Leading Transit Executive Joins Board of WestStart-CALSTART

PASADENA, Calif.--Jan. 8, 2004--

Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) Deputy CEO John Catoe Joins Governing Board of Leading Advanced Transportation Organization

John Catoe, deputy CEO of one of the nation's premier transit agencies -- the Los Angeles Country Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) -- has joined the governing board of WestStart-CALSTART, further expanding the scope of North America's leading advanced transportation organization.

The LACMTA is a unique, industry-leading organization. In addition to operating the nation's largest natural-gas bus fleet (over 1,900 coaches), it also is seen as a national leader in terms of the development of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems. BRT is viewed as a cost-effective means of providing high-volume transit service in a cost-effective manner. The LACMTA is the nation's third-largest transit district and serves as transportation planner and coordinator, designer, builder and operator for a population of more than 9.6 million people in the region with the nation's worst air quality.

"Making transportation options cleaner -- more efficient -- and more of a total solution for the residents of our region is the LACMTA's commitment," said John Catoe. "Our goal and our charter is better mobility across the spectrum. Whether it's in improved drive systems for our buses or enhanced services for our riders, such as Metro Rapid, we see tremendous synergy and value in linking with WestStart-CALSTART and its innovative programs and partners in these areas."

Mr. Catoe has 22 years of public transit experience, including as director of transit services for Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus, and with the Orange Country Transportation Agency (OCTA). He belongs to the American Public Transportation Association, the American Society for Public Administration and is Vice Chair of the California Transit Association.

"John Catoe is a transit industry leader and will be right at home on a board made up of advanced transportation innovation leaders," noted John Boesel, president & CEO of WestStart-CALSTART. "Given that we are headquartered in Pasadena, it makes a tremendous amount of sense that we partner with the LACMTA given its leadership in BRT and alternative-fueled buses."

WestStart-CALSTART currently serves a key advisory role to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) on BRT issues and is actively involved in helping companies develop and deploy clean and efficient drive systems for transit and other heavy-duty vehicles. It operates the Hybrid Truck Users Forum (H-TUF, visit www.htuf.org) in a partnership with the U.S. Army's National Automotive Center (NAC), and sponsors a major conference on clean heavy-duty vehicles each spring -- the next one February 25-27 in Rancho Mirage, CA. WestStart-CALSTART is also a leader in helping organize and launch "Clean Mobility Centers," transit-linked locations that provide commuters with additional options such as bikes, electric scooters and car sharing.

Mr. Catoe joins an already-impressive mix of public and private industry leaders serving on the WestStart-CALSTART board, including executives from the following organizations: BAE Systems Controls; California Energy Commission (CEC); Coalition for Clean Air; Cummins Westport; Gas Technology Institute; New Flyer Industries; QUANTUM Technologies; Sempra Energy Utilities; South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD); Sunline Transit; and TriMet.

WestStart-CALSTART is North America's leading advanced transportation technologies consortium. It is a fuel neutral, participant-supported organization of approximately 115 organizations, dedicated to expanding and supporting a high-tech transportation industry that cleans the air, creates jobs and improves energy efficiency. WestStart serves as a strategic broker to spur advanced transportation technologies, systems and the companies that make them. Its California operating division does business as CALSTART. Visit www.calstart.org for more information.