In an effort to provide more efficient access to public transportation in the East End, GRTC announced a sweeping new initiative to introduce a fleet of self-driving buses to the Pulse.
“We realized the limitations of human driving in reaching our stated goal of providing Pulse service every 10 minutes,” says Beth Autobüs of GRTC, “Automated driving was clearly the best next step for the Pulse.”
The move toward automation began earlier this year, but budget cuts have limited GRTC’s ability to invest in the self-driving technology needed to realize its strategic plan. “We’re excited for this next stage of the Pulse,” says Autobüs, “but we realize we need to start small. We believe Richmond residents will understand the service changes needed to introduce this project.”
Pulse service will run on East on Broad St. between 18th to 20th from 7 AM to 10 AM and 4 PM to 6 PM until further notice. During these hours, the right lane will become bus-only lanes. Don’t be alarmed, when you see a bus moving swiftly backward, that’s just efficiency at its finest!
GRTC asked us to get community feedback on this exciting new plan, please let us know what you think in the comments below.
13 comments
I am sure you will be getting some skeptics, especially after the Uber incidents. Running backward? Hard on the bus’s transmission? And will probably shock people not paying attention making them confused or feel like they are disoriented while driving by one? If they are looking at driverless bus service, that is kin to the earlier proposed rail system that would have run down the center of Broad Street. Why didn’t they invest in that?
It will probably be a good thing but what we need in Church Hill is more routes or old ones back to where they were for ease of getting to downtown. As is, in certain parts of Church Hill, you have to walk many blocks to catch a bus which is not doable for elderly or handicap people.
Reads more like it was written by an Onion staff writer.
The actual bus drivers can barely drive, how much worse can it get??
Nice try CHPN, nice try.
Mmm you all do realize what today is, right?
Duh… I wasn’t paying attention to the date ???
This is also funny!! Why can’t April 1st be everyday??
I see, they can implement this, but our teachers have to buy pencils at Costco and the classroom sizes are ohhhhhhhhh NVM
April Fool!
That’s a good one!
Happy April’s fool day!
I for one welcome our robot overlords.
Natalee Bolton I was about to get really upset and then realized – April fools !!!