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\u201cWe are proud to launch the Miki shuttle service which will\nprovide additional convenience for our airport users,\u201d said Hawai\u2018i Department\nof Transportation Director Ed Sniffen. \u201cThe autonomous electric vehicles add to\nour ongoing progress to transition our vehicle fleet to electric vehicles and\nwill help meet the state\u2019s sustainability goals.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During the 18-month pilot project, HDOT and its partners\nwill evaluate ways to increase overall efficiency of the intra-airport\ntransportation service. Departing and arriving passengers will have access to a\npair of continuous autonomous shuttles out of a total of four, operating on a\nrobust service schedule along the same route as the Wiki Wiki buses between the\nC and G gates and Terminals 1 and 2. Travelers can board the Miki shuttle with\ntheir carry-on baggage on the third level. The Miki shuttle will begin service\nto the general public tomorrow, April 17, and will follow the same schedule as\nthe Wiki Wiki buses, between the hours of 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. daily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The electric shuttles, services and software are supplied by Beep, Inc.<\/a>, a leading provider of autonomous shared mobility solutions. \u201cWe applaud our partners at Hawai\u00ca\u00bbi DOT, Sustainability Partners<\/a> and the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) for their innovative integration of advanced autonomous mobility solutions in this pioneering project,\u201d said Joe Moye, chief executive officer at Beep. \u201cThrough this collaboration, Beep will leverage its national experience in deploying and proving out these rapidly evolving technologies across multiple states and communities, while emphasizing our unwavering approach to safety and sustainability. Together, we’re enhancing accessibility and ensuring mobility for all.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Each Miki shuttle can hold 11 passengers, including the\nshuttle attendant. They are also ADA-accessible and can accommodate one\nwheelchair. The shuttles will operate at a maximum speed of 10 miles per hour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While the Miki shuttles will be driven autonomously, an\nattendant will be on board at all times to serve as ambassador for the new\nshuttle pilot project and to educate riders on how Miki operates, and the\nservice offered at HNL. Shuttle attendants are trained on the autonomous\nshuttle\u2019s safety features and can take over manually at any time by utilizing a\ncontroller on board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The introduction of the Miki autonomous electric passenger\nshuttle is another element of the continuing efforts to reduce Hawai\u2018i\u2019s\nreliance on fossil fuels by transitioning the state\u2019s fleet vehicles to\nelectric vehicles (EV). Last summer, HDOT, in collaboration with the University\nof Hawai\u00ca\u00bbi at M\u00c4\u0081noa, launched its first autonomous electric passenger shuttle as\npart of the University\u2019s Rainbow Shuttle service to\ntransport students and staff around campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This pilot project is made possible through the state\u2019s\ninfrastructure as a service contract with Sustainability Partners, which\nenables HDOT and other interested state and county agencies to procure electric\nvehicles and charging infrastructure on a per-mile cost basis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe Hawai\u00ca\u00bbi\nDepartment of Transportation continues to be at the forefront of the transition\nto electrified and automated transportation, and we could not be more thrilled\nto support its mission and vision,\u201d said Thomas\nCain, CEO of Sustainability Partners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n