Automated Bus Consortium

Greg Walker

AECOM, Senior Manager

Phoenix, Arizona

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

Goal of Automated Bus Consortium Project

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

Automation Scale

Consortium Partners• Connecticut DOT

• 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)

Automated Bus Consortium Program Overview

State of the Industry

Automated Bus Technology

Scotland to Test First Autonomous Full-sized Bus Fleet in Passenger Service (11/26/18)

• Service to begin in 2020 with 5 – 42 passengers, 38 foot ADL buses between Fife and Edinburgh

• Level 4 Automation: Driver on-board during operation

• In 2019 the bus will be used in autonomous mode only within the depot environment, to carry out:

- Parking- Moving to fuel station- Bus washing

Self-driving buses to hit Swedish public roads next year (02/21/19)

• Collaboration of Scania and Nobina

• Electric-powered

• Running in a special lane on existing route

• To be tested without passengers on 1 km section of route

• Passenger service will cover 5 km

New Flyer Launches Program Focused on Self-driven Buses (5/08/19)

• St. CLOUD — New Flyer of America Inc. announced the launch of a program aimed at possibly creating self-driven buses

• In a news release, New Flyer and New Flyer Industries Canada announced the launch of their Autonomous Technology Program, which includes development and deployment of technology for advanced driver-assistance systems and automated vehicles

• The largest bus manufacturer in North America said the program will have a guiding principle focused on public safety and will adhere to the Society of Automotive Engineers' definition and recommended practice for levels of driving automation

• New Flyer will actively participate in development of SAE related recommended practices and standards

Automated Bus Consortium Program Overview

Program to Advance Full-Sized Automated Bus

Program Framework

1

2Autonomous bus deployment program

AECOM will continue to invest in a technology

assessment of automated transit

technologies to better assess the industry,

market trends, and technology

AECOM will act as the Program Manager to

define, procure, deploy and evaluate

emerging automated transit technology in PDA

and CDA phases

Technology assessment A consortium of transit agencies

3Deployed technology by 2021/2022 in multiple APPLICATIONS

Multiple transit agencies would join the program

to procure jointly 75-100 automated, full-size

and full-speed buses.

4 The consortium will deploy the vehicles in a

variety of environments and share lessons learned

for future technology planning.

One Program to Gain Extensive Experience

Variety of Geographies

• Cold Weather

• Desert

• Hot and Humid

• Rainy

Variety of Applications

• Bus Rapid Transit

• Shuttle Service

• Arterial Rapid Transit

• Express Service

• Fixed-Route Service

• Point-to-Point

• Maintenance Depot

Phased Approached from Feasibility to Implementation

• Service Visioning/Pilot Projects

• National & Local Outreach

• Vehicle and Infrastructure Technology

• Industry Forum

• Financial Planning

• Regulations

• Implementation Strategy

Preliminary Development Agreement

1

• Procurement of Buses

• Infrastructure Design

• Technology Testing

• Deployment/Construction

• Evaluation

• Next Steps

Comprehensive Development Agreement

2GO/NO-GO

PDA On-Going Work Tasks

Automated Bus Consortium Program Overview

Committee Structure

How will the Consortium Work?

Consortium Structure

• Developed to drive decision making

• Policy Committee – agency executives make final decisions

• Technical Committees – drive work plan and recommendations

Automated Bus

Consortium

Policy Committee

Planning &

Operations

Committee

Communication &

Outreach

Committee

Specifications &

Procurement

Committee

Deliverable Approval Responsibility

Deliverables

Selection of National Pilot Projects

Approval of Final Risk

Register

Select Agency to Lead

Procurement

PDA Results and Conclusion

Agencies Each Make Go/No-

Go for CDA

Deliverables

Technical Memo: Selection

of Candidate Pilot Projects

Preliminary O&M Plan

Technical Memorandum on

Regulatory requirements

Preliminary Cost Estimates

for Pilot Projects

Financial Plan Memo

Deliverables

Web Site

National Outreach

Industry Forum

Ideas on Local Outreach

Agency’s Will Execute

Local Outreach Strategy

Deliverables

Draft and Final Automated

Bus Specification

Recommend Lead Agency

for Procurement

Preliminary Infrastructure

Plan

Policy CommitteePlanning & Operations

Committee

Communications &

Outreach Committee

Specifications &

Procurement Committee

Automated Bus Consortium Program Overview

Work to Date

Activities

• Agency Kickoff Meetings – April-May, 2019

• Agency Pilot Project Workshops – May-June, 2019

• Specifications and Procurement Committee – June 27th, 2019 (Dallas, TX)

• Battery-electric bus selected

• Planning and Operations Committee – July 16th, 2019 (Minneapolis, MN)

• Agencies selected preferred pilot routes

• Policy Committee Kickoff – August 14th, 2019 (Washington, DC)

• Industry Forum – September 12th, 2019 (Detroit, MI)

Planning and Ops Committee Outcome

Industry Forum

Automated Bus Consortium Program Overview

Risk & Value

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 3rd 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

Potential Value of the Consortium

Accelerate

Technology

Development and

Deployment

Reduce Planning

and Procurement

Costs

Stimulate

Technology

Demand

Shared Lessons

Learned

Automated Bus Consortium Program Overview

Project Communications & Outreach

Communication and Outreach Program At-a-Glance

Announce the

Automated Bus

Consortium

Press Release Name + LogoNational External

Campaign

Local

Communications

Toolkit

Community

Outreach

Select name

and logo

Web site

Social media

Press release(s)

for milestones

Branded

presentation

Logo files

Social media

graphics

Templates with

logo/branding

Branded

presentation

template

Regional

community

outreach to be

defined by the

local agency

Local agency

implements

program

Publicize

milestones

Website automatedbusconsortium.com

Automated Bus Consortium Program Overview

Schedule

Automated Bus Consortium Program –Phase 1 Project Schedule: 12 Months

Automated Bus Consortium Program Overview

Thank You