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Miles College, a historically Black college and university (HBCU) located in Fairfield, Alabama, is set to enhance transportation options for its students with the introduction of two transit buses donated by the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority’s (BJCTA’s) MAX Transit.

The donation, which marks the first time Miles College will have its own transit buses, aims to provide students with convenient transportation both on and off campus, as well as to various area destinations.

Charlotte Shaw, Executive Director and CEO of MAX Transit, expressed her enthusiasm for the collaboration, stating, “Our buses are good buses. I can’t keep them in useful life for a long time. [Because of federal regulations], I can do only 700,000 miles or 15 years, whichever comes first. And, of course, most of the time I meet my miles first. … I had two really good buses, and I wanted [Miles] to have them.”

Miles College President Bobbie Knight expressed gratitude for the donation, highlighting the significance of accessible transportation in Fairfield. “I am grateful to [BJCTA Executive Director Shaw] because bus service does not come into Fairfield,” said President Knight. “If you go to Miles College and don’t have a car you can’t get around.”

The partnership between Miles College and MAX Transit began after a conversation between Shaw and Knight during a dinner meeting following Shaw’s “State of the Transit” address in January. Knight expressed interest in acquiring buses for the college, prompting Shaw to offer the vehicles as an in-kind donation.

“She was true to her word,” said Knight. “[Shaw] brought all of her team with her. We don’t have any drivers, [but] she told us [the BJCTA’s] drivers do a lot of part-time driving, … and she would give us their information so we can contact them.”

The buses, now parked on the Miles campus, will soon be adorned with the college’s signature purple and gold colors. However, Knight noted that sponsorship is needed to cover the cost of wrapping the buses, estimated at $9,000 per bus.

The introduction of transit buses opens up various opportunities for Miles College students, including grocery shopping trips to alleviate the challenges of living in a food desert, as well as visits to cultural and recreational destinations in the Birmingham area.

The collaboration between Miles College and MAX Transit represents a significant step forward in enhancing accessibility and mobility for students, further enriching the college experience and strengthening community ties.

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The Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority (BJCTA) is set to make waves in the transportation sector with its inaugural State of Transit Address, scheduled for January 8, 2024. Under the leadership of Executive Director/CEO Charlotte Shaw, BJCTA aims to outline a comprehensive five-year plan that promises to revolutionize transit in the region.

“MAX is creating new pathways to better connect our riders to their destinations,” declared CEO Shaw. “We’ve made significant strides in evaluating our services and implementing necessary changes during our initial planning phase, resulting in notable growth. But there’s still much more to be done, and we have exciting initiatives to share.”

One highlight of the event will be a morning demonstration featuring autonomous vehicle (AV) innovator, May Mobility. May Mobility’s groundbreaking approach to AV technology involves collaborating with cities to enhance public transit and fulfill its mission of creating safer, greener, and more accessible urban environments.

“Autonomous vehicles represent the growth of technology in transit,” Shaw emphasized. “We’re thrilled for Birmingham’s transportation leaders to experience an autonomous ride right here in the Magic City.” May Mobility’s technology has already facilitated over 350,000 autonomy-enabled rides across urban, suburban, and rural areas, showcasing its efficacy in modern transit services.

The State of Transit Address will feature executive leaders providing updates on various departments such as Planning, Operations, and Technology, reflecting BJCTA’s commitment to adapt to changing times and enhance customer experiences.

“Times are changing, and we are realigning our strategies to meet the evolving needs of today’s riders,” Shaw explained. “We look forward to outlining our strategic plan for the next three years.” Attendees will have the opportunity to view new vehicle designs and experience a live demonstration of BJCTA’s soon-to-launch integrated mobile app.

The event will culminate with a keynote address delivered by Executive Director/CEO Shaw, offering insights into BJCTA’s vision for the future of transit in the region.

For additional information on the State of Transit Address, visit maxtransit.org/stateoftransit.

News Releases

The Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority (BJCTA) is gearing up for a landmark event in urban mobility as it partners with May Mobility to introduce autonomous vehicles to the city. The initiative will be launched during BJCTA’s first-ever State of Transit Address, set to take place at the Birmingham Museum of Art on Tuesday, January 9, 2024, at 8:30 AM.

May Mobility, a leading developer of autonomous vehicle technology, will be providing complimentary rides to attendees, offering them a firsthand experience of how they are working to make transit more sustainable, safe, and equitable by building autonomous vehicle technology that works in the real world.

Daisy Wall, Senior Director of Government Business at May Mobility, will be joining Shaw to provide insights into the development and implementation of autonomous vehicle technology. Attendees will have the opportunity to interact with representatives from both BJCTA and May Mobility to learn more about the practical implications and benefits of integrating autonomous vehicles into the city’s transportation network.

The event is scheduled to take place at the Birmingham Museum of Art’s Auditorium, located at 2000 Reverend Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd., Birmingham, AL 35203. It promises to be an informative and engaging occasion for all those interested in the future of transit in Birmingham.

For more information and to register for a complimentary ride in one of May Mobility’s autonomous vans, please visit:

https://calendly.com/maymobility/bjcta-avdemos-media

As Birmingham looks to the future of transportation, initiatives like this highlight the city’s commitment to innovation and progress in urban mobility.

News Releases

News Releases

The Birmingham -Jefferson County Transit Authority Announces New Executive Director / CEO

BIRMINGHAM, AL (September 20, 2021) The Board of Directors of the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority (BJCTA) is announcing the confirmation of Charlotte Shaw as the new Executive Director/CEO of the transit agency. She will be responsible for overseeing BJCTA’s transit growth strategy, ridership and implementing new forms of transit micro mobility to complement BJCTA’s existing fixed and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) routes.

Ms. Shaw come to BJCTA as a senior leader with over 28 years’ experience in the private and public sectors.  Her background includes working in various multifunctional roles including Capital Planning, Operations, Contracts and Procurement, Project Management, Engineering, Construction, and Information Technology.

Ms. Shaw’s vision is to continue efforts in developing the BJCTA as the premiere Transit System of choice for all municipalities. She plans to accomplish this by providing excellent customer service and convenient bus stops with easy connectivity for riders to and from work, to social and sporting events, and to Birmingham’s numerous tourist sites.  Under Ms. Shaw’s leadership, BJCTA will make efforts to bring economic growth to undeveloped areas surrounding transit using Transit Oriented Development (TOD) opportunities.

“It’s imperative that we change the public image of transit. People died for the right for all to have free and clear access to public transportation, which demonstrates the greatest unity to live and work together as a community regardless of race, status, or gender,” said Ms. Shaw.

Mayor Randal Woodfin of the City of Birmingham AL. appointed Ms. Shaw to her current role as the Deputy Director of Capital and Special Projects for the City of Birmingham. In this role, she managed the City’s largest budget of $60M for the completion of the city’s first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, called the Birmingham Xpress (BX).  Ms. Shaw is largely responsible for saving the BRT Program with the Federal Transit Administration under her leadership.  She was titled the “Savior of the BRT”, by the City’s Director of Transportation, Mr. James Fowler.  Under her leadership the BRT went from 30% design to 100% design and the start of construction within one year during the Pandemic.  The BX will connect 25 neighborhoods to opportunities and vital services along its 10- mile corridor traveling from the Woodlawn Transit Center on 1^st Ave N between 56^th and 57^th Street to the CrossPlex Transit Center at the intersection of Avenue W and 47^th Street Ensley. BX).  BJCTA is expected to begin operations of the BRT for revenue service in June 2022.

 

Prior to coming to Birmingham, Ms. Shaw worked at the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) for five years as the Senior Scoping and Screening/Budget Manager in the Capital Budget and Planning department.  There she led the capital budget call and planning for departments to assist with the development of its short and long-range plans.  Ms. Shaw was also responsible for preparing MARTA’s annual budget of $350M and $3.5B long range budget for the capital improvement program including setting the criteria for evaluating and prioritizing major construction and renovation projects for review and approval by the MARTA Board of Directors.  She held various other roles in Contracts Management where she was responsible for overseeing major A&E and Construction contracts.

Ms. Shaw began her career as a Contract Administrator for General Dynamics which was regulated under the Department of Defense; she has worked as a Contracts/Pricing Manager for McDonnell Douglas Corporation; Manager of Subcontracts at Westinghouse Remediation, Inc; Executive Vice President, Program and Contracts Management at SunTrust Bank; Sr. Contract Manager for Professional Services and Licensing Contracts at Oracle; and in Financial Services Point of Sales (POS) at NCR.  In addition to these roles, Ms. Shaw has been the owner and CEO of two small businesses focused on Business Development and Environmental Remediation.

Ms. Shaw holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science, Public Administration, Urban Studies and Pre-Law from Drake University.  Charlotte was competitively selected as a 2019 ENO Fellow in which she was exposed to various transit authorities in the Southeast region.  Amongst her many professional affiliations, she is a member of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), The Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO), National Association of Female Executives (MAFE), Women in Transportation (WTS), Project Management Institute (PMI), National Contract Management Association (NCMA), and the National Institute of Government Procurement (NIGP).

Ms. Shaw will replace the current CEO, Frank T. Martin who has led the agency since December 2018. She will assume this new role at BJCTA effective Friday, October 1, 2021.

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The end of the line pick up for the 43 Zoo route will now be in front of the Egg and One Café due to construction in that area.