By Laura D.C. Kolnoski
OCEANPORT – A 40-acre site along Oceanport Avenue in the former Fort Monmouth section already designated for redevelopment as a transit-oriented village could become the first test site for autonomous shuttle service on the former U.S. Army base.
If NJ Transit receives a grant from the federal government it applied for in August, self-driving shuttles like these could begin a testing program on Fort Monmouth next year.
Photo courtesy Navya
On Oct. 8, New Jersey Transit debuted self-driving shuttle vehicles produced by the Navya company of France to municipalities and community-based transportation groups at the New Jersey Council on Special Transportation (COST) Expo in Edison. Officials said NJ Transit hopes to test the 15-passenger conveyances as part of a “highly innovative pilot program.”
NJ Transit submitted a $950,000 grant proposal in August to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to pay for the plan. The Rutgers University Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation, the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority (FMERA) and NJ Transit would be partners for the pilot program. The award announcement to grant recipients is expected within six months of the submission date, meaning the state agencies could receive a “yay” or “nay” around January 2020.
“The intention is the program would be conducted in two phases,” said Bruce Steadman, FMERA executive director. “There would be one year of testing without passengers to test the mechanics and the infrastructure. The second phase would involve testing vehicles with humans. Right now it’s pretty preliminary.”
Known as the “400 area,” the site consists of former barracks and interior streets along railroad tracks. Currently vacant, it is slated to go on the market before the end of this year.
Steadman said it is “fully self-contained” and involves no public streets. It is near the Little Silver Train Station, hence its designation as a future residential and mixed use “village” aimed at those who would like to live in proximity to NJ Transit trains.
According to an NJ Transit press release, full testing of three self-driving shuttles could last several years, with Phase Two requiring obtaining permits to allow the vehicles to eventually drive on public roads and carry passengers within the fort property. The vehicles travel at speeds up to 15 miles per hour and are 100 percent electric.
“Autonomous vehicles have the potential to add significant value to our service,” said Kevin Corbett, NJ Transit president and CEO. “The need is also there, especially for NJ Transit customers. (Our) rail ridership went up approximately 3 percent from fiscal year 2018 to 2019. Our customers are clearly looking for ‘first mile, last mile’ options, and that’s what this pilot program is all about, exploring options for our customers, staying ahead of the curve and studying the benefits and challenges of this rapidly advancing technology in real-world scenarios.”
“First mile, last mile” typically occurs between a transport hub and the final destination, for example between a train station and a rider’s home, or between an airport and an airport hotel.
Through the pilot program, NJ Transit also hopes to learn what is needed to recommend such vehicles to community transportation providers who serve senior citizens, people with disabilities and other transit-dependent residents. Sections of the 1,126-acre fort spanning portions of Eatontown, Oceanport and Tinton Falls have already been developed into tech firms and residences, with a variety of commercial, entertainment, retail and more residential options on the way, all of which might utilize such a service.
“FMERA is tremendously excited for the opportunity to be involved with autonomous vehicles, especially initiated by New Jersey Transit,” Steadman said. “Given the future build-out of the fort, it would be great for the residents, as well as the county and state.”
There was an effort to test autonomous vehicles on vacant fort property early in the redevelopment effort, spearheaded by a transportation professor from Princeton University. That proposal never came to fruition due to a variety of logistical and financial challenges.
Navya’s Autonom Cab is being used in trials in Las Vegas and at the University of Michigan. Over a dozen similar trials are taking place around the globe. The company is considered a pioneer and specialist in the autonomous vehicle market.
