MCALLEN, TX – Metro McAllen is in the spotlight. On April 26 they received a Transit Innovation Award from the Texas Transit Association during its conference and expo event held in Waco.
This award is given to a Texas Transit agency that has introduced new and innovative projects in the field of technology.
“It is very rewarding when your agency is acknowledged by your colleagues and peers in the industry for the hard work and dedication to transit,” said McAllen Transit Director Mario Delgado. “We are excited to see how the technology performs and gets further developed, not only for the implications it has for the City of McAllen, but for the entire transportation industry moving forward.”
WAVE technology transfers power through the air, from an embedded charging pad placed in the pavement to a receiving pad mounted on the vehicle's undercarriage seven to eight inches above, minimizing the need for on-board power storage. The wireless charging gives additional battery range to buses during layovers while on the route without having to pull them out of service to charge.
“McAllen will continue to work on innovative technology projects that add quality of life for the citizens of McAllen we are very proud of this recognition,” City Manager Roel “Roy” Rodriguez, P.E. said.
In January the City announced the implementation of its Electric Bus Project. In a partnership with Wireless Advanced Vehicle Electrification (WAVE) and Complete Coach Works (CCW), the City of McAllen launched the project installing WAVE technology on two buses that included an all-electric, Zero-Emission Propulsion System (ZEPS) provided by CCW.
"It’s an honor to be a part of McAllen’s recognition as they shift towards a greener fleet. This award acknowledges that the transit industry is heading toward a more environmentally-conscious direction and we are proud to have assisted with this achievement,” said Dale Carson, President of CCW.
WAVE’s WPT technology is the world’s most powerful and efficient single pad wireless charging system ever deployed by a U.S. company for mass transit. WAVE will have a 250kW product available by the end of this year, in addition to the 50kW product that has been operating in commercial service at multiple transit agencies since 2014. “We are honored to be recognized as a partner with McAllen Transit for this prestigious innovation award. This success in McAllen has certainly been noticed across the State of Texas, since we’ve already received multiple inquiries from transit agencies there who love the idea of clean, green transit enabled by WAVE in-route wireless charging,” says Michael Masquelier, Chief Executive Officer of WAVE.
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