May Mobility achieves 10,000 rider milestone in its first rural autonomous vehicle deployment

ANN ARBOR, Mich., June 6, 2024—May Mobility, a leader in the development and deployment of autonomous vehicle (AV) technology, today announced that more than 10,000 riders have used its AV service in Grand Rapids, Minn. since its launch in September 2022. This milestone is a testament to May Mobility’s collaborative and measured approach to AV deployments, showing that AVs can successfully serve people with mobility challenges and earn the trust of rural communities.

The service, named goMARTI (Minnesota’s Autonomous Rural Transit Initiative), is the result of a unique partnership between May Mobility, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) and the city of Grand Rapids. Their goal is to increase accessibility and transportation options for residents and visitors in Grand Rapids. The service is free to use and its route includes approximately 70 pick-up and drop-off points spanning grocery stores, medical sites, community and recreation centers and more. May Mobility’s fleet of five autonomous vehicles includes three that are wheelchair-accessible, providing a much-needed transportation option to people with mobility disabilities in the area.

The company is sharing additional data regarding goMARTI ridership:

• Over 7,500 autonomous rides have been successfully completed, and 29% of these rides carried two or more riders
• Of the 10,000 riders, 91% are repeat customers
• The average ride rating is 5 out of 5 stars from 1,200 reviews
• 8% of the 10,000 riders are WAV (wheelchair-accessible vehicle) requests
• The program doubled in ridership in the past seven months since its launch in September 2022
• Eight months ago, the company implemented rider feedback, adding the Target department store as a new stop along the route, which has rapidly become one of the most popular stops

The robust data points and positive rider feedback demonstrate how May Mobility's Multi-Policy Decision Making (MPDM) technology is being widely adopted in Grand Rapids, Minn. By being in tune with the needs of the residents and transportation goals set by the city, May Mobility’s autonomous vehicle offerings have earned trust and acceptance across the rural community and has quickly become one of May Mobility’s most successful deployments to date.

“No other AV company is achieving what we are in rural America. Reaching 10,000 rides in Grand Rapids is not just a milestone—it’s a revolution on wheels,” said Edwin Olson, co-founder and CEO of May Mobility. “We’re not just moving people in autonomous vehicles; we’re driving change, proving that innovation doesn’t stop at city limits. This is the future of mobility: accessible to all, wherever they are.”

In addition to Grand Rapids being a rural community with unique needs, May Mobility chose this location because of its diverse environment. Grand Rapids is in Northern Minnesota, where winter weather is oftentimes harsh. Instead of neglecting cities with inclement weather, the company views this as an opportunity to allow its vehicles to collect data across more environments to further mature its technology and implement those learnings across other sites.

In June 2023, the Department of Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation was awarded a $9.3 million grant from the Advanced Transportation Technologies and Innovation (ATTAIN) program to improve safety, mobility, efficiency, system performance, and intermodal connectivity in the area. Using a portion of those funds, the Department of Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation and May Mobility are now working to expand goMARTI’s hours of operation and service area and plan to add additional wheelchair-accessible vehicles to its fleet in the rural community.