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

  • August 22, 2018
    Atlanta goes regional
    Georgia’s new transportation authority will focus on regional funding and planning, says Andrew Bardin Williams – and hopes to be a model for reorganisation across the US With an eye toward eventually creating Mobility as a Service (MaaS) in the Atlanta metropolitan area, the Georgia state legislature has shaken up how transportation is managed by creating a new regional transit governance and funding organisation. The Atlanta-region Transit Link Authority (The ATL) will be responsible for transit plann
    Read More
  • September 30, 2020
    LA approves $400bn 30-year transport plan
    City hopes multi-billion, long-term investment will ease traffic delays and reduce air pollution
    Read More
  • January 9, 2018
    Authorities switch on to all electric buses as costs tumble
    Alan Dron looks at changes in bus propulsion as cities look to improve air quality and seek to reduce maintenance costs. Despite the ending of various incentives to adopt alternative fuels, the introduction of electric buses by US transit authorities is picking up speed as performance improves, costs drop and air quality considerations become increasingly significant. More US bus manufacturers are introducing zero-emission models and some recent contracts will see many more passengers getting their first
    Read More
  • December 19, 2017
    USDoT pilots show win-win potential for connected vehicles
    Pete Goldin discovers the state of play with connected vehicles trials in the US and the impact of Hurricane Irma on Tampa’s pilot. The US Department of Transportation’s (USDoT’s) connected vehicle (CV) pilot sites have moved into phase 2 of the deployment programme– design, build, test and, maybe most importantly, collaborate.
    Read More

Highlighted Content