Mass Transit - 23

But there are cost barriers to adopting
autonomous vehicles, whereas public agencies can leverage CV technology to provide
data to get pedestrian signals, transit, public transportation and emergency vehicles
to operate better and safer, Frey added.
The USDOT CV pilot program - in
its third phase of operations and maintenance - lasts until May 2020 at which
time as part of an agreement with
USDOT, THEA will maintain and
operate the system in perpetuity as
well as seek ways to incorporate other
vehicles, Frey said.
"As a small agency, we cannot install onboard units on enough vehicles
to make a difference, so we are going
to have to work with the auto manufacturers on rolling their connected
vehicles coming off of the line into our
system," he added.
"As a road operator, I have to serve
all vehicles that show up on the ramps
regardless of year, make and model.
Whatever technology they're running,
I've got to figure out a way to make that
work. I know we can get a CV system
up and operational - we're already doing it. I know the technology is safe."
As THEA goes through a replacement program, Frey will be looking at
connectivity capability.
"General Motors right now has
several vehicles coming out that are
connected-capable vehicles. How do
they come to Tampa, use the system
and receive the benefits is the next step
we have to work on so that those vehicles can come in and retrofits of the
existing fleet will basically be whether
or not people see value or want to do it,"
said Frey, adding he is unaware of other
public agencies that may be doing so.
Frey says the pilot project changes the way transportation agencies
do business.
"Ten years ago, I don't think you
would have found a transportation
agency with a software engineer," he
said. "Now we're recognizing that we
need them because so many of these
apps being used are software-driven.
Those are skill sets we never had before.
"I just awarded a miscellaneous
emerging technologies support contract to five technology firms to support
us going forward. Existing engineering

firms just don't have the skill set or the
technological information to provide us
with the skill sets needed going forward
with all of the communications, technology, and mobility as that's coming."
Changing the way transportation
agencies do business means getting the
technological means of changing from
solely a civil engineering approach to a

technological/civil combination, Frey said.
"It's important to get this technology
on the streets actually working rather
than having market share conversations
and who's going to do what," said Frey.
"We have a problem with transportation
- crashes, injuries, fatalities. If there's
technology that can help, we need to get
it out on the streets to do that."

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