Community Transportation Initiative

The Community Transportation Initiative (CTI) is a community private/public partnership promoting responsible clean air transportation options in Broward County.  CTI started as a project of EV Ready Broward (EVRB), the Gold Coast Clean Cities, the South Florida Regional Planning Council, Florida Power & Light Company, the Broward County Environmental Protection Department, the Florida Department of Transportation – District 4, and other private sector stakeholders and interested parties.

The vision of CTI, when first implemented in 1999 under the EVRB umbrella, was to promote the use of electric/hybrid electric transit in community shuttle systems and to promote the use of this technology at the airport, seaport, in law enforcement activities, government entities, in marine and other applications. However, the scope of CTI soon expanded to become more fuel inclusive.

While still known as EVRB, the organization was the impetus for the launch of the Clean Fuel Florida Coalition. This fuel neutral group advocated - through education and outreach efforts - for the implementation of a state based board to foster the implementation of alternative fuel technology in Florida. Without the vision of EVRB and its outreach efforts, the Florida Legislature, via the Florida Clean Air Act of 1999, would not have mandated the Clean Fuel Advisory Board (CFFAB). EVRB served as an educational and outreach resource to the Coalition and then to the CFFAB.

The CTI is funded by the Broward County Environmental Protection Department and the Florida Department of Transportation - District 4. Annually the CTI coordinators and members work on special projects to promote the use of alternative fuels and increase awareness about the benefits of emerging fuels and technologies.  Some CTI projects include:

Clean Air Cooperative
One highly successful and recognized effort of the CTI is the Clean Air Cooperative - a public/private effort that has received local and federal funding and was a primary activity of the Community Transportation Initiative. Working with Broward County and under the leadership of Congressman Clay Shaw, CAC was successful in obtaining $2.5 million capital dollars in support of CAC activities. Broward County MPO matched the federal dollars providing more flexibility for use (capital equipment or operations).

National Clean Cities Conference
Another prime CTI activity that continued from 2003 into 2004 was the planning for the 2004 National Clean Cities Conference.

2005 AIRport AIRwareness Forum 
Increase awareness about alternative fuel applications for ground support equipment, fueling infrastructure and other airport operations. 

Outreach & Awareness projects:  Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel Roundtable; Advancing the use of Blended Biodiesel: 2006 Biodiesel Forum, and Ethanol Roundtable.

Community Transportation Initiative members include: