Carmanah receives contracts for LED transit lighting

Carmanah Technologies Corporation has received contracts in the amount of $279,000 to supply four US transportation authorities and municipalities on the west coast with i-SHELTER™ solar LED shelter lighting systems and i-STOP™ solar LED transit stops.

According to the California Center for Innovative Transportation (CCIT), in any given year there are nearly 29,000 transit crime incidents reported in the United States, and because the majority of these crimes happen at night, illuminating transit shelters and stops works to discourage many of the common crimes associated with public transport.

"The safety of transit passengers is a primary concern for every member of the transit industry," states Art Aylesworth, Carmanah's CEO. "Carmanah's i-SHELTER shelter lighting systems and i-STOP transit stops supply reliable, cost-effective transit lighting that can be installed quickly with no disruption to traffic."

The first contract from Clark County Public Transportation Benefit Area (C-TRAN) of Vancouver, Washington is for a minimum of 90 i-STOP solar LED transit stops. C-TRAN's 111 transit coaches and 50 paratransit coaches travel over 14,472 miles daily. The contract has been approved for up to $188,000 in orders over its one-year term.

The additional contracts are with three cities within the metropolitan area of Los Angeles totaling $91,000 and comprising 25 i-SHELTER shelter lighting systems and 30 i-STOP transit stops. These orders were part of larger initiatives to improve overall safety for transit users, and follow similar orders from transit agencies in close proximity such as Long Beach, L.A. County; El Monte, Lakewood and West Covina.

Carmanah's solar-powered illuminated bus stop products are currently installed with more than 80 transit authorities throughout North America and abroad.

The pole-mounted i-STOP (TM) solar LED transit stop was designed with passenger safety in mind and is activated via illuminated buttons to provide up to three types of transit stop illumination:

- an edge-lit schedule display that enables easy, convenient viewing of bus route information after dusk;
- an overhead security light that remains on for five minutes to provide a safer environment for waiting transit passengers;
- a patented flashing beacon designed to notify an oncoming bus that a passenger is waiting to board. This signaling device remains on for 60 seconds and is effective both day and night for reducing the incidence of rider pass-bys.

The i-SHELTER is a completely self-contained shelter lighting system that harnesses the sun's energy to power high-intensity LEDs. Each system is specifically designed to enhance the aesthetics of each shelter, rather than detract from them. The key benefits of the i-SHELTER are that it does not require any external electrical source, trenching, cabling, or power permits. It has also been designed to be maintenance-free for up to 5 years.