Atlanta, GA, June 2019:

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The Center for Transportation  & the Environment (CTE) was selected by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to coordinate research and outreach priorities for the newly created Transit Vehicle Innovation Deployment Centers (TVIDCs). These Centers will facilitate the development, production, and deployment of advanced technology transit vehicles and infrastructure. Through these Centers, CTE will streamline multiple advanced bus research and education resources into a cohesive FTA-led program.

CTE will form and manage an advisory panel to structure the TVIDCs' priorities and provide industry feedback to FTA. The panel will meet at least three times and will include sample representation from large, medium, and small transit agencies, all active bus OEMs, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), FTA,CALSTART, and the Altoona bus testing facility.

It will also include the two bus component testing centers (Ohio State and Auburn), and both current FTA funded zero-emission bus (ZEB) Centers of Excellence (Sunline and SARTA).CTE will convene the first panel meeting at the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) in Los Angeles on August 20th, 2019.

LA Metro's CEO Phillip A. Washington has committed to personally participate on the panel. The subject matters the panel will discuss includes, but is not limited to, the following:

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• Low or No Emission Vehicle (Low-No) Component Testing Program
• Overall Bus Testing Program, including any changes necessary to support ZEBs and improve bus testing effectiveness and throughput
• FTA's overall research program priorities, including implementation of the STAR program (FTA Strategic Transit Automation Research)
• Driver Assistance and Automation Solutions in pilot programs, and other industry technology development
• Training and Workforce Development to support ZEBs
• LA Metro's plans to create a center in the County of Los Angeles that will focus on testing, research, training, and manufacturing of ZEB and rail supplies.

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Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) has agreed to host the second meeting in Chicago, IL. CTA President Dorval Carter has also committed to personally participate on the panel. CTE will host the third meeting at its headquarters in Atlanta, GA.

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"CTE is proud to lead the development of a unified team of experts that will be responsive to the needs of the entire US Transit Industry and will report our recommendations back to FTA for implementation" said Dan Raudebaugh, Executive Director of CTE.

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CTE is looking for participation from other transit operators that wish to participate on the panel. For more information, please contact Lauren Justice, [email protected].

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ABOUT CTE‍

The Center for Transportation and the Environment is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to improve the health of our climate and communities by bringing people together to develop and commercialize clean, efficient, and sustainable transportation technologies.CTE collaborates with federal, state, and local governments, fleets, and vehicle technology manufacturers to complete our mission.

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‍ABOUT METRO

‍Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) serves as transportation planner and coordinator, designer, builder and operator for one of the country's largest, most populous counties. Metro has set an ambitious plan to completely transition its fleet to zero-emission buses (ZEB) by 2030. The initial phases of this plan are underway to electrify the Metro Silver and Orange Lines with 105 battery electric buses. 65 of these buses will come from BYD; and the remainder will come from New Flyer. Additionally, Metro is undertaking a strategic plan for the ZEB transition with ZEGBO Partners in which CTE supports. Representing the nation's second busiest bus system with more than 2,300 buses, Metro is setting the bar for zero-emission bus expansion.

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‍ABOUT CTA

‍TheChicago Transit Authority (CTA) operates the nation's second largest public transportation system.For more than 70 years, CTA has remained a vital part of the fabric of the largest metropolis in the Midwest. Its renowned transit system of trains and buses - including its iconic, elevated train system known as the ‚ÄòL' - serves the City of Chicago and 35 surrounding suburbs. On the average weekday, CTA provides more than 1.5 million rides with its more than 1,800 buses and 1,400 rail cars. CTA is a pioneer among U.S. public transit agencies in electric bus adoption, testing its first two battery electric buses in a 2014 pilot program. In 2018, CTA awarded its first major contract for zero-emission buses, purchasing 20 battery-electric buses from Proterra in 2018. For more details, please visit:www.transitchicago.com
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‍For a PDF of this press release, click here.