Trade Promotion

2008 Trade Mission to India. Tour of Delhi Metro.

Meeting at the Delhi Ministry of Urban Development.

The FTA International Public Transportation Program (IPTP) works to promote increased exports of U.S. transit goods and services by conducting:  

Trade Missions – The IPTP coordinates overseas visits for industry executives to countries that offer significant market potential.  These trade missions led by the FTA offer unparalleled access to foreign buyers and decision makers.                                                                

Reverse trade missions – The IPTP organizes tours in the U.S. for foreign transit delegations to gain first hand knowledge of U.S. technologies and best practices. Itineraries may include visits to manufacturers, suppliers, transit agencies and other stakeholders.                                                  

International tenders listing – The IPTP seeks to enhance U.S. participation in the global transit marketplace by informing manufacturers and suppliers about contract opportunities overseas.  International transit procurement opportunities are identified and published twice a month.  Click here to view the listing.

Market Research - The IPTP conducts surveys, fact-finding missions, and other research to target areas of high market potential for U.S. transit goods and services.

Other trade promotion activities – The IPTP provides assistance to U.S. companies participating at international expos and conferences.
 

Recent Trade Missions:

•  2009 UITP Congress - Business Opportunities in Central and Eastern Europe Unveiled.  The Federal Transit Administration and the American Public Transportation Association, in cooperation with the U.S. Commercial Service in Austria, carried out a special business program for U.S. companies attending or exhibiting at the International Public Transportation Union (UITP) World Congress and Exhibition in Vienna, June 7-11, 2009.

The special program for U.S. companies covered the entire Central Eastern European region, and included a promotion campaign before the show, market research on opportunities and projects in the region, a networking dinner, and a half-day seminar followed by one-on-one meetings with specialists from the region.Information on specific projects can be obtained from the U.S. Commercial Service specialist for the country in question, or by contacting Marta Haustein, U.S. Commercial Service Vienna, at Marta.Haustein@mail.doc.gov.

Presentations made at the seminar contain information on current or upcoming transit projects in specific countries of Central Eastern Europe, financing for projects in the region by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and European Union requirements for bidding on publicly funded projects.  Read Presentations.

• 2008 Trade Mission to India.  FTA Administrator James S. Simpson led a trade mission to India in September 2008 to identify opportunities for U.S. involvement in the development of India’s transportation infrastructure.  The cities on this itinerary included New Delhi; Visakhapatnam; Hyderabad; and Mumbai.  Trip Report. 

• 2008 Trade Mission to South Africa.  FTA Deputy Administrator Sherry Little participated in the Transportation and Trade Forum in Cape Town, South Africa in April 2008, organized in the framework of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which seeks to promote increased trade between Africa and the U.S..  The Forum focused exclusively on transportation as a means for economic development. Ms. Little moderated a panel “Financing Africa’s Infrastructure.”

• 2007 Trade Mission to India.  In September 2007, Deputy Administrator Sherry Little led a trade mission to Mumbai and Ahmadabad.  Participants met with high level officials from India’s transit agencies and private companies.  One venue was the “India Urban Space 2007,” a transit expo in Mumbai, another was the BRT Transit Technology Expo in Ahmadabad.  Trip Report

• 2006 Trade Mission to China. FTA led a public transportation mission in April 2006.  The mission served to acquaint U.S. participants with recent transit developments in China. The Chinese cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou, and Kunming which have Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems either in operation or in the planning phase were visited. Trip Report

• 2006 Trade Mission to Ecuador and Columbia.  FTA organized a trade mission to Ecuador and Colombia in June 2006 designed to help U.S. suppliers take advantage of the enormous expansion of the mass transit market in those countries.  Read More

Reverse Trade Missions:

• 2008 Reverse Trade Mission from Nigeria.  A delegation from the Federal Capital of Abuja, Nigeria participated in a reverse trade mission in February 2008.  Participants visited FTA, APTA, and transit agencies in Washington, DC, Miami, Salt Lake City and San Francisco and met with leaders of several private companies. Read more.

• 2007 Reverse Trade Mission from China.  In July 2007, FTA hosted senior transportation officials from Nanjing, China. The reverse trade mission included meetings with FTA headquarters and regional offices, transit agencies in Washington, DC, New York and San Francisco, and U.S. companies. Read more 

• 2007 Reverse Trade Mission from South Africa.  At the request of the South African Department of Transport, the FTA organized a study and reverse trade mission in January 2007.  The delegation visited Los Angeles and Salt Lake City to gather information in preparation for the 2010 World Cup games.  Read more.

• 2006 Reverse Trade Mission from Russia.  The FTA in association with the U.S. Embassy in Russia organized a reverse trade mission in July 2006 for Russian officials of the City of Moscow and the Moscow Oblast.  Participants visited transit agencies in Washington, DC, Chicago and Miami, and met with private sector leaders.  Read more.