Prompted by federal government incentives, the charge to institute battery electric bus (BEB) service in communities and urban centers has become a primary objective for most transit agencies throughout the United States and North America. As an emerging technology, BEBs pose a significant challenge to safety certification efforts because codes and standards are only now being developed and updated rapidly as more information about battery technology is discovered. K&J Safety and Security, Inc. has been involved in the application of safety certification methodologies and BEB-specific hazard recognition at the onset of many BEB system rollouts for multiple agencies across differing BEB platforms, and covering all aspects of BEB systems, including BEB charging infrastructure, BEB fleet acquisition, and BEB fleet storage considerations.
K&J Safety and Security, Inc. has worked with the following agencies on their BEB programs:
- WMATA – Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
- MBTA – Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
- MATA – Memphis Area Transit Authority
- JTA – Jacksonville Transportation Authority
K&J has been involved in the following BEB-specific tasks, in varying degrees, at the above agencies:
- BEB-specific PHAs and CILs – Primary development of BEB-specific Preliminary Hazard Analysis (PHAs) and related Certifiable Items List (CIL) for battery electric buses, BEB charging facilities, and BEB fleet storage facilities.
- Fire Hazard Analysis – Baseline development of requirements for fire hazard analysis pertaining to BEB facilities, BEB charging, and BEB fleet storage. Once conducted, K&J assists agencies in determining levels of mitigation that best protect the agency.
- BEB Design Criteria – Development of BEB agency design criteria to establish facility requirements that house BEB infrastructure and BEB fleet storage for which code does not yet exist.
- BEB Performance Specifications – Assisting agencies in developing BEB technical and performance specifications based on hazard recognition and mitigations.
Providing subject matter expertise in developing Emergency Response Guides for local fire departments specific to BEB emergency responses. - Assisted agencies in developing inspection, testing, and maintenance programs from an operational hazard mitigation perspective to protect the BEB fleet, agency facilities, and patrons and personnel.
- In addition to providing safety certification expertise to agencies with respect to BEB systems, K&J Safety and Security developed “Industry Practices Safety and Security Certification of Battery Electric Bus Fleets” for the Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) as part of the FTA Standards Development Program.
