March Industry News

CAT Introduces First Articulated Bus Into Service in S.C.

Clemson Area Transit (CAT) has put the first articulated bus in service in South Carolina.

“We double the capacity and only use one bus to accomplish as much transportation,” Al Babinicz, general manager of CAT said. “The ‘bendy bus’ technology eventually could help solve transportation problems throughout South Carolina.”

CAT dubbed its Nova LFS Artic the “bendy bus” because of its center articulation that allows the bus to corner tightly and handle city streets as easily as a regular bus. Similar LFS Artic buses are currently in operation in large urban centers.

CAT plans to use its LFS Artic primarily on the Red Route to transport Clemson University students, faculty and staff to and from campus. As part of its plan for older buses, CAT expects to retire a total of eight buses, of which several will be replaced by articulated buses.

CAT already owns five 40-ft Nova LFS Smart Buses, purchased in 2012. 

Alstom to Provide Light Rail Vehicles in Ottawa

Alstom finalized a contract to provide 34 light rail vehicles and 30 years of maintenance services to the Rideau Transit Group (RTG) consortium that was selected to design, build, finance, and maintain the first line of the Ottawa Light Rapid Transit (OLRT) system worth over €1.5 billion.

The new Citadis Spirit that Alstom is designed in a high capacity version and will be able to operate in extreme winter conditions. It will have a top speed of 65 mph.

Ottawa’s 12.5 kilometer light rapid transit system will provide service to the downtown area via 13 stations and a 2.5 kilometer tunnel. Construction of the project will start in the next few months and the system is expected to enter full service in spring of 2018.

“The Alstom Citadis Spirit light rail vehicle is very flexible and can be adapted to the needs of other cities across North America.” said Guillaume Mehlman, Alstom Transport North American president.

Sun Tran Puts Alternatively Fueled Buses In Service

In an effort to strengthen the agency’s commitment to protecting the environment, Sun Tran has placed 47 new alternatively fueled buses into service.

Ten utilize hybrid electric technology and the remaining 37 run on B5 biodiesel, a clean burning alternative fuel. These new buses replace almost 19 percent of the fleet and will be used throughout the system on regular fixed routes.

 “This investment demonstrates Sun Tran’s strong commitment to our community’s sustainability,” said Kate Riley, Sun Tran general manager. “With one in five buses replaced, passengers enjoy new, more reliable, environmentally friendly buses [and] it gives people another reason to try Sun Tran and help reduce our carbon footprint.”

Sun Tran’s buses with hybrid electric technology produce lower hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions, which lowers particulate emissions by up to 90 percent, nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 50 percent and greenhouse gas emissions by more than 25 percent.

Authors on High-Speed Rail Hold Discussion in D.C.

Author and Director of Public Outreach for the U.S. High-Speed Rail Association (USHSR) Emy Louie and her co-author Nancy Bolts discussed their new book “Fast Trains: America’s High Speed Future,” to coincide with the high-speed rail association’s conference in Washington, D.C.

“The book tells intriguing narratives from the point of view of the authors as well as characters,” said co-author Nancy Bolts. “It makes an emotional connection with the public and arouses the imagination of an America with modern high-speed rail moving transportation into the 21st Century,” said co-author Bolts.

Fast Trains was inspired in part by the surge of popularity, interest and ridership in rail travel as Americans overwhelmingly support advancements and investment in public transportation.

This book seeks to stimulate public interest in high-speed rail by focusing on the vast economic, environmental and lifestyle benefits of having a world-class high-speed rail system throughout America. Fast Trains foretells a bright future for high-speed rail through the use of vignettes that compare trips by automobile or airplane in the U.S. with high-speed rail trips elsewhere.