HIGHLIGHTS
RAPID AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE SERVICE RECEIVES AWARD OF EXCELLENCE ( CONTINUED ) ✅
Sharareh ( Sherri ) Kermanshachi , a UT Arlington associate professor of civil engineering , ran the academic research component of the program . Greg Hladik , executive director for Auxiliary Services at UT Arlington , said the program is popular with students , who can ride for free on the service . Faculty and staff can also ride the service for free for a limited time .
“ We continue to provide cutting-edge mobility services for our students ,” Hladik said . “ We ’ re happy to be partners in this technology . The pilot program showed us there is a student appetite for such a service . We can continue to grow in the programs we offer students in the way of transportation .”
During the COVID-19 pandemic in the summer of 2021 , UT Arlington was the first university to offer on-street , self-driving shuttles as the only option for university transportation service .
“ We were able to park our buses and just use on-demand self-driving shuttles to move students around the downtown and campus areas ,” Hladik said .
Arlington Mayor Jim Ross said the city will continue to look for ways of serving its population , which includes UT Arlington students .
“ The City of Arlington continues to prove itself as a national leader on autonomous vehicle testing and deployment ,” Ross said . “ Thanks to this technology , we were able to expand services offered to our residents and visitors .”
John Hall , UT Arlington vice president for administration and economic development , said , “ The award signifies a great example of what happens when research , campus operations and the City of Arlington come together to provide innovative solutions to meet the needs of our students and the broader Arlington community .”
IPMI ’ s Awards of Excellence program showcases outstanding parking , mobility and transportation facilities and innovative programs to further the parking , transportation and mobility industry . Entries are reviewed by a panel of expert judges from every segment of the industry and ranked across a wide spectrum of criteria .
“ The 2023 Awards of Excellence winners exemplify the standards for creativity , effectiveness and patron service in parking and mobility ,” said IPMI CEO Shawn D . Conrad . “ These projects , and the teams that execute them , meet the needs of the communities they serve and provide results that move the parking , transportation and mobility industry forward . We are honored to recognize them with these awards .”
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