Business View Magazine - Dec 2023

be found in one: creating a solution that can be worked on, and two: implementing it,”he elaborates. “It’s an interesting partnership because when you get to the level of major power generation and provide it for a fleet of buses, there are all sorts of items that need to be addressed. The main question is: how are you charging the bus? Is it a plug-in? Is it a pantograph that comes from the ceiling? (A pantograph is an apparatus mounted on the roof of an electric train, tram, or electric bus to collect power through contact with an overhead line.) What type of infrastructure is required to support and hold all that in place and then run all the lines?” “PowerON is good at all that and this is why we partnered with them; they know how to do it; they’ve got the people and the expertise in being able to provide a solution so that we can focus on our primary target of providing transit service to our customers.” “That being said, we’re also implementing charging stations at our terminals and some of our community centers to help begin creating a network of charging opportunities throughout the town. The town, itself, is also implementing charging stations; they’ve already implemented 23 electric charging stations on streets and in town facilities, which will help promote electrification, not only for municipal fleet transit but also personal vehicles for anyone who chooses to purchase an electric vehicle in the town of Oakville.” PARTNERING WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR Building successful partnerships, according to Kawun, also extends to Oakville’s business community. “We try to partner with companies throughout the town where we can provide shuttle services to and from major trip generators,” he relates. “For example, we are in discussions with a major company where the majority of their staff would be taking the regional rail network and then transferring onto a shuttle service to take them to their final destination. What this does is one: it reduces the amount of vehicles coming onto and 313 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 10, ISSUE 12 OAKVI LLE TRANSI T