International Projects and Affiliations

Transportation Alternatives has worked extensively on a number of international projects and with several international organizations.

International Projects

As the American partner of U.S.-Slovene joint venture company, TAM-USA, TA was responsible for coordinating the Company’s design, marketing and sales activities from 1989 to 1995 (See Vehicle Design and Product Development). In this capacity, TA coordinated the design of two full-size European buses adapted for introduction into the North American market, and coordinated the marketing, advertising and sale of these buses and coaches (See also Vehicle Distribution and Sales). The TAM-USA project involved working with a number of multinational “Fortune 500” companies involved in either the project’s financing (e.g. Combustion Engineering Trading Company, prior to its acquisition by Asea Brown Boveri), product financing (e.g., Textron Financial Corporation) or the provision of components (Rockwell, Cummins, Bendix, Bosch, GM/Allison). And the design of the TAM 252 School/Activity bus involved TA’s interfacing with engineers from six countries (U.S., England, France, Italy, Germany and Great Britain).

Both prior and subsequent to the TAM-USA venture, TA has been engaged in product and facility evaluations involving other Eastern European automotive manufacturers. TA’s first association began with its examination of the products and production facilities of Serbian bus manufacturer Ikarbus of Zemun (Belgrade). Later, as a subcontractor to Bain & Company, TA conducted a USAID-funded review and evaluation of the products, production facilities and export potential of Russian bus manufacturer Pavlovo Bus Factory (PAZ), and submitted a 40-page analysis of its findings (translated into the Russian language) and presented them to the PAZ Board of Directors. (See Product and Production Facility Evaluation.)

Finally, TA President Ned Einstein made formal presentations to a number of U.S. corporations engaged in the international marketing of advanced power plant technology, including International Fuel Cells, Northrop Corporation and H-Power Corporation.

Affiliations

Largely because of TA’s involvement in international bus development projects, coupled with its interest in international transportation and other business events, trends, ideas and activities, TA has been involved as a member and, in many cases played key roles, in several international business and policy-making organizations (See Organizations and Affiliations), including:

  • U.S. Business Council for Southeastern Europe (USBCSEE)
  • U.S. Business Council for Slovenia
  • L’association Internationale pour le Sécurité du Transport des Jeunnes (A.I.S.T.)
  • ANATEEP

Articles about TA’s international projects have appeared in a number of U.S. and foreign magazines (See Articles about Transportation Alternatives, TAM-USA and Ned Einstein). A detailed chronology of TA’s and Mr. Einstein’s role in the TAM-USA venture appeared in the September, 1993 issue of East European Investment magazine.