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Murphy Administration Announces RFEI for Project to Create the First Autonomous Vehicle-Based Urban Transit System in America

12/6/2021

TRENTON – Governor Phil Murphy and New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti today announced an Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) for the Trenton Mobility & Opportunity: Vehicles Equity System (MOVES) Project. Trenton MOVES will act to provide safe, equitable, affordable, and sustainable high-quality mobility through the deployment of 100 Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) throughout the state capital. This on-demand automated transit system will serve 90,000 residents of Trenton. 

“Since taking office, we have worked relentlessly towards making New Jersey the innovation center of America,” said Governor Murphy. “There is perhaps no initiative that embodies this goal more than the Trenton MOVES project, which will attract tech talent from around the country and the world with the mission of creating an autonomous vehicle-based transit system in our Capitol that will provide a new, affordable transportation solution for underserved areas of Trenton. This is an exciting project with immense potential and I look forward to the day that the first vehicle hits the road.”

“Mobility is about equity and access to opportunity,” said New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti. “Trenton MOVES represents an opportunity to utilize innovation to sustainably improve the quality of life of the mobility-constrained in many of our cities. By starting in Trenton, we will have the opportunity to work with a close and effective partner; ultimately our vision is that this effort will ideally scale throughout the state and the region”.

“We’re grateful to Governor Murphy and the N.J. Department of Transportation under Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti for investing in an innovative mobility solution that will considerably improve the lives of the average Trentonian,” said Trenton Mayor W. Reed Gusciora. “Trenton MOVES means our residents can get to work on time without transfers or connections. It means state workers can explore restaurants and businesses throughout the entire city. It means more safe and equitable transportation options for everyone ranging from students involved in school activities to seniors going to their doctor appointments.”

The Trenton MOVES (Mobility & Opportunity: Vehicles Equity System) project is being developed by the Governor’s Office, NJDOT, the City of Trenton, and Princeton University.

This will be the first large-scale urban transit system in America to be based entirely on self-driving shuttles. Each vehicle will carry four to eight passengers at a time. The AVs will be low cost to users in underserved neighborhoods. During the initial launch there will be in-vehicle attendants to demonstrate the safety and operational integrity of the service. Full deployment will occur after a detailed planning and testing phase. This new system will allow Trenton’s households (70% of which have limited access to a single automobile or no access at all) as well as traditional road users to get acclimated to the presence of AVs on the streets of the state capital. 

NJDOT offers this Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) to help gather information from firms in the design, build-out and operation of a safe and equitable automated vehicle transportation system for Trenton. The deadline for the RFEI response is February 11, 2022. Following the solicitation of the RFEI, NJDOT may issue formal requests for Qualifications or Proposals. However, responses to the RFEI will not necessarily impact or be connected to any call for Proposals or Qualifications.

The deadline for the RFEI response is February 11, 2022.

Copy of Request for Expression of Interest