Mayor John Tory says the City of Toronto will be launching an automated shuttle pilot project service in the east end in 2020.
Tory made the announcement during a transportation conference in downtown Toronto Monday afternoon.
According to a statement from Tory’s office, public consultations will begin in the autumn. The vehicles can be operated without drivers, but under the pilot project staff will be in the vehicle when it runs.
The trial program is set to take place in the West Rouge neighbourhood, which is roughly bordered by Port Union Road, Highway 401, the Rouge River and Lake Ontario.
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The potential route and the exact type of vehicle used weren’t disclosed, but it’s anticipated there will be between eight and 12 seats in each vehicle. The statement said the vehicles are meant to operate in “low-speed, low-volume environments.”
“Today’s announcement is another step towards building and expanding our transit system. The pilot for the automated shuttle will help residents access other transit options in the city and encourage more people to use our transit system.”