JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — Have you spotted the “Sholly Trolly” in Yellowstone yet? Maybe you have ridden on it.
“We’re very pleased to participate in this shuttle pilot and test this evolving technology,” said Yellowstone National Park superintendent Cam Sholly. “As visitation continues increasing in Yellowstone, we are looking at a range of visitor management actions that focus on protecting resources, improving the visitor experience, and reducing congestion, noise and pollution. Shuttles will unquestionably play a key role in helping achieve these goals in many of the busiest areas of the park.”
The low-speed, electric automated shuttles are actually referred to as “TEDDY,” The Electric Driverless Demonstration in Yellowstone. The innovative pilot program launched today in Yellowstone. They are free to ride through August 31 within the Canyon Village campground, visitor services, and adjoining visitor lodging area.
The goal is to understand how automated vehicle shuttle technology can be used in parks and how visitors perceive and engage these services. The data from this pilot will help guide long-term management decisions regarding transportation in national parks.
FAQ regarding TEDDY
Why did the National Park Service select Yellowstone to pilot automated vehicle shuttle technologies?
In 2019, Yellowstone was the sixth-most visited national park in the United States with over 4 million visits. Due to its remoteness and popularity, the NPS selected Yellowstone to explore opportunities to advance our goals related to emerging mobility and better plan for the future of transportation.
How will the park work to ensure visitor safety throughout the duration of the pilot?
There was several weeks of testing onsite prior to the launch. A robust plan will also be used to train all park-wide first responders on operations that come up during the pilot.
Beep Inc. is required to regularly report all data tied to ridership, departure times, route performance and battery performance to the NPS. Similarly, they are required to report any crashes or near crashes immediately to our law enforcement officers as well as the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Before any work begins, Beep Inc. must ensure they have insurance to operate a motor vehicle in the state of Wyoming covering each vehicle and its operator. Insurance will be required at all times during the life of the contract.
Why and how was Beep, Inc. selected to operate the pilot?
In June 2020, the NPS put out a request for quotes to industry for operating AV shuttles in Yellowstone during summer 2021. Following a virtual industry day and 45-day window for vendor responses, the NPS, working alongside the Department of Transportation, selected Beep, Inc. They met all the requirements in the project scope and we are excited to be working with them on this project.
How is this project being funded and why?
The NPS is part of the Federal Lands Transportation Program working in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to deliver transportation improvements across the US. Recently, the FHWA developed innovation and research opportunities to fund projects within federal lands, like Yellowstone. Part of that funding will be used for this project to support the contract and to support technical aspects needed on the project from start to finish.
