Butler County RTA Selected to Pilot Advanced Safety Technologies Through SMART Grant
June 4, 2025
Hamilton, OH June 4, 2025 — The Butler County Regional Transit Authority (BCRTA) is proud to announce its participation in a pioneering safety pilot funded through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s SMART (Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation) Grant program. This initiative will test cutting-edge advanced vehicle safety technologies designed to enhance transit safety and reduce roadway injuries and fatalities.
BCRTA’s pilot vehicle, a heavy-duty passenger coach recently transported to Virginia for equipment installation, will serve as a real-world test platform for the TONY/MAX safety technology package. This initiative is part of a collaborative demonstration project that also includes Stark Area Regional Transit Authority (SARTA) and Western Reserve Transit Authority (WRTA).
“The safety of our passengers, drivers, and community is our highest priority,” said Shawn Cowan, Director of Customer Care and Public Engagement. “This innovative technology has the potential to redefine how transit agencies across the country protect lives on the road.”
The SMART Grant-funded package includes several advanced safety technologies:
- Cruise Control: Enhances driving stability and fuel efficiency by reducing erratic speed changes.
- Adaptive Cruise Control: Automatically maintains safe vehicle distances and reduces collision rates by up to 14%, according to IIHS data.
- Forward Collision Warning: Demonstrated to reduce rear-end crashes by up to 56% with injury, per NSC and IIHS research.
- Lane Keeping Assistance: Helps prevent head-on collisions and associated injuries, with reductions of 11–21% in such crashes.
- Data Logging: Captures key metrics, such as speed, braking, and system performance, before, during, and after incidents—critical for future safety development.
The demonstration seeks to evaluate how these tools can reduce the severity and frequency of accidents within transit fleets. BCRTA is proud to serve as a testing ground for life-saving innovations that could soon be deployed nationally.
The pilot vehicle is expected to return to Butler County in early fall, at which time testing and evaluation will begin.
