UTA, Arlington Earn 2024 Seoul Smart City Prize for RAPID On-Demand, Autonomous Public Transportation Service
The University of Texas at Arlington and the City of Arlington were recently recognized internationally for the innovative Arlington RAPID on-demand, self-driving public transportation service.
UTA President Dr. Jennifer Cowley and Arlington Mayor Jim Ross accepted the 2024 Tech-InnovaCity Seoul Smart City Prize for Institutions for the public transportation partnership that began in 2021. RAPID, or “Rideshare, Automation, and Payment Integration Demonstration,” is a unique, on-demand, self-driving shuttle service piloted in partnership with UTA, the City of Arlington, Via, and May Mobility, through grants provided by the Federal Transit Administration and the North Central Texas Council of Governments.
“This unique solution is the first service in the United States to integrate on-demand autonomous vehicles into existing public transit and has provided Arlington’s residents with affordable public transportation for several years. By embracing cutting-edge technology, we can ensure that we continue on this path of efficient and sustainable mobility for our community members,” Dr. Cowley said.
The Seoul Smart City Prize is designed to promote an innovative yet inclusive smart city model that looks after underprivileged groups in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution that is driven by information and communication technology. This core mission serves as the basis of the two categories of the Prize, Tech-InnovaCity and Human-CentriCity, as WeGO and the Seoul Metropolitan Government envision that smart city should be defined and measured in terms of being both human-centric and technology-centric, rather than merely being centered around the advancement of technology.
Arlington RAPID’s fleet of four vehicles, which includes one that features a wheelchair ramp and securement system for wheelchairs, serves Downtown Arlington and UTA from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. Passengers can book a ride through the Arlington Transportation app or by calling Arlington On-Demand’s customer service line at 817-784-7382.
“I would like to thank everyone at UTA, the City of Arlington, May Mobility, and Via for making achievements like this possible. It is this push for innovation that continues to drive us forward. I know that there is much more in store for RAPID and I look forward to seeing what the future holds,” Dr. Cowley said.
For more information about Arlington RAPID, please visit www.arlingtontx.gov/rapid.
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