HomeMy WebLinkAboutAGENDA REPORT 2023 0621 CCSA REG ITEM 09CCITY OF MOORPARK, CALIFORNIA
City Council Meeting
of June 21, 2023
ACTION APPROVED STAFF
RECOMMENDATION, INCLUDING
ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION NO. 2023-
4186. (ROLL CALL VOTE: UNANIMOUS)
BY A. Hurtado.
C. Consider Resolution Approving Moorpark City Transit’s Zero Emission Bus (ZEB)
Rollout Plan. Staff Recommendation: Adopt Resolution No. 2023-4186 approving
and adopting the Moorpark City Transit’s Zero Emission Bus Rollout Plan. (Staff:
Michelle Woomer, Management Analyst) (ROLL CALL VOTE REQUIRED)
Item: 9.C.
MOORPARK CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Honorable City Council
FROM: Michelle Woomer, Management Analyst
DATE: 06/21/2023 Regular Meeting
SUBJECT: Consider Resolution Approving Moorpark City Transit’s Zero
Emission Bus (ZEB) Rollout Plan
BACKGROUND
To help improve air quality by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the California Air
Resources Board (CARB) adopted the Innovative Clean Transit (ICT) regulation in 2019,
which required all public transit agencies to transition 100% zero-emission bus fleet by
2040. Under this regulation, an approved schedule, or Zero Emission Bus (ZEB) Rollout
Plan for the purchase of zero emission buses by small transit agencies, such as the City
of Moorpark, are required to submit a plan adopted by the governing body to CARB by
June 30, 2023. The ZEB Rollout Plan describes how a transit agency plans to achieve
full transition to zero emission bus technologies. It includes information on the types of
zero emission buses to be purchased, their purchase schedule, a schedule of related
infrastructure build-out, potential funding sources and training plans. Transit agencies
not complying with ZEB purchase requirements as outlined in the ZEB Rollout Plan may
face the risk of losing potential grant funding opportunities.
The CARB ICT regulation requires each transit agency to begin purchasing ZEBs by 2026
or 25% of total bus purchases must be ZEBs. Additionally, by 2029, 100% of bus
purchases must be ZEBs. The ZEB Rollout Plan is a living document that is intended to
provide a practical framework for Moorpark City Transit (MCT) to deploy and transition to
a full ZEB fleet by 2040 and may be updated as needed based on changes in funding,
services, and vehicle technology.
On October 18, 2022, the City executed an agreement with Stantec Consulting Services,
Inc. (Stantec) to prepare MCT’s ZEB Rollout Plan.
Item: 9.C.
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DISCUSSION
Since execution of an agreement with Stantec, their staff has been working with City staff
on the development of the ZEB Rollout and Implementation Plan. To create MCT’s ZEB
Rollout Plan, Stantec staff looked at the MCT’s fleet size, facility, and service delivery.
The City’s transit fleet consists of five conventional CNG fixed route buses. For the City’s
micro-transit service, MCT On Demand, the fleet consists of one cutaway and two
minivans, which all use diesel fuel. Currently, the vehicles for the micro-transit service
are not subject to CARB ICT mandate.
With the current ridership trends, the City anticipates reducing its total bus from five buses
to three buses. Three of the five buses were purchased back in 2010 and are fast
approaching the end of their useful life. According to the Federal Transit Administration
(FTA), the average useful life of a bus is 14 years. For this reason, the City will begin
procurement of two electric buses sometime in 2024. The current 32-foot CNG bus will
be replaced with a 30-32 foot/400kWh electric bus (as depicted in Figure 1), which has
an estimated cost of $750,000. The depiction shown in Figure 1 is a depiction and not
the final design.
Since it was already anticipated that three of the City’s fixed-route vehicles are reaching
the end of their useful lives, funding of $1,327,950 to purchase two electric buses have
already been secured through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) federal
funds. The remaining two CNG buses for fixed route vehicles were purchased in 2016,
and once they reach their useful life in 2028, the vehicles will be replaced with one electric
bus. This will give the City a total of three electric buses and a full fixed-route fleet of
100% zero-emission buses by 2028.
Figure 1 – Heavy Duty 32-ft. Battery Electric Bus (BEB)
MCT’s fixed-route buses are stored and maintained by the City of Thousand Oaks at their
Municipal Services Center. The City has coordinated with Thousand Oaks to build the
electric charging infrastructure needed to power our zero-emission bus fleet. While
Thousand Oaks is building their electric charging infrastructures for their own fleet of
electric buses, they will concurrently build three electric charging stations for MCT’s future
fleet of three electric buses. The cost estimate for constructing MCT’s electric charging
infrastructure is $300,000. To help fund the cost of building the three electric charging
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stations for MCT’s electric buses, $200,000 of Low Carbon Transit Operations Program
(LCTOP) funding was applied for and has been secured. Additionally, the City has
Transportation Development Act (TDA), Article 8c funding that can go towards
construction of the charging infrastructure. Figure 2 shows the future site plan of electric
charging infrastructure at the Thousand Oaks Municipal Service Center. The purple-
colored blocks will be the location of where MCT’s future ZEB charging stations will be
built at the Thousand Oaks Municipal Service Center located at 1993 Rancho Conejo
Boulevard. Thousand Oaks is estimating the electric charging infrastructure will be
completed in 2025.
Figure 2 – Thousand Oaks Municipal Service Center ZEB Site Conceptual Master Plan
As mentioned, the ZEB Rollout Plan can be updated and revised as many times needed
due to varying circumstances that would affect a transit agency’s procurement of ZEBs.
To account for circumstances beyond a transit agency’s control that may impact its ability
to comply with ICT regulations, the mandate laid out specific provisions for exemptions.
Exemptions are: if the required ZEB type is unavailable; if daily mileage needs cannot be
met; if gradeability cannot be met; if there are delays in infrastructure construction; if
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financial emergency is declared by the transit agency; and in circumstances where
incremental capital or electricity costs for charging cannot be offset after applying for all
available funding and incentive opportunities.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as it does
not constitute a project, as defined by Section 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines.
Therefore, no environmental review is required.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact specific to the ZEB Rollout Plan; however, it is recognized that
conversion to a zero-emission fleet will have future fiscal impacts due to electric charging
infrastructure requirements and higher vehicle costs.
COUNCIL GOAL COMPLIANCE
This action does not support a current strategic directive.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION (ROLL CALL VOTE REQUIRED)
Adopt Resolution No. 2023-_____ approving and adopting the Moorpark City Transit’s
Zero Emission Bus Rollout Plan.
Attachment: Draft Resolution No. 2023-_____; Moorpark City Transit Zero Emission
Bus (ZEB) Rollout Plan
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ATTACHMENT
RESOLUTION NO. 2023-____
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
MOORPARK, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING THE ZERO
EMISSION BUS ROLLOUT PLAN
WHEREAS, the State of California continues to adopt climate, energy and
transportation goals, policies, and programs to improve air quality, by reducing
greenhouse gas emissions; and
WHEREAS, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) adopted the Innovative
Clean Transit (ICT) regulations on December 14, 2018; and
WHEREAS, the ICT regulations requires all small transit agencies in the State of
California to begin to purchase zero emission buses (ZEBS) as soon as 2026, with the
goal of transitioning all transit buses in California to zero emission technology by 2040;
and
WHEREAS, each transit agency must submit a rollout plan under the regulation
demonstrating how it plans to purchase zero emission buses, build out necessary
infrastructure, and train the required workforces; and
WHEREAS, CARB requires the submittal of the small agency rollout plans by
June 30, 2023; and
WHEREAS, the City of Moorpark provides public transit services and is considered
a small transit agency; and
WHEREAS, the Zero Emission Bus Rollout Plan is a living document that is
intended to provide a practical framework for Moorpark City Transit to deploy and
transition to a full ZEB fleet by 2040, and may be updated based on changes in funding,
service and vehicle technology; and
WHEREAS, the City of Moorpark ZEB Rollout Plan must comply with the CARB
regulations and be approved by the City’s governing body through the adoption of a
resolution prior to submission to CARB.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MOORPARK DOES
HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The City Council of the City of Moorpark approves and adopts the
Zero Emission Bus Rollout Plan as set forth in full in Exhibit A to this Resolution.
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Resolution No. 2023-____
Page 2
SECTION 2. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this resolution and shall
cause a certified resolution to be filed in the book of original resolutions.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 21st day of June, 2023.
________________________________
Chris R. Enegren, Mayor
ATTEST:
___________________________________
Ky Spangler, City Clerk
Exhibit A – Moorpark City Transit Zero Emission Bus Rollout Plan
32
ZEB Strategy and Final
Report
Moorpark City Transit
ZEB Rollout and Implementation Plan
Final Report
DRAFT
May 2023
EXHIBIT A
Resolution No. 2023-____
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33
ZEB STRATEGY AND FINAL REPORT
ZEB Strategy and Final Report
ZEB Rollout Plan and Analysis Services
May 26, 2023
Prepared for:
City of Moorpark
Moorpark City Transit
Prepared by:
Stantec Consulting Services Inc.
Resolution No. 2023-____
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ZEB STRATEGY AND FINAL REPORT
Release Version
This document entitled ZEB Strategy and Final Report was prepared by Stantec Consulting Services Inc.
(“Stantec”) for the account of City of Moorpark, Moorpark City Transit (the “Client”). Any reliance on this
document by any third party is strictly prohibited. The material herein reflects Stantec’s professional judgment
in light of the scope, schedule and other limitations stated in the document and in the contract between
Stantec and the Client. The opinions in the document are based on conditions and information existing at the
time the document was prepared and do not take into account any subsequent changes. In preparing the
document, Stantec did not verify information supplied to it by others. Any use which a third party makes of this
document is the responsibility of such third party. Such third party agrees that Stantec shall not be
responsible for costs or damages of any kind, if any, suffered by it or any other third party as a result of
decisions made or actions taken based on this document.
Project Team
Stantec Consulting Services Inc.
801 South Figueroa Street Suite 300
Los Angeles CA 90017-3007
Rev. Description Date
0 Draft Report Issued to MCT 05/26/2023
Comments received TBD
1 Final Report Issued to MCT TBD
Resolution No. 2023-____
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ZEB STRATEGY AND FINAL REPORT
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Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................ I
ABBREVIATIONS .....................................................................................................................III
1.0 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................ 1
2.0 REGULATORY CONTEXT ............................................................................................ 3
2.1 INNOVATIVE CLEAN TRANSIT ..................................................................................... 3
2.2 EXEMPTIONS ................................................................................................................ 5
3.0 APPROACH TO ZEB PLANNING ................................................................................. 9
4.0 SUMMARY OF KEY EXISTING CONDITIONS .............................................................11
4.1 FLEET ...........................................................................................................................11
4.2 FACILITIES ...................................................................................................................11
4.3 CURRENT SERVICE ....................................................................................................14
Fixed Route 14
Microtransit 16
4.4 DAILY BLOCK MILEAGE ..............................................................................................18
Fixed Route 18
Microtransit 19
4.5 FUTURE SERVICE DELIVERY .....................................................................................20
5.0 PREFERRED/RECOMMENDED FLEET COMPOSITION .............................................21
5.1 FLEET AND POWER MODELING OVERVIEW ............................................................21
Modeling Inputs ............................................................................................................. 22
Modeling Process .......................................................................................................... 24
Modeling Results – Fixed-Route .................................................................................... 25
Modeling Results – Microtransit ..................................................................................... 26
5.2 ZE FLEET RECOMMENDATIONS AND IMPLICATIONS ..............................................27
Charging Profile ............................................................................................................. 27
5.3 MICROTRANSIT CONSIDERATIONS ..........................................................................28
6.0 FLEET PROCUREMENT SCHEDULE ..........................................................................29
7.0 FACILITY/FUELING INFRASTRUCTURE MODIFICATIONS .......................................31
7.1 CONCEPTUAL CHARGING EQUIPMENT ....................................................................31
7.2 GRID CONNECTION UPGRADES ................................................................................32
8.0 FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS ..................................................................................34
9.0 OPERATIONAL AND PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS ...............................................35
9.1 PLANNING, SCHEDULING, AND RUNCUTTING .........................................................35
9.2 OPERATOR CONSIDERATIONS .................................................................................36
9.3 MAINTENANCE CONSIDERATIONS............................................................................37
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9.4 CHARGING NEEDS ......................................................................................................37
9.5 BATTERY DEGRADATION ...........................................................................................38
10.0 TECHNOLOGY .............................................................................................................39
10.1 SMART CHARGING .....................................................................................................39
10.2 FLEET TRACKING SOFTWARE AND TELEMATICS ...................................................44
11.0 WORKFORCE CONSIDERATIONS .............................................................................47
11.1 TRAINING .....................................................................................................................47
11.2 IMPLICATIONS OF BEBS ON WORKFORCE ..............................................................48
12.0 POTENTIAL FUNDING SOURCES ..............................................................................50
13.0 SERVICE AND ZEB DEPLOYMENT IN DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES ..............59
14.0 GHG IMPACTS .............................................................................................................61
15.0 OTHER TRANSITION ITEMS .......................................................................................63
15.1 JOINT ZEB GROUP AND ASSESSMENT OF MULTI-OPERATOR VEHICLE
PROCUREMENT ..........................................................................................................63
15.2 CHANGE MANAGEMENT .............................................................................................64
APPENDICES...........................................................................................................................65
APPENDIX A: PDF OF SITE PLANS .......................................................................................66
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: ZEB implementation phasing plan, FY2023-2040 .......................................................... ii
Table 2: CARB Standard Bus ZEB Purchase Schedule (As a Percentage of Total New
Bus Purchases for Small Transit Agencies) ................................................................. 4
Table 3: Required documentation for ZEB purchase exemptions ............................................... 6
Table 4: MCT revenue service fleet ...........................................................................................11
Table 5: Additional fixed-route revenue hour metrics ................................................................15
Table 6: Additional fixed-route service mile metrics ...................................................................16
Table 7: BEB Specifications for Energy Modeling .....................................................................22
Table 8: Elevation Analysis .......................................................................................................24
Table 9: Average Fuel Efficiency for Fixed Route BEB Modeling Results ..................................26
Table 10: Proposed Fleet Purchase Schedule ..........................................................................30
Table 11: ZE Cost Estimates through 2040 ...............................................................................34
Table 12: Charge Management System Vendor Comparison (based on manufacturer's
information).................................................................................................................41
Table 13: Potential Training Methods ........................................................................................48
Table 14: Grants and Potential Funding Options for ZEB Transition .........................................51
Table 15: FTA Zero-Emission Fleet Transition Plan Requirements ...........................................58
Table 16: Annual Emissions in Tons of CO2 for MCT's Fixed Route Service .............................61
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Table : Other bus transit agencies in Ventura County ...............................................................63
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Current MCT service area ........................................................................................... 1
Figure 2: Schematic Representation of the Steps in the ZEB Planning Process......................... 9
Figure 3: MCT fixed-route bus at Thousand Oaks Municipal Service Center .............................12
Figure 4: Moorpark City Library .................................................................................................12
Figure 5: City of Moorpark maintenance yard ............................................................................13
Figure 6: MCT fixed-route vehicle fueling ..................................................................................14
Figure 7: Annual fixed-route revenue hours ..............................................................................15
Figure 8: Annual fixed-route service miles .................................................................................16
Figure 9: Microtransit monthly revenue hours (April – November 2022) ....................................17
Figure 10: Microtransit monthly revenue miles (April – November 2022) ...................................17
Figure 11: Microtransit total monthly passengers (April – November 2022) ...............................18
Figure 12: MCT fixed route daily vehicle mileage ......................................................................19
Figure 13: Daily mileage for microtransit vehicles (April – November 2022) ..............................20
Figure 14: Modeling overview ...................................................................................................21
Figure 15: Schematic of the inputs for bus specifications. .........................................................22
Figure 16: Elevation Profile Example (Route 1) .........................................................................24
Figure 17: SOC of MCT’s Fixed-Routes ....................................................................................25
Figure 18: SOC of MCT’s Microtransit Service ..........................................................................26
Figure 19: MCT Facility Charging Profile ...................................................................................28
Figure 20: ChargePoint Express 250 charging station (image from CP website) .......................31
Figure 21: TOT / MCT ZEB Site Conceptual Master Plan .........................................................32
Figure 22: Depot Planning Tool to Understand Scheduling and Operations of BEBs
(Source: Siemens) ......................................................................................................35
Figure 23: A BEB Plugged into a Charger. ................................................................................38
Figure 24: Example of New Flyer Connect 360. .......................................................................44
Figure 25: Example of Lighting eMotors daily report summary. ................................................45
Figure 26: Example of TTC eBus KPIs. ....................................................................................46
Figure 27: CalEnviroScreen disadvantaged communities in Moorpark ......................................60
Figure 28: Equivalent benefits from implementing a BEB fleet at MCT ......................................62
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Moorpark City Transit (MCT) operates fixed-route and on-demand microtransit service in the city of
Moorpark and surrounding areas. In 2021, MCT provided 14,040 unlinked passenger trips with a fleet
comprised of buses powered by compressed natural gas (CNG).
This document serves to guide MCT through its zero-emission bus (ZEB) transition to achieve a 100%
zero-emission (ZE) fleet by 2040 as required by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) Innovative
Clean Transit (ICT) mandate. It provides a plan of the technology, needs, and strategies that will help
MCT transition to a ZEB fleet. The previous phases of this project (summarized in this report) laid the
foundation for this plan by assessing MCT’s existing conditions and modeling the power and energy
requirements needed to meet MCT’s service through a ZEB fleet. With this information, the initial ZEB
fleet was refined through a collaborative optimization process that led to the preferred fleet composition of
3 battery-electric buses (BEB).
Because MCT’s fixed-route vehicles are stored at the City of Thousand Oaks’ Municipal Service Center
(MSC), the next steps included determining the facility upgrades and modifications required to support
MCT’s ZEB operations in conjunction with Thousand Oaks Transit (TOT). Financial considerations were
included at a high-level estimate for vehicles and infrastructure. A phasing and implementation plan was
also developed.
Based on MCT’s existing fleet replacement schedule, this plan recommends that the ZEB procurement
begins in 2024 and reducing the fleet by two vehicles for a total of 3 revenue vehicles. This fleet reduction
is due to MCT’s plans to shift some its fixed-route service to on-demand service. By adopting this fleet
plan, MCT will operate an entirely electric fleet by 2028. The full phasing and implementation plan is
outlined in Table 1.
This plan is a living document that is intended to provide a practical framework for MCT to deploy and
transition to ZEBs in response to CARB’s mandate. Like any other strategic plan, the implementation and
transition plan should be revisited and adjusted in response to funding realities, changes in service
delivery, and the needs of MCT and its ridership, particularly given the long-term (~20 years) outlook.
Taken together, this plan provides a prudent and feasible approach for MCT to implement ZEBs that
allows the agency to provide exceptional and cost-effective services that exceed customer expectations.
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Table 1: ZEB implementation phasing plan, FY2023-2040
Fleet Forecast 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034 2035 2036 2037 2038 2039 2040
Total retirements 0 -3 0 0 0 -2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 -3 0 0 0
Total ZEB purchases 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0
Total fleet size 5 5 5 5 5 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
Total ZEBs 0 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
% ZEB Purchases NA 100% NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 100% NA NA NA
Fleet % ZEB 0% 60% 60% 60% 60% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
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iii
Abbreviations
AC
ADA
AHJ
APCD
AQMD
ASC
BEB
BESS
CARB
CMS
CNG
DC
DER
ECTA
ESS
FCE
FTA
GCTD
GTFS
GVWR
HVAC
FTA
Alternating current
Americans with Disabilities Act
Authorities Having Jurisdiction
Air Pollution Control District
Air Quality Management District
AMPLY Site Controller
Battery electric bus
Battery electric storage system
California Air Resources Board
Change management systems
Compressed natural gas
Direct current
Distributed energy resource
East County Transit Alliance
Energy Storage System
Hydrogen fuel cell electric
Federal Transit Administration
Gold Cast Transit District
General Transit Feed Specification
Gross vehicle weight rating
Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning
Federal Transit Administration
Resolution No. 2023-____
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ZEB STRATEGY AND FINAL REPORT
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IC
ICE
ICT
KPI
MCT
MPO
MSC
NFPA
NREL
NTI
NTD
OCPP
OEM
RAISE
PPE
PV
SCCAB
SCE
SOC
TAM
TOT
TOU
TTC
ULB
USDOT
Internal combustion
Internal combustion engine
Innovative Clean Transit
Key performance indicator
Moorpark City Transit
Metropolitan planning organization
Municipal Service Center
National Fire Protection Association
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
National Transit Institute
National Transit Database
Open Charge Point Protocol
Original Equipment Manufacturers
Local and Regional Project Assistance Program
Personal protection equipment
Photovoltaic
South Central Coast Air Basin
Southern California Edison
State of charge
Transit asset management
Thousand Oaks Transit
Time of use
Toronto Transit Commission
Useful life benchmark
United States Department of Transportation
Resolution No. 2023-____
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ZEB STRATEGY AND FINAL REPORT
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v
VCTC
VRM
ZE
ZEB
ZEV
Ventura County Transportation Commission
Vehicle revenue mile
Zero emission
Zero-emission bus
Zero-emission vehicle
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1
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Moorpark City Transit (MCT) provides fixed-route and on-demand microtransit service in the city of
Moorpark and surrounding areas. A map of MCT service is shown in Figure 1. The microtransit service,
MCT OnDemand, launched in April 2022 and is being conducted as a pilot program.
Figure 1: Current MCT service area
MCT also participates in the East County Transit Alliance (ECTA), which operates CONNECT InterCity
Dial-A-Ride for dial-a-ride (DAR) travelers within eastern Ventura County. CONNECT provides DAR
services to Agoura Hills, Camarillo, Oak Park, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, and Westlake Village. In
addition, MCT contracts with the City of Thousand Oaks to provide senior DAR services to Moorpark
residents who are 65 years and older.
MCT is part of the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District (APCD), South Central Coast Air Basin
(SCCAB), and Southern California Edison (SCE) utility territory. With a municipal population of 37,004
and a fleet of 5 fixed-route buses, MCT is classified as a small transit agency under the Innovative Clean
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Transit (ICT) mandate and is required to submit a zero-emission (ZE) rollout plan to the California Air
Resources Board (CARB) by June 30, 20230 1.
The document serves as the source for MCT’s rollout plan submission to CARB and provides a detailed
plan of the technology, needs, and strategies that will help MCT transition to a ZEB fleet. To develop this
rollout plan, the following steps were taken to determine the best ZEB strategy for MCT.
• A review of existing conditions to understand characteristics and constraints for MCT’s operations
and service area.
• Energy and power modeling to understand performance under different ZE technology
alternatives, their viability, and suitability for MCT’s needs. A quantitative and qualitative
assessment of modeling results was used to determine the preferred ZE fleet composition for
MCT.
This report is intended to act as a roadmap to guide MCT through the ZEB transition to 100% ZEB
deployment and implementation by 2040, as well as to fulfill the CARB guidelines as outlined in the ICT
mandate. As CARB has reminded transit agencies, the ICT-regulated rollout plan is intended to be a
living document that can and should be regularly revisited and updated over time as ZE technologies
continue to evolve.
1 CARB ICT defined large transit agencies as operating in “an urbanized area with a population of at least 200,000 as last published
by the Bureau of Census before December 31, 2017 and has at least 100 buses in annual maximum service,” or agencies that
operate in the South Coast or the San Joaquin Valley Air Basin and operates more than 65 buses in annual maximum service.
Agencies that do not meet this definition are categorized as small transit agencies.
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2.0 REGULATORY CONTEXT
This section provides a review of the ICT regulation to provide a basis for why the ZEB transition is taking
place and to provide MCT staff and Council members with information on how ICT and ZEB
implementation fits within and impacts MCT operations and future plans.
2.1 INNOVATIVE CLEAN TRANSIT
CARB adopted the ICT regulation in December 2018, which requires all public bus transit agencies in the
state to gradually transition to a completely ZEB fleet by 2040. This regulation is in accordance with
preceding state legislation SB 375 and SB 350. SB 375, the Sustainable Communities and Climate
Protection Program, creates initiatives for increased development of transit-oriented communities, better-
connected transportation, and active transportation. Relatedly, SB 350 supports widespread
transportation electrification through collaboration between CARB and the California Public Utilities
Commission.
ICT also states that transit agencies are required to produce a ZEB rollout plan that describes how the
agency is planning to achieve a full transition to a ZE fleet by 2040 as well as outlining reporting and
record-keeping requirements. Specific elements required in the rollout plan include:
• A full explanation of how the agency will transition to ZEBs by 2040 without early retirement of
conventional internal combustion engine buses;
• Identification of the ZEB technology the agency intends to deploy;
• How the agency will deploy ZEBs in disadvantaged communities;
• Identification of potential funding sources;
• A training plan and schedule for ZEB operators and maintenance staff;
• Schedules for bus purchase and lease options (including fuel type, number of buses, and bus
type); and
• Information on the construction of associated facilities and infrastructure (including location, type
of infrastructure, and timeline).
Small California transit agencies, such as MCT, are mandated to submit ZEB rollout plans to CARB by
June 30, 2023. ICT also requires the ZEB purchase schedules for both large and small agencies.
Beginning in 2021 and continuing annually through 2050, each transit agency is required to provide a
compliance report1 2. The initial report outlines the number of and information on active buses in the
agency’s fleet as of December 31, 2017. Subsequent reports must include transit agency information,
details on each bus purchased, owned, operated, leased, or rented (including make, model, curb weight,
2 https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2019-10/ictfro-Clean-Final_0.pdf
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engine and propulsion system, bus purchases, and any information on converted buses), ZE mobility
option information (if applicable), and information on renewable fuel usage (including date purchased, fuel
contract number, and effective date, as applicable).
Table 2 below outlines the ZEB purchase schedule for small transit agencies for heavy-duty transit
vehicles. Specific vehicle types, such as motor coaches, cutaways, double decker, and 60-ft. vehicles,
are exempt from this purchase schedule until 2026 or later (dependent on Altoona testing being
completed). Whereas large agencies are required to start purchasing ZEBs in 2023, small agencies are
exempt until 2026, in that year a minimum of 25% of new bus purchases must be ZE.
Table 2: CARB Standard Bus ZEB Purchase Schedule (As a Percentage of Total New Bus
Purchases for Small Transit Agencies)2
3
Year Percentage
2023 -
2024 -
2025 -
2026 25%
2027 25%
2028 25%
2029 and after 100%
To account for circumstances beyond a transit agency’s control that may impact their ability to comply
with ICT regulations, the mandate laid out specific provisions for exemptions. Exemptions will be
permitted for the following circumstances:
• If the required ZEB type is unavailable;
• If daily mileage needs cannot be met;
• If gradeability needs cannot be met;
• If there are delays in infrastructure construction;
• If a financial emergency is declared by the transit agency; and
• In circumstances where incremental capital or electricity costs for charging cannot be offset after
applying for all available funding and incentive opportunities.
3 In this report, standard buses refer to 35-ft. or 40-ft. unless otherwise stated
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Specifically, the ZEB rollout plan required to be submitted to CARB by mid-2023 must include the
following components, broken down by CARB into nine sections.
• Section A: Transit agency information
• Section B: Rollout plan general information
• Section C: Technology portfolio
• Section D: Current bus fleet composition and future bus purchases
• Section E: Facilities and infrastructure modifications
• Section F: Providing service in disadvantaged communities
• Section G: Workforce training
• Section H: Potential funding sources
• Section I: Start-up and scale-up challenges
2.2 EXEMPTIONS
As discussed above, the ICT regulation has specific provisions for exemptions if at least one the following
criteria are met. If the exemption is granted, transit agencies may purchase conventional ICE bus(es)
instead of ZEB(s).3 4
1. Delay in bus delivery is caused by ZEB infrastructure construction setbacks beyond the transit
agency’s control. ZEB infrastructure includes charging stations, hydrogen stations, and
maintenance facilities. The following circumstances would qualify a transit agency for exemption:
a. Change of a general contractor
b. Delays obtaining power from a utility
c. Delays obtaining construction permits
d. Discovery of archeological, historical, or tribal cultural resources
e. Natural disaster
A transit agency may also request an exemption if they can provide documentation that
demonstrates the needed infrastructure cannot be completed within the two-year extension
period or in time to operate the purchased buses after delivery, whichever is later.
2. When available ZEBs cannot meet a transit agency’s daily mileage needs (due to operating
conditions and the operating range of a ZEB).
4 https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2019-10/ictfro-Clean-Final_0.pdf
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3. If available ZEBs do not have adequate gradeability performance to meet the transit agency’s
daily needs for any bus in its fleet.
4. When a required ZEB type for the applicable weight class based on gross vehicle weight rating
(GVWR) is unavailable for purchase. A ZEB bus type is considered unavailable for purchase for
any of the following reasons:
a. The ZEB has not passed the complete Bus Testing and not obtained a Bus Testing
Report
b. The ZEB cannot be configured to meet applicable requirements of the Americans with
Disabilities Act
c. The physical characteristics of the ZEB would result in a transit agency violating any
federal, state, or local laws, regulations, or ordinances
5. When a ZEB cannot be purchased by a transit agency due to financial hardship. Financial
hardship would be granted for the following reasons:
a. If a fiscal emergency is declared under a resolution by a transit agency’s governing body
following a public hearing
b. A transit agency can demonstrate that it cannot offset the incremental cost of purchasing
all available ZEBs compared to the cost of the same type of conventional bus
c. A transit agency can demonstrate that it cannot offset the managed, net electricity cost
for depot charging BEBs when compared to the fuel cost of the same type of
conventional ICE buses
If a transit agency wishes to request an exemption, they must provide documentation demonstrating the
criteria are met. Required documentation for each exemption is summarized in Table 3. In addition, a
request for exemption for a particular calendar year’s compliance obligation must be submitted by
November 30th of that year.4 5
Table 3: Required documentation for ZEB purchase exemptions
Criteria Required Documentation
1. Delay in bus delivery and
infrastructure construction
• A letter from the agency’s governing body
• A letter from the contractor, utility, building department, or
other involved organizations explaining the reasons for delay
and estimating the project completion date
5 https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2019-10/ictfro-Clean-Final_0.pdf
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Criteria Required Documentation
2. Available ZEBs cannot
meet transit agency’s daily
mileage needs
• An explanation of why the exemption is needed
• A current monthly mileage report for each bus type
• A copy of the ZEB RFP and resulting bids showing rated
battery capacity
• If available, measured energy use data from ZEBs operated
on daily assignments in the transit agency’s service
3. Available ZEBs do not
have adequate
gradeability performance
to meet the transit
agency’s daily needs
• Documentation showing no other buses in the fleet can meet
the gradeability requirements and the ZEBS of that bus type
cannot be placed into service anywhere else in the fleet
• Topography information including measurement of the
grade(s) where the ZEBS would be placed in service
• A description of the bus types that currently serve the
route(s)
• An explanation of why the gradeability of all available ZEBs
are insufficient to meet the transit agency’s service needs
• A copy of the ZEB RFP, specifying the transit agency’s
required gradeability and the resulting bids
• If available, empirical data including grades, passenger
loading, and speed data from available ZEBs operated on the
same grade
4. When a required ZEB for
the applicable weight class
based on GVWR is
unavailable for purchase
• A summary of all bus body-types, vehicle weight classes
being purchased, chassis, reasons why ZEBs are unavailable
for purchase
• Current fleet information showing how many ZEBs of that bus
type are already in service and how many are on order
• If applicable, documentation showing that ADA requirements
cannot be met
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Criteria Required Documentation
• If applicable, a letter from its governing body that details how
the physical characteristics of the ZEB would violate federal,
state, or local law
5. When a ZEB cannot be
purchased by a transit
agency due to financial
hardship
• A resolution by the transit agency’s governing body declaring
a fiscal emergency
• Documentation showing the transit agency cannot offset the
initial capital cost of purchasing ZEBs
Taken together, CARB recognizes the challenges that transit agencies will face when adopting ZEBs and
wants to avoid hardships around finances and service delivery. As such, if MCT faces certain challenges
for a particular year, for example, if it does not have sufficient capital funds available to purchase a
planned ZEB procurement, then MCT can apply for an exemption to CARB by documenting that MCT
cannot offset the incremental cost of a ZEB compared to a conventional fossil fuel vehicle. Nonetheless,
the ZEB rollout and transition plan in this document is built upon assumptions that MCT will have
sufficient funding to carry out the transition. As such, the CARB ICT plan is a living document that is
flexible and can be amended to account for circumstances that require exemptions or shifting of ZEB
procurement or other implementation steps.
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3.0 APPROACH TO ZEB PLANNING
The graphic in Figure 2 provides a high-level schematic of the major steps in this project to derive a
recommended fleet concept and develop an implementation plan.
Figure 2: Schematic Representation of the Steps in the ZEB Planning Process
The first step involved a review of the existing conditions of MCT’s fleet, facility, and service delivery to
provide a foundation and understanding of MCT’s operations and business processes that would be
impacted by a transition to a ZEB fleet. An assessment of the maintenance facility provided insights into
the constraints and opportunities for implementing ZEBs, as well as the condition of the facilities,
buildings, and existing service cycle. As MCT’s fleet is mainly stored and maintained at the Thousand
Oaks MSC together with the TOT fleet, it is important to jointly develop an approach to the adoption of
ZEB fleet technologies and infrastructure upgrades.
Next, we used computer modeling to simulate the performance of ZEBs on MCT’s service blocks and
vehicle assignments. The modeling provided predicted vehicle performance, including fuel economy,
operating ranges, and feasibility of the different ZEB technologies. The analysis showed that battery-
electric buses (BEBs) could successfully to deliver MCT’s fixed-route services by replacing CNG
vehicles in a 1:1 manner.
MCT is planning to use fossil fuel vans to deliver its microtransit service because the vehicles are not
subject to the CARB ICT mandate.5 6 However, microtransit services were still modeled to better
understand what a fleet transition to ZEBs would entail. The daily ranges currently driven by MCT’s
6 ICT regulation applies to vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) greater than 14,000 lbs.
https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/resources/fact-sheets/innovative-clean-transit-ict-regulation-fact-sheet
Analysis of Operations and Exisiting Conditions
+
Market Scan of ZEB
Technologies
Fleet Modeling Defining the Preferred Fleet Alternative
Site Planning and
Implementation/Phasing Strategic Rollout Plan
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vehicles exceed the operating ranges of BE cutaways; about 37% of the service would be unable to be
completed as today with BE cutaways.
As a backup plan to the continued use of fossil fuel vans, we worked with MCT staff to devise potential
vehicle scheduling solutions that could enable MCT to operate the microtransit service with electric
passenger vans. With its current service, MCT would need to use a larger fleet for contingency
purposes, as well as midday charging and vehicle exchanges to match the service delivery of fossil fuel
vans. As battery technology improves, MCT may find that vehicles could achieve a 1:1 replacement ratio
without requiring substantial changes to its blocking or midday charging.
Subsequently, working with MCT staff, we developed a fleet transition/implementation plan that
transitions the current fleet with BEBs, along with a phasing strategy for chargers and facility
modifications. Section 5.0 describes the fleet composition and recommendations and Section 5.3
describes the fleet phasing strategy. Section 7.0 describes the maintenance facility modifications
required to implement and deploy the BEB fleet.
With the identification of required facility modifications and impacts on capital and operating costs,
Stantec developed a high-level financial assessment for the ZEB rollout through 2040 (Section 8.0).
Operating and planning considerations (Section 9.0, 10.0), workforce training (Section 11.0), potential
funding sources (Section 12.0), and service in disadvantaged communities (13.0 are also reviewed and
discussed.
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4.0 SUMMARY OF KEY EXISTING CONDITIONS
This section of the report provides an overview and analysis of MCT’s fleet and operations, with the
overall intent of laying the groundwork for the modeling and ZEB rollout plan development. All information
has been provided by MCT, the National Transit Database (NTD), or online resources unless stated
otherwise.6 7
4.1 FLEET
MCT currently operates a fleet of 5 heavy-duty transit buses for fixed-route service and 3 vehicles for its
microtransit service, summarized in Table 4. The microtransit vehicles are being leased from the
contracted operator, First Transit. Two microtransit vehicles are used daily, with one vehicle serving as a
backup. All fixed-route and microtransit vehicles are within the FTA’s useful life benchmarks.7 8
Table 4: MCT revenue service fleet
Make and Model Length Year Fuel Route/Service Exceeds Useful
Life Benchmark
El Dorado Bus 32 ft. 2010 CNG Fixed Route No
El Dorado Bus 32 ft. 2010 CNG Fixed Route No
El Dorado Bus 32 ft. 2010 CNG Fixed Route No
El Dorado Bus 32 ft. 2015 CNG Fixed Route No
El Dorado Bus 32 ft. 2015 CNG Fixed Route No
Braun Voyager Minivan NA 2021 Gas Microtransit No
Braun Voyager Minivan NA 2021 Gas Microtransit No
Allstar E350 Cutaway NA 2021 Gas Microtransit No
4.2 FACILITIES
Currently, MCT stores its vehicles at two locations. The principal location for its fleet (fixed-route buses) is
at the Thousand Oaks MSC at 1993 Rancho Conejo Blvd (Figure 3). The microtransit vehicles are
currently stored at a parking lot behind the Moorpark City Library at 699 Moorpark Ave (Figure 4).
7 All data based on pre-COVID-19 pandemic unless otherwise stated.
8 https://www.transit.dot.gov/sites/fta.dot.gov/files/2021-11/TAM-ULB-CheatSheet.pdf
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Figure 3: MCT fixed-route bus at Thousand Oaks Municipal Service Center
Figure 4: Moorpark City Library
The City of Moorpark also owns a maintenance yard located at 627 Fitch Ave. Currently, there is not
enough capacity for MCT to store its vehicles here. However, if ZEVs are procured for the microtransit
program, this could be a potential storage location. The maintenance yard is shown in Figure 5.
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Figure 5: City of Moorpark maintenance yard
MCT’s fixed-route buses use compressed natural gas (CNG) and are fueled at the Thousand Oaks MSC,
shown in Figure 6. Fueling occurs either at a fueling station through fast fueling, or slow fueling when
vehicles are parked. Microtransit vehicles use unleaded gas and are fueled at various gas stations around
Moorpark.
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Figure 6: MCT fixed-route vehicle fueling
4.3 CURRENT SERVICE
Fixed Route
MCT operates two fixed routes. Route 1 runs Monday through Friday from 6:30 AM to 5:30 PM, and
Route 2 runs Monday through Friday from 6:00 AM to 5:55 PM. Bus tickets can be purchased at
Moorpark City Hall. Smart cards are also available and can be purchased at Ventura County
Transportation Commission’s (VCTC) sales outlet operators located throughout Ventura County.
A maximum of two buses are in service during hours of operation to operate the two routes. Buses are
assigned to one route per day, and the buses are rotated to ensure all five buses are used monthly.
Buses are generally not reassigned midday, except for maintenance or due to breakdowns.
As shown in Figure 7, MCT’s fixed-route service remained relatively stable between 2017 and 2019, with
total revenue hours dropping to 5,358 in 2020. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, revenue hours
recovered in 2021 with approximately 6,000 annual revenue hours.
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Figure 7: Annual fixed-route revenue hours
Building upon this metric, historical boardings per hour and operating cost per hour are summarized in
Table 5. Overall, a 77% decrease in boardings per hour and an 18% increase in operating cost per hour
occurred between 2017 and 2021.
Table 5: Additional fixed-route revenue hour metrics
Fiscal Year 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Boardings per Hour 9.9 8.8 8.6 6.3 2.3
Cost per Hour $132.83 $151.37 $141.74 $156.32 $156.31
Similarly, Figure 8 shows that annual revenue miles remained stable between 2017 and 2019, with a
slight decrease in 2020. Annual revenue service miles increased in 2021, with approximately 87,000
miles for the year.
5,896 5,780 5,782
5,358
6,036
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Re
v
e
n
u
e
H
o
u
r
s
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Figure 8: Annual fixed-route service miles
Boardings per mile and operating cost per mile are summarized in Table 6. A 71% decrease in boardings
per mile and a 20% increase in operating cost per mile was observed for the five-year period. This mirrors
the annual service hour trends, though cost increased more on a per-mile than a per-hour basis.
Table 6: Additional fixed-route service mile metrics
Fiscal Year 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Boardings per Mile 0.7 0.6 0.6 0.4 0.2
Cost per Mile $9.05 $10.39 $9.82 $10.67 $10.83
Microtransit
MCT launched an on-demand microtransit pilot program, MCT OnDemand, in April 2022. This service is
operated by First Transit, and service hours are Monday through Friday from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The
cost is $1.00 for a one-way trip, $0.50 for seniors over 65 years old and ADA cardholders, and free for
college students.8 9 Riders can request a ride at one of the over 100 virtual stops, located at bus stops and
well-lit areas around Moorpark. Rides can be requested at any time and up to seven days in advance.
Payment can be made using credit card, cash, or a Moorpark City Transit Pass or Transfer Pass.
9 Passengers with a college ID from Moorpark College, Oxnard College, Ventura College, California Lutheran University, and
California State University Channel Islands.
86,506 84,231 83,416
78,487
87,093
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Re
v
e
n
u
e
M
i
l
e
s
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Monthly data from April-November of 2022 of the pilot program is analyzed below. It is important to note
that because the program is in a pilot phase, it is new and growing. Therefore, historic data might not
accurately represent or predict future service as the program continues to develop.
As shown in Figure 9, MCT OnDemand revenue hours increased steadily over the eight-month period,
almost doubling between April and November.
Figure 9: Microtransit monthly revenue hours (April – November 2022)
Monthly revenue miles saw dramatic growth over the eight months. Revenue miles in November were
nearly nine times greater than the revenue miles in April (Figure 10).
Figure 10: Microtransit monthly revenue miles (April – November 2022)
Mirroring the trend seen for monthly revenue miles, monthly passengers increased rapidly month over
month. The total number of passengers who rode in November was more than thirteen times greater than
the number of passengers who used the service in April (Figure 11).
209
301 314 284
371 378 372
409
-
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
Ho
u
r
s
524 953 1,336
1,905
3,443
4,444 4,886 4,979
-
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
April May June July August September October November
Mi
l
e
s
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Figure 11: Microtransit total monthly passengers (April – November 2022)
4.4 DAILY BLOCK MILEAGE
It is important to understand how MCT’s vehicles are used throughout the day, and specifically when
these vehicles are in and out of service. This helps identify constraints and opportunities for charging
schedules and inform preliminary fleet mix and energy requirements.
Fixed Route
MCT schedules its fixed route service so that one vehicle is operating on one route all day. Because of
this, vehicles are in operation throughout the service day, approximately 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Figure 12
shows that vehicles also travel long distances to provide service to MCT customers. This figure shows the
distribution of routes (and vehicles) by their daily mileage assignments, inclusive of deadhead mileage.
On an average weekday, one vehicle travels 184 miles on Route 1, and another travels 203 miles on
Route 2. This may present a challenge for ZEBs due to the limited range and time for recharging and
refueling throughout the day.
85
166
321
476
801
956
1,094
1,200
-
200
400
600
800
1,000
1,200
1,400
April May June July August September October November
Pa
s
s
e
n
g
e
r
s
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Figure 12: MCT fixed route daily vehicle mileage
Microtransit
MCT is conducting a pilot for an on-demand microtransit service using a combination of cutaways and
vans. Although MCT does not currently have plans to procure ZEVs for the microtransit program, data
from the pilot period was analyzed in case the agency decides to convert to ZEVs in the future.
Run-level data for April-November 2022 was analyzed to gain an understanding of the variation of how far
the vehicles travel within a day and to ultimately provide a range of expected fuel efficiencies. It is
important to note that the program is currently in a pilot phase, so historic data might not accurately
represent future service patterns as the program continues to expand.
The box and whisker plot in Figure 13 is designed to show the variety of vehicle mileages. For each
vehicle the box and whisker plots below show different statistics regarding mileage per day: the minimum
(bottom whisker), first quartile (bottom of the box), median (line within the box), third quartile (top of the
box), and maximum (top whisker). The X in the middle of each box is the mean for that dataset.
326 runs were analyzed for the period, with an average distance of 69 miles and a median distance of 58
miles. The longest distance traveled in one day by one vehicle was 154 miles.
152 171.8
32.4
31.5
0
50
100
150
200
250
Route 1 Route 2
Da
i
l
y
m
i
l
e
s
Revenue Deadhead
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Figure 13: Daily mileage for microtransit vehicles (April – November 2022)
4.5 FUTURE SERVICE DELIVERY
MCT will be shifting its service delivery model in the future. It will provide fixed-route service only during
the peak periods of 8:00 AM and 3:00 PM on schooldays and run MCT OnDemand service throughout
the day to complement fixed-route service. Although more detailed modeling is needed to fully
understand future needs, it is expected that fewer than the current five fixed-route buses will be
necessary to support the new service model. A more ‘on-demand’ or flexible service delivery model,
however, introduces other challenges for a ZEB fleet particularly due to limited operating range of smaller
vehicles and the lack of mature vehicle models that are traditionally used for demand-response services,
like cutaways and passenger vans.
The City of Moorpark currently has funding to procure two ZEBs for fixed-route service. The ZEBs will be
stored at the Thousand Oaks Municipal Service Center. MCT will work collaboratively with Thousand
Oaks Transit (TOT) to address charging infrastructure installation and charging costs. MCT does not
currently have plans to procure ZEVs for its microtransit service since these vehicles weigh less than the
14,000-lbs threshold for the ICT regulation. However, if MCT does decide to pursue ZEVs for this service,
the vehicle(s) will be stored at the City of Moorpark maintenance yard. The maintenance yard does not
currently have charging infrastructure, so the site will need to be assessed for feasibility and installation
costs.
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5.0 PREFERRED/RECOMMENDED FLEET COMPOSITION
This section describes the modeling and analysis that was used to develop viable fleet concepts and
specify a preferred ZEB fleet for rollout planning purposes.
5.1 FLEET AND POWER MODELING OVERVIEW
Energy modeling uses a two-pronged approach to understanding ZEB feasibility. The two-pronged
approach first examines route-level operations, and secondly, examines fuel economy by aggregating
route-level outputs to provide block/vehicle level fuel/energy requirements. In this way, Stantec and MCT
will understand how BEBs perform under MCT’s operating conditions, providing a more realistic estimate
of operating range and energy consumption, ultimately informing technology selection.
Figure 14 provides a schematic overview of the modeling process. The predictive ZEB performance
modeling depends on several inputs, such as actual passenger loads, driving dynamics, topography,
vehicle specifications, and ambient conditions subject to the environment in which the agency operates.
Figure 14: Modeling overview
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Modeling Inputs
The ZEVDecide modeling process predicts ZEB drivetrain power requirements specific to given
acceleration profiles. The following inputs are included in the model to determine the feasibility of different
ZEB technologies under MCT’s operating conditions:
Bus/vehicle specifications: the bus specification inputs used in the modeling are shown in Figure 15.
For MCT, the key BEB specifications used in the modeling process for each service type are shown in
Table 7. These specifications are based on currently available models and available manufacturer
information.
Figure 15: Schematic of the inputs for bus specifications.
Table 7: BEB Specifications for Energy Modeling
BEB
models Heavy-Duty 32-ft BEB BE Passenger Van
Battery
(kWh) 435 120
Curb
Weight
(lbs.)
26,000 14,330
Services
modeled Fixed-route Microtransit
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BEB
models Heavy-Duty 32-ft BEB BE Passenger Van
Representative driving cycles: Assigning representative driving cycles, also called acceleration profiles
or duty cycles, is the other major step in the energy modeling. A driving cycle is a speed versus time
profile that is used to simulate the vehicle performance, and consequently, the energy use.
Representative diving cycles were assigned to all routes based on MCT’s operations and observed
driving conditions. The driving cycles have been created from data collection of real-world operations or
from chassis dynamometer tests and have been convened by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory
in a drive cycle database called DriveCAT 9 10.
Passenger loads: As the total weight of a ZEB impacts its performance, it is important to understand and
capture passenger loads in the modeling process. To examine the impacts of passenger loads and its
associated weight10 11, fixed route blocks were modeled with a high (75% of seated capacity full) and low
(25% of seated capacity full) passenger load. This allows for comparison of efficiency and performance
between when the vehicle is almost full vs. when the vehicle is almost empty.
Ambient temperature: The ambient temperature has a significant impact in the fuel economy of the
ZEBs since it is directly related to the power output from the batteries required for the heating, ventilation,
and air conditioning (HVAC) system. Stantec developed a correlation between ambient temperature and
power requirements from the HVAC system. For example, moderate daily temperatures (between 55 °F
and 65 °F) can have a nominal power demand on the HVAC system of up to 4 kW. Colder temperatures
(below 45 °F) or hotter temperatures (above 70 °F) can represent more strenuous loads of up to 12 kW.
The power requirement for modeling purposes was set based on an annual average low temperature
average of 45 °F 11 12.
Topography and elevation: While MCT’s service area does not have significant impacts from elevation
and topography, it is still important to account for the impacts of terrain and elevation on ZEB energy
efficiency and performance.
The first step in the route elevation analysis is to determine the elevation gains and losses seen across
MCT’s routes. Furthermore, the total elevation gains inform the maximum and average grades across each
10 NREL DriveCAT - Chassis Dynamometer Drive Cycles. (2019). National Renewable Energy
Laboratory. www.nrel.gov/transportation/drive-cycle-tool
11 Estimated average passenger weight—170 lbs.
12 US Climate Data https://www.usclimatedata.com/climate/thousand-oaks/california/united-states/usca1549
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route. From there, an analysis of elevation based on route alignments was undertaken for each route (Table
8).
Table 8: Elevation Analysis
Route Average slope Max slope Weighted
average slope
Route 1 1.9% 12.1% 4.5%
Route 2 1.7% 10.1% 4.0%
Each route shapefile (derived from GTFS data) was downloaded in Google Earth to create an elevation
profile and understand the total elevation gains/losses seen for each route in the system (example for
Route 1 in Figure 16). Additionally, the average and maximum grades for each route were similarly
determined using these elevation profiles, which were used as the inputs for the topography analysis.
Figure 16: Elevation Profile Example (Route 1)
Source: Google Earth
Modeling Process
Using the inputs above, the model was used to estimate the fuel economy for each route. To account for
the impacts of interlining, deadheading, etc., the modeling also aggregates route-level results to produce
a vehicle-level fuel economy and energy use metric.
After the route-level modeling was completed, fuel economies were aggregated by block and by vehicle
to determine total energy consumption for each vehicle.
The results of the modeling provided insight into:
• Fuel economy and energy requirements
• Operating range
• BEB feasibility. This is determined through state of charge (SOC); the vehicle assignment can be
successfully completed with a BEB if it can complete its scheduled service with at least 20%
battery SOC.
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Modeling Results – Fixed-Route
The overall energy demand per block was obtained by aggregating the energy consumption from each
trip according to the route-level results. The two routes operated by MCT were modeled using BEBs. If a
vehicle finishes the route with less than 20% of the battery charge remaining, then the route cannot be
successfully completed using BEBs on a 1:1 replacement ratio.12 13
The results in Figure 17 indicate that considering either low passenger or high passenger loads, both
routes can be completed with at 20% SOC; route 2 with a high passenger load comes closest to the
cutoff threshold at 20%.
Figure 17: SOC of MCT’s Fixed-Routes
Table 9 provides a summary of average fuel efficiency and maximum range based on the modeling.
Overall, the modeling predicts that a 32-ft BEB with the specifications modeled and considering MCT’s
operations could achieve ~215 miles on a single charge.
13 OEMs recommend that a BEB charge only to 90% of its total battery capacity and not drop below 10% state of charge (SOC) to
preserve battery life; dipping below 10% can void the battery’s warranty.
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Table 9: Average Fuel Efficiency for Fixed Route BEB Modeling Results
Vehicle type Average fuel efficiency (kWh/mi) Estimated max. range (mi)
32-ft BEB (435 kWh) 1.83 215
Modeling Results – Microtransit
For the microtransit service, we modeled each of the two vehicles operated on a typical day and used the
service data from April through November 2022 to create a statistical distribution of each vehicle’s SOC
after an average day of service.
Figure 18 plots the results of each of the service days modeled. About 63% of MCT’s microtransit service
is electrifiable with BE cutaways with an average fuel economy of 1.05 kWh/mi, and an estimated range
of ~90-95 miles.
Figure 18: SOC of MCT’s Microtransit Service
Since cutaways have smaller batteries and the microtransit service is a demand-response service that
can see a wide range of mileages, the overall electrification of microtransit services will be a more
significant challenge than MCT’s fixed-routes.
Fa
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5.2 ZE FLEET RECOMMENDATIONS AND IMPLICATIONS
Based on modeling results, operational realities, future service plans, discussions with the agency and
stakeholders, and logistical considerations, converting MCT’s fixed-route CNG vehicles to BEB vehicles
would be straightforward. Two active 32-ft BEBs would be needed and would operate in a similar manner
as the CNG vehicles. A total fleet size of 3 heavy-duty buses is considered here because MCT plans to
shift some of its fixed-route service to demand response, reducing the fixed-route fleet size from five
vehicles to three. If these plans change, or if service is expanded or decreased, the total fleet size would
need to be adjusted. Furthermore, we envisage that only one dual-dispenser 120 kW DC fast charger
would be needed; however, as part of the site planning with TOT, considerations for redundancy and fleet
interoperability uncovered a need for one dispenser per bus. As such, the proposal is for a total of 3 EV
charging dispensers.
Charging Profile
Given the ongoing coordination between MCT and TOT, the City of Thousand Oaks Municipal Service
Center will undertake installation of charging equipment and that will include 3 EV charging dispenser
dedicated to the MCT fleet. The charging of the fleet will likely take place at the same time the TOT fleet
will be charging so it was optional to anticipate the load at the facility for these two fleets combined. Given
the fleet operations and considering the desire to avoid peak network times for charging, 19 charging
connections of 60-kW each with single dispensers would be sufficient to support the fixed-route fleets
charging. Additionally, TOT will install three level 2 chargers, two with dual dispensers and one with a
single dispenser for a total of five level 2 connectors for their smaller vehicles and six chargers each at
60-kW with dual dispensers for a total of 12 cutaway charging locations.
The proposed charging profile (Figure 19) would create a peak power demand of 660 kW, and no
charging would be required between the hours of 4:00 pm and 9:00 pm to avoid using electricity when it is
most expensive (network peak hours).
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Figure 19: MCT Facility Charging Profile
5.3 MICROTRANSIT CONSIDERATIONS
The operating profile of the microtransit service is a challenge to electrify, given the shortcomings of
current ZEB vans and cutaways. MCT also envisions operating microtransit in the future with minivans;
gas minivans fall below the 14,000 lbs. GVWR threshold of the ICT regulation. As such, for the purposes
of the ZEB Rollout Plan and ICT regulation, the microtransit fleet is not considered for ZEB transition. In
the future as technology matures and as service delivery evolves, MCT can revisit its propulsion
technology for the microtransit service.
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6.0 FLEET PROCUREMENT SCHEDULE
Stantec prepared a fleet phasing and purchase schedule for the proposed fixed-route fleet of 3 vehicles.
Table 10 shows the proposed fleet purchase schedule and bus fleet summary.
Several factors were considered in the development of this replacement schedule:
• CARB has set out requirements that the transition to 100% ZE fleets be completed by 2040 and
that 100% of new vehicle purchases are required to be ZE starting in 2029. The earliest
procurements for a small fleet operator need to take place in 2026 with at least 25% of all
purchases being ZE starting in that year.
• Useful life benchmarks (ULB) of zero-emissions vehicles must be taken into consideration to
ensure that vehicles are safe and in good repair. For this analysis, we used a ULB of 14 years for
heavy-duty buses based on the FTA’s default ULBs.13 14
• MCT plans to shift its service delivery model to provide fixed-route service only during the peak
periods of 8:00 AM and 3:00 PM on schooldays and run MCT OnDemand service throughout the
day to complement fixed-route service. Because of this, the fleet transition plan assumes a
decrease in the fixed-route fleet from 5 vehicles to 3 vehicles.
Table 10 shows the transition schedule from CNG to BEBs, with the timeline extending from 2023 to 2040
(the CARB-mandated final year for 100% ZE fleet transition). Note the fleet replacement plan presented
below indicates the vehicle purchase order date.
Based on the concept schedule below, the table shows that MCT will meet and exceed all the CARB-
mandated deadlines for ZEB purchases and transitions.
• ZEB purchases begin in 2024, with the mandate starting in 2026.
• 100% ZEB fleet replacement should be completed by 2040, and MCT could meet this
requirement by 2028, based on this schedule. Actual phasing will strongly depend on the ability of
MCT to procure competitive funding to finance capital requirements of the transition.
14 Default Useful Life Benchmark (ULB) Cheat Sheet (dot.gov)
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Table 10: Proposed Fleet Purchase Schedule
Fleet Forecast 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034 2035 2036 2037 2038 2039 2040
Total retirements 0 -2 0 0 -1 -2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 -2 0 0 -1
Total ZEB purchases 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1
Total fleet size 5 5 5 5 5 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
Total ZEBs 0 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
% ZEB Purchases NA 100% NA NA 100% NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 100% NA NA 100%
Fleet % ZEB 0% 40% 40% 40% 60% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
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7.0 FACILITY/FUELING INFRASTRUCTURE MODIFICATIONS
This section outlines general facility and fueling infrastructure needs for MCT’s fixed-route fleet
electrification. The concept proposed ground-mounted dispensers and charging cabinets. As a partner of
TOT and a tenant of the MSC, MCT will need to collaborate closely with TOT and the City of Thousand
Oaks on any approach to phasing and implementing chargers. In particular, consolidating and
coordinating the deployment of chargers and related upgrades like transformers and switchgears is
prudent to benefit from economies of scale and minimize disruption to the yard and operations during
construction.
7.1 CONCEPTUAL CHARGING EQUIPMENT
The basis-of-design charging equipment for planning purposes of this report is the ChargePoint Express
250 DC fast charging station (Figure 20). Each station offers 60 kW of charging capacity, and two
chargers can be paired together to deliver up to 120 kW of power to one bus at a time. This charging
station is currently on SCE’s approved product list for the Charge Ready Transport program and has
been successfully installed at many other transit agencies throughout Southern California.
There are many other manufacturers and available charging equipment. The CPE 250 system is
included here for illustrative purposes only. MCT should closely consider and evaluate multiple
manufacturers and systems for suitability to MCT’s operations and budget.
Figure 20: ChargePoint Express 250 charging station (image from CP website)
The site layout below demonstrates the revised parking layout. To consolidate the electrical equipment
and chargers for economic and strategic reasons, the plan calls for the MCT vehicles to be parked a bit
further south of where they are currently parked, as noted by the purple-colored buses in Figure 21.
Storing and charging the MCT vehicles closer to the TOT vehicles will help reduce some of the costs
related to conduit, cabling, trenching, and other cost items driven by length/quantity.
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Figure 21: TOT / MCT ZEB Site Conceptual Master Plan
7.2 GRID CONNECTION UPGRADES
The facility will require new electrical service connections from SCE. The utility will likely require that a
service study be performed to identify any transmission or distribution system upgrades that may be
needed to support the additional power demands from the bus chargers. It will be up to the utility to
determine if the local power distribution system has the capacity to serve MCT’s new charging loads as
well as any other planned loads in the area. Initial discussions with SCE during this project indicated that
there may be capacity for a limited number of BEB chargers.
The recommendations here are focused on those infrastructure upgrades that are to be located on the
facility property and do not include any required utility system upgrades that the service study may
identify. The extent and timing of the system upgrades will determine the net cost to the agency.
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The proposed BEB charging system would require a new 1500 kVA, 480 V, 3-phase service from SCE to
serve the entire fleet (TOT and MCT). To access this level of service, it is anticipated that a new SCE
service will be required and fed from the utility distribution lines running along the adjacent streets. The
total BEB charging demand is significantly greater than the existing building electrical feeder capacity and
it is typical to have a dedicated electrical feed for the charging equipment that is separate from the
building feeder. This configuration simplifies operations and allows for dedicated BEB charging metering
which can be necessary to take advantage of utility incentive rate structures.
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8.0 FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS
To implement the ZEB Rollout Plan, the costliest items are the ZEBs that are more expensive than fossil
fuel buses, as well as the infrastructure and chargers. Utilizing the Fleet Procurement Schedule from
Section 6.0, a high-level cost estimate was created.
The table below summarizes the estimated unit costs for the ZEB and chargers that are recommended in
the ZEB plan and the quantity that will need to be procured over the lifespan of the CARB plan (through
2040). Utilizing high end cost estimates, Table 11 provides the anticipated costs through the 2040 horizon
of the ZEB Rollout Plan timeline.
Table 11: ZE Cost Estimates through 2040
Capital Item Unit Cost (2023
dollars)
Quantity required
through 2040
Total Capital Costs
(2023 dollars)
BEB 30/32-ft (400 kWh+) $750,000 614 15 $4,500,000
125-kW dual-dispenser charger $100,000 3 $300,000
The cost listed above for the 125-kW chargers do not include installation or testing fees. MCT will need to
work with TOT (and SCE) to develop an understanding of installation costs and other costs associated
with the upgrades of electrical equipment and settle on an agreement for cost sharing; these
considerations are beyond the scope of this project. Collaboration can help MCT determine the most
financially viable solution for the deployment of electrical infrastructure to support the chargers, including
rebates for SCE-approved chargers.
15 Three ZEBs are to be purchased in 2024 and three ZEBs are to be purchased in 2037 to replace the ones procured in 2024.
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9.0 OPERATIONAL AND PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS
This section provides guidance and strategies for various operational and planning requirements when
implementing BEBs.
9.1 PLANNING, SCHEDULING, AND RUNCUTTING
According to the phasing schedule, the first ZEBs will be purchased in 2024, but construction and
deployment of chargers will need to occur prior to that, preferably at least 4-6 months ahead of the
acquisition.
Key considerations for BEB planning and scheduling include the fact that the useable energy of the
battery is 80% of the nameplate capacity. In other words, while MCT may purchase buses that have a
492-kWh battery, for instance, it should plan for 80% of that capacity or ~393 kWh. This fact, together
with the modeling conducted by the Stantec team in this study, will help guide the deployment and
charging parameters for BEBs in MCT’s operations scheduling.
Developing a guide like the depot planning tool from Siemens below (Figure 22) that tracks the
requirements for SOC, energy (kWh), estimated and planned mileages, and fuel economy (kWh per
mile) will be important for planning and dispatching.
Figure 22: Depot Planning Tool to Understand Scheduling and Operations of BEBs
(Source: Siemens)
Non-revenue tests during vehicle commissioning should be conducted to establish actual range and fuel
economy on longer routes, routes with topography variations, and with simulated passenger loads and
HVAC testing. Regarding HVAC testing, it is important to keep in mind that energy consumption varies
with seasonality.
Training for the scheduling and planning team will be needed to understand the importance of
scheduling BEBs to the correct blocks. Training will also likely be needed in collaboration with MCT’s
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scheduling software provider to account for hybrid deployments of BEB and fossil fuel buses, and finally
an entirely-BEB operation.
In the long term, it is also important to consider battery capacity degradation; most BEB battery
warranties specify that expected end of life capacity is 70% to 80% of the original capacity over six to
twelve years15 16. With an estimated 2% battery degradation per year, MCT will also need to rotate buses
so that older buses are assigned shorter blocks, while newer BEBs are assigned the longest blocks.
Transit agencies can improve battery outcomes through efforts like avoiding full charging and
discharging events, avoiding extreme temperature exposure, and performing regular maintenance on
auxiliary systems that consume energy.
Overall, developing specific performance measures, goals, and objectives for ZEB deployment can also
help to track ZEB progress and understand if adjustments to the ZEB deployment strategy will be
required.
9.2 OPERATOR CONSIDERATIONS
As BEBs have different components and controls than conventional buses, BEB bus performance also
differs. Operators should understand how to maximize BEB efficiency—such as mastering regenerative
braking and handling during slick conditions—and have hands-on experience prior to ZEB deployment
for revenue service. Operations staff should also be briefed on expected range and limitations of BEBs
(such as variability in energy consumption from HVAC under different weather conditions) as well as
expected recharging times and procedures.
BEB operators should be able to understand battery SOC, remaining operating time, estimated range,
and other system notifications as well as become familiar with the dashboard controls and warning
signals. In addition, operators should be familiar with the correct procedures when a warning signal
appears.
It is well known that driving habits have a significant effect on BEB energy consumption and overall
performance and range (i.e., fuel economy can vary significant between operators). Training is required
to assure that operators are knowledgeable on the principles of regenerative braking, mechanical
braking, hill holding, and roll back. Operators should also be trained on optimal driving habits including
recommended levels of acceleration and deceleration that will maximize fuel efficiency. Another option is
to implement a positive incentive program that encourages operators to practice optimal driving habits
for BEBs; this can be accomplished through rewards like priority parking in the employee lot, certificates,
or other incentives. The Antelope Valley Transit Authority in Lancaster, California, an early adopter of
BEBs, has a program of friendly competition between operators, where, for instance, an operator with
the best average monthly fuel economy (the lowest kWh per mile) receives one month of a preferred
parking spot in the employee lot.
Finally, BEBs are much quieter than conventional fuel buses. Operators need to be aware of this and
that pedestrians or people around the bus may not be aware of its presence. Agencies have also stated
16 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 2020. Guidebook for Deploying Zero-Emission Transit Buses.
Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25842.
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that due to the vehicle’s lack of noise, some operators forget to turn off the bus after parking, so operator
training needs to address this as well.
9.3 MAINTENANCE CONSIDERATIONS
Early data suggests that ZEBs may require less preventative maintenance than their counterparts with
combustion engines since they have fewer moving parts; however, not enough data currently exists to
provide detailed insights into long-term maintenance practices for large-scale ZEB deployment in North
America, particularly for cutaways and vans. One early finding is that spare parts may not be readily
available, so one maintenance consideration is to coordinate with OEMs and component manufacturers
to develop spare parts inventories and understand lead times for spare parts. It will also be important for
MCT to coordinate spare parts procurement needed for ongoing ZEB maintenance sooner rather than
later so maintenance can be completed without interruption.
In terms of preventative maintenance, BEB propulsion systems are more efficient than internal
combustion engines and thus can result in less wear and tear. Without the fossil fuel engine and
exhaust, there are 30% fewer mechanical parts on a BEB. BEBs also do not require oil changes and the
use of regenerative braking can help to extend the useful life of brake pads. Early studies from King
County Metro show that the highest percentage of maintenance costs for BEBs came from the cab,
body, and accessories system. It is recommended that MCT require OEMs to provide a list of activities,
preventative maintenance time intervals, skills needed, and required parts needed to complete each
preventative maintenance task for BEBs.
Many current BEBs also contain on-board communication systems, which are helpful in providing
detailed bus performance data and report error messages, which can assist maintenance personnel in
quickly identifying and diagnosing maintenance issues.
9.4 CHARGING NEEDS
BEB recharging is substantially different than fueling a fossil fuel bus. As part of the recommendations,
plug-in chargers (125 kW) are proposed for BEB charging at the main operations and maintenance
facility. Once BEBs return to the yard and are parked, a service line technician or operator would plug in
the dispenser to recharge the bus. Smart charging software described in Section 10.0 (below) would
monitor and control overall charging levels to balance energy needs with overall power demand, in
essence helping ensure that BEBs are charged but that this charging is spread out to avoid large surges
in power demand.
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Figure 23: A BEB Plugged into a Charger.
9.5 BATTERY DEGRADATION
Battery degradation is unavoidable due to battery use and charging/recharging cycles. To some extent,
the magnitude and rate of degradation can be controlled by the user.
Following the recommendations of the manufacturer becomes especially important to preserve the
battery life. This includes charging the battery to a maximum of 90% SOC and not allowing the battery to
dip below 10% SOC. Furthermore, avoiding fast charging (below 300 kW) can help expand the lifespan of
the batteries, which will be the case for MCT according to the charging equipment recommendations
detailed in Section 5.2.
Nevertheless, natural battery degradation will always occur, and vehicle manufacturers are offering
extended warranties in their purchase agreements to account for battery degradation of 20% of its
nameplate capacity. Actual experience may differ, and MCT will need to work with its vendors to
understand warranty terms.
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10.0 TECHNOLOGY
Technology for ZEBs will help MCT manage the fleet and its investments in zero-emission propulsion.
First, for BEBs, charge management or smart charging technology is imperative to manage electrical
demand and to curb potentially costly demand charges and to mitigate maximum power requirements of
bus charging. Second, fleet tracking software, also known as telematics, typically provided by an OEM
will help track useful analytics related to the fleet and operations to help MCT make informed decisions.
10.1 SMART CHARGING
To optimize BEB charging by minimizing charging during peak times of the day and to restrain the total
power demand required for a BEB fleet, transit agencies deploy smart charging. Smart charging refers
to software, artificial intelligence, and switching processes that control when and how much charging
occurs, based on factors such as time of day, number of connected BEBs, and SOC of each BEB. This
requires chargers that are capable of being controlled as well as a software platform that can effectively
aggregate and manage these chargers. A best practice is to select chargers where the manufacturers
are participants in the Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP), a consortium of over 50 members focused
on bringing standardization to the communications of chargers with their network platform.
A simple example of smart charging is if buses A, B and C return to the bus yard and all have an SOC of
about 25%, all have 440 kWh battery packs, and all are plugged in in the order they arrived (A, B, C,
though within a few minutes of each other). Without smart charging, they would typically get charged
sequentially based on arrival time or based on SOC, with A getting charged first in about 2.2 hours, then
B would be charged after 4.4 hours, and C about 6.6 hours. But if bus C is scheduled for dispatch after
three hours, it would not be adequately charged.
But by implementing smart charging, the system would ‘know’ that bus C is to be dispatched first and
therefore would get the priority, charging first in 2.2 hours so it is ready in time for its ‘hour three’ rollout.
Another implementation is to mitigate energy demand when possible. For example, if two buses are
each connected to their own 150 kW charger and they both need 300 kWh of energy and if the buses do
not need to be dispatched for five hours, the system will only charge one bus at a time, thus generating
a demand of only 150 kW, while still fully charging both buses in four hours. However, if both buses
need to be deployed in two hours, the system will charge both simultaneously as needed to make
rollout. A smart charging system would help optimize costs by also avoiding or minimizing charging
during the most expensive times of day and help curb potential demand charges.
Well-planned and coordinated smart charging can significantly reduce the electric utility demand by
timing when and how much charging each bus receives. Estimations on the ideal number of chargers is
critical to the successful implementation of smart charging strategies.
There are several offerings in the industry for smart charging, charger management, and fleet
management from companies such as ViriCiti, I/O Systems, AMPLY Power, BetterFleet (previously
Evenergi), and Siemens. Additionally, the charger manufacturers all have their own native charge
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management software and platforms. These platforms have management functionality and integration
that often exceeds the abilities of the other platforms and provide data and functionality similar to that of
the third-party systems, particularly in the yard when BEBs are connected to the chargers. However, the
third-party platforms provide more robust data streams while the BEBs are on route, including real-time
information on SOC and usage rates. These platforms can cost well over $1,000 per bus per month,
depending on the number of buses, and type of package procured. BetterFleet’s cost is approximately
$15,000 for initial set-up and systems integration, while ongoing operating costs can be approximately
$20,000 per year.
Three leading charge management system (CMS) providers have been evaluated as shown in Table 12.
Information within this table was provided by the providers. This table indicates this point in time—at the
time of procurement the features and criteria should be verified with the provider. Note that Viriciti was
purchased by ChargePoint in 2021, the intent is to operate Viriciti separately from ChargePoint. A Buy
America evaluation will be required for these providers.
While smart charging software is particularly important for larger fleets to ensure that charging peaks are
controlled and that vehicles are successfully recharged, at the outset of the ZEB transition, MCT may
derive little value from advanced software. Instead, MCT and TOT should procure common platforms for
smart charging to ensure that power demand is controlled appropriately at the facility-level, rather than at
the individual fleet level. In other words, since the MCT and TOT fleets will both charge at a single facility,
then the charging software should optimize charging of all vehicles at the MSC.
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Table 12: Charge Management System Vendor Comparison (based on manufacturer's information)
Item
No. Criteria Description Amply Power - OMEGA Viriciti - Agnostic Management Platform ChargePoint - CMS
1 Number of installations (facilities) with
multiple high voltage direct current chargers
utilizing the software
14 More than 300 300+
2 Quantify uptime % of cloud base service 99.99% 99.99% 99.99%
3 What networking protocols or modes are
supported, i.e., wired Ethernet, cellular, other
Hardwired ethernet is recommended, cellular and facility WIFI are supported Cellular is recommended, wired Ethernet, and WIFI are supported Cellular
4 OCPP 1.6 compatibility Yes Yes Yes
5 OCPP 2.0 compatibility Yes Yes Yes
6 List available data fields that can be reported
(such as starting and ending SoC, bus ID,
charging power, …)
SOC: start and end of charging session, SOC all the time whether bus in
plugged in, parked or in the field.
Rate of charge (kW) of each charger port.
Bus ID all the time whether bus is plugged in or not.
Location of bus (in-depot, in field, etc.)
Charging session:
Energy dispensed
Duration of charging,
Power and energy consumed at electrical meter and dispensed at each
charger port.
Charger health:
Available
Faulted
Maintenance needed, etc.
Reports:
Uptime, Downtime, and Offline chargers (in hours, percentage, and
total for a group)
Energy Reports (in kWh and hours of duration)
Transactions:
Charger OEM, Charger Name, Connector type, Connector/port number
(1 or 2)
Vehicle Name/Number
Start Time and End Time
Start SOC and End SOC
Power
Reason for ending charge session
Duration of Charging session
kWh Charged
Range at start of transaction
Range at the end of the transaction
A visual graph representation of Power, SOC, and Energy throughout
each transaction
A complete list of charging transactions (equipped with the data
previously stated)
A complete list of user logs and documentation of user interactions.
7 OpenADR2.0b or better common signals Yes. In addition to OpenADR, also support custom DR integrations including
CPower and Leap Energy.
Yes
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Item
No. Criteria Description Amply Power - OMEGA Viriciti - Agnostic Management Platform ChargePoint - CMS
8 Support Network Time Protocol (NTP/UTC)
time synchronization
Yes Yes Yes
9 Describe software security features for
system integrity and reliability
AMPLY has implemented security procedures at multiple levels for protecting
customer information:
• AMPLY databases are encrypted using industry standard AES-256
encryption
• Both the database and application are running inside a VPC which has
tightly managed access using IAM
• The database is accessible only to the application nodes
• No passwords are stored in the database and authentication is done
using AWS Cognito
• Authorization is tightly managed as part of the lower layers of the Amply
software framework
• Credentials are not stored in the database or code and are managed via
the AWS systems manager
• Software packages and dependencies are regularly reviewed for security
vulnerabilities
• Cloud infrastructure, roles & security groups are regularly reviewed for
ensuring security
ISO 27000:2015
10 Capable of remote software upgrades Yes – automatic, over the air updates Yes – Updates happen though the Cloud Yes
11 Is user interface web based or is any local
app or software required
Web based UI accessible from any web enabled device The system operates through a cloud-based platform which can be
accessed through any web browser on a computer or mobile device. Web
base only.
Web based
12 Ability to set charge-power limit to reduce
energy charges while also maximizing bus
availability
Yes. Pause or curtail charging session during peak energy costs. Optimized
charging during off-peak or vehicle dwell times to achieve target SOC by
defined roll-out times.
Yes, this is a customizable application which allows the user to create and
manipulate charging parameters as needs or schedules change.
Yes
13 Ability to set charging to minimize demand
charges while also maximizing bus availability
Demand (kW) management and reduction to achieve roll-out but will spread
out charging. Sequential, dynamics and parallel charging capable (limitations
are determined by EVSE not AMPLY system).
Yes, this is a customizable application which allows the user to create and
manipulate charging parameters as needs or schedules change.
Yes
14 Ability to recognize bus stall and bus number
and evaluate charge needs by block and state
of charge (i.e., park management)
Yes Yes Yes
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Item
No. Criteria Description Amply Power - OMEGA Viriciti - Agnostic Management Platform ChargePoint - CMS
15 Manual override (computer/HMI input) for
selection of (bus) charging sequence
Yes. Manual override button located within UI accessible by a specific user
creditable. Override can also be performed by email, phone call or ticket
request.
Yes, users can manually prioritize groups of chargers or single chargers in
order to meet the demand as needed.
Yes
16 Describe desktop output/reports for charge
telematics • Energy Report - net (panel) load, modelled load (assuming no CMS),
aggregate and individual charger load
• Charge Detail Records - plug-in and session start & stop times, session
duration, session energy, vehicle start & end soc, vehicle ID
• Health Records - % normal, faulted, offline and uptime for EVSEs,
controllers, system & software components
• Vehicle Logs - Geo location and SOC information
• Charge Ready Transport - CRT formatted report for PG&E, SCE and
other Utilities Fleet Ready Programs
• Uptime, Downtime, and Offline chargers (in hours, percentage, and
total for a group)
• Energy Reports (in kWh and hours of duration)
• A complete list of charging transactions (equipped with the data
previously stated)
• A complete list of user logs and documentation of user interactions.
No response
17 Is there a local controller to preserve the
same control functionality in case cloud
connectivity fails (e.g., WIFI outage)?
Yes, AMPLY Site Controller (ASC) installed at electrical main and is
connected to breaker. CT's will meter 3- phases of power for real- time
demand management. ASC can be hardwired to each EVSE via CAT6 to
send OCPP directly to charger. If CMS cellular connection temporarily down,
ASC has programmed commands to continue charging until cellular
connection is restored.
With all communications we send to the charger, there are two signals that
are sent: The set parameter and a failsafe value. If connection is disrupted
for any reason or duration of time, the charger will revert to the failsafe value
until connectivity is reestablished.
Yes
18 Other features criteria, or comments OMEGA supports algorithmic optimization across a wide set of use cases in
addition to TOU energy management including load management, tariff-based
optimization across usage, demand and subscription charges, factoring in
unmanaged loads, demand response signals from OpenADR and other
providers. It also offers flexible alerting and notifications for EVSE faults and
other conditions.
• Provided system is built to scale. If charging needs change or if a new
OEM is desired, the system is able to monitor any charging
infrastructure (assuming that charger OEM is OCPP compliant) and
easily exchange chargers in the system.
• Through an API, there is the ability to integrate with other planning or
ITCMS platforms to optimize planning.
• Other features may include our agnostic telematics system, which is
capable of monitoring any vehicle OEM and operates off the same
platform as the charger monitoring infrastructure - decreasing
operational complexity by reducing software applications and
increasing visibility into energy usage/expenditure.
No response
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10.2 FLEET TRACKING SOFTWARE AND TELEMATICS
Software like Fleetwatch provide agencies with the ability to track vehicle mileage, work orders, fleet
maintenance, consumables, and other items. However, with more complex technologies like ZEBs, it
becomes crucial to monitor the status of batteries, fuel consumption, and so on of a bus in order to track
its performance and understand how to improve fuel efficiency. Many OEMs offer fleet tracking software.
Tracking fuel consumption and fuel economy will start to form important key performance metrics for
fleet management as well as help inform operations planning (by informing operating ranges, among
other elements).
The screenshot below is an example of New Flyer’s tool (New Flyer Connect 360; Figure 24), Lightning’s
dashboard (Figure 25), while other OEMs also offer similar tools (like ViriCiti) all depending on an
agency’s preference.
Figure 24: Example of New Flyer Connect 360.16
17
17 https://www.newflyer.com/tools/new-flyer-connect/
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Figure 25: Example of Lighting eMotors daily report summary.
At a minimum, the fleet tracking software should track a vehicle’s SOC, energy consumption, distance
traveled, hours online, etc. Tracking these key performance indicators (KPIs) can help compare a
vehicle’s performance on different routes, under different ambient conditions, and even by different
operators.
As MCT transitions from a fossil fuel fleet to ZEB fleet, it will be important to collect and compare data
between the fleet types to understand the benefits (and costs) of the transition. Some example KPIs can
include:
• ZEB vs. non-ZEB miles traveled,
• ZEB vs. non-ZEB maintenance cost per mile,
• ZEB vs. non-ZEB fuel/energy costs by month ($ per kWh vs. $ per gallon),
• ZEB vs. non-ZEB fuel/energy cost per mile,
• Average fuel consumption/fuel economy per month,
• Total ZEB vs. non-ZEB fuel and maintenance costs per month,
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• Mean distance between failures, and/or
• ZEB vs. non-ZEB fleet availability.
The Toronto Transit Commission is currently testing BEBs from three different OEMs and is tracking the
following KPIs for its BEBs to compare with its fossil fuel buses (Figure 26).
Figure 26: Example of TTC eBus KPIs.17
18
All BEB equipment should be connected to MCT’s current data collection software, networks, and
integrated with any existing data collection architecture. All data should be transmitted across secure
VPN technology and encrypted. Again, MCT and TOT should collaborate to procure common platforms
to maximize cooperativity.
Beyond the BEB itself, charger data should be collected as well, such as the percentage of battery
charge status and kWh rate of charge. Furthermore, it will be important for MCT to track utility usage
data from SCE to understand energy and power demand and costs, so that the City of Thousand Oaks
can accurately allocated utility costs to Moorpark.
18
https://www.ttc.ca/About_the_TTC/Commission_reports_and_information/Commission_meetings/2018/June_12/Reports/27_Green_
Bus_Technology_Plan_Update.pdf
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11.0 WORKFORCE CONSIDERATIONS
The deployment of a new propulsion technology will require new training regimes for operators and
maintenance staff. This section describes some key training considerations as well as the implications of
the adoption of BEBs.
11.1 TRAINING
BEB manufacturers include basic training modules for bus operators and maintenance technicians that
are typically included in the purchase price of the vehicle, with additional training modules and programs
also available for purchase. It will be important for MCT leadership to work with TOT and TOT’s
contracted staff to understand how best to approach training for BEBs, and whether in addition to basic
training from OEMs, further training is needed.
The minimum required training recommendations are as follows for operators and maintenance
technicians:
• BEB Operator training (total 56 hours)
o Operator drive training (four sessions, four hours each)
o Operator vehicle/system orientation (20 sessions, two hours each)
• BEB Maintenance technician training (total 304 hours)
o Preventative maintenance training (four sessions, eight hours each)
o Electrical/electronic training (six sessions, eight hours each)
o Multiplex training (four sessions, each session consisting of three eight-hour days)
o HVAC training (four sessions, four hours each)
o Brake training (four sessions, four hours each)
o Energy Storage System (ESS), lithium-ion battery and energy management hardware
and software training (six sessions, eight hours each)
o Electric drive/transmission training (six sessions, eight hours each)
Acquiring the following tools and safety materials should be a top priority to ensure successful in-house
ZEB maintenance and management.
• Operational training module
• High voltage interface box
• Virtual training module
• High voltage insulated tools
• Insulated PPE
• Electrical safety hooks
• Arc flash clothing
Table 13 below provides a framework of potential training methods and strategies to bolster MCT’s
workforce development and successfully transition to a 100% ZEB fleet.
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Table 13: Potential Training Methods
Plan Description
Train-the-trainer
Small numbers of staff are trained, and subsequently train
colleagues. This maintains institutional knowledge while reducing the
need for external training.
Bus vendor training and fueling
vendor
OEM training provides critical, equipment-specific operations and
maintenance information. Prior to implementing ZEB technology,
MCT staff will work with the OEMs to ensure all employees complete
necessary training.
Retraining & refresher training Entry level, intermediate, and advanced continuous learning
opportunities will be offered to all MCT staff.
ZEB training from other transit
agencies
MCT should leverage the experience of agencies who were early
ZEB adopters, such as the ZEB University program offered by AC
Transit, as well as local partners like VCTC, GCTD, and TOT
National Transit Institute (NTI)
training
NTI offers zero-emissions courses such as ZEB management and
benchmarking and performance.
Professional associations
Associations such as the Zero Emission Bus Resource Alliance offer
opportunities for sharing and lessons learned across transit
agencies.
The priority in maintenance needs will be the issue of safety in dealing with high-voltage systems. All
maintenance personnel in the garage, whether doing servicing, inspection, or repairs and those in other
routines (e.g., plugging and unplugging BEBs) must be educated on the characteristics of this technology.
One essential component is the provision and mandate of additional Personal Protective Equipment
(PPE) beyond that which is required by automotive garage workplace legislated standards or MCT/TOT
policies. Examples of such apparel include high voltage insulated work gloves, flame retardant clothing,
insulated safety footwear, face shields, special insulated hand tools, and grounding of apparatus that staff
may be using. Also, procedures in dealing with accidents and injuries must be established with
instructions and warning signs posted.
Current BEBs also contain on-board communication systems, which are helpful in providing detailed bus
performance data and report error messages, which can assist maintenance personnel in quickly
identifying and diagnosing maintenance issues.
Finally, it is highly recommended that all local fire and emergency response departments be given
training as to the layout, componentry, safety devices, and other features of BEBs. This should reoccur
every few years, but the specific frequency can be dependent on agency discretion. In addition,
agencywide orientation to familiarize the agency with the new technology should also be conducted prior
to the first BEBs deployment.
11.2 IMPLICATIONS OF BEBS ON WORKFORCE
Early data suggest that BEBs may require less preventative maintenance than their fossil fuel
counterparts since they have fewer moving parts. However, BEBs are so new that there is not enough
data to provide detailed insights into long-term maintenance practices for large-scale BEB deployments
in North America.
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Since BEBs have fewer moving components that can malfunction and require replacement, repair, and
general maintenance, transit agencies could theoretically save on maintenance costs because: 1) fewer
parts could break and need replacement (capital) and 2) less labor is needed to work on the vehicles
(operating). The broader concern is related to a possible reduction in the number of maintenance staff
required for an BEB fleet vs. a traditional fossil fuel fleet.
Nonetheless, while a future 100% fleet of BEBs could require a smaller complement of maintenance staff,
during the transition period, it is highly improbable that a reduction in staff would be warranted. In
particular, the maintenance staffing is already lean so reducing staff any further is will probably not be
advisable. Generally, while fewer maintenance practices may be needed, such as oil and lube changes,
new ones may emerge, such as checking cabling and other electric motor components. As technology
continues to mature and become more sophisticated, technicians will need to be trained not only on
machinery, but also on components that require computer and diagnostic skills.
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12.0 POTENTIAL FUNDING SOURCES
As a clear cost driver for transit agencies, funding the ZE transition will require external financial aid. It is
imperative that MCT constantly monitors existing funding and financing opportunities and is aware of
when new sources are created. Additionally, as more transit agencies in the state and country consider
ZEB transitions, new funding opportunities may occur but also may become more competitive. MCT
should also consider joint opportunities to apply for funding with TOT, as well as other Ventura County
transit partners.
MCT currently has funding for two BEBs. In Table 14, other grant, voucher, and funding opportunities are
outlined to provide MCT with a resource to refer to when pursuing funding for its ZEB transition.
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Table 14: Grants and Potential Funding Options for ZEB Transition
Type Agency Fund/Grant/Program Description Applicability & Details
Federal Federal Transit
Administration (FTA)
Low or No Emission
Program (Low-No
Program) (5339(c))
Low-No provides competitive funding for the
procurement of low or no emission vehicles, including
the leasing or purchasing of vehicles and related
supporting infrastructure.
This has been an annual program under the FAST Act
since FY2016 and is a subprogram of the Section 5339
Grants for Bus and Bus Facilities.
There is a stipulation for a 20% local match.
In FY2021 the FTA awarded $180 million to 49 projects
for the Low-No program.18 19 In FY2021, Golden Empire
Transit District received $3 million to construct a
permanent hydrogen fueling station to support its electric
bus operations.19 20
$1.1 billion has been announced for FY2022 projects.20 21
Buses and Bus
Facilities Program
(5339(a) formula,
5339(b) competitive)
Grants applicable to rehab buses, purchase new
buses, and invest and renovate related equipment and
facilities for low or no emission vehicles or facilities. A
20% local match is required.
FY2021 5339 funding totaled $409 million in grants to 70
projects in 39 states. $372 million has been announced
for FY2022 grants. 21 22
Grants for Rural Areas
(5311)
5311 grant funding makes federal resources available
to rural areas for transit capital, planning and operating
assistance. Eligible activities include capital
investments in bus and bus-related activities such as
replacement, overhaul and rebuilding of buses.
The federal share is not to exceed 80% for capital
projects.
Typically, the MPO or another lead public agency is the
direct recipient of these funds and distributes these to
local transit agencies based on TIP allocation. Agencies
can allocate these funds for the purchase of ZEBs.
19 https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grants/fiscal-year-2021-low-or-no-emission-low-no-bus-program-projects
20 https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grants/fiscal-year-2021-low-or-no-emission-low-no-bus-program-projects
21 https://www.transit.dot.gov/lowno#:~:text=On%20March%207%2C%202022%2C%20FTA,improve%20air%20quality%20and%20combat
22 https://www.transit.dot.gov/bus-program
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Type Agency Fund/Grant/Program Description Applicability & Details
Enhanced Mobility of
Seniors & Individuals
with Disabilities (5310)
5310 formula funding provides resources to help meet
the transportation needs of older adults and people
with disabilities. Eligible subrecipients (from the State
for rural areas) include public transit operators. Eligible
activities include capital investments in buses and
vans, wheelchair lifts and harnesses, and other
equipment.
For small urban and rural areas, the State is the direct
recipient and distributes these funds as it wishes.
Agencies can allocate these funds for the purchase of
ZEBs.
Federal Highway
Administration
(FHWA)
Congestion Mitigation
and Air Quality
Improvement Program
(CMAQ)
The CMAQ Program provides funds to states for
transportation projects designed to reduce traffic
congestion and improve air quality, particularly in areas
of the country that do not attain national air quality
standards.
Projects that reduce criteria air pollutants regulated from
transportation-related sources, including ZEBs.
United States
Department of
Transportation
(USDOT)
Local and Regional
Project Assistance
Program (RAISE)
Previously known as BUILD and TIGER, RAISE is a
discretionary grant program aimed to support
investment in infrastructure.
RAISE funding supports planning and capital
investments in roads, bridges, transit, rail, ports, and
intermodal transportation.
A local match is required.22 23
In FY2022, $2.28 billion in funding was announced for
the RAISE Grant Program. 23 24
State California Air
Resources Board
(CARB)
Hybrid and Zero-
Emission Truck and
Bus Voucher Incentive
Program (HVIP)
Voucher program created in 2009 aimed at reducing
the purchase cost of zero-emission vehicles.
A transit agency would decide on a vehicle, contact the
vendor directly, and then the vendor would apply for
the voucher.
Voucher rebates vary by vehicle type and model.24 25
$430 million in funding for the FY21-22 year was
announced in March 2022.25 26
23 https://www.transportation.gov/RAISEgrants/about
24 https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2022-04/RAISE_2022_NOFO_AMENDMENT_1.pdf
25 https://californiahvip.org/vehiclecatalog/
26 https://californiahvip.org/funding/
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Type Agency Fund/Grant/Program Description Applicability & Details
Carl Moyer Memorial
Air Quality Standards
Attainment Program
The Carl Moyer Program provides funding to help
procure low-emission vehicles and equipment. It is
implemented as a partnership between CARB and
local air districts.
Transit buses are eligible for up to $80,000 funding.
Volkswagen
Environmental
Mitigation Trust
Funding
VW’s settlement provides nearly $130 million for zero-
emission transit, school, and shuttle bus replacements.
Transit may be eligible for up to $65 million. Applications
are open for transit agencies and are processed on a
first come, first serve basis.
Sustainable
Transportation Equity
Project (STEP)
STEP was a pilot that took a community-based
approach to overcoming barriers to clean
transportation. The future of STEP is currently being
determined by CARB and stakeholder groups through
the FY22-23 Funding Plan and Three-Year Plan for
Clean Transportation Incentives.26 27
There are two different grant types: Planning and
Capacity Building Grants (up to $1.75 million for multiple
grantees) and Implementation Grants (up to $17.75
million for between one and three grantees).
Lead applicants must be a CBO, federally-recognized
tribe, or local government representing a public transit
agency. Award amounts ranged from $184,000 to a
maximum of over $7 million.27 28
California
Transportation
Commission (CTC)
SB1 Local Partnership
Program (LPP)
The Local Partnership Program provides funding to
counties, cities, districts and regional transportation
agencies to improve aging infrastructure, road
conditions, active transportation, transit and rail, and
health and safety benefits. Funds are distributed
through competitive and formulaic components.28 29
To be eligible, counties, cities, districts, and regional
transportation agencies must have approved fees or
taxes dedicated solely to transportation improvements.
$200 million is available annually.
29 30
27 https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/lcti-step
28 https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/news/grant-awards-announced-new-195-million-pilot-funding-equitable-clean-transportation-options
29 https://catc.ca.gov/programs/sb1/local-partnership-program
30 https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/local/2021/10/22/group-proposing-transit-sales-tax-measure-countys-2022-ballot/5988391001/
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Type Agency Fund/Grant/Program Description Applicability & Details
Solutions for
Congested Corridors
Program (SCCP)
The SCCP includes programs with both formula and
competitive funds. Funding is available to projects that
make specific performance improvements and are a
part of a multimodal comprehensive corridor plan
designed to reduce congestion in highly traveled
corridors by providing more transportation choices for
residents, commuters, and visitors.
Improvements to transit facilities are eligible projects.
Cycle 2 funding of $500 million covers two years
(FY2022 and FY2023).
To submit a SCCP application, the applicant needs to
know exactly what sources will be funding the project
and when the funds will be used, as well as which
project phase they will be used for. Total estimated
funding: $500,000,000 for FY22-2330 31
California
Department of
Transportation
(Caltrans)
SB1 State of Good
Repair (SGR)
SGR funds are formula funds eligible for transit
maintenance, rehabs, and capital programs. Agencies
receive yearly SB1 SGR funding through their MPO,
based on population and farebox revenues.
Agencies can decide to devote its portion of SB 1 funds
to ZEB transition.
Low Carbon Transit
Operations Program
(LCTOP)
The LCTOP provides capital assistance to transit
agencies in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
and improve mobility. 5% and 10% of the annual Cap
and Trade auction proceeds fund this program.
Many agencies are already recipients of these funds and
can use these funds to purchase ZEBs and related
equipment.
Transit and Intercity
Rail Capital Program
(TIRCP)
The TIRCP was created to fund capital improvements
that reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, vehicle
miles traveled, and congestion through modernization
of California’s intercity, commuter, and rail, bus, and
ferry transit systems.31 32
The five cycles of TIRCP funding have awarded $6.6
billion in funding to nearly 100 projects throughout
California.
State Transportation
Improvement Program
(STIP)
The STIP is a five-year plan for future allocations of
certain state transportation funds including state
highway, active transportation, intercity rail, and transit
ZEB procurement could compete for STIP funding. The
2022 STIP was adopted in March 2022 and included
31 https://www.grants.ca.gov/grants/solutions-for-congested-corridors-program/
32 https://calsta.ca.gov/subject-areas/transit-intercity-rail-capital-prog
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Type Agency Fund/Grant/Program Description Applicability & Details
improvements. The STIP is updated biennially in even-
numbered years. 32 33
$796 million in available funding. 33 34 Funding is
distributed via a formula for a variety of projects.
Transportation
Development Act
(Mills-Alquist-Deddeh
Act (SB 325))
The TDA law provides funding to improve existing
public transportation services and encourage regional
transportation coordination. There are two funding
sources: the Local Transportation Fund (LTF) and the
State Transit Assistance (STA) fund.34 35
Funding opportunities include transportation program
activities, pedestrian and bike facilities, community
transit services, public transportation, and bus and rail
projects.
California Energy
Commission
Clean Transportation
Program (Alternative
and Renewable Fuel
and Vehicle
Technology Program)
The California Energy Commission's Clean
Transportation Program provides funding to support
innovation and acceleration of development and
deployment of zero-emission fuel technologies.
A local match is often required.
The Clean Transportation Program provides up to $100
million annually for a variety of renewable and alternative
fuel transportation projects throughout the state,
including specific projects for heavy-duty public transit
buses.
In 2021, between $4 million and $6 million were
awarded to the following transit agencies to assist with
zero-emission transit fleet infrastructure deployment:
Anaheim Transportation Network ($5 million), LADOT
($6 million), Sunline Transit ($5 million), and North
County Transit District ($4 million)
Department of
Housing and
Community
Development
Affordable Housing
and Sustainable
Communities Program
(AHSC)
The AHSC Program funds land use, housing, and
transportation projects to support development that
reduces GHG emissions. The program provides both
grants and loans that reduce GHG emissions and
benefit disadvantaged communities through increasing
accessibility via low-carbon transportation. $405 million
in available funds was announced in 2021.35 36 The
maximum award amount is not to exceed $30 million
Sustainable transportation infrastructure projects,
transportation-related amenities, and program costs
(including transit ridership) are eligible activities.
Agencies can use program funds for assistance in
construction or modification of infrastructure for ZEB
conversion as well as new vehicle purchases.
33 https://catc.ca.gov/programs/state-transportation-improvement-program
34 https://catc.ca.gov/-/media/ctc-media/documents/programs/stip/2022-stip/2022-adopted-stip-32522.pdf
35 https://dot.ca.gov/programs/rail-and-mass-transportation/transportation-development-act
36 https://www.hcd.ca.gov/grants-funding/active-funding/ahsc/docs/final_ahsc_nofa_round_6.pdf
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Type Agency Fund/Grant/Program Description Applicability & Details
per project, with a minimum award of at least $1
million.36 37
California Climate
Investments
Clean Mobility Options
(CMO) Voucher Pilot
Program
CMO awards up to $1 million vouchers to develop and
launch zero-emission mobility projects including the
purchase of zero-emission vehicles, infrastructure,
planning, outreach, and operations projects in low-
income and disadvantaged communities.37 38 Funding is
limited.
In 2020, the CMO Voucher Pilot Program awarded $20
million worth of mobility project vouchers, with $18
million going to eligible under-resourced communities.
For example, the City of Chula Vista received funding to
launch an on-demand community shuttle service in
northwest Chula Vista using four electric vehicles. Also,
Fresno County Rural Transit Agency is on a wait list to
potentially receive $36,885 in funding.
California Pollution
Control Financing
Authority (CPCFA)
Medium-Heavy-Duty
(MHD) Zero Emission
Vehicle Financing
Program
The CPCFA is developing a purchasing assistance
program for MHD ZEV fleets. This will provide financial
support and technical assistance to fleet managers
deploying ZEV fleets. The program will be established
by January 1, 2023.38 39
CPCFA will designate high priority fleets based on
implications for climate change, pollution, environmental
justice, and post-COVID economic recovery. A minimum
of 75% of financing must be directed towards fleets that
directly impact or operate in underserved communities.
Local/Other Ventura County Air
Pollution Control
District
Clean Air Fund (CAF) The CAF provides financial support for projects that
reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and the global
warming impact of carbon emissions via mitigation. 39 40
Approximately $25,000 is available for project funding
each year on January 1st. Projects are reviewed and
recommended based on their ability to reduce air
pollution in Ventura County. 40 41
37 https://www.hcd.ca.gov/affordable-housing-and-sustainable-communities#:~:text=Communities%20Program%20(AHSC)-
,Affordable%20Housing%20and%20Sustainable%20Communities%20Program%20(AHSC),(%22GHG%22)%20emissions.
38 https://cleanmobilityoptions.org/about/#
39 https://afdc.energy.gov/laws/12858
40 http://www.vcapcd.org/pubs/Incentive-Programs/What-is-the-Clean-Air-Fund-Program.pdf
41 http://www.vcapcd.org/pubs/Incentive-Programs/What-is-the-Clean-Air-Fund-Program.pdf
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Type Agency Fund/Grant/Program Description Applicability & Details
Ventura County
Regional Energy
Alliance (VCREA)
EV Ready
Communities
Challenge Grant:
Ventura County EV
Blueprint
VCREA and Community Environmental Council (CEC)
are creating a plan for electrifying transportation in
Ventura County. The second phase of funding that will
go towards EV charging installations in Ventura County
if approved. 41 42
Southern California
Edison (SCE)
SCE Charge Ready Assists business and property owners with deploying
the infrastructure and equipment necessary to support
EV charging stations at their locations. This program
helps by providing financial incentives, infrastructure,
and technical support to facilitate the installation and
maintenance of EV charging stations.
Several programs and rebates are available, including
infrastructure installation, infrastructure upgrades, and
meter distribution.42 43
Low Carbon Fuel
Standard (LCFS
credits)
LCFS credits are not necessarily funding to be applied
for; rather, they are offset credits that are traded
(through a broker) to reduce operating costs.
Once ZEBs are acquired and operating, agencies can
collect LCFS and ‘sell’ them to reduce operating costs of
ZEBs.
Both hydrogen and electricity used as fuels are eligible
for LCFS credits. Credit prices range, but average credit
price between 2016 and 2019 was between $65 and
$200 per credit, with an average of $10,000 per vehicle.
Transportation
Development Credits
Although they are not funds for projects, Transportation
Development Credits, also called “Toll Credits”, satisfy
the federal government requirement to match federal
funds.43 44
Toll credits provide a credit toward a project’s local share
for certain expenditures with toll revenues. FHWA
oversees the toll credits within each state.44 45
42 https://www.vcenergy.org/electric-vehicle-blueprint/
43 https://www.sce.com/evbusiness/chargeready
44 https://dot.ca.gov/-/media/dot-media/programs/rail-mass-transportation/documents/f0010121-toll-credit-fact-sheet.pdf
45 https://dot.ca.gov/-/media/dot-media/programs/rail-mass-transportation/documents/f0009899-2-toll-credits-fact-sheet-a11y.pdf
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One chief source of capital funding is the Low-No and Bus and Bus Facility Grant. In December 2021, the
FTA released a Dear Colleague letter outlining new requirements for Low-No and Bus and Bus Facility
Grant Applications. The letter details the requirement for a Zero-Emission Fleet Transition Plan in
response to amendments in the statutory provisions for these programs as part of the Bipartisan
Infrastructure Law. The FTA Zero-Emission Fleet Transition plan includes six major elements, presented
in Table 15. Moving forward, to qualify for these funding opportunities, a transit agency must include a
transition plan with these elements. MCT can use much of the material in the ZEB Rollout Plan to craft
the Zero-Emission Fleet Transition Plan to apply for this important source of federal funding45 46.
Furthermore, MCT should work together with TOT to craft a cohesive plan and message and MCT can
contact Gold Coast Transit to learn how it successfully procured over $10 million of FTA Low-No funding.
Table 15: FTA Zero-Emission Fleet Transition Plan Requirements
Element Description
1: Long-Term Fleet Plan and Application
Request
Demonstrate a long-term fleet management plan with a strategy for how
the applicant intends to use the current application and future
acquisitions.
2: Current and Future Resources to
Meet Transition
Address the availability of current and future resources to meet costs for
the transition and implementation
3: Policy and Legislative Impacts Consider policy and legislation impacting relevant technologies.
4: Facility Evaluation and Needs for
Technology Transition
Include an evaluation of existing and future facilities and their
relationship to the technology transition.
5: Utility Partnership Describe the partnership of the applicant with the utility or alternative fuel
provider.
6: Workforce Training and Transition
Examine the impact of the transition on the applicant’s current workforce
by identifying skill gaps, training needs, and retraining needs of the
exiting workers of the applicant to operate and maintain ZEVs and
related infrastructure and avoid displacement of the existing workforce.
46 To view a list of winners and projects, please see https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grants/fy22-fta-bus-and-low-and-no-
emission-grant-awards
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13.0 SERVICE AND ZEB DEPLOYMENT IN DISADVANTAGED
COMMUNITIES
CARB defines Section F of the rollout plan as “Providing Service in Disadvantaged Communities” based
on disadvantaged communities as identified by CalEnviroScreen, an online mapping tool developed by
the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. The tool identifies (at the census tract level) the
state’s most pollution-burdened and vulnerable communities based on geographic, socioeconomic,
public health, and environmental hazard criteria. A census tract is considered disadvantaged if it is in the
top 25th percentile.
ICT provisions require that transit agencies describe how they are planning to deploy ZEBs in
disadvantaged communities by outlining the location of the disadvantaged community (census tract)
where the ZEB will be deployed, how many ZEBs, and in what year the ZEBs will be deployed.
Figure 27 shows that there are no census tracts that are classified as ‘disadvantaged communities’
according to CalEnviroScreen 4.0 in the city of Moorpark and neither of MCT’s routes travel through a
disadvantaged community.
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Figure 27: CalEnviroScreen disadvantaged communities in Moorpark
None of the census tracts in MCT’s service area are classified as disadvantaged communities (in the top
25th percentile). Nonetheless, riders, operators, and pedestrians alike will all benefit from the elimination
of tailpipe emissions from the current buses, in addition to quieter trips.
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14.0 GHG IMPACTS
A significant aspect of the transition to ZEB is the reduction in pollution that is achieved from reducing the
harmful byproducts of fossil fuel combustion from traditional combustion engines. Although ZEBs
eliminate all tailpipe emissions, there may still be upstream carbon emissions associated with the
production of energy sources that power ZEBs. This section assesses the overall impacts of ZEB
transition on harmful emissions.
Based on the ZEVDecide modeling of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), MCT’s current CNG fleet emits
144 tons of GHGs in a year.46 47 The GHG analysis was completed for the fixed route fleet of three buses
using the annual milage provided by MCT. Table 16 shows that on average, 131 tons of CO2 emission
reductions are realized per year once MCT starts transitioning to BEBs in 2024. This represents a 91%
reduction in CO2 emissions while also eliminating emissions linked to respirator disease from the
neighborhoods MCT serves.
Table 16: Annual Emissions in Tons of CO2 for MCT's Fixed Route Service
CNG Fleet Electric Fleet
Upstream emissions (ton CO2/year) 55 13
Fleet tailpipe emissions (ton CO2/year) 88 -
Total Ton CO2/year 144 13
As presented in Figure 28, implementing a BEB fleet will eliminate emissions equivalent to removing 29
passenger vehicles per year or eliminating emissions from 16 households in a year47 48.
47 All GHG calculations are presented in tons (not metric tons) of CO2 equivalent, which is calculated using the short-term 20-year
global warming potential of CO2, methane, black carbon, and particulate matter.
48 https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator
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Figure 28: Equivalent benefits from implementing a BEB fleet at MCT
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15.0 OTHER TRANSITION ITEMS
15.1 JOINT ZEB GROUP AND ASSESSMENT OF MULTI-OPERATOR
VEHICLE PROCUREMENT
According to ICT regulation, transit agencies can pool resources when acquiring ZEB infrastructure if
they:
• Share infrastructure
• Share the same MPO, transportation planning agency, or Air District
• Are located within the same Air Basin
The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) is the MPO for Ventura County and
provides regional transportation funding and planning for Ventura County, Los Angeles County, Orange
County, Imperial County, Riverside County, and San Bernardino County. MCT’s service area is located
within the Ventura County APCD and South-Central Coast Air Basin. Table 17 lists the agencies that
operate fixed route transit services within Ventura County. These agencies also are within the same air
basin and air district. While MCT could theoretically partner with any transit agency in the SCAG region,
the list was limited to Ventura County due to geographic proximity and service area overlaps that could
make a joint group feasible and beneficial.
Table 17: Other bus transit agencies in Ventura County
Agency Total revenue
vehicles48 49
ZEB Choice Notes
Moorpark City Transit 5 BEB
Ventura County
Transportation Commission49 50
56 FCEB and BEB
Gold Coast Transit District 87 FCEB GCTD will begin construction on the
hydrogen fueling facility in 2023/2024 and
plans to collaborate with VCTC for hydrogen
fueling
Thousand Oaks Transit50 51 31 BEB Currently developing a ZEB plan and is
open to collaborating with BEB charging at
locations like the Thousand Oaks
Transportation Center
49 Based on NTD 2020 data.
50 Includes both Valley Express Bus and VCTC Intercity.
51 Also includes Kanan Shuttle and ECTA InterCity Dial-A-Ride.
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Agency Total revenue
vehicles48 49
ZEB Choice Notes
Simi Valley Transit 21 BEB 2019 SRTP notes BEBs are the likely
technology option, but a full ZEB study is
recommended.
Camarillo Area Transit 19 TBD VCTC and Camarillo are exploring joint
charging opportunities in Camarillo
Ojai Trolley 6 BEB
Most prudently, MCT and TOT already have a high level of collaboration; continued collaboration moving
forward throughout the ZEB transition would be most beneficial. Specific elements to collaborate on
should include:
• Vehicle procurement – developing common specifications and procurements to have efficient
pricing
• Charger procurement and installation – procuring similar equipment can help reduce prices and
facilitate training and interoperability
• Training and workforce development – for maintenance staff and operators
• Charging software
Beyond its close collaboration and partnership with TOT, MCT should remain in constant communication
with other Ventura County agencies to understand how the agencies can work together to leverage
resources and coordinate efforts on a regional level.
15.2 CHANGE MANAGEMENT
Finally, because the ZEB transition and implementation is an agencywide endeavor that also includes
the need to actively consider utilities as a stakeholder and partner, an agencywide approach to the
rollout is required. Additionally, the union representing the bus operators and maintenance technicians
should also be included due to the large role they will play in the success of the ZEB transition and
implementation. Given the small size of MCT staff, it may be prudent to explore the creation of a task
force or position (possibly shared with the City of Thousand Oaks) to serve as program manager for the
deployment of ZEBs and construction of infrastructure. Moreover, communication will be critical during
the transition to ensure customers are made aware of potential disruptions and changes to bus
operations. ZEB conversion also offers an excellent marketing opportunity for MCT to promote its
climate commitments.
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APPENDICES
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APPENDIX A: PDF OF SITE PLANS
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