Meeting_Body
OPERATIONS, SAFETY AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE COMMITTEE
APRIL 20, 2023
Subject
SUBJECT: CENTER FOR TRANSPORTATION EXCELLENCE
Action
ACTION: RECEIVE AND FILE
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
RECEIVE AND FILE status report on the Center for Transportation Excellence.
Issue
ISSUE
Since 2018, Metro has sought to identify a suitable location within Los Angeles County for a vehicle testing and manufacturing facility, referred to as the Center for Transportation Excellence (Center). Following extensive stakeholder input regarding the priority components of such a facility, a review of best practices, and a vetting of potential sites, Metro has identified property owned by the Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) in Palmdale, as a viable site for the proposed center. This Report provides a status on the work that has been conducted and the next steps in developing the Center.
Background
BACKGROUND
Following the passage of Measures R and M, Metro's capital and fleet program has expanded extensively. Despite efforts to double the mileage of rail infrastructure and significantly reformulate buses to support the agency's zero emission goals, Metro's delivery of rail transit vehicles and corresponding infrastructure expansion are impacted by limitations. The negative impacts include limited access to vehicle and system level testing opportunities, a skilled and trained workforce, qualified vendors, and suitable research and development facilities. This has impacted schedules for Metro's projects and put future projects and new vehicle deployments at risk for delays. As Metro incorporates new technologies such as zero emission busses and new rail vehicles, a local off-site location for testing would facilitate efficiencies and reduce risk in program delivery.
While this type of Center is of specific interest to Metro, there is also a broader demand from other transit agencies, particularly in the Western United States, where nearly 13,000 rail cars and 16...
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