INTERNSHIP
BACKGROUND
A product of three separate transit systems that joined forces in the early 1990s, Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit, Inc. (TCAT), Ithaca, NY, has made remarkable and measurable strides with ridership growth, safety practices, workforce training, community outreach and environmental sustainability.
TCAT’s service area covers a semi‑rural, albeit, cosmopolitan and culturally diverse population of 104,000 in Tompkins County. TCAT’s 34 urban, campus and rural bus routes provide service to both county and out-of-county riders to Cornell University, Ithaca College, Tompkins Cortland Community College, as well as to retail, entertainment, commercial, residential and professional centers. TCAT operates 22- ½ hours a day, seven days a week and 360 days a year, only shutting down service five days a year to allow all of TCAT’s employees to observe major holidays: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
TCAT contributes greatly to the community it serves by reducing traffic congestion, greenhouse gas emissions and the cost of building parking facilities. Access to such a robust transit system enables Tompkins County residents to save on fuel costs and enables independence and empowerment to those who have no other means of transportation.
At present, TCAT has a fleet of about 55 buses, mostly 40-foot diesel buses, which travel a combined distance of 1.6 million miles a year. In 2019, TCAT was awarded a federal grant for the purchase of three electric buses and supporting infrastructure, which TCAT expects to have on-site in 2021, along with four additional electric buses acquired from additional NYS funding. . The agency’s goal is to transform most or all of its fleet to electric buses by 2035.
DESCRIPTION
Through this clean energy internship program, we are looking for a talented person interested in helping their community by researching and developing new initiatives to convert a fleet of gas and diesel buses to an all electric fleet. Before TCAT, Inc., can pursue this initiative, we will need assistance to review and recommend upgrades to our infrastructure including: installation of battery electric bus chargers, dispensers, and monitoring equipment. The conversion to battery electric buses will also require additional training for staff, updated policies and procedures, and revised documentation. This internship position will provide the opportunity to become familiar with infrastructure, charging, covering lifecycle costs of a bus, maintenance, and safety procedures. The intern will play an integral role in helping TCAT, Inc. to stay on top of new developments with the constantly evolving battery electric market in terms of infrastructure technology, trends and new vehicle manufacturers, safety and features.
SCOPE
This intern position will focus on helping to identify needed policies and procedures associated with managing a fleet of electric buses and work with staff to write standard operating protocols. The intern would also review training manuals and documentation provided by vehicle and technology manufacturers, document current and best practices, identify gaps in current trainings and recommend training updates as they relate to the development, implementation and operations of an all-electric fleet.
We are asking for a minimum of 15 hours per week, and are flexible on what days and times, up to a maximum total of 960 hours. The position will start immediately once a candidate has been identified and can go for up to 12 months. Both on-site and remote work may be expected during the course of this assignment following and in keeping with current COVID-19 restrictions.
For more information about TCAT, Inc., please visit our website at: tcatbus.com
JOB DUTIES
SKILLS REQUIRED
PREFERRED SKILLS
TCAT, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer
