Advanced Vehicle Systems, Inc. (AVS) is probably the largest manufacturer of electric transit buses in the United States and may very well be the largest globally. AVS has manufactured and shipped in excess of 100 electric buses to domestic locations as far north as Portland, Maine and as far south as Miami Beach, Florida. Additionally, AVS has shipped internationally to Costa Rica and Egypt. In April 1998 AVS was awarded a new contract with the Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority, adding larger 12-year heavy duty, low floor hybrid electric buses to the product line. The contract called for three 35-foot and seven, 30-foot Hybrid-Electric buses to replace existing diesel buses. These long-range vehicles provide state of the art Delco hybrid drive train, micro-turbine technology and maintenance free battery systems.

AVS recently moved to their new 100,000 square foot manufacturing facility. It is this facility we will be touring. It is located at 7801 Lee Highway, where ChooChoo Customs building used to be. You can get there by taking I 75 North, past Hamilton Place, take the Bonnie Oaks exit and turn right at the first traffic light (corner of Bonnie Oaks and Lee Hwy). Lee Highway ends shortly after that, at a stop sign that intersects an I-75 exit ramp. Proceed with caution through that intersection. You will then be on AVS's driveway that leads you to their large building (there are no signs there). Be sure to get there by 11:30 a.m. so you can be badged. The tour will begin when everyone who arrived at that time has been duly processed.

Past Meetings_________________________________________
January 22
Dr. Ron Goulet, director of UTC's Biomechanics and Materials Testing Lab, described the lab's new vision-based 2-D Displacement Measurement System that uses white light, CCD camera imaging and PC-based digital image correlation. The lab performs measurements of motion and deformation of orthopedic constructs. Their experimental evaluations allow them to model the deformation and failure of materials and structures and to develop better orthopedic designs.

Miscellaneous ___________________________________________
Roy McCollum has been collecting the Chattanooga Engineers Club Rosters since 1957, but he is missing a few issues. Please call him if you can fill the voids. He is missing issues for 1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1988 and 1990. He eventually plans to donate his issues to the Bicentennial Library for all to view (The library currently has issues only for 1936 and 1984). He can be reached at 820-1557 - or perhaps even at one of our regular meetings.