Arkansas Creates Future Mobility Advisory Council

The group intends to build Arkansas into a leader in emerging forms of transportation.

Wednesday, February 23, 2022 at 04:57 AM ET

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Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson announces the formation of the Future Mobility Advisory Council. [Courtesy: Arkansas Governor's Office]

Key Takeaways:

Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson has established the Future Mobility Advisory Council to position the state as a leading destination for developing next-generation transportation technologies like drones, electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, and autonomous vehicles.
The council, composed of private sector companies (e.g., Walmart, J.B. Hunt), universities, and state agencies, will focus on reviewing policies, securing federal funding, and developing workforce initiatives to integrate and advance these innovations.
This initiative is projected to generate significant economic benefits for Arkansas, with advanced air mobility alone potentially creating thousands of jobs and billions in economic activity by 2045, leveraging the state's strategic location and skilled aerospace workforce.

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On Tuesday, Arkansas state officials and members of its private sectors took steps to establish the state as a leading destination for companies that want to build future mobility technologies. In a press conference, Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced the formation of the Future Mobility Advisory Council, geared toward attracting businesses and innovators to Arkansas to develop the state into a global giant in next-generation transportation.

For its chairperson, the council appointed Cyrus Sigari, co-founder of UP Partners, and an executive chairman of JetAviva. Other companies with seats on the committee include Walmart (NYSE: WMT), Canoo (NASDAQ: GOEV), J.B. Hunt (NASDAQ: JBHT), Entergy (NYSE: EAI), the Arkansas Trucking Association, the Arkansas Auto Dealers Association, the University of Arkansas, Southern Arkansas University Tech, and several state agencies.