Texas Southern University Driverless Shuttle: Findings from the Texas Southern University Campus Tiger Walk Autonomous Shuttle Transit Study

Using data from the autonomous shuttle transit pilot along Texas Southern University (TSU) “Tiger Walk,” this study examines the intersection of environmental justice (EJ) and autonomous mobility. It investigates how driverless shuttles affect the walking and biking of transit-dependent populations on a historically Black college and university campus. The pilot serves as an exploratory case study of TSU students, faculty, and staff and evaluates connectivity with three designated bus stops along the campus corridor. This research asks: Do driverless shuttles provide another mode of transportation for a transit-dependent population? A mixed-method approach was employed, combining qualitative and quantitative analyses. In 2021, 300 participants from political science, administrative justice, and psychology courses were surveyed to assess transportation equity. A linear regression model was developed with autonomous shuttle ride time as the dependent variable and socioeconomic factors—including time interval, transport mode, campus vehicle usage, and stop distance as independent variables. Findings show a statistically significant relationship at the 95% confidence level for Black participants, individuals with disabilities, and the integration of TSU autonomous shuttles with metro bus services. Results indicate a negative correlation between driverless shuttle time intervals and metro bus connectivity, suggesting that transit-dependent respondents must walk farther from the TSU “Tiger Walk” to reach Third Ward connections. These findings support the EJ claim that minority and low-income transit-dependent populations often live closer to bus stops while remaining spatially isolated from high-capacity light rail services.