Boca Raton CRA directs staff to pursue three‑month autonomous shuttle pilot in Meisner Park

The Community Redevelopment Agency of Boca Raton on May 12 discussed and gave staff direction to pursue a three‑month pilot of an autonomous shuttle in Meisner Park, Public Works and Engineering Director Zach Beard told the commission.

Beard described a proposed Phase 1 pilot using a level‑4, eight‑seat autonomous shuttle on a roughly 0.5‑mile loop with four to six stops, charging infrastructure in Meisner Park and a safety passenger aboard as currently required by federal guidance. He said staff expects to amend the existing Circuit contract to add the autonomous service and to request federal approvals needed to expand operation if the pilot is successful.

The discussion centered on pilot scale, cost, operating days and how quickly Boca Raton could move to a larger Phase 2 or 3 that would operate on city streets outside the park. Beard said the vendor’s three‑month proposal would cost about $90,405 and include vehicle registration, insurance and a charging/storage arrangement; the vendor would install the charging station. He also presented March 2025 ridership figures for Boca Connect (the city’s on‑demand microtransit): 2,030 trips and 3,131 passengers, with an average wait time of about 8 minutes, 55 seconds.

A company representative, Mr. Braun, said other pilots operated by the vendor have run without incidents and reported early ridership growth. "So far, so good. No incidents and operation is very well underway and a very good acceptance," Braun said.

Several commissioners pressed staff to move faster toward an expanded service that would cross Palmetto Park Road and link Meisner Park with Royal Palm Plaza and other downtown destinations. Commissioners debated whether the pilot should run four days a week (the staff’s lower‑cost recommendation) or seven days a week to increase visibility and data. Some members favored starting with the smaller pilot to collect data and then rapidly applying to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for Phase 2 approval; others urged pursuing policy and legal work simultaneously so expansion could occur quickly if the pilot shows positive results.

Beard and the vendor outlined procedural dependencies: NHTSA approval (and later an expanded application for mixed‑traffic operations), vehicle registration with the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles, and compliance with local codes such as the city sign code for any on‑vehicle advertising. Beard said starting with a low‑speed, low‑mileage internal route would be the fastest path to initial federal approval, with Phase 2 likely taking additional months depending on route complexity and required roadway changes.

There was no formal recorded vote on the pilot at the May 12 meeting. Commissioners expressed informal consensus to proceed with staff continuing contract amendment work with Circuit and the vendor, to run an initial trial period and to pursue concurrent steps to accelerate Phase 2 and Phase 3 approvals where feasible.

Next steps Beard summarized were: return with an amended Circuit contract adding the autonomous shuttle pilot, finalize operational parameters (days/hours) with the vendor, submit required materials to NHTSA and coordinate DMV registration and insurance. Commissioners asked staff to seek updated cost scenarios for four‑day and seven‑day operations and to work with the city attorney on any required policy or permitting changes.

The agency’s discussion placed the pilot in the context of Boca Connect’s recent expansion onto the Barrier Island in February 2025 and broader downtown mobility and redevelopment goals. Commissioners said they view the pilot as a tool to gather route and safety data that could inform traffic planning and future downtown design decisions.