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FABULOUS WEATHER AGAIN IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.[Press Conference: "METRO FutureLink & Electric Bus Unveiling"]
WERE JUST JOKING ABOUT THIS A LITTLE EARLIER.ABOUT SIX MONTHS BACK, WE HAD A PRESS CONFERENCE RIGHT HERE WITH, UH, LABOR SECRETARY MARTY WALSH AND FROM THE WHITE HOUSE OFFICE OF CLIMATE ACTION.
AND THE WEATHER WAS ALMOST AS GOOD AS IT IS RIGHT NOW.
SO HENCEFORTH ALL PRESS CONFERENCES AT METRO WILL BE AT THE CASHIER BUS OPERATING FACILITY.
I SERVE AS THE CHAIR OF THE METRO BOARD, AND IT'S AN HONOR TO BE WITH YOU THIS MORNING.
BEFORE I GET STARTED, I WANT TO INTRODUCE, UH, MY COLLEAGUE ON THE BOARD, BOARD MEMBER DIANE LUDER BECAUSE OUR PRESIDENT AND CEO TOM LAMBERT AND OUR CHIEF INNOVATION OFFICER, KIMBERLY WILLIAMS
I WAS GONNA SEE IF I SHOULD PUT A LEADERSHIP HOUSTON PLUG OR NOT.
UM, WE'VE GOT, UH, SEVERAL FOLKS FROM, UH, OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS OFFICES JOINING US.
LARRY FREEMAN FROM STATE REPRESENTATIVE OF JOLANDA JONES'S OFFICE IS HERE.
JULIA EMAMI SAEED FROM COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN'S OFFICE IS HERE.
IF THIS WAS A FRIDAY COUNCIL MEMBER ALQUAN WOULD'VE BEEN RIDING A BUS TO THE CASHMERE BUS OPERATING FACILITY.
CC SCOTT FROM COUNCIL MEMBER LETICIA PLUMBER'S OFFICE IS HERE, AND AARON BURGESS FROM STATE REPRESENTATIVE SULEMAN LEILANI'S OFFICE IS ALSO HERE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US AND OF COURSE, WE ARE THRILLED TO HAVE MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER AT, UH, THE KASHMIR BUS OPERATING FACILITY.
THANK YOU MAYOR FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
WE ARE PROUD TO SHOWCASE TWO POWERFUL INNOVATIONS THAT REPRESENT METRO'S STEADFAST COMMITMENT TO PROGRESS THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION FROM THE CUSP FOR REVOLUTION, DRIVEN BY ADVANCEMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY AND A GROWING DESIRE FOR SUSTAINABLE MULTIMODAL MOBILITY AND TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS.
AT METRO, WE BELIEVE THAT INNOVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY ARE NOT JUST RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE AGENCY, BUT TRULY THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO CREATE A BETTER TOMORROW.
WE ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT BUILDING A THRIVING, LIVABLE, AND EQUITABLE FUTURE FOR THE ENTIRE GREATER HOUSTON REGION, AND WE ARE HARD WORKING HARD TO MAKE IT A REALITY FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
THE FUTURE LINK THAT YOU SEE TO MY RIGHT IS METRO SHUTTLE OF THE SHUTTLE OF TOMORROW.
THIS AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE MARKS THE NEXT PHASE OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN TO INTEGRATE AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY INTO OUR TRANSITE SYSTEM.
WE HAD A PILOT PROJECT BACK IN 20 16 20 17.
THIS BUILDS ON THAT AND PROMISES TO REVOLUTIONIZE ACCESS TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, OFFERING A CONVENIENT AND EFFICIENT TRAVEL EXPERIENCE FOR ALL, ESPECIALLY THOSE RESIDING IN OUR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.
THIS IS ALSO A FULLY A DA COMPLIANT AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE, WHICH IS THE NEXT PHASE OF OUR, UH, PROJECT.
THE ELECTRIC BUS TO MY LEFT BEHIND ME IS JUST ONE OF MORE TO COME ELECTRIFYING OUR COMMUNITY, AND IT'S A PART OF METRO'S CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.
WE WERE RECOGNIZED BY THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION AS ONE OF THE FIRST LARGE PUBLIC TRANSIT AGENCIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO SUBMIT A CLIMATE ACTION PLAN AND NOW TAKING ACTION ON THAT PLAN.
THIS INVESTMENT SIGNIFIES THANK YOU.
THIS INVESTMENT SIGNIFIES A COMMITMENT TO A GREENER FUTURE BY PAVING THE WAY FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF ONLY NON EMISSIONS ZERO EMISSION VEHICLES BY THE YEAR 2030.
TODAY, YOU'LL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET A FIRSTHAND LOOK AT BOTH OF THESE INNOVATIONS AND LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT THEY OFFER.
THIS IS JUST ANOTHER STEP IN OUR JOURNEY TOWARD A CLEANER, SMARTER, MORE CONNECTED AND EQUITABLE FUTURE.
AND WE ARE EXCITED TO HAVE EACH ONE OF YOU JOIN US HERE AS WE EMBARK ON THIS TRANSFORMATIVE VENTURE.
I WANNA ALSO RECOGNIZE HORACE MARS WITH TWU, OUR UNION PARTNERS THAT MAKE OUR BUSES AND TRAINS AND METRO LIT VEHICLES RUN AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE IN A STATE OF GOOD REPAIR.
THANK YOU, HORACE, FOR THE PARTNERSHIP AND FOR JOINING US HERE THIS MORNING.
YOU KNOW, SEVERAL YEARS BACK, MAYOR TURNER CALL FOR A PARADIGM SHIFT WHEN IT COMES TO TRANSPORTATION.
THIS FUTURE OF TRANSIT EVENT IS ONE OF THOSE PARADIGM SHIFTS TO MULTIMODAL SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY OPTIONS FOR A GROWING REGION.