Martinez
Ride Free
MARTINEZ’S AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE PILOT (2024-2025)
Service period: September 2024 – December 2025
Total rides: 1,038
Total miles driven: ~98,000
Partners
Local 1605
Presto in Martinez
The Martinez pilot was the first in the nation to train and employ unionized transit operators as certified AV attendants, blending new technology with workforce development and strong labor partnerships. The program provided free, on-demand, wheelchair-accessible rides within the City of Martinez, connecting residents to local destinations including healthcare providers and downtown services.
Performance metrics highlighted the service’s quality and reliability:
- 88% repeat riders
- 5.5-minute average wait time
- 99% on-time pickups
- 100% five-star rider reviews
Ridership increased 14% in its final month, reflecting growing community interest. PRESTO Martinez generated valuable insights into accessibility, rider behavior, and workforce integration, which will inform future AV deployments across Contra Costa County.
Service Area
Service has been temporarily suspended. Check back for updates.
- Hospital Stops
- Designated Stops
Presto Martinez Faqs
How was PRESTO Martinez funded?
In 2019, The Contra Costa Transportation Authority was awarded the Automated Driving Systems grant and the SB1 Local Partnership Program to be used toward providing an on-demand, wheelchair-accessible AV service to people without reliable transportation to medical appointments and hospitals.
What was the goal of the pilot project?
The pilot provided a safe, easy, and innovative way for residents and visitors to move around Martinez and expanded access to local medical centers. The project also collected invaluable data that will be used in future autonomous vehicle testing and to help shape the future of transportation in Contra Costa County.
Why was martinez selected for this pilot program?
Home to the primary hospital in Contra Costa County and multiple other large medical facilities, Martinez was the ideal location to pilot a service geared toward expanding medical accessibility.
Who could use PRESTO Martinez ?
PRESTO Martinez was open to any resident or guest visiting the Martinez service area during the pilot project. Riders aged 16 and under needed to be accompanied by an adult.
From 2 pm – 6pm Monday through Friday, the service was reserved for people traveling between the County Hospital and other stops within the service area.
What makes a vehicle autonomous?
Autonomous vehicles (AVs) are being safely deployed throughout the U.S. and beyond. Although the vehicles were primarily self-driving, each autonomous vehicle featured a human safety operator to ensure safety, answer questions about the service, and assist riders in wheelchairs. The PRESTO Martinez autonomous vehicles handled all sorts of situations and hazards on the road, reacting quickly with safe, predictable vehicle movements. The vehicles could be operated in both cold and warm weather conditions.
What was it like riding in the autonomous vehicle?
PRESTO Martinez was a fleet of shared autonomous vehicles; like Uber Pool, other riders traveling in the same direction may have been added to the same ride.
In Martinez, PRESTO rides were limited to 4 people or 1 wheelchair and 2 additional people. To use the service, passengers used the May Mobility app to reserve a ride. Riders could enter any address within the service zone for pick-up and drop-off in the app. The app would assign riders to a nearby “virtual stop,” a safe, pre-approved location for the autonomous vehicle to pick-up or drop-off.
Where could passengers go using presto martinez?
There were over 20 pick-up and drop-off points at key locations throughout Martinez, including stops at the County Hospital, local public health facilities, Safeway, and the nearby Amtrak station.
Did presto operate in all weather conditions?
PRESTO Martinez relied on sensitive technology that could be impacted by weather conditions like rain, hail, or strong winds. To ensure passenger safety, service was temporarily suspended on occasion during these events.
Was PRESTO Martinez accessible to people with disabilities?
Yes. You could easily request a wheelchair-accessible ride for yourself or someone else using the May Mobility app. Wheel-chair accessible minivans had a ramp attachment that the attendant could set up to allow wheelchair users to board. Once on board, there were safety anchors that allowed the wheelchair to be secured to the floor.