Thomas F. Prendergast
STV
STV announced Thomas Prendergast has joined the firm as executive vice president and chief strategic officer. In this role, Prendergast will work on strategic projects throughout the firm. He will also be responsible for forging and maintaining relationships with transit agencies across the country and in Canada and serve as principal on major transportation projects undertaken by the firm.
Ciara Crossan
Camira
Camira appointed Ciara Crossan as transport design manager. Crossan will be managing Camira’s transport design team, working directly with customers and Camira’s transport sales team to design, develop and implement new products for mass transportation in line with market, customer and environmental requirements. Crossan has a wealth of textile knowledge — specializing in woven textiles.
Dr. Robert Schneider
Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission
Robert Schneider has been hired as the new executive director of the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC). Schneider is currently the executive director of Central Midlands Transit (The Comet) in Columbia, South Carolina. The tenure of current PRTC Interim Executive Director Eric Marx will overlap with Schneider until mid-May to aid in the leadership transition.
Dave Howard
Brightline
Brightline announced that Dave Howard, a veteran executive from the sports and entertainment industry, has joined Brightline's leadership team as chief executive officer. Michael Reininger will lead new development and growth opportunities as executive director at Florida East Coast Industries (FECI), Brightline's parent company, and Patrick Goddard has been elevated to chief operating officer of Brightline.
Bryan Smith
Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority
The Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority (TheRide) has hired Bryan Smith as the new deputy CEO of operations. Smith has been in the public transit industry for more than 20 years and has held many positions, including bus driver, dispatcher, maintenance and planner. Most recently Smith served as the chief operating officer at the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District in Illinois.
Brampton Leads in Innovation with Electric Bus Demonstration
The Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC) has brought funding partners, research teams, technology tools and manufacturing stakeholders together with Brampton Transit to launch the Pan-Ontario Electric Bus Demonstration and Integration Trial.
The city of Brampton has agreed to work with two Canadian transit vehicle manufacturers, New Flyer Industries and Nova Bus, and two charging station manufacturers, ABB Group and Siemens Canada, to deploy up to 10 electric buses and four overhead electric charging stations that plug into an open protocol known as the OppCharge protocol – first jointly developed by Siemens and Volvo Bus Corp.
MATA Offers Mobile Medical Clinic to Employees
Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) recently partnered with HealthyHere, a mobile medical clinic, to provide annual physicals, primary care and follow-up care to its 485 team members. The HealthyHere mobile clinics are fully outfitted with portable ultrasound machines, a private area in the vehicle dedicated to physical exams, and the equipment necessary for performing on-board lab work and biometric measurements.
CDTA Partners with Init for Modern Intelligent Transportation Management System
Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) contracted Init to implement an intelligent transportation management system (ITMS) across its entire fixed-route fleet. The contract will modernize CDTA’s existing fleet management system to a cloud-hosted system, upgrade the automatic passenger counting system and deploy real-time passenger infotainment displays on board and at various stop locations.
Cummins Reveals Next-Generation X12 Coach Engine
Cummins Inc. has unveiled the next-generation X12 Series engine, which provides up to 455 hp (339 kW) and up to 1700 lb-ft of torque (2305 N•m) available as low as 1000 rpm to improve drivability.
Providing up to 455 hp (339 kW), the X12 power-to-weight ratio of 0.21 hp per lb (0.35 kW per kg) surpasses similar-sized products in the motorcoach market. The use of a rear gear train contributes to overall engine refinement by reducing vibration and lowering noise by at least 1 dBA.
Transforming into a Sustainable SmartCity
Future Systems' SmartCities product developments harness innovation and emerging technologies to create more integrated, efficient and sustainable public transport systems. Wayfinding and digital signage are the keys to promoting a healthy lifestyle. By having a solid foundation of wayfinding options and digital street furniture, agencies are providing a platform for commuters to find alternatives to cars, such as walking, cycling and using public transit.
San Luis Obispo Upgrades Fleet
The City of San Luis Obispo has added three upgraded buses to its fleet as a first step in a series of improvements to the city’s transit system. The 40-foot buses, were purchased in part with a $1.1 million federal Congestion Mitigation & Air Quality grant which was facilitated by the Federal Transit Administration, SLOCOG and SLO RTA. The new vehicles, built by Gillig Inc., are outfitted with an onboard video infotainment system, public Wi-Fi, flexible seating arrangements, wider rear doors for faster exiting, hand sanitizers, LED and fiber optic lighting, and sun-roof-like emergency escape hatches.
Briefs
The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) selected Love’s Trillium CNG to provide complete operations and maintenance services on its compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station.
South West Transit Association (SWTA) honored U.S. Congressman Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) with the organization’s 2017 Legislator of the Year Award.
McDonald Transit announced it has been awarded the contract to operate transit services for Lake County, Florida.
RNL has announced the completion of schematic design for the new 3-acre Covina Transit Center and Park & Ride, retail building and parking structure for Foothill Transit in Covina, California.
Limousines of South Florida has taken delivery of 14 new Specialty Vehicles trolleys on behalf of the city of Miami Beach. These trolleys will be used to extend the Collins Link.
First Transit received the International Standards Organization (ISO) 9001:2015 Quality Management System certification for the operation and maintenance of the Denton County Transportation Authority A-train commuter rail system the company began operating in October 2016.
The Valley Metro Rail Board of Directors approved a base 5-year contract with Alternate Concepts Inc. to provide rail transportation services for the 26-mile system in Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa.
Siemens has been chosen by the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) to provide electrification technology to power the Guadalupe Corridor light rail line.
King County Metro has granted Urban Solar a 10-year contract to provide solar LED lighting solutions for its transit shelters and stops.
The city of San Francisco broke ground March 1 on the Van Ness Improvement Project, a major civic-improvement project that will revitalize and rehabilitate one of the city’s main corridors.
