A number of noteworthy developments took place in the transportation demand management sphere over Q4 2016 and into Q1 2017. Here’s a look at some categorized TDM news, beginning with car-shares:
- General Motors (GM) launched Book by Cadillac, a luxury-brand subscription model
- GM also partnered with Lyft and Uber to create a car rental program for drivers
- The car2go platform added Mercedes vehicles to its North American lineup
- BMW’s ReachNow program has submitted permit applications for ride-sourcing/TNC use in the Seattle market
- Zipcar launched a one-way service between Washington DC and Baltimore
Next, bike-sharing news:
- Free-floating startups Bluegogo and Spin plan to launch in San Francisco
- The City of Atlanta expanded the transit system’s Relay bike-sharing network, adding 400 new bikes at 40 additional stations
- Similar programs were launched in Baltimore (200 bikes, 20 stations), Las Vegas (200 bikes, 20 stations) and Evansville, IN (200 bikes, 20 stations)
Ride-sharing and ride-sourcing:
- Lyft is experimenting with 20-ride monthly passes, available for $20-$29
- Uber is doing the same in New York, offering unlimited UberPOOL rides for $79/month
- The cities of San Mateo and Foster City in Northern California are subsidizing rides sources with Scoop at a rate of $2 each way
- Xerox launched technology to detect HOV lane violations
Microtransit:
- Boston is in the early stages of creating a late-night microtransit service
- Chariot expands into eight new cities
- Kango announces a new service for San Francisco children
Some smartphone technology developments:
- Houston approves ARRO as its preferred ride-sourcing app
- Google Maps adds fare estimates and pick-up times for ride-sourcing services
- Facebook patents a ride-sharing platform for its Events feature
- Uber and TransLoc announce a partnership to develop trip-planning technologies
Finally, automation highlights:
- BMW and Ford both announce new automatic vehicle development initiatives, and the U.S. military has continued testing technologies
- Uber performs tests of self-driving Volvos in Pittsburgh
- Iowa DOT maps sections of the I-380 to integrate automated traffic
Susan Shaheen of UC Berkeley predicts that as we move through 2017, operators in the automation and integration space will accelerate their research, development, and pilot program activity.