Riverside Transit Agency, city reach agreement on electric shuttles

Riverside is a step closer to getting electric, autonomous shuttles.

The City Council on Oct. 22 approved an agreement that calls for the Riverside Transit Agency to operate, staff and maintain three of the self-driving electric vehicles manufactured by Ohmio Inc.

The RTA’s two-year pilot program will be the first deployment of all-electric, autonomous shuttles by a public transit agency in the United States, according to a statement from the city announcing the agreement. Electric shuttle service could start as soon as January, officials said.

Funding for the shuttles totals $500,000 from the RTA, along with $1 million from the South Coast Air Quality Management District that reduced the city’s initial $2.5 million contribution to $1 million, officials said.

“Ohmio is an innovative company at the forefront of this exciting transportation technology,” Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson said in a statement. “This agreement with RTA means we will have a trusted local partner putting these vehicles on the street, helping the agency fill gaps in transit usage and contributing financially to the success of the effort.”

Officials estimated the city’s investment will be recouped in four years “because Riverside is the point of sale, meaning sales taxes from each vehicle will accrue in Riverside.”

Ohmio shuttles have a maximum speed of 31 mph and a 15 mph typical operating speed, officials said. The shuttles’ speed in Riverside will be determined by factors such as traffic intensity and route location.

Options for the first year of deployment include the area near the Riverside Municipal Airport, downtown and UC Riverside.

Ohmio moved its international headquarters from New Zealand to a facility near the airport to create a home base for the company in the United States. Riverside officials welcomed Ohmio as a fit with the city’s the ongoing development of the clean technology and advanced manufacturing sectors as well as with the California Air Resources Board, which has its Southern California headquarters in Riverside.

“This agreement is a win for everyone,” Mayor Pro Tem Jim Perry said in a statement. “RTA gets a new tool in its transit toolbox, Ohmio gets to show off its vehicles on United States soil, and the City remains a leader in innovation while defraying a chunk of the initial costs.”

The two-year pilot program was developed over the last 18 months, and the City Council approved an initial agreement with Ohmio about a year ago, officials said. The next step is route approvals by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and California Department of Motor Vehicles.

Ohmio has committed to hire local residents and anticipates creating seven jobs in the first year and at least 25 jobs by year three, city officials said.

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