Mayors: Get Us Driverless Transit Shuttles ASAP

Maybe it's just me, and admittedly I am crazy when it comes to the whole issue of self-driving vehicles as a game changer, but this is really big news - at least as reported by the LA-area Canyon News.

The US Conference of Mayors (USCM), at the prompting resolution of Beverly Hills, has adopted a resolution in favor of moving full speed ahead to get driverless transit shuttles in cities across the nation ASAP. They want people to take transit; they want safe transportation. They want the future - and they don't want to wait. 

Why transit should be part of a driverless near future

The question is how can transit, private companies, public works agencies, healthcare organizations, and our citizens can together make the USCM resolution turn into wheels on the ground. Whether shuttles come from Local Motors, Varden Labs, nuTonomy, or EasyMile or from conventional vehicle manufacturers; whether these shuttles are operated by transit or by private operators (FYI: I'm rooting for progressive transit systems here) - the mayors have voiced support for better transit. I am encouraged and happy because we are not only talking taxibots and transportation further divided between the have and have nots.

Good transit is highly equitable AND attractive. If you're going from Midtown to Union Square, to use a New York example, no car or taxi will get you between those points as fast as the N or the R on the subway. It takes about three minutes. Probably not even in the middle of the night could a taxi or Uber compete with the speed of the subway. It shouldn't only be New York City and a few other places in our country that have the advantage of being transit rich. 

Let's not forget the drivers

Good that we have devoted transit (and truck) drivers and that many of them are represented by strong unions. I hope those unions get retirement benefits for those ready to retire and that younger drivers have the opportunity for other jobs, for education, or for a transition to other fields. But even if we are concerned about drivers, change is coming. Even effective unions cannot prevent that. Remember the taxi companies - all the litigation and regulation did not stop Uber. It won't stop driverless either.