announced a partnership with East County Connection Partners, LLC (ECCP), made up of transportation innovators Glydways and Plenary Americas; and lead construction contractor Flatiron.
The DPMT Project is a multi-city, on-demand transit option designed to meet the diverse mobility needs of people in Eastern Contra Costa County. ECCP will help bring the vision of a safe, on-demand, single-party, transportation system into reality with its zero-emission, autonomous, four-person Glydcars. These electric vehicles travel in narrow, dedicated elevated or at-grade guideways, making more efficient use of space, substantially cutting operational costs, and providing a sustainable option that aligns with local, regional, and state emission reduction goals.
The Glydcars are designed with convenience in mind, with enough space for passengers to easily travel with their luggage or bikes. The vehicles are also fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and provide enough room to comfortably fit a wheelchair.
This new, fare-based transit solution will help alleviate the increasing congestion on State Route 4 (SR-4) and major highway in East County. The project also aims to enhance transit accessibility in East County. It will improve connections to existing options such as BART and local bus services.
Under development
In Spring 2021, the cities of Antioch, Brentwood, Oakley and Pittsburg completed the East County DPMT Feasibility Study (Study) to support a potential micro-transit deployment with Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) in East Contra Costa County. Subsequently, the CCTA and Tri Delta Transit partnered to evaluate the potential deployment of the East County DPMT project.
ECCP specializes in a revolutionary on-demand public transportation system. CCTA in partnership with Tri Delta Transit, selected ECCP as the preferred vendor for the DPMT project after a comprehensive evaluation process. CCTA, Tri Delta Transit, and ECCP will work together to deliver an initial viable segment of the larger project through a unique public-private partnership (P3).
“We’re very excited about this project and believe it will significantly improve the quality of life in our community,” said CCTA Board Chair Federal Glover. “It’s a bold step towards a more sustainable and accessible future for Contra Costa.”
To actualize that future, CCTA and Tri Delta Transit determined last year that engaging a private sector partner to collaborate with would be the most beneficial strategy. The P3 approach has proven to be a highly efficient agreement, allowing for smoother delivery and deployment of transportation projects. P3s unlock the ability to quickly mobilize the resources required for state-of-the-art, effective, and sustainable transportation solutions, such as the DPMT project.
“This partnership is a significant milestone for us,” said Tri Delta Transit Board Chair, Lamar Thorpe. “By working with ECCP, we can leverage their expertise in innovative transportation technologies to better serve East County residents.”
The partners will also collaborate to pursue funding for implementation of the initial segment.
More information about the DPMT project is available at ccta.net/projects/east-county-dynamic-personal-micro-transit-project.