Photo courtesy of BYD: Stella Li, president of BYD America; David Griffith, chairman of the Long Beach-Qingdao Association; and Kenneth McDonald, president and CEO of Long Beach Transit, at the LBQA GreenTech Awards Luncheon.
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Photo courtesy of BYD: Stella Li, president of BYD America; David Griffith, chairman of the Long Beach-Qingdao Association; and Kenneth McDonald, president and CEO of Long Beach Transit, at the LBQA GreenTech Awards Luncheon.
BYD and Long Beach Transit (LBT) received the Long Beach – Qingdao Sister City Association’s (LBQA) inaugural Green Partners Clean Tech Award for the their contribution to improving the environment in Long Beach through LBT’s zero-emission, battery-electric bus program.
“BYD is very proud to accept this award – but we’re even more proud to have our buses on the streets of Long Beach,” said BYD President Stella Li. “Bringing jobs to Southern California while making the air cleaner is one of the ultimate win-win situations, and I thank LBQA for this new tradition of honoring partnerships that protect the environment and grow the economy.”
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In April 2015, LBT’s board selected BYD as its vendor to bring electric buses to Long Beach, as well as the 12 other cities the transit agency serves. The program includes 10 battery-electric buses and the option to buy 14 more, as well as a wireless charging system for en route charging.
Agency officials expect to have their battery-electric buses in service by the end of next month and intend to have the Passport route — a loop running from downtown Long Beach to waterfront attractions including the Aquarium of the Pacific and The Queen Mary — 100% battery operated.
LBQA’s Clean Tech Award was established this year to recognize the growing number of partnerships between U.S. and Chinese companies that are developing new environmental solutions to benefit the citizens of both countries, with a focus on LBQA’s sister cities, Long Beach and Qingdao.
A major goal of the pilot, which begins in April, is to test the speed, functionality, and durability of new handheld devices to scan Ventra and paper tickets.
Traditionally, bus lane enforcement has relied on manual processes carried out by transit police or parking enforcement officers. While it may be effective in certain municipalities, this approach is resource-intensive and very difficult to sustain.
A phased approach to technology, in-house capabilities, and workforce investment is helping transportation leaders break the reactive cycle and build more resilient, revenue-focused operations.
The landmark event empowers riders across six agencies in the Puget Sound region to tap-and-ride transit using a contactless credit or debit card or a mobile wallet.
Now in its latest edition, the awards recognize forward-thinking solutions that improve safety, operational efficiency, sustainability, rider experience, and overall system performance.
Menard discusses how data-driven signal prioritization is improving efficiency, reliability, and ridership, while offering insight into the innovations driving the next generation of smart mobility. Together, they explore how technology and collaboration are paving the way for a more connected, sustainable future in transit.
The pilot program showcases two companies’ technology at eight bus stops. The companies submitted their ideas through the Transit Tech Lab, which is backed by the Partnership Fund for New York City and provides an accelerated pathway for early to growth-stage companies to solve public transportation challenges for the largest transit agencies in North America.
