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| News and Events: Technical Assistance, Incentives, and Funding Opportunities:
Upcoming Events and Activities: Resources and Guides:
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| TDEC Now Accepting Nominations for the 2018 Tennessee Sustainable Transportation Awards The Tennessee Sustainable Transportation Awards recognize outstanding initiatives to improve the efficiency, accessibility, affordability, and sustainability of transportation systems in the State, consistent with ongoing efforts to improve the health and well-being of Tennesseans, provide for a strong economy, and protect our State’s natural resources. Eligible entities include: federal, state and local governments; commercial, nonprofit, and industrial organizations; public and private institutions of higher education; and utilities. The entity must be located in Tennessee, and the project must have been completed in the last five years. All nominees must have a minimum of three consecutive, current years of exceptional environmental compliance with the Department of Environment and Conservation. Self-nominations are encouraged. For more information about the Tennessee Sustainable Transportation Awards, visit the website at https://www.tn.gov/environment/tsta. To access the 2018 application, click here. The deadline to submit nominations is May 31, 2018.
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| FHWA Designates Three New Alternative Fuel Corridors in Tennessee In March, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) designated portions of I-24, I-75 and I-65 as either “signage-ready” or “signage-pending” Alternative Fuel Corridors for publicly accessible electric vehicle DC Fast Charging (DCFC) and compressed natural gas (CNG) refueling. These Tennessee highways join I-40, which was designated last year by FHWA as an Alternative Fuel Corridor for electric, CNG, propane autogas, and hydrogen refueling (“signage-ready” or “signage-pending,” depending on the fuel). FHWA has designated these corridors to improve the mobility of alternative fuel vehicles across the country. In order to designate the corridors, FHWA solicited nominations from state and local officials for major highways with regularly spaced alternative fuel stations running through their jurisdictions. TDEC’s Office of Energy Programs worked with TDOT, Tennessee Clean Fuels, TVA, ORNL, and ChargePoint to prepare this successful nomination. Learn more about the Alternative Fuel Corridors here. Click here to find alternative fueling stations in Tennessee.
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| Tennessee Recieves FTA Awards for Transit Projects
Earlier this month, U.S. DOT’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced $264 million in grants to modernize and improve bus infrastructure in the United States. A total of 139 projects in 52 states and territories will receive funding to improve the safety and reliability of America’s bus systems, enhancing mobility for transit riders across the country. Knoxville Area Transit (KAT) will receive $3.6 million in funding to purchase five electric transit buses and associated charging equipment. The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) will receive $6 million to help eight rural transit agencies (SWHRA, MCHRA, NWTHRA, SCTDD, FTHRA, SETHRA, Delta, UCHRA) and five urban transit agencies (JCT, MATA, KATS, JTA, CARTA) improve bus service by replacing older transit vehicles that have exceeded their useful life. The new vehicles will help improve efficiency and service reliability for residents throughout Tennessee. For more information on FTA’s Buses and Bus Facilities Infrastructure Investment Program, click here.
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| iREV Releases "Integrating Alternative Fuel Vehicles into Emergency Plans: A Toolkit for Tennessee"
The Initiative for Resiliency in Energy through Vehicles (iREV) is a program led by the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) to incorporate alternative fuel vehicles in emergency response and preparedness operations. iREV supports state and local emergency management decision makers by providing customized tools, information, and strategies about alternative fuel vehicle technologies, infrastructure, and potential uses in emergency scenarios. iREV’s resources and technical assistance aid emergency management entities in examining the potential costs, benefits, and interdependencies associated with diversifying their fleets, reducing dependence on petroleum, and investing in electric, natural gas, propane, and biodiesel vehicles and infrastructure in support of energy security. In 2017, the State of Tennessee volunteered to participate as an iREV “pilot” community, and NASEO has since been working with the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) and TDEC OEP to review state emergency operations and energy plans, assess petroleum vulnerabilities and threats to the state, collect data on alternative fuel vehicle and infrastructure locations, and develop recommendations for ways that Tennessee can integrate alternative fuel vehicles into future emergency and energy plans. For more information, and to view NASEO’s Toolkit and final set of recommendations for Tennessee, click here.
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| Vanderbilt University and ofo Launch Dockless Bike-Share Pilot
Last month, Vanderbilt University and ofo bike-share company launched a dockless bike-share pilot program. The six-month pilot program will include 100 bikes for Vanderbilt's campus. Rides will be free for the first month, after which Vanderbilt students and Vanderbilt University Medical Center communities will receive discounted rates on the bikes. The pilot is part of the university’s transportation and mobility strategy and is supported by Vanderbilt’s land-use planning initiative, FutureVU.
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| Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County to Vote on Funding Metro's Transportation Solution
On May 1, Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County voters will decide whether to fund a comprehensive transportation system for Nashville. Metro’s Transportation Solution is Metro-Nashville’s in-depth plan for a multi-modal system of interconnected bus, light rail, driving, biking, and walking options. Early voting is available April 11 through April 26. Read more in Metro-Nashville’s Socket newsletter.
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| TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, INCENTIVES, AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
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| 2018 Transit IDEA Program Now Accepting Proposals
The Transit IDEA Program is part of the Transit Cooperative Research Program, a cooperative effort of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the Transportation Research Board (TRB), and the Transit Development Corporation (a nonprofit educational and research organization of the American Public Transportation Association), and provides start-up funding for new innovations in transit systems. A new round of funding for 2018 has been announced by TRB, and applications are currently being accepted. The Transit IDEA Panel has established four high-priority focus areas to encourage proposals in the following areas: - Increasing transit ridership
- Improving transit safety, security, and emergency preparedness
- Improving transit capital and operating efficiencies
- Protecting the environment and promoting energy independence
The Transit IDEA Panel reviews proposals twice a year, and the deadlines for submitting proposals to these review cycles are May 1 and November 1, annually. Suggested research areas, proposal evaluation criteria, and the forms for submitting proposals can be found here.
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| UPCOMING EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
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| East Tennessee Clean Fuels Coalition Meeting
East Tennessee Clean Fuels will host its Spring 2018 coalition meeting in Kingsport on April 19, 2018 from 11:30 AM – 2:30 PM EST. The meeting will occur over lunch at the Rush Street Neighborhood Grill and will address a number of grant and fuel opportunities. The meeting will also feature speakers from across the alternative fuel industry. Finally, attendees will have the opportunity to tour the City of Kingsport’s fleet facilities, where municipal fleet technicians will showcase their propane-powered vehicles and talk about the City’s alternative fuel vehicle conversion successes. Click here to register for the meeting and to learn more.
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| Webinar: Technology Changes Influencing the Decline of Vehicle Emissions
TRB will conduct a webinar on April 25, 2018 from 2:00 – 3:30 PM EST that will highlight emerging technologies and programs designed to mitigate emissions from vehicles. Presenters from UC Davis, Miami-Dade TPO, U.S. DOE, and U.S. EPA will discuss hybrid-electric and fully electric vehicles, connected and autonomous vehicles, and the U.S. Federal Highway Administration’s Alternative Fuels Corridor Program. Sign into MyTRB.org to register.
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| Webinar: Who's Riding Transportation Network Companies and What Does it Mean for Public Agencies?
TRB will conduct a webinar on May 15, 2018 from 2:00 – 3:30 PM EST that features research from the Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP)’s Research Report 195: Broadening Understanding of the Interplay Between Public Transit, Shared Mobility, and Personal Automobiles. This research explores how transportation network companies (TNCs) such as Uber and Lyft are affecting the use of public transit and personal automobiles in several regions. The webinar will outline key findings and insights from this research about how, when, and where TNCs are most frequently used, and the relationship between this use, public transit usage, and driving commutes. The presenters will also provide a range of recommendations that may assist public transit agencies and other public entities attempting to engage with TNC services in large, midsized, and smaller urban areas. Register for the webinar at MyTRB.org. Contact Reggie Gillum at RGillum@nas.edu with any registration questions. The webinar is approved by the American Institute of Certified Planners for 1.5 Certification Maintenance Credits. Please visit https://www.planning.org/cm to claim any credits. Contact AICPCM@planning.org with questions regarding credits for this webinar.
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| UT, TDEC, and TVA Present Public Forum on Electric Mass Transit as an Option for Urban Mobility
With the emergence of electrified transit options and intelligent transportation system technologies, what are the costs, benefits, and barriers associated with these technologies that local governments, utilities, and transit agencies must consider and address? What best practices can be identified from electric mass transit and smart mobility case studies, and what can be done at the local, state, and federal levels to provide forward momentum in these areas? Are the visions of future transportation systems realistic and obtainable? Join the UT Baker Center, TDEC, and TVA for panel discussions regarding electric mass transit as an option for urban mobility on June 20-21, 2018 at the UT Baker Center in Knoxville. Panelists will present on a variety of topics, including: - Technology and Connectivity
- Policy Options and Issues
- Smart Mobility Case Studies
- Visions and Groundtruthing
This event is free, and lunch will be provided on both days. An evening networking reception will also be planned for June 20. Register for the event at http://tiny.utk.edu/Electric. For attendees that require overnight accommodations, a hotel block is available at the Hilton Garden Inn adjacent to the Baker Center. To reserve a room at the conference rate, click here or call the hotel with group code "UMC" at the time of booking. This conference rate will be available until May 30, 2018 or until the group block sells out, whichever comes first. Please stay tuned over the coming weeks for more information on speakers and an event agenda. If you have any questions about the event, please contact TDEC OEP's Communications Coordinator Shauna Basques at Shauna.Basques@tn.gov or 615-253-1947.
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| Alternative Fueling Station Locator Overhauled for Improved User Interface
The U.S. DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC) Station Locator has recently undergone a major makeover. The updated Station Locator offers new features and an improved user interface built on the same reliable, comprehensive, and fuel-neutral data that users have come to trust. Some of the notable new features include a sleek look that simplifies the user experience, a bigger map populated with consistent circle icons for each station location, and updated colors representing each fuel type. Users will also notice a larger and more detailed view of specific station information. Read more about the improvements here.
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| U.S. Traffic Hotspots: Measuring the Impact of Congestion in the United States
A new INRIX study of more than 100,000 roadways examines today’s most troublesome traffic hotspots, their current and future costs to drivers, and how some transportation departments are alleviating the bottlenecks that cause them. The study also provides details on how transportation departments should identify their most problematic traffic jam locations; calculate the economic consequences of hotspots; and better allocate spending to reduce congestion and support the flow of people, vehicles, and commerce. Click here to download the study.
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| Mobility on Demand Initiative: Moving the Economy with Innovation and Understanding
U.S. DOT hosted a Mobility on Demand (MOD) workshop in January 2018 to discuss the ability for transportation providers to manage mobility rather than traffic through demand-responsive service, shifting use to alternate modes. MOD provides consumers with the ability to reserve, dispatch, or use services like ride-hailing, public transit, or shared services in place of privately owned vehicles. This report summarizes the workshop, which included 150 participants from public-sector organizations, private companies, nonprofit research groups, and educational institutions. The workshop explored the interrelated nature of big data, equity, accessibility, economic impacts, and planning for MOD; ways to enhance public transit industry preparedness for MOD; ways to advance the dialogue between public organizations and private companies; an exploration of early lessons learned with three of the MOD Sandbox sites; and a discussion of current research and policy in light of rapidly evolving technology and service disruption.
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| Two Electric Vehicle Reports
1) U.S. Consumers Guide to Electric Vehicles The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) recently released a guide intended to help consumers understand how electric vehicles may suit their driving needs. In particular, the guide provides information on current electric vehicle availability by model and region. It also provides projections on new electric vehicle production through 2025. Click here to read the guide. 2) Electric Vehicles May be Cheaper than Gas Guzzlers in Seven Years According a report by Bloomberg New Energy Finance, electric vehicles may be cheaper than their petroleum counterparts by 2025 if the cost of lithium-ion batteries continues to fall. Some models will cost the same as combustion engines as soon as 2024 and will become cheaper the following year. Battery packs averaged about $208 per kWh in 2017, but, due to an expected increase in mass manufacturing of lithium-ion storage, future battery packs could be priced as low as $70 per kWh by 2030.
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| 1) AllTransit Gap Finder The Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) recently released a new tool called the AllTransit Gap Finder. AllTransit contains station, stop, and frequency data for bus, rail, and ferry service for all major transit agencies in regions with populations greater than 100,000, as well as for many smaller transit agencies. The software tool reveals locations where transit improvements could make a large impact in the quality of life of underserved communities. Click here to see where transit service is below average across the country. 2) Electric Buses – State of the Practice TRB recently documented the current practices of transit systems in the planning, procurement, infrastructure installation, operation, and maintenance of battery electric buses. TRB’s summary is intended for transit agencies that are interested in understanding potential benefits and challenges associated with the introduction and operation of battery electric buses. It will also be valuable to manufacturers trying to better meet the needs of their customers and to federal, state, and local funding agencies and policy makers. 3) Public Transit and Bikesharing TRB released a report that explores cooperative transit and bikesharing relationships and documents the experiences of transit systems with bikesharing as a mode. An increasing number of transit agencies have developed cooperative arrangements with bikesharing programs to strengthen the relationship between the modes. This synthesis identifies the current state of the practice, including challenges, lessons learned, and gaps in information.
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| FHWA Guidebook for Measuring Multimodal Network Connectivity Based on FHWA’s 2016 Guidebook for Developing Pedestrian and Bicycle Performance Measures, a new guidebook focuses on pedestrian and bicycle network connectivity and provides information on incorporating connectivity measures into state, metropolitan, and local transportation planning processes. Connectivity measures can help transportation practitioners identify high priority network gaps, implement cost-effective solutions that address multiple needs, optimize potential co-benefits, and measure the long-term impacts of strategic pedestrian and bicycle investments on goals such as improving safety, system efficiency, network performance, and access to key destinations. The guidebook outlines five core components of multimodal network connectivity, as listed below: - Network completeness – How much of the transportation network is available to bicyclists and pedestrians?
- Network density – How dense are the available links and nodes of the bicycle and pedestrian network?
- Route directness – How far out of their way do users have to travel to find a facility they can or want to use?
- Access to destinations – What destinations can be reached using the transportation network?
- Network quality – How does the network support users of varying levels of experience, age, abilities, and comfort with biking or walking?
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| Report: Fuel Blendstocks with the Potential to Optimize Future Gasoline Engine Performance U.S. DOE recently released a study from its Co-Optimization of Engines & Fuels initiative (Co-Optima) identifying eight representative high-octane blendstocks across five chemical groups that could be blended into gasoline for better performance. These new blendstocks, co-optimized with advanced gasoline engines, show potential to improve passenger vehicle fuel economy by 10%. Click here to read the report.
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