new transit project
TROY, Mich., May 22 // -- Altair Engineering, Inc., a leading global provider of technology and services that strengthen client innovation and decision-making, today announced that it hosted the first roundtable meeting of the BUSolutions Advisory Board on May 17, 2007, at Altair headquarters in Troy. The BUSolutions Project is a collaborative effort between government and industry to demonstrate the feasibility of producing easily maintainable, efficient city transit buses.
From its inception, the BUSolutions program has continually involved industry experts from the manufacturing segment, transit authorities and rider advocacy groups to ensure that the program goals align with industry needs. The establishment of this advisory board is the latest milestone in this ongoing activity. The advisory board members are experienced leaders from business and industry who will provide input and guidance to the BUSolutions technical team on matters regarding the viability, usefulness and desirability of bus design innovations. These innovations will potentially yield reduced cost of ownership, while enhancing the bus passenger experience. Members of the advisory board include:
-- Michael Bottone is director of Vehicle Technology and Acquisitions for
the Los Angeles (Calif.) County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
In this role, he oversees vehicle technologies, system development and
implementation projects. With more than 33 years in transit
operations, Bottone has been involved in all aspects of transit
operations and maintenance, including holding a position as division
manager for the first all-compressed natural gas (CNG) bus division in
the United States. He holds a bachelor's degree in business
administration from the University of Phoenix (Ariz.).
-- Michael Dawley is assistant superintendent of the Quality Assurance
and Research Division for the City of Detroit (Mich.) Department of
Transportation. Before assuming that position in 2005, he managed the
Department's maintenance facility. Dawley has been with the Detroit
Department of Transportation for 23 years and has held state
certification in a number of areas, including brakes, front-ends,
electrical systems and engine tune-ups. He is also certified by the
National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASC), whose
mission is to improve the quality of vehicle repair and service
through the testing and certification of repair and service
professionals.
-- T. Scott Kearney is vice president of Strategic Services, Hidalgo &
DeVries, Inc. With more than 20 years in sales and marketing, he has
held leadership positions in a number of organizations, including as
president of Metro Sales East, Inc. and vice president of sales and
marketing for Ameriwood Furniture. Before assuming his current
position, Kearney was vice president of sales and marketing for
American Seating Company, manufacturers and installers of seating for
indoor and outdoor public and educational facilities. An accomplished
speaker on the challenges of public transit, he most recently
addressed the Community Transportation Association at its annual
meeting. Kearney holds a bachelor of business administration from St.
Bonaventure University in southwestern New York State and has
completed coursework in finance for senior executives at the Harvard
Business School.
-- Edward Kravitz is founder and president of ENJAK. He began his long
engineering career with Fruehauf Corporation and held a number of
positions of increasing responsibility in the transportation industry,
including that of president and COO of Flxible Corporation, a leading
manufacturer of urban transit buses. In 1998, he formed ENJAK and
started Advanced Bus Industries (ABI) to design, manufacture and
market an advanced-design bus for transit and commercial industries.
Kravitz holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the
Detroit (Mich.) Institute of Technology, and has taken MBA and
graduate engineering coursework at Wayne State University in Detroit
and San Diego State University in California, respectively.
-- Daniel Morrill is the president of Midwest Bus Corporation. With more
than 40 years of experience in civil engineering and public transit,
he began his career as a civil engineer and urban planner on the
Detroit (Mich.) City Planning Commission. After that, Morrill was a
transit planner for the Montgomery-Greene County Transportation and
Development Planning Program in Dayton, Ohio. Before assuming his
current role with Midwest Bus, he held a number of positions of
increasing responsibility for the Southeastern Michigan Transportation
Authority (SEMTA), most recently as assistant general manager. With a
bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the University of Dayton
(Ohio), Morrill also holds a master's degree in city planning from
Wayne State University in Detroit.
-- Michael Liptak is a technical services specialist of the Houston
(Texas) METRO. Before being named to his current position, Liptak has
held positions of increasing responsibility, including that of quality
control/fleet inspector. During that time, he has successfully
completed a long list of certified courses and classes, including
study of rail electronics and PLC programming for electrical systems;
supervisor's safety development; and a three-level management skills
course.
-- Marvin Perkins is director of Maintenance and Operations for
Michigan's Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation
(SMART). With more than 30 years of experience in transit operations
and maintenance, he began his career as a mechanic with the
Southeastern Michigan Transportation Authority (SEMTA). Perkins moved
to SMART as the assistant superintendent of operations and maintenance
in 1982 and quickly was promoted to superintendent, a role he held for
two years. After positions with the University of Michigan as manager
of maintenance and O.J. Transportation as manager of maintenance
operation, he returned to SMART in his current position where he is
primarily responsible for the daily operations of vehicle fleet
maintenance, repair programs, and maintenance facilities. A graduate
of Highland Park (Mich.) Community College, Perkins is a degreed
automotive technician.
-- Lawrence Luckett is superintendent of maintenance for SMART, and will
serve as an alternate for Mr. Perkins. In this role, to which he was
named following tenure as maintenance foreman, Luckett coordinates,
directs and supervises daily fleet maintenance activities, as well as
oversees facility and ground maintenance. With 25 years of experience
in automotive maintenance, he began his career with Lockheed Systems
inspecting military vehicles, and held maintenance management with
Yellow Freight Systems, Inc., and O.J. Transports before joining SMART
in 1999. Luckett is a veteran of the U.S. Army, is certified in
microcomputer technology and as an automotive technician, and holds an
associate's degree in automotive/diesel technology from Denver
Automotive & Diesel College in Colorado.
The BUSolutions project will result in two demonstration transit buses that are designed to be more than 20 percent lighter and substantially less expensive to own and operate, at or below current production cost. Reduced weight means lower fuel consumption; less wear on city streets and regional roads; reduced brake and tire wear; and reduced noise and pollution. Altair worked closely with regional transportation authorities to meet regulatory requirements and address the needs of the bus drivers and riders.
For more information about the BUSolutions project, please visit the website at http://www.automationalley.com/BUSolutions/.
About Altair Engineering
Altair Engineering, Inc. strengthens client innovation and decision-making through technology that optimizes the analysis, management and visualization of business and engineering information. Privately held with more than 1,200 employees, Altair has offices throughout North America, South America, Europe and Asia/Pacific. With a 20-year-plus track record for product design, advanced engineering software and grid computing technologies, Altair consistently delivers a competitive advantage to customers in a broad range of industries. To learn more, please visit http://www.altair.com.
