Boca Raton CRA approves plan to pilot an autonomous shuttle in Meisner Park

The Boca Raton Community Redevelopment Agency on Monday moved forward with a limited autonomous shuttle pilot in Meisner Park, directing staff to amend the existing Circuit contract to include a three‑month trial and to return with details on operations and approvals.

The pilot, as described by Public Works and Engineering Director Zach Beere, would deploy a Level 4, eight‑seat autonomous shuttle on a roughly 0.5‑mile loop in Meisner Park with four to six stops and a safety attendant in the vehicle under current federal practice. Beere said the initial trial is intended to collect operational data so staff can seek broader approvals and scale to Phase 2 and Phase 3 routes on city streets.

"We, again, highlighted the element of starting small," Beere said, explaining the hybrid model would "complement our existing on‑demand service." He also provided the commission with the latest Boca Connect data, saying March 2025 showed 2,030 trips and 3,131 passengers with an average wait time of 8 minutes, 55 seconds.

Why it matters: The pilot is the city’s first nearby test of driverless shuttles intended to supplement Boca Connect in the downtown CRA area. Commissioners framed the pilot as a data collection exercise to demonstrate safety and secure U.S. Department of Transportation and NHTSA approvals that would be needed for expanded service on higher‑speed or mixed‑traffic streets.

Key details and timeline - Phase 1 scope: single, eight‑seat autonomous shuttle running a 0.5‑mile loop in Meisner Park with a safety passenger present. - Estimated cost: staff provided an estimated price of $90,405 for the three‑month trial. - Regulatory steps: Beere said the trial will require NHTSA review, vehicular insurance and state DMV registration; staff expects to coordinate with the city attorney on sign and advertising rules. - Vendor experience: the company representative, Mr. Braun, said West Palm Beach launched a 0.9‑mile route and reported roughly 113 riders per week with one vehicle operating limited hours, and he estimated NHTSA clearance can be achieved faster after a Phase 1 data package is submitted.

Commissioner concerns and direction Several commissioners supported starting small but pushed staff to move faster toward Phase 2. One commissioner questioned whether a short loop entirely within Meisner Park would produce meaningful ridership because the area is already highly walkable: "I like this concept, but I don't think it's going to be particularly successful from one end of Meisner Park to the other," the commissioner said, urging staff to explore routes that connect Meisner Park to Sanborn Square or Royal Palm Plaza.

There was debate over how many days the shuttle should run during the pilot. Commissioners discussed a four‑day, nine‑hour schedule to limit costs versus a seven‑day option to increase visibility. Staff agreed to obtain updated proposals showing both schedules and to determine what the NHTSA will need for a representative data set.

Vendor and operational notes The vendor described the vehicle as bench‑style seating for eight, roughly a 55‑minute charge time for continued operation, and teleoperation support (remote operators who can intervene). Braun said the company supplies software and a remote operations center; he noted advertising inside the vehicle could yield revenue pending legal review. Staff said vendor responsibility would include installing a charging station and coordinating storage and charging locations in Meisner Park.

What happens next The commission authorized staff to proceed with a Phase 1 pilot approach and to return with a contract amendment to include the Guidance/Circuit shuttle, updated proposals for service days and legal review on advertising and permitting. Commissioners asked for progress milestones (3 and 6 months) and urged the city attorney and staff to pursue any policy work that could accelerate Phase 2 and Phase 3 approvals.

The CRA did not take a formal binding vote on a multi‑phase plan at Monday's meeting; the direction recorded was to move forward with the pilot contracting and data collection process and to continue coordination with state and federal regulators.