Guidebook for Deploying Zero-Emission Transit Buses (2021)

Below is the uncorrected machine-read text of this chapter, intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text of each book. Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.

21 PHASE 1 ASSESS YOUR NEEDS AND REQUIREMENTS 1.1 Overview Making the decision to deploy ZEB technology can be driven by many goals, including: • Lower operational costs, • State/federal mandates, and • Environmental benefits. Realization of your goals for deployment will depend on careful planning and a feasible long-term deployment strategy. There is no one-size-fits-all solution. Your approach will be driven by unique variables that are specific to your transit agency’s service needs, available resources, and institutional goals and priorities. Carefully weigh these variables when making any decisions related to ZEB deployment to ensure that you will receive the greatest benefit out of your investment, and effectively achieve your long-term goals. The ZEB industry is still maturing; therefore, your transit agency should begin each deployment by researching the current technology options available. Any bus will likely have a service life of at least 12 years; however, the capabilities and performance of an older ZEB model may have no bearing on how today’s technology will perform in your service area. Each deployment’s success will depend on how effectively your agency balances capital requirements, institutional goals, operational constraints, and changing technology capabilities throughout the service life of an individual bus and from the industry at large. Best practices included for assessing your needs and requirements include: • Initiating the planning process for your ZEB deployment by engaging key staff members to define short- and long-term goals and constraints and designing smaller deployments to meet those goals. • Identifying applicable regulations and mandates that you must comply with, as well as grant opportunities that will support your deployments. • Engaging internal and external stakeholders to ensure your efforts are properly coordinated and incorporate the constraints and needs of each group.

22 Guidebook for Deploying Zero-Emission Transit Buses 1.2 Key Stakeholder Considerations Project Managers • Executives from all departments should participate in the defining of your transit agency’s short- and long-term ZEB needs and priorities. Ask for support in engaging leaders and making project planning a priority. • Research available technologies as well as capital, construction, and operational costs prior to your leadership discussion. Talk with OEMs, experienced consultants, and other ZEB operators to help guide your discussion and educate leadership on the advantages, disadvantages, and costs of each deployment option. Operations, Maintenance, and Facilities • The costs and benefits of service changes to accommodate ZEBs should be carefully considered before implementation. • Incorporate required upgrades or retrofits to maintenance facilities into short- and long-term ZEB planning. • Identify training needs for operations and maintenance staff. • Route distances and dwell times (for recharging) will be relevant in determining what service modifications may be needed. • Facility managers should understand space and power requirements of fueling infrastructure and be ready to advise on installation options for your transit agency. Procurement • Provide insight into your transit agency’s balance between available operating and capital funds, which may influence the timing of ZEB deployments and the type of technology selected. • Understand your transit agency’s long- and short-term priorities for ZEBs. • Review relevant state and federal regulations that require your transit agency’s compliance. External Stakeholders • Electric utilities should be consulted early to plan short- and long-term electrical infrastructure needs, review available rate schedules, and discuss possible incentives or pilot programs. • ZEB consultants may be required to assist with project planning, modeling, and fleet transition planning. • Existing ZEB OEMs, including bus and fueling station providers, should be consulted before each deployment to ensure the latest technology options are analyzed. • Transit agencies who have already deployed ZEB technology are valuable resources, especially those with similar climate, topography, and service needs. • Consult any impacted labor unions to ensure needed accommodations can be implemented in your ZEB deployment plan.

Assess Your Needs and Requirements 23 1.3 Start Planning for ZEBs ZEBs are cleaner, quieter, and more efficient than conventionally fueled vehicles. While transit agencies around the world are choosing to deploy ZEBs, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Your approach will be driven by your transit agency’s specific needs. Figure 1-1 outlines a process to guide ZEB planning. Establish a team with staff from across the transit agency (e.g., planning, operations, maintenance, procurement staff) that will spearhead the ZEB planning efforts and be engaged throughout all ZEB deployments. Establishing Needs and Constraints Set up a kick-off meeting with your internal team to establish your transit agency’s needs, requirements, and constraints that will drive ZEB deployments. Consider using the following guiding questions to determine clear goals: • Why is your transit agency moving towards ZEBs? What are your priorities for the deployment? (Figure 1-2) o Minimizing operating or capital costs? o Reducing air pollution or carbon emissions? o Creating positive health impacts in environmental justice or disadvantaged communities? o Minimizing disruption to current operations? o Complying with regulations or mandates? • Are ZEBs right for your transit agency? How can the technology be used cost effectively in your service area? • What decisions have already been made related to ZEB deployments? • What percentage of your fleet are you considering transitioning to ZEBs? o Are you interested in testing the technology with an initial pilot program? Figure 1-1. Generalized process to kick-off ZEB planning efforts. Figure 1-2. Potential guiding factors for ZEB deployments. o Are you planning on eventually transitioning your full fleet to ZEBs?

24 Guidebook for Deploying Zero-Emission Transit Buses Common considerations and motivations for ZEB deployments include the following. 1. Capital availability. Capital availability can be a limiting factor in ZEB deployments. ZEB buses generally cost more than their diesel or CNG counterparts, and with any new deployment, additional infrastructure may be required. Understand what capital your transit agency has available at the start of your project planning. 2. Regulations or mandates. State and local governments are beginning to adopt laws and regulations in support of the deployment of zero-emission vehicles. Some of the regulatory actions are designed to encourage the consideration of zero-emission vehicles when making purchase decisions while others are establishing purchase requirements. Understand what regulations or mandates may be applicable to your transit agency and review the planning and reporting requirements. For example, CARB adopted the Innovative Clean Transit (ICT) regulation in December 2018. The regulation requires transit fleets in the state to transition to zero-emission technologies by 2040 and establishes a phased approach for ZEB purchases from 2023 until 2029, after which all purchases will be required to be zero-emission. Transit agencies are required to submit transition plans detailing how they will achieve the mandated goals. The federal and state laws and incentives section of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuel Data Center website provides an inclusive listing of laws and incentives in support of alternative fuels. Users can filter by state, fuel type, and user type. 3. Operational and maintenance cost savings. In some markets, electricity for charging BEBs may be less expensive or less volatile than purchasing fuel for diesel buses. In addition, ZEB propulsion systems are more efficient and have fewer moving parts than conventional drive systems, potentially resulting in less wear and tear. The lack of an internal combustion engine also negates the need for oil changes, while the use of regenerative braking typically lengthens the life of brake pads. Market immaturity makes actual cost savings difficult to prove, therefore, while operational and maintenance cost savings may ultimately be realized, use caution when making business decisions that rely on these potential cost savings. Funding Opportunities Several state and federal funding opportunities are available to offset ZEB costs (See Phase 3: Capital Costs and Funding Opportunities). Keep in mind that many of those programs require local contributions to the project.

Assess Your Needs and Requirements 25 4. Environmental benefits. Transportation is the largest contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the U.S., accounting for almost 30% of the total. More than 25% of transportation related emissions comes from the medium- and heavy-duty vehicle markets (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d.). Transit agencies look to BEBs and FCEBs to eliminate harmful tailpipe emissions and localized pollution, resulting in cleaner air and healthier communities. When looking at deployment benefits, consider “well-to-wheel” emissions. While ZEBs have no harmful tailpipe emissions, there will most likely be upstream greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generation for charging BEBs or hydrogen production and delivery for fueling FCEBs. The Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Transportation (GREET) Model is a tool that simulates well- to-wheel emissions of various vehicle types and can be a useful resource in estimating the local health benefits of your deployment. Conduct a Fleetwide Assessment After you have an understanding of your high-level needs, requirements, and constraints, conduct a fleetwide assessment and develop an initial "master plan” that will serve as a roadmap for your ZEB deployment. The assessment should consider your deployment goals and constraints as well as your bus replacement schedule, to ensure ZEBs replace non-ZEBs at the end of their service life. While route and bus modeling (See Section 2.3: Bus Performance Evaluation) will provide tailored insight into ZEB performance in your service area, consider that ZEBs, specifically BEBs, may not be a 1:1 replacement for conventionally fueled vehicles due to range limitations. Your master plan should guide your deployment schedule, infrastructure needs, required facility upgrades and training, and provide strategies for overcoming challenges and ensuring all of your service needs are met. Serving Environmental Justice Communities A study by the Union of Concerned Scientists found that on average, African Americans, Asian Americans and Latinos breathe in about 66% more PM 2.5 from cars, trucks and buses than white residents in 12 Northeastern/Mid- Atlantic states (Reichmuth, 2019). Deploying ZEBs on blocks that serve environmental justice communities provides direct health benefits to the people living there. Transit agencies, like the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), are prioritizing ZEB service in disadvantaged or environmental justice communities to help reduce local pollution and address public health inequities (Conservation Law Foundation, 2019).

26 Guidebook for Deploying Zero-Emission Transit Buses 1.3.1 Technological Advancements • Regulatory requirements, • Changes to your transit agency’s operations, • Lessons learned from other deployments, and • Deployment data from your ZEB operations. Design Smaller Deployments Depending on your deployment size, consider sequential, smaller ZEB deployments as part of your deployment strategy. No transit agency will transition to a full fleet of ZEBs overnight . Your master plan should include a timeline of smaller deployment projects that will help you reach your long-term deployment goals. This approach allows you to learn from early deployments while giving you time to address needed facility expansion and accommodate industry advancements, saving time and money. Balance your short-term goals with solutions that can scale or, at the very least, don’t conflict with future deployments. The outcomes of your early deployments will provide invaluable information on the actual performance of ZEBs in your service area, guiding future ZEB decisions. 1.4 Stakeholder Engagement A successful ZEB deployment will require input from staff from across your transit agency and from external organizations. Engage with representatives from these different departments or groups early to ensure that you have the information you need to make informed decisions . Early interaction with stakeholders will help you determine their level of support and identify the information they will require throughout the project. 1.4.1 Transit Agency Staff Involve staff from the following departments in the planning process: Deployments in Action Several transit agencies have made larger than needed initial investments in charging infrastructure in anticipation of future growth. Upsizing transformer pads or laying additional conduit may add minor costs to your current deployment but may help you avoid greater costs in the future. Transit agencies with known or likely plans for expansion should consider what investments today may help reduce future investments. You should revisit your “master plan” every 2 years to ensure that your assumptions are still valid and incorporate the following:

Assess Your Needs and Requirements 27 • Operations and Planning. Operations and planning staff will gather necessary information to develop project schedules and timelines. These departments will also identify blocks or routes that would be eligible for ZEB deployment, and will manage the implementation of any necessary operational changes to accommodate charging or fueling times. Operations and planning staff will also collect and report deployment data required by any regulatory agencies or transit agency staff. • Maintenance and Engineering. Maintenance and engineering staff will drive the development of technical specifications for bus procurements and provide valuable input into the bus design. Maintenance staff will keep an inventory of spare parts and ensure that scaffolding, necessary to service rooftop equipment on ZEBs, or other tools required for ZEB maintenance are on-site. • Training. Training coordinators will identify requirements for operator and maintenance training programs prior to ZEB deployment. It will be critical that maintenance staff gain in-depth knowledge of the buses to make repairs that keep the buses in service. • Facilities. Facilities staff will be responsible for managing the construction and operation of any fueling or charging equipment and will work closely with maintenance staff to ensure coordinated operation of the ZEB fleet and charging or fueling infrastructure. • Finance and Procurement. Procurement staff will assist with pursuing funding opportunities, fulfilling grant requirements, issuing RFPs for buses and charging or fueling infrastructure, and developing financial plans to support the integration of ZEB technology into your fleet. Keeping procurement staff informed on regulatory requirements, technological capabilities, and environmental benefits will help them better identify and pursue potential funding sources. • IT. IT staff can coordinate efforts to manage and analyze bus deployment data and support any data collection tools that are utilized by the buses and charging or fueling equipment, as well as handle upgrades needed for additional data access at the depot for buses or chargers. • Sustainability manager. The sustainability manager will help advocate ZEB implementation, quantify environmental benefits, and identify opportunities for financial support from additional environmental programs. • Contract operator. If your transit agency utilizes contract operators, you will need to review and update their typical terms and requirements to accommodate changes in operations for ZEBs. • Board or executive leadership. You may need to request policy direction to support ZEB deployment from your transit agency’s executive team. The Board can also assist in establishing goals and identify sources of funding or reallocate resources in support of a fleet transition plan. You may want to educate your Board or executive team on ZEB technology and expected performance in your service area to set appropriate expectations. • Public Information Officers (PIOs) . PIOs will coordinate external communication regarding the ZEB deployments. Any communication or publicity will help align community support and promote funding sources for bus deployments.

28 Guidebook for Deploying Zero-Emission Transit Buses 1.4.2 External Stakeholders External stakeholders such as government agencies, electric utilities, and labor unions will be critical to a successful ZEB deployment. Engagement with community stakeholder groups will help build support for your projects. Effective planning will allow you to build the case for the benefits of ZEBs with external stakeholders. Some groups may question the higher up-front costs, and some may have concerns about the increased load on the electrical grid. Consider highlighting the community and environmental benefits, as well as your transit agency’s commitment to serving the public with more efficient, cleaner technology to increase support for the project. Identify contacts at the following organizations to engage during the planning process: • Local, state, and federal government. These government organizations may administer funding opportunities for purchasing ZEBs or conducting planning studies. Your state or county may also have regulations related to ZEB deployment that your transit agency must comply with, or climate action plans or carbon reduction goals that may support the deployment of zero-emission vehicles. Ensure that you identify and understand any relevant regulations, as well as reporting requirements. • Labor unions. New job tasks may be required to test, operate, and maintain ZEBs. Therefore, coordinating with labor unions will ensure that your staff is aware of any new responsibilities, and that you can address any concerns before your buses arrive. • Electric utility. Your electric utility will be a critical partner throughout your ZEB planning process. Your utility can provide guidance on short- and long-term infrastructure needs based on your fleet size, can help evaluate charging or fueling strategies based on available rate schedules to optimize operations, and may provide incentives or pilot programs that minimize operational costs. Meet with your utility early in your planning process to share information about your planned ZEB deployments and to discuss the project needs and the constraints that both organizations face. Consider including other ZEB operators, local environmental interest groups, or government representatives in your discussion as they may help advocate for ZEB-friendly rate structures. • Environmental justice and other interest groups. Environmental justice communities, community equity groups, and public health agencies may be interested in your transit agency’s approach to deploying ZEBs. Engaging with these groups can help your transit agency understand how to address any potential equity concerns, demonstrate direct health benefits through reduced air pollution, and ensure that your deployment or fleet transition plans are compliant with regulations.

Assess Your Needs and Requirements 29 Learn from early adopters, non-profit organizations, and industry workgroups. Discuss your goals with a transit agency that has deployed ZEBs to learn from their experiences. Connecting with other agencies can help you avoid pitfalls to ensure that you deploy the right technology effectively. Transit agencies of similar size, or located in a similar climate as you, can help set realistic expectations of range or bus performance. Keep in mind that while a transit agency may have similar operating conditions, if you are served by a different electric utility or under a different rate structure, your ZEB operational costs can vary significantly. Recognizing the advantages of collaborative learning, several workgroups have formed or have started to include discussion and learning opportunities for zero-emission technology, including the following: • The Zero Emission Bus Resource Alliance (ZEBRA) is a national professional association for transit agencies to share lessons learned about ZEBs. • The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) hosts various conferences and webinars each year with many containing information on developing technologies. APTA’s Future View webinar series invites industry experts to join in discussion on critical topics in the industry, including emerging technologies. In addition, APTA Committee webinars provide specific content on best practices, critical issues, and challenges facing the industry. • The Renewable Hydrogen Fuel Cell Collaborative created the Midwest Hydrogen Center of Excellence to act as a regional ambassador for the advancement of hydrogen- powered, zero-emission vehicles and infrastructure in the Midwest. The center serves as a resource to transit agencies by providing education on hydrogen fuel cell technology and information on funding resources. • The International Council on Clean Transportation is an independent non-profit organization founded to provide research and technical analysis to environmental regulators in support of low-carbon fuels initiatives. • Hosted by SunLine Transit and funded by the FTA, the West Coast Center of Excellence serves to bring education to transit agencies looking to establish or increase their zero - emission fleets and technologies. • The International Association of Public Transport (UITP) is a non-profit advocacy organization that works to enhance quality of life and economic well -being by supporting and promoting sustainable transport in urban areas worldwide.

30 Guidebook for Deploying Zero-Emission Transit Buses 1.5 Data Collection The following information will serve as inputs for short- and long-term ZEB planning efforts, such as route and rate modeling, technology selection, and stakeholder engagement so you may best utilize ZEBs in your service area. Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders as needed to collect the necessary information. • Route data. Data for representative routes in your service area will support modeling efforts. The results of modeling will help you understand the energy requirements for completing various routes, which will inform vehicle range requirements, blocks that would be eligible for ZEB deployment, and the fleet size needed to complete required service. • Operational need for ZEBs. Based on the goals of your deployment, your transit agency may have already identified a specific need that ZEBs could fill. For example, a downtown circulator may represent a route that can achieve visibility for the new fleet. Modeling efforts will help confirm if your planned blocks are feasible with your selected technology. • Operating metrics for non-ZEB fleet. Establishing a baseline for operations of your non- ZEB fleet such as monthly or annual mileage, fuel and maintenance costs, and availability can be used to compare costs and performance once the ZEBs are in service. • Climate information. Onboard HVAC systems require a significant amount of energy, especially for BEBs. Higher heating and cooling requirements can have a large impact on range, although heating generally has higher energy requirements than cooling. Outdoor BEB depot parking in cold weather and on-route fast charging in hot weather can also impact charging rates. Review monthly average temperatures and common weather patterns that may impact driving conditions (e.g., snow, ice, extreme heat, extreme cold) to determine cabin heating and cooling requirements. • Planning documents. Review documents such as capital infrastructure plans, climate action plans, vehicle retirement schedules, financial constraints, and priorities for future investments to identify how ZEB technology will fit into your transit agency’s planning cycles and activities. • Electric utility information. Review past electricity bills to understand your electricity costs and the utility rate schedule. Before deploying ZEBs, you may request to be moved to a different rate schedule if the schedule better matches your service needs. It is important to understand your options for different rates to determine the most efficient and affordable way to deploy and charge your buses. Request reliability reports to understand what frequency and types of outages you should plan for.

Assess Your Needs and Requirements 31 1.6 Fleet Transition Considerations Current regulations and incentives have many transit agencies looking at large (i.e., >100 buses) ZEB deployments or full fleet transitions. While there are typically “low-hanging fruit” applications for early ZEB deployments, transitioning your entire fleet to ZEBs will require careful planning to determine the mix of technology to meet all of your service needs. There are very few large fleets worldwide that have fully transitioned to ZEBs, providing few industry best practices to guide the planning efforts. Future lessons learned from large-scale deployments in China and European countries will be valuable to U.S. transit agencies and the ZEB industry as a whole. In the meantime, external consultants and industry experts may be useful for developing large transition plans, as the power and facility requirements will necessitate licensed professionals and the complexities of deployment are considerable. Specific challenges related to BEB and FCEB infrastructure your transit agency may encounter when deploying a large-scale ZEB fleet are described below. BEB infrastructure Charging infrastructure for large BEB deployments will require significant power and space to place equipment. While more straightforward workarounds may be available for your first few BEBs, some transit agencies will need to redesign their bus yards to accommodate the additional equipment. For example, large-scale deployments worldwide use gantries for overhead depot charging or for cord management. Consult licensed engineering design firms to assist with charging infrastructure planning and installation. Smart charging capabilities will be critical for large-scale BEB deployments to keep electricity costs down while still meeting all service requirements. FCEB infrastructure Hydrogen fueling infrastructure can generally scale more easily than battery charging infrastructure, since adding capacity may require more storage but can often utilize the existing fueling footprint and dispensers, much like existing diesel and CNG fueling stations. Identify opportunities for scaling up charging or hydrogen fueling infrastructure in earlier deployments to avoid repeating costly construction activities. Your fleet transition plans should ensure that you maintain service and fueling for any current non-ZEBs throughout the transition.

32 Guidebook for Deploying Zero-Emission Transit Buses Determining advantageous installation of infrastructure will be important for both BEBs and FCEBs. Depending on the size of your fleet and the timing of your individual deployment projects, it will likely not be practical to install infrastructure today that meets all of your long- term ZEB goals. However, there may be opportunities to complete planning or construction activities that readily support anticipated expansion. Consider the placement of buses and charging infrastructure, required upgrades to maintenance facilities, and power requirements. For example, during a lot reconstruction consider building out all of the underground infrastructure that may be needed rather than retrofitting as the fleet size increases. 1.7 Additional Resources • Alternative Fuel Data Center, U.S. Department of Energy • Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Transportation (GREET) Model, U.S. Department of Energy • Innovative Clean Transit (ICT) Regulation, California Air Resources Board • Zero Emission Bus Resource Alliance (ZEBRA)