Fairfax County is winding down its groundbreaking experiment with self-driving public transportation.
The autonomous, electric Relay shuttle will cease operations after June 23, concluding almost three years of bussing passengers around the Dunn Loring Metro station and the Mosaic District in Merrifield.
The autonomous Relay shuttle in Merrifield has had lower-than-expected ridership, and it’s not entirely because of COVID-19 limitations.
Since its launch in October 2020 through February 2022, the vehicle has been out of service half the time, mostly due to technical glitches.
The autonomous Relay shuttle that has been puttering around Merrifield will stay in operation at least through the end of this year.
Fairfax County accepted additional funding from the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation last week to extend its pilot project through December 2022, as it hopes the recent decline in COVID-19 cases will boost the shuttle’s ridership.
