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The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors yesterday unanimously approved a\u00a0motion<\/a>\u00a0introduced by Supervisor Kathryn Barger that authorizes the County to enter into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with L.A. Metro and the City of Palmdale to bring a massive bus and passenger rail car manufacturing and testing facility to North County.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are continuing our momentum to make this once-in-a-lifetime economic investment in our Antelope Valley region,\u201d said\u00a0Supervisor Kathryn Barger<\/strong>. \u201cA lot of hard work by many partners has gotten us to this point, and I appreciate the vast support this project has received so far. We are poised to bring billions of dollars in economic return and over 100,000 jobs by anchoring this hub for bus and rail car manufacturing and testing in the Antelope Valley. This is a win on many fronts.\u201d<\/p>\n The Center for Transportation Excellence has the potential to generate $11.5 billion in economic returns and over 114,300 direct and indirect jobs, according to the\u00a0American Public Transportation Association<\/a>. A\u00a0Consortium<\/a>\u00a0of local stakeholders and supporters has been formed to contribute to the vision and future plans of the Center.<\/p>\n Elissa Diaz, Senior Public Policy Manger<\/strong>\u00a0with the\u00a0Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce<\/strong>, was on hand to voice support for the Center during the Board meeting. \u201cThe Chamber supports advancing the Center for Transportation Excellence,\u201d said Diaz. \u201cThe project will meet a critical industry gap by improving the availability of transit vehicle development and will train the next generation of operators and maintenance experts on new transit technologies. The L.A. Area Chamber supports transportation policies and programs that increase mobility and expand alternative commute options.\u201d<\/p>\n Arthur Sohikian, Executive Director of the\u00a0<\/strong>North Los Angeles County Transportation Coalition<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0Joint Point Powers Authority,<\/strong>\u00a0expressed support for the motion. \u201cOn behalf of our Coalition, we are pleased to strongly support this motion,\u201d Sohikian said. \u201cWe appreciate Supervisor Barger\u2019s leadership and vision for building a strong economy for future generations. By having multiple stakeholders at the planning table, we will create plans that are inclusive and thoughtful. The future is bright.\u201d<\/p>\n