JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — For the first time in the U.S., driverless shuttles, that are meant for people, are transporting COVID-19 tests instead.
An Orlando-based company, Beep, transported the driverless shuttles to the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville from their Lake Nona headquarters.
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Beep partnered with the Jacksonville Transportation Authority to create, deploy and monitor the route that the shuttles will follow as they transport COVID-19 tests from a drive-thru collection site onto the Mayo Clinic campus, to another building on the property.
“We are operating in a very safe environment, but with no driver onboard whatsoever. So it’s enabling us to minimize the exposure that they would otherwise have to those samples," said Joe Moye, Beep CEO.
The Mayo Clinic says the use of the technology also frees up staff time that can be dedicated to direct treatment and care for patients with COVID-19.
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