What the Future Holds for Transit Fleet Electrification in North America
In the final instalment of our transit electrification series, I would like to offer some thoughts on what the future may hold for transit fleet electrification in North America, as a growing number of public transit agencies work to transition to an environmentally sustainable, zero-emission model.
When thinking about where zero-emission transit is headed, keep in mind that vehicle electrification technology is continuously evolving and improving. So, every transit agency, no matter how far along in their fleet electrification journey, must still revisit and re-evaluate their plans every few years. The capital investment and operating costs that lay ahead will be heavily influenced by how electrification technology evolves during that time.
While there are no guarantees as to exactly how the technology will evolve over the next several years, there are enough indicators to give a good sense of the direction things are headed.
Doug Parker is a transportation systems engineer and planner, specializing in assisting public agencies with applying advanced technology. He is a recognized leader in transit technology consulting, working closely with the transit technology consulting practice across IBI Group. His 33 years of experience spans all public transit modes, including rail, fixed route bus, bus rapid transit, ferries, demand responsive transit, and rural transit. It also includes the full range of transit technologies, including those in support of planning, operations management, public information, revenue management, security, and business intelligence. Doug has been involved with numerous planning, research and evaluation efforts including regional deployment program development, architectures, evaluations, and several Transit Cooperative Research Program projects.
