What May Mobility has in common with 20th-century elevators

As a product of the early 90s, movies are my only proof that elevator attendants ever existed.

When I watched The Apartment as a preteen, I noticed a woman in uniform asking people for their floor number. I remember thinking to myself, really, greyscale people of the past?! You can’t press a button on your own?

The point was lost on me (which is fine, because I was twelve). It wasn’t that people were too snobby or inept to push buttons on their own; rather, elevators were a new and unfamiliar technology. The attendants were there to establish trust, to educate, and to lead by example.

At May Mobility, we learn from history. As our autonomous driving technology continues to evolve, our Fleet Attendants continue to sit at the front of each shuttle. They aren’t just safety drivers, but customer service representatives and advocates of emerging technology.

First and foremost, May Mobility Fleet Attendants (FAs) are responsible for taking over control in a situation that requires intervention.

During one of May’s first public rides in Columbus, our shuttle’s tire bumped the curb while rounding a corner. The Fleet Attendant on board, Lisa, transitioned the vehicle into manual mode to ensure the ride was smooth for the passengers. “We’re all good,” Lisa assured. “Did you feel that? I took over because May Mobility prioritizes safety, rider experience, and autonomy.”

“We bumped the curb,” Lisa reported into her headset. “I’ve reported that bump to base, and the engineers will know to fix it,” she told the riders. One of the passengers was unfazed. “My wife hits the curb all the time — no big thing to me.”

While May’s autonomous technology is programmed to precisely follow the rules of the road, humans don’t always do the same. One of our self-driving shuttles might get honked at or tailgated for going the speed limit. The Fleet Attendant’s decision to take over and manually speed up allows for a human touch that puts the rider and other road users at ease.

However, safety interventions in May’s shuttles are few and far between, so what are our FAs doing the rest of the time? Not only do May Mobility’s FAs ensure a smooth ride, they act as unofficial guides. They can speak to local attractions, are informed about the future of transportation, and want to hear about your day.

What might otherwise prove monotonous for a transit driver becomes interactive for our FAs. Other than keeping their eyes on the road and on the vehicle’s screen, they’re chatting with passengers, answering questions, and educating people about the technology.

Fleet Attendants are hired locally for a reason: the route surroundings are already familiar and they can easily relate to passengers. They are an essential bridge between May’s Michigan HQ and the cities we deploy in.

May Mobility doesn’t put a new FA in the (non)driver’s seat during his/her first day on the job. We have an immersive 3-week training process that tackles autonomy training, manual driving, customer experience, and emergency preparedness.

For May Mobility’s upcoming deployment in Rhode Island, FAs-in-training will spend their first week of classes getting a feel for the shuttles during manual drive training. If they pass their week one evaluation, they will get an introduction to autonomous driving. Alongside communication training, CPR training, and emergency run-throughs, they’ll spend weeks two and three mastering the operation of AVs.

While self-driving technology is progressing, there’s a long road ahead that involves Fleet Attendants. The role will only be redefined when the vehicles are just as personal and attentive as the FAs are.

Like the elevators we now use alone without a second thought, the day will come when May’s vehicles no longer need safety operators. But for the foreseeable future, you’ll be greeted by a friendly and knowledgeable Fleet Attendant when you ride with May Mobility.