Webinar Files

T3 Webinar: FTA Transit Automation Research: Transit Bus Automation Market Assessment
(November 7, 2019)

Automated Bus Consortium

Presenter: Greg Walker
Presenter’s Org: AECOM

HTML version of the presentation
Image descriptions are contained in brackets. [ ]

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T3 webinars are brought to you by the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Professional Capacity Building (PCB) Program of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) ITS Joint Program Office (JPO). References in this webinar to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm, or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the USDOT.

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Slide 1: Automated Bus Consortium

Greg Walker
AECOM, Senior Manager
Phoenix, Arizona

[This slide contains the ABC | Automated Bus Consortium | Accelerated by AECOM logo.]

Slide 2: Concept Summary

• Automated small vehicle shuttle technology is proven
• Appears feasible to transfer AV shuttle technology to full-sized buses
• Vendors need a market to cost-effectively produce these buses
• Concept: Joint procurement of 75-100 buses by 12 agencies

[This slide contains a photo of an Automated Bus Consortium bus.]

Slide 3: Consortium Goal

Deploy full-sized, full-speed automated buses:

• In a variety of geographies and applications to advance the industry understanding of the technology
• Leverage the technology to improve safety, reliability, operating efficiency and customer experience

Slide 4: Consortium Objectives

• Accelerate Automated Transit Technology
  [icon of an odometer displaying a needle indicating a high rate of speed]
  • Induce the technology market with a potential joint procurement
  • Work with the Industry to better define near term Deployable Automated transit technologies
• Collaborate Across the Nation with Transit Agencies
  [icon of three people whose heads are connected to a lightbulb]
  • Develop a single Future Bus Specification to test and validate new automated technologies
  • Work across Agencies to reduce cost by developing a single bus specification for potential joint procurement
• Demonstrate Automated Technologies in Real Service Environments
  [icon of a pencil and a clipboard with checkmarks and “X”s]
  • Develop 1 pilot project per agency to test the proposed automated bus technology
  • Use pilot program results to better influence the market and technology development

Slide 5: Consortium Partners

• Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART)
• Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT)/Hampton Roads Transit (HRT)
• Foothill Transit
• Houston Metro
• Long Beach Transit Authority (LBTA)
• Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority (LA METRO)
• Metrolink (Moline)
• Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA)
• Michigan DOT/Planet M
• Minnesota DOT
• Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA/FDOT)

[This slide contains the logos of the Consortium Partners listed above.]

Slide 6: Phased Approached from Feasibility to Implementation

1 Preliminary Development Agreement	→ Go/No-Go	2 Comprehensive Development Agreement
Service Visioning/Pilot Projects National & Local Outreach Vehicle and Infrastructure Technology Industry Forum Financial Planning Regulations Implementation Strategy		Procurement of Buses Infrastructure Design Technology Testing Deployment/Construction Evaluation Next Steps

Slide 7: Consortium Governance

Consortium Structure

• Developed to drive decision making
• Policy Committee - agency executives make final decisions
• Technical Committees - drive work plan and recommendations

Automated Bus Consortium Partner Agencies
Policy Committee
Planning & Operations Committee	Communication & Outreach Committee	Specifications & Procurement Committee

[This slide contains the Automated Bus Consortium organizational chart. The information from the chart is reproduced in the table above.]

Slide 8: Activities to Date

• Agency Kickoff Meetings – April-May, 2019
• Agency Pilot Project Workshops – May-June, 2019
• Specifications and Procurement Committee – June 27^th, 2019 (Dallas, TX)
  • Battery-electric bus selected
  • Risk register
• Planning and Operations Committee – July 16^th, 2019 (Minneapolis, MN)
  • Preferred pilot routes selected
• Policy Committee Kickoff – August 14^th, 2019 (Washington, DC)
• Industry Forum – September 12^th, 2019 (Detroit, MI)
• Initiated route refinement and implementation planning – October 2019
• Next Planning & Operations Committee – November 2019

Slide 9: Potential Risks

• Insurance
• Labor
• Legislative Meddling
• Safety
• Regulatory approval
• Funding
• Liability
• Driver Certifications/Requirements to Drive AV
• Cyber Attacks
• Cost/Benefit Analysis Proof of Value and Benefit
• Acceptability of Use/Public Buy in
• Infrastructure Costs
• Electric Infrastructure Challenges (with Power Grid)
• Data Sharing from 3^rd AV Parties
• Software/Technology Upgrades
• Software Viruses and Glitches and How to Address and Override
• Promotion of AV Bus Safety and Proof of Testing Certifications
• Industry Ability to Deliver Quality Product

Slide 10: Potential Value of the Consortium

• Accelerate Technology Development and Deployment
  [icon of a fast forward button]
• Reduce Planning and Procurement Costs
  [icon of an arrow descending a staircase of circled dollar signs]
• Stimulate Technology Demand
  [icon of a vertical bar chart that is trending upward]
• Shared Lessons Learned
  [icon of a person making a presentation to a group]

Slide 11: Website

automatedbusconsortium.com

[This slide contains a screenshot of the Automated Bus Consortium website’s home page.]

Slide 12: Automated Bus Consortium Program Overview

Thank You

Accelerating automated technology for transit services

[This slide contains an image of an Automated Bus Consortium bus.]

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