Practical Considerations for Developing Transition Plans to Zero-Emission Fleets

Transit agencies are shifting from predominantly fossil fuel–powered vehicles to zero-emission vehicles. TCRP Research Report 219: Guidebook for Deploying Zero-Emission Transit Buses (2021) provides public transit agencies with best practices, case studies, and lessons learned from previous deployments of battery electric buses, fuel cell electric buses, and related fueling infrastructure. TCRP Research Report 219 is organized into nine key deployment phases: providing information and suggestions for assessing needs and requirements, selecting and specifying technology, determining capital costs and funding opportunities, developing fueling infrastructure, deploying fueling infrastructure, accepting and validating buses to ensure they meet specifications, evaluating training program considerations, establishing operations and maintenance practices, and monitoring and evaluating deployment performance. Many transit operators are introducing zero-emission vehicles into their fleets and are concerned about meeting agency service commitments during the transition period. This transition involves new challenges, including overhauling and potentially expanding maintenance and operations facilities, recruiting and retraining employees, and managing an evolving mix of zero-emissions and conventional vehicles operating in parallel. This research should build on but not replicate TCRP Research Report 219 and should provide transit agencies with the context and knowledge needed to understand and appropriately prepare for and respond to the complexity of transitioning to zero-emission vehicles. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this research is to produce a guide to help agencies prepare for and manage the transition to zero-emission transit vehicle fleets (limited to battery electric buses and hydrogen fuel cell buses).

• Record URL:
  • http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=5436

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $250,000
• Contract Numbers:

  Project A-50

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Transit Cooperative Research Program

  Transportation Research Board
  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC    20001

  Federal Transit Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Project Managers:

  Garcia-Colberg, Mariela

• Performing Organizations:

  Planning Communities, LLC

  ,    
• Principal Investigators:

  Steedly, Ann

• Start Date: 20250211
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 20250211

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Costs; Decarbonization; Electric buses; Fuel cell vehicles; Public transit; Strategic planning; Vehicle fleets; Workforce; Zero emission vehicles
• Subject Areas: Economics; Energy; Environment; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01866944
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
• Contract Numbers: Project A-50
• Files: TRB, RIP
• Created Date: Dec 13 2022 9:21AM