The Canadian Urban Transportation Research and Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC) has become Canada’s non-profit leader in research into transitioning Canada’s public transportation systems to low-carbon technologies. CUTRIC has conducted research on electronic transit technologies for many Canadian transit operators in large and small communities. They developed zero-emission bus implementation and deployment strategies in Vancouver and St Johns as well as Brampton and London, and conducted a zero-emission bus feasibility analysis for Burlington. As a non-profit, member-owned technology consortium, CUTRIC has supported dozens of Canadian and U.S. transit agencies in preparing their systems for electrification. CUTIC has been awarded significant funding for its research from the Government of Canada’s zero-emission public transportation fund.

CUTRIC has just concluded its 6^th Annual zero-emission transit and mobility conference in Burlington last week.

The Bay Observer spoke with CUTRIC Executive Director Dr. Josipa Petrunic, who says battery-electric buses are proven in Canada and are here to stay, although recent factors, like the pandemic and inflation, have slowed the growth rate of E use. -Buses.

CUTRIC has also conducted research on passenger rail systems, particularly cybersecurity. Petrunic says that when looking to reduce emissions in public transportation systems, one must take a pragmatic approach tailored to the size of the community. In some cases, this may mean sticking with the internal combustion engine, or even mitigating emissions with smaller buses. She pointed out that the TGV has made great progress in reducing public transport emissions thanks to its power supply with compressed natural gas (CNG), some of which comes from landfills.