California allows autonomous vehicle testing on public roads

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – First Transit welcomes the announcement from the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) on March 6 that shared autonomous vehicle (SAV) testing is now permitted on public roads in the state. This is a vital next step for our operation of the first SAV pilot in North America at Bishop Ranch in San Ramon, California.

“We appreciate the California DMV announcement which moves our Bishop Ranch SAV pilot forward,” said Justin Pate, senior vice president of business development and marketing for First Transit. “We are proud to be the first in North America with this innovation, increasing the number of transportation solutions for our customers.”

First Transit continues to have customer service agents on board the SAV throughout each stage of the pilot at Bishop Ranch to answer any questions for passengers. First Transit provides all maintenance for the SAVs at the Bishop Ranch location.

First Transit also has an exclusive partnership at GoMentum Station for autonomous vehicle innovation and reach, supports SAV operations for Dallas sports fans in the City of Arlington, Texas, and the Minnesota Department of Transportation SAV roadshow.

About First Group

We operate five divisions which draw on common skills and expertise, but which are varied by geography, customer base and a mix of contract and passenger revenue. Our broad footprint in the UK and North America gives us experience of two of the most developed markets in the world for transport services, and a breadth of expertise across different regulatory and contractual environments.