ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. July 24, 2023 —The City of Altamonte Springs and the Florida Department of Transportation are now officially welcoming passengers on CraneRIDES – a new autonomous vehicle (AV) shuttle project. Today marks the first day of passenger shuttle service starting at 10 a.m. Residents and visitors are welcome to board at no cost and experience this unique new addition to Altamonte Springs.
In collaboration with Beep Inc., an Orlando-based autonomous mobility company, the City will launch the project with shuttles that are programmed to travel on a fixed route through Uptown Altamonte, stopping at four locations adjacent to popular shopping and recreation destinations. Riders are encouraged to download the RideBeep app to track the shuttle in real-time.
“Altamonte Springs is already an amazing place to live and I am confident this project takes our city to the next level as we continue to reinvest in our community,” said Altamonte Springs City Manager Frank Martz. “All are welcome to ride and enjoy this innovative transportation alternative as we take one step closer to the future. We are committed to making the lives of our residents and visitors better each and every day.”
Altamonte Springs was recently ranked the 19th best city in America for business and was one of only three cities in Florida ranked in the Top 50 cities in the United States in which to live.
The first phase of the pilot features a nearly 1.5-mile route connecting the Altamonte Mall, Renaissance Centre, Cranes Roost Park and AMC Theatre to achieve workforce to workplace connectivity. The system will expand over the next 36 months, and as it does, the hours of operation will change and grow. In the initial phase, residents and visitors who use the AV shuttle can experience the vehicles seven days a week:
- Sunday - Thursday | 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. & 5 - 9 p.m.
- Friday & Saturday | 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. & 5 - 10 p.m.
The upcoming phases of the Altamonte Springs project will enhance passenger services by extending connectivity to the AdventHealth Altamonte campus, Altamonte Springs SunRail Station and CenterPointe, a planned 55-acre mixed-use development with a hotel, retail establishments and residential living and points in between.
In addition to adding mobility and mode options in Altamonte Springs and connecting to SunRail, the City and the State will also use this project as a demonstration for other cities and counties in Florida to visit and potentially deploy similar projects in their locations leveraging shared information and learned experiences through the Altamonte Global Innovation Lab (AGīL or “agile”).
For more information on the AV new service, visit www.Altamonte.org/CraneRIDES.
