AECOM sets up Automated Bus Consortium

AECOM has brought together around a dozen local US transit agencies to form the Automated Bus Consortium to explore driverless bus pilot programmes. Among the authorities are Dallas Area Rapid Transit, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority. ABC is looking into buying up to 100 full-sized autonomous buses that will run at normal speeds along designated urban routes. Meanwhile, AECOM will provide planning, assessment, implementation and
June 10, 2019 Read time: 2 mins

3525 AECOM has brought together around a dozen local US transit agencies to form the Automated Bus Consortium to explore driverless bus pilot programmes.

Among the authorities are 1275 Dallas Area Rapid Transit, 1795 Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the 4162 Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority.

ABC is looking into buying up to 100 full-sized autonomous buses that will run at normal speeds along designated urban routes. Meanwhile, AECOM will provide planning, assessment, implementation and evaluation of the services for the consortium members.

The plan calls for a 12-month feasibility study followed by buses rolling out onto roads between 2021 and 2022. Each agency will make their own decisions regarding future additional automated bus purchases and deployment following the completion of the feasibility phase.

AECOM said it will host a forum in Detroit, Michigan, in September for ABC members to meet technology companies and bus manufacturers to discuss the development of programme specifications. Buses are expected to roll out onto the members’ streets within two years.

Related Content

  • Manchester seeks smart but not selective transport solutions
    January 25, 2018
    Smarter transport relies on better communications both with travellers and between transport providers. Andrew Williams reports. Inrix’s prediction that the cost of traffic congestion will rise by 63% to £21bn per year by 2030 clearly illustrates that, in addition to the ongoing inconvenience and inefficiency, ongoing gridlock is a significant drain on the economy. It is against this backdrop that a Cisco-led consortium has launched CitySpire, a smart transport programme that uses location-based services a
    Read More
  • Aimsun helps use community intelligence to improve mobility
    July 23, 2024
    A paradigm shift from traditional to data-driven community-aware transport solutions has guided development of cooperative transport management strategies in the FRONTIER research project
    Read More
  • Rio’s TMC rises to Olympic challenge
    October 27, 2016
    Timothy Compston lifts the lid on Rio de Janeiro’s preparations for keeping its transport systems moving during the Olympics – and the outcome. Hosting the Olympics poses major traffic management challenges for any city and Rio was no exception – especially as it is already one of the world’s most congested cities. Beyond its normal 6.5 million inhabitants wanting to carry on their daily lives, in August Rio was also home to 11,300 athletes from 206 countries. Athletes who, without fail, had to reach their
    Read More
  • Keolis wins mass transit contracts in Lyon and Nîmes
    April 5, 2024
    Six-year deals in French cities include bus, trolleybus and on-demand operations
    Read More

Highlighted Content