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N.J. Airport to Launch Autonomous Shuttle Pilots This Spring
3 Zero‑Emission Vehicle Makers Will Compete to Link Terminals With Newark Airport's Future AirTrain System
Newark Liberty International Airport will start testing self-driving shuttle buses that could haul passengers between the airport’s long-awaited new train system and terminals in the spring.
Three companies are expected to compete for a contract with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to operate the shuttle network, according to a Feb. 25from the agency. If approved, the self-driving shuttles would provide an automated connection between the airport’s existing facilities and Newark’s new $3.5 billion AirTrain project, that is slated to open in 2030.
Oceaneering, Ohmio and Glydways Inc. were selected by the Port Authority to test their zero-emission vehicles during two-week periods from March to May. The tests, funded by the Port Authority, are meant to simulate “a high-capacity shuttle network with multiple vehicles operating simultaneously in a complex airport environment,” the release said. When the tests are complete, the Port Authority could issue a request for proposals in 2027.
“We are looking for opportunities to improve our passengers’ time at our airport through unique customer-first experiences as soon as you step onto airport property,” said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole, in the press statement, adding that “autonomous shuttles offer a safe, efficient solution for moving passengers.”
The Port Authority has tested self-driving vehicles at other New York and New Jersey airports that it operates. In 2024, members of the publicautonomous shuttles in a parking lot at John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Innovation is on the move at Newark Liberty 🛫
The is partnering with , Ohmio, and to test zero-emission, self-driving shuttles at this spring.
These pilots will help us explore automated connections to the new AirTrain Newark (set to… — Port Authority of NY & NJ (@PANYNJ)
Waymo has been working with the Port Authority for manually driventestsat Newark, it said in October. But the Alphabet Inc. unit still faces regulatory hurdles in launching fully driverless passenger service in New York, after Gov. Kathy Hochul recently pulled athat would have allowed for such operations in the state outside New York City.
Newark airport is getting a major facelift as part of the Port Authority’s “,” which includes the development of a new international terminal to replace the current Terminal B and enhancing Terminal C, as well as other projects like the completion of a new AirTrain and adding a taxiway. The AirTrain project originally had a $2.05 billion price tag, but the budget was boosted to cover rising inflation and construction delays from the pandemic.
