DRT Route 300 - WAVE

11. 11. 2021 Thursday / By: Robert Denes / Generic / Exact time: BST / Print this page

In the summer, Metrolinx, in partnership with several agencies, began testing an autonomous vehicle that would be included in the Whitby GO as part of an AV pilot project. Now, after weeks of mapping and testing, the vehicle is ready to open its doors to customers. Learn more about how a self-driving, zero-emission vehicle can help Durham residents get around.

Whitby residents in Ontario are now the first in North America to use an autonomous (self-driving) electric flight (DRT) that integrates intelligent infrastructure along the route to create safer roads for pedestrians, transit customers and other drivers.

The Whitby Autonomous Vehicle Electric (WAVE) space shuttle is a pilot project to learn how autonomous technologies can contribute to safer, more sustainable and interconnected transport operations. The WAVE service is operated as DRT Route 300 (300 Port Whitby WAVE) and there is always a trained security attendant on board.

The six-kilometer shuttle service starts and ends at Whitby GO Transit Station and makes a loop in Port Whitby (south of Whitby). This pilot project will be carried out by different partners to learn how automated technologies can contribute to safer, more sustainable and interconnected transit and traffic operations.

The pilot project in Canada is the first time that an autonomous transfer and intelligent infrastructure has been fully integrated into an existing transit service, such as DRT Route 300, which provides an opportunity to assess the operational, financial and customer service benefits and implications of these technologies in public transport. The pilot project will also help provide information on the physical and digital transportation infrastructure needed to prepare for autonomous vehicles on Canadian roads.

The shuttle runs during off-peak hours from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on weekdays to minimize traffic impacts on the community. It runs from 8 am to 7 pm on weekends. The pilot project will be supported by more than 50 intelligent infrastructures, including sensors, visual and audio signals along the route. As we learn about the performance of the space shuttle in a variety of weather conditions, safety is paramount to us.

Use of WAVE is free of charge, however, normal fares apply when connecting to DRT or GO Transit services. The DRT On Demand service will be available in the Port Whitby area if WAVE is unable to operate due to weather conditions. On Demand trips can be booked through the DRT On Demand app or by calling 1-866-247-0055 (passengers arriving with children under the age of eight are asked to call this number to arrange a trip to Port Whitby).

Commuters are required to comply with all proposed provincial and local public health safety protocols for COVID-19-related public transportation.

The service is supported by more than 50 intelligent infrastructures (such as the smart light on the right) that eliminate dead spaces that can occur in any vehicle and provide real-time audio and visual alerts to other road users about the operation of the shuttle - helping to dramatically increase road safety . The aim of the WAVE shuttle is to show how the autonomous vehicle can be used as a safe, accessible and convenient means of transport, using clean energy to transport people to and from Whitby GO while eliminating parking difficulties.


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