July-August_2021 - 12

PEOPLE & PLACES
AN AC Transit rider boarding a bus.
AC Transit
AC Transit releases its
first Zero-Emission
Transit Bus Technology
Analysis study
The Alameda-Contra Costa Transit
District (AC Transit), with Stanford
University's Precourt Institute for
Energy, published its " Zero-Emission
Transit Bus Technology Analysis "
(ZETBTA) study, which created
a " roadmap to aid transit agencies
in planning, procurement, training
and, most importantly, a guide to
curtailing costly missteps toward
zero-emission conversions. " AC
Transit used the months of the
pandemic to launch this first-of-itskind
analysis of transit bus propulsion
systems. This initial iteration
of the ZETBTA will help agency
leaders understand the capital cost,
performance and operating cost between
ZEB types when comparing
performance to conventional diesel
bus technologies. The study is also a
collection of energy data to develop
metrics for costs, mileage, reliability
and availability.
MassTransitmag.com/21230971
MTA announces first of new R211
subway cars arrive for testing
▶ The Metropolitan Transportation
Authority (MTA) will begin qualification
testing on the first new R211 rail
cars to be delivered, with the cars
expected to begin serving passengers
on select lettered lines next summer.
The cars feature 58-inch door
spans that are eight inches wider
than standard doors on existing cars.
The expanded doors are designed
to reduce delays and speed up train
movement by speeding up boarding
and reducing the amount of time
trains sit in stations. The cars also include
digital displays that will provide
real-time information about service
and stations, and brighter lighting and
signage, slicker bonnet design, among
other features. The R211s are part of a
$6.1-billion investment in rolling stock
that's included in the current capital
plan. The full base order of R211 consists
of 535 cars, though the contract
will include options for up to 1,500
cars that New York City Transit may
exercise over time.
MassTransitmag.com/21229181
BART taps goats to reduce
right-of-way fire danger
▶ Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) has
turned to goats to graze and reduce
firebreaks on its right-of-way property
as the Bay Area endures a hot
and dry summer. The goats reduce
BART's reliance on fossil-fuel-powered
equipment, decreases the chance of
sparking fires and increases safety
for workers. The Spanish-Boer cross
goats, contracted from a herding
business and chaperoned by a goat
herder, can clear more than an acre
of vegetation a day and are used on
terrain, such as steep hillsides, that can
be hazardous to human groundskeepers
using mowers, weed whackers and
other power tools. Another bonus is
appreciation from many neighbors in
nearby residential areas, who prefer
the occasional bleat of a goat to the
roar of a power mower. They've been
contracted for the past several years
and their work has been a step toward
BART's overall sustainability goals, said
Glen Eddy, assistant Superintendent
of Ways and Facilities. Eddy says goats
are contracted usually in May-June
and September-October, depending
on conditions, and they graze about 35
acres out of more than 100 total acres
of right-of-way property.
MassTransitmag.com/21229927
12 | Mass Transit | MassTransitmag.com | JULY/AUGUST 2021
MORE NEWS AT A GLANCE
▶ Alstom will provide its Cityflo 650
Communications-Based Train Control
solution for the Miami-Dade Metromover
system.
MassTransitmag.com/21228124
▶ Allison Transmission, in partnership
with Cummins and GILLIG, delivered
24 electric hybrid buses to IndyGo.
Allison's H 40 EPTM electric hybrid
propulsion system is paired with the
Cummins B6.7 in GILLIG buses.
MassTransitmag.com/21230393
▶ Toronto Transit Commission has
awarded ARBOC a firm order for
110 Independence low-floor transit
buses. The award was placed through
ARBOC's Canadian distributor,
Creative Carriage Ltd., utilizing the
government of Ontario's Metrolinx
Transit Procurement Initiative.
MassTransitmag.com/ 21231449
▶ The Pinellas Suncoast Transit
Authority awarded First Transit a
contract for its paratransit service.
First Transit will provide 75 employees,
supply five cutaway vans, 53
wheelchair-accessible vehicles and
will be responsible for all maintenance
to its fleet.
MassTransitmag.com/21228979
▶ New Flyer of America Inc. received
an order from Alameda-Contra Costa
Transit District for 20 zero-emission,
hydrogen fuel cell-electric 40-foot
Xcelsior CHARGE H2™ heavy-duty
buses. Additionally, New Flyer
will supply 50 Xcelsior compressed
natural gas 40-foot buses to North
County Transit District (NCTD) after
NCTD exercised options as part of a
five-year contract with New Flyer.
MassTransitmag.com/21231039
▶ Miami-Dade County's Department
of Transportation and Public
Works gave the green light to add 42
battery-electric buses to its existing
order of 33 buses from Proterra.
MassTransitmag.com/21227862
▶ Renfe has signed a contract with
Texas Central, making it the early operator
of the high-speed rail project.
MassTransitmag.com/21230699
▶ Amtrak awarded Siemens Mobility
Inc. a $3.4-billion contract to manufacture
its new intercity trainsets. The
contract also includes a long-term
service agreement for technical support,
spare parts and material supply.
MassTransitmag.com/21229681
http://www.MassTransitmag.com/21228124 http://www.MassTransitmag.com/21230393 http://www.MassTransitmag.com/21231449 http://www.MassTransitmag.com/21229181 http://www.MassTransitmag.com/21228979 http://www.MassTransitmag.com/21231039 http://www.MassTransitmag.com/21227862 http://www.MassTransitmag.com/21230699 http://www.MassTransitmag.com/21229681 http://www.MassTransitmag.com/21229927 http://www.MassTransitmag.com/21230971 http://www.MassTransitmag.com
July-August_2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of July-August_2021
