More mobile, accessible communities

Automated Shuttle Feasibility Study and Concept Plan

Stantec’s Greenlight fund supports employees’ innovative ideas that benefit our clients and communities. Our team received funding to help clients determine the feasibility of, and develop a plan for, automated shuttle implementation. One of our partners in this endeavor is the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA), the public transportation provider for Pinellas County, FL and its 24 municipalities.

PSTA is dedicated to improving rider experience through modern transit technology, such as integration with ridesharing services. This, along with its emphasis on sustainability and accessibility, makes PSTA’s system ideal for automated vehicle demonstration and deployment.

We worked with PSTA, and Clearwater and Dunedin, Florida, to develop an automated shuttle deployment concept plan. As year-round destinations, we wanted to capitalize on these beach cities’ points of interest. The goals were to improve customer experience and safety, introduce the technology to the public and stakeholders, and stimulate the local economies near the PSTA system. With the concept plan complete, Pinellas County is one step closer to introducing automated shuttles into its communities.