Federal funding is supporting a new autonomous transportation program in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where a $25 million grant will help advance autonomous shuttle services and related mobility infrastructure. STV served as the lead advisor on the grant application for the Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority.
The U.S. Department of Transportation BUILD Grant will fund the Chattanooga Operations for Mobility Protection, Access, Safety & Service initiative, known as COMPASS. The program is intended to deploy autonomous shuttles throughout downtown Chattanooga and examine how the technology can complement existing transit operations.
STV worked with CARTA, the City of Chattanooga and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga to develop the federal funding application. The grant is the largest in CARTA's history.
The initiative will evaluate autonomous transportation in an urban environment, including its potential role in expanding transportation options and improving connections across the downtown area.
The COMPASS program also incorporates education and workforce development. A Live Learning Lab is planned to provide opportunities for students and workers to learn alongside the deployment of autonomous mobility technology.
The program is expected to generate operational information related to the safe implementation of autonomous shuttle services while connecting transportation technology with local workforce and economic development efforts.
STV's infrastructure economics and grants advisory team supported the funding strategy and application process. The firm's work includes grant strategy, benefit-cost analysis, economic impact modeling and funding advisory services for infrastructure programs.
For public agencies pursuing competitive federal infrastructure funding, the Chattanooga grant demonstrates how transportation technology initiatives can combine mobility improvements with broader economic and workforce objectives.
The $25 million award provides funding for Chattanooga to advance autonomous transit deployment while evaluating how emerging mobility technology can operate alongside existing public transportation. For transportation owners and infrastructure professionals, the initiative provides a case study in using federal grant funding to support technology-focused transit improvements.
Source: STV.
