[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 106 (Thursday, June 2, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33574-33576]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-11782]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration

[Docket No. FTA-2022-0012]


Request for Information on Transit Bus Automation Research and 
Demonstrations

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Request for information.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) continues to research 
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Automated Driving Systems 
(ADS) in public transportation use cases. In 2018, FTA completed its 
five-year Strategic Transit Automation Research Plan (STAR Plan). In 
preparation for the next five-year plan, FTA is issuing this request 
for information (RFI). This RFI seeks input from public and industry 
stakeholders on the next phase of research, collaboration and 
engagement, technology development, and demonstration of ADS or ADAS 
necessary to improve the safe, efficient, equitable and climate-
friendly provision of public transportation and sustain the associated 
workforce. Comments received through this RFI will provide critical 
information for FTA to develop STAR Plan 2.0.

DATES: Comments are requested by August 1, 2022. Comments received 
after the closing date will be considered to the extent practicable.

ADDRESSES: You may file comments identified by docket number FTA-2022-
0012 by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
     Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, West Building Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
     Hand Delivery or Courier: West Building Ground Floor, Room 
W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. ET, 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
     Fax: (202) 493-2251.

[[Page 33575]]

    Note that all comments received will be posted without change to 
http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information 
provided.
    Privacy Act: Except as provided below, all comments received into 
the docket will be made public in their entirety. The comments will be 
searchable by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or 
signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association, 
business, labor union, etc.). You should not include information in 
your comment that you do not want to be made public. You may review 
DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published 
on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78) or at https://www.transportation.gov/privacy.

FOR FUTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Danyell Diggs, Office of Research, 
Demonstration, and Innovation, (202) 366-1077 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In January 2022, Secretary Buttigieg 
released USDOT's Innovation Principles, which call for experimentation 
and learning, collaboration, and flexibility to accommodate changing 
technologies, while serving the Department's policy priorities and 
supporting workers.\1\ A major technology innovation area in surface 
transportation is the development and commercialization of ADAS and 
ADS. As a convener and facilitator, USDOT partners with a broad 
coalition of stakeholders to support the safe development, testing and 
integration of automated vehicle technologies.\2\ Though automation is 
relatively mature in rail transit operations, the application of ADAS/
ADS in transit bus operations continues to lag behind, despite its 
potential to enhance safety for operators, transit passengers, 
bicyclists, pedestrians, and those using micro-mobility devices such as 
scooters.\3\
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    \1\ https://www.transportation.gov/priorities/innovation/us-dot-innovation-principles.
    \2\ https://www.transportation.gov/AV.
    \3\ SAE International has defined six levels of driving 
automation, ranging from L0 (no driving automation) to L5 (full 
driving automation: https://www.sae.org/standards/content/j3016_202104/. ADAS is generally categorized as L2-L3 while ADS is 
L4-L5.
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    FTA's transit bus automation research plan has been organized 
around four complementary work areas: (1) Enabling research; (2) 
integrated demonstrations; (3) strategic partnerships; and (4) 
stakeholder engagement, knowledge transfer, and technical assistance. 
Each work area encompasses several priority topics including, but not 
limited to, safety, accessibility, workforce impacts, and others. 
Enabling research explores fundamental questions for the transit 
industry to understand the costs, benefits, opportunities, and 
consequences of driver assist and fully automated technologies in the 
transit industry and implications for safe, accessible, and sustainable 
operations and maintenance. Integrated demonstrations provide real-
world, test-bed studies of market-ready or near market-ready 
technologies. Demonstrations provide insight into technical 
performance, user acceptance, and capital and operational costs and aid 
in the development of standards, policies, and regulatory 
modernization. Strategic partnerships leverage the research of other 
agencies for applicability in the transit sphere. Stakeholder 
engagement involves broad outreach to gather input from diverse 
stakeholders.
    To date, FTA has a number of demonstrations underway and has 
completed important research studies recommended in the STAR Plan. 
Information on all activities is available at: https://www.transit.dot.gov/automation-research.

Questions for the Public

    Automation technologies have evolved and advanced within public 
transportation since the initial STAR Plan was published in 2018. More 
changes are expected as the transit industry further invests in 
automation solutions. To structure input and feedback to FTA on STAR 
Plan 2.0, please use the corresponding number and heading when 
providing responses to this request for information:

1. Priority Areas

    The STAR Plan 2.0 needs to reassess the priorities and areas of 
activity for the next five years. Examples may include workforce 
development, sustainability and climate impacts, guidance for 
investment or deployment, accessibility, cybersecurity, equity, 
regulations and standards, and domestic manufacturing market support, 
among others.
    FTA seeks information from stakeholders on:
    [cir] What topics should be a priority for FTA's transit bus 
automation research and demonstrations over the next five years? What 
specific activities or products should be a priority for FTA within 
these areas?
    [cir] For any priority areas identified, are there activities that 
stakeholders have undertaken? What were the challenges? Are there 
specific areas where FTA engagement may be needed?

2. Enabling Research

    FTA has completed extensive enabling research, including:
    [cir] Market Analysis for Automated Transit Buses and Supporting 
Systems;
    [cir] Automation Policy Review;
    [cir] Business Case for Transit Automation;
    [cir] Transit Bus Applications of Light and Commercial Vehicle 
Automation Technology;
    [cir] Hazard and Safety Analysis of Automated Transit Bus 
Applications; and
    [cir] Test Facility Requirements for Automated Transit Vehicles;
    FTA seeks information from stakeholders on:
    [cir] What specific research questions should be addressed by FTA-
supported foundational research within the next five years? Possible 
topic areas for research include, but are not limited to, 
cybersecurity, equity, standards, and workforce training.

3. Integrated Demonstrations

    The STAR Plan currently identifies five integrated demonstrations: 
Transit Bus Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS); Automated 
Shuttle; Maintenance, Yard, and Parking Operations; Mobility-on-Demand 
(MOD) Service; and Automated Bus Rapid Transit.
    FTA seeks information from stakeholders on:
    [cir] Are these demonstration areas still needed? What additional 
or alternative demonstration areas are a priority?
    [cir] What are the biggest successes or challenges to deploying 
ADAS or ADS technologies for transit?

4. Strategic Partnerships

    FTA routinely collaborates with other modal agencies across USDOT 
and participates in the community of practice to identify cross-cutting 
technologies with positive applicability for the transit industry.
    FTA seeks information from stakeholders on:
    [cir] What ADAS/ADS technologies proven in other transportation 
applications would be useful and applicable to transit use cases? 
Please be specific and include examples where possible.

5. Stakeholder Engagement and Knowledge Transfer

    To drive research into practice, FTA conducts multiple types of 
stakeholder engagement, including webinars, interviews, convening peer 
agencies, and presentations at conferences.
    FTA seeks information from stakeholders on:

[[Page 33576]]

    [cir] Are FTA's methods of stakeholder engagement sufficient? What 
other methods should FTA consider?

6. Workforce

    Automation will not replace transit bus operators in the 
foreseeable future, nonetheless, transit bus automation and automated 
features will impact the transit workforce, including bus operators, 
maintenance workers, and the domestic supply chain, including bus 
manufacturers.
    FTA seeks information from stakeholders on:
    [cir] What activities have agencies undertaken to understand and 
prepare for the impacts of automation on their workforce? Please be 
specific and include examples where possible.
    [cir] What types of new skills, training, and resources may be 
required for transit workforce development and transition?
    [cir] What specific areas of workforce-related research should FTA 
consider?
    [cir] What types of resources could FTA provide to help agencies 
and their workers adopt transit bus automation?
    Please note, this RFI will serve as a planning document. The RFI 
should not be interpreted as policy, a solicitation for applications, 
or an obligation on the part of the Government.

Nuria I. Fernandez,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2022-11782 Filed 6-1-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-P