Image courtesy of the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

Each year, the Coolest Thing Made in Tennessee competition highlights products that embody the ingenuity and craftsmanship of the state’s manufacturing sector. The Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry recently named the Volterra ZSL, one of the nation’s first fully electric refuse collection vehicles, the Coolest Thing Made in Tennessee in 2025 competition winner. Manufactured by McNeilus Truck and Manufacturing in Murfreesboro, the Volterra ZSL is a certified zero-emissions vehicle by the Environmental Protection Agency, has a driver-first design, and utilizes advanced technology.  

Image courtesy of Waymo.

Waymo, a fully electric and autonomous ride-hailing service, will partner with Lyft to provide rideshare services in Nashville. Initially, riders will utilize the Waymo app to hail rideshares. As the service expands, it will be integrated into the Lyft app to allow riders to select a Waymo vehicle. With more than 100 million fully autonomous miles driven on public roads, the data shows Waymo’s technology has been used safely in the cities where it currently operates.

The TN Department of Economic and Community Development recently announced that two collaborative teams would receive $500,000 each in funding under the Transportation Network Growth Opportunity (TNGO) initiative.

East Tennessee State University (ETSU) and Bell Textron Inc., an aerospace manufacturer, will complete two projects with TNGO funding. The first project, titled “Design of 3D Printed Tooling for Bird Impact-Resistant Aircraft Windshields,” will address the design, fabrication, and proof-of-concept testing of advanced 3D printing techniques to support windshield manufacturing for rotorcraft, such as helicopters. The second project, titled, “Rotor Collision Avoidance Alert System (RCAAS),” will develop and validate a simulation environment to demonstrate the technical feasibility, performance capabilities, and safety benefits of an RCAAS; an RCAAS is expected to enhance rotorcraft safety by detecting and warning of obstacles to prevent collisions.

The second collaborative that was awarded funding is Middle Tennessee State University and Bell Construction Company, which will aim to develop a system for identifying, analyzing, and mapping road potholes to improve infrastructure maintenance and develop an artificial intelligence-informed road repair time. The project will leverage citizens and their smartphones, mounted on vehicle dashboards with the Pothole Detection app open, to crowdsource data on road conditions through real-time image and sensor capture.

Image courtesy of the Tennessee Trucking Association.

The Tennessee Department of Safety and the Tennessee Trucking Association will host the Greeneville Roadside Scales Event on October 29 at the Greeneville Scales, I-81 South, Mile Marker 21. Attendees will learn how vehicles are selected for inspection and what determines inspection levels. They will also be able to observe checks on paperwork, log records, and equipment in real time, gaining valuable insights into roadside inspections and procedures.

The Technology-Enhanced Advanced Mobility in Tennessee (TEAM TN) Engine will host an event, From Learning to Earning – Bridging Education and Employment through Learner-Centered Pathways, on November 7 in Smyrna. The convening will focus on connecting education to employment through learner-centered pathways, aligning academic programs with workforce needs, building stronger industry-academic partnerships, and preparing the next generation of STEM leaders. Participants will gain insights into workforce development trends, hear from thought leaders, and engage in collaborative discussions designed to bridge the gap between learning and earning. Speakers include representatives from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, multiple representatives from Tennessee Colleges for Applied Technology, the Tennessee Board of Regents, and Nissan. Registration closes October 24.

The Tennessee Trucking Association Fall Conference will take place November 6-7 in Chattanooga. Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with industry leaders from across Tennessee and beyond to uncover critical compliance updates, insights on carrier inspections, changing driver behaviors, technology adoption, and the future of trucking. The event also allows for networking and learning from peers engaged in sustainable transportation and alternative fuels.

Tennessee Clean Fuels and the National Association of Fleet Administrators (NAFA) Tennessee will jointly host an alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies event on November 14 in Nashville. The event will include panel discussions on the use of alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies in Tennessee and a showcase of alternative fuel vehicles. Speakers will represent organizations including Tennessee Clean Fuels, NAFA Tennessee, EPB Chattanooga, and the Cities of Chattanooga and Knoxville. Registration closes November 7.

The Tennessee Drone and Advanced Air Mobility Symposium will be held in Nashville on November 12-13. Hosted by the Tennessee Department of Transportation and Vanderbilt University, the event will bring together leaders from government, industry, academia, and research to discuss how drones and advanced air mobility can be safely and effectively integrated into Tennessee’s communities and economy. This year’s theme, Connected Skies, Empowered Communities: A Future Built on Collaboration and Innovation, will include speakers sharing practical insights, innovative trends, and strategic ideas shaping the future of drones and advanced air mobility. View the agenda here.

The Southeastern Team Reducing the Impacts of Diesel Emissions (STRIDE) Collaborative will host partners from southern states in the fields of agriculture, construction, transportation, shipping, energy, and the environment virtually at the 2025 STRIDE Clean Fuels Workshop on November 18. This virtual workshop will feature speakers on a variety of topics, including clean diesel technology, renewable fuels, and fleet experiences.

The Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council (TAEBC) will host its annual Opportunities in Energy event on November 19 in downtown Knoxville. The event will bring together TNEAC members and stakeholders to discuss all new and upcoming “opportunities” in the advanced energy sector, including trends, businesses, technologies, and other exciting developments.

The 19th annual International Biomass Conference & Expo will be held in Nashville from March 31 to April 2, 2026. The event unites industry professionals from all sectors of the world’s interconnected biomass utilization industries: biobased power, thermal energy, fuels, and chemicals.

Organized by BBI International and produced by Biomass Magazine, this event brings current and future producers of bioenergy and biobased products together with waste generators, energy crop growers, municipal leaders, utility executives, technology providers, equipment manufacturers, project developers, investors, and policy makers. 

Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) has opened applications for the 2025 Transportation Planning Grant (TPG) program. TPG is intended to assist jurisdictions (both municipalities and counties) with transportation planning efforts that determine strategies to support improvements in traffic flow, safety, mobility, and overall efficiency of the transportation system. The maximum award amount is $250,000, and the required local match is 10% of the award amount. For awards to economically distressed and at-risk counties or communities within those counties, the program will require a 0% local match for an award.

Planning opportunities include, but are not limited to

All Tennessee cities and counties are eligible to apply. Applications are due October 31.

The Company Lab (CO.LAB) is accepting applications for its Sustainable Mobility Accelerator. This opportunity is for startups revolutionizing the movement of people, goods, energy, and data who are looking to gain funding, mentorship, and access to a cutting-edge mobility ecosystem. Applications are open.

The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) recently announced the launch of the Innovation & Research for Industry Success (IRIS) Grant Program, which aims to enhance and facilitate partnerships between private industry and the state’s leading research institutions. The grant program will encourage companies to pilot innovative technologies and pursue new discoveries within the state, which, in turn, will facilitate collaborations that highlight the strength of Tennessee’s research capabilities and foster long-term corporate investment in the state’s innovation ecosystem.

Applications for the inaugural round of IRIS funding are open and will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Nashville Connector, led by the Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure, is a transportation demand management program that aims to educate residents about the transportation options available in Nashville. The Connector offers a commute planning tool, which helps users optimize their commute by highlighting the most relevant local public and private transportation options alongside parking and lane passes, employer subsidies, and incentives. Nashville Connector also offers services to employers to support workplace commute programming. Learn more on the employer services menu. 

Visit the TDEC Office of Energy Programs Website at http://www.tn.gov/environment/energy.

Past Monthly Newsletters: 

September 2025

August 2025

July 2025

For more information or to submit an idea for a future Monthly Transportation Edition, contact:

Audrey Jackson, Communications Officer
TDEC Office of Energy Programs
615-917-6683 or audrey.jackson@tn.gov

OR

Alexa Voytek, Deputy Director, OEP Programs
U.S. DOE State Energy Program / Innovation & Transportation / Communications
TDEC Office of Energy Programs
 615-613-1096 or alexa.voytek@tn.gov

OR

Mark Finlay, Senior Energy Analyst, TDEC Office of Energy Programs
615-772-6011 or mark.finlay@tn.gov

Acknowledgement: This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of State and Community Energy Programs (SCEP) under the State Energy Program Award Number DE-SE0001095.

Disclaimer: This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government.  Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof.