Transit agencies are increasingly facing pressure from political mandates and internal objectives to rapidly transition their heavy-duty bus fleets to zero-emission technologies. Currently, this remains a challenge due to high capital costs and limited range on battery electric buses (BEB). Integration of automation driving systems (ADS) technology, specifically yard automation, and driver assistance, can mitigate some capital costs associated with BEB procurement and increase battery range. To date, most focus on ADS technologies for transit bus integration has emphasized their potential to reduce labor costs through total automation of on-road operations. However, those impacts are much further afield, if ever attainable. Transit operators can achieve greater efficiencies in the near-term from more limited ADS capabilities, including driver assistance and partial or complete off-road automation.
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