Zero Emission Strategies

Niti Systems is Supporting San Francisco Municipal Transit Commission (MCT) to comply with the California Air Resources Board (CARB)’s Innovative Clean Transit (ICT) Rule, that requires transit operators to convert their fleets to fully zero-emission over the coming decades, presents numerous challenges and opportunities. We are supporting twenty (20) Bay Area public transit operators, including five large operators, and fifteen small operators to create a Regional Zero-Emission Transit Transition Strategy. This strategy is intended to serve as a regional lens on the Zero Emission transit transition, including helping to coordinate and serving as a resource for operators to meet the challenge of the ICT and Commercial Harbor Craft rules, find multi-agency efficiencies, navigate the relationship with energy providers, develop plans to fund the transition, as well as put into a larger context how this significant region-wide transition of buses and ferries to zero-emission, and the associated need for charging infrastructure, is nested within a broader transition to electrification and zero-emission in the building and vehicle sectors.

Niti Systems, along with our partners will support MTC with the following principles:

• Transition in partnership among transit operators, county transportation agencies, local jurisdictions, MTC, the state, and the federal government

• Develop regional, subregional, corridor, and agency specific funding proposals to fund elements of the transition.

• Explore coordinated and shared technologies facilities, including regional, subregional, corridor, and infrastructure hub options.

• Support a dynamic bus and ferry system that serves local routes, key trunk corridors, and the express lane network.

• Provide an overview of key issues to consider in the near and longer-term related to technology decisions and charging needs, roles of power providers, cities, and counties in managing capacity of bus operators and other segments of power users with the goal of helping in decision-making.

• Evaluate and manage risk throughout the transition.

Niti System consultants are supporting City of Evanston with the Municipal Fleet Rightsizing and Electrification Plan effort. We are supporting the city with the following tasks

1. A fleet rightsizing analysis of vehicle types by department, purpose, usage times, and mileage to determine if the municipal fleet is appropriately sized and efficiently operated while also affording some flexibility through a “factor of safety” if operations and staffing need to increase, and a “level of redundancy” in case of equipment failure.

2. A fleet assessment and plan for vehicles appropriate for conversion to zero and low emitting vehicles, including a benefit-cost analysis by vehicle class, a projected timeline of suggested conversions along with milestones, projected impacts on departmental standard operating procedures, range assessments for vehicles based on usage, and an identification of broad impacts on repair and maintenance operations including anticipated cost differences

3. A determination of charging infrastructure requirements to support that conversion, including costs, required electrical service increases and optimal charging location, with consideration of take-home vehicles and long-distance driving.

4. An analysis of existing and future electrical infrastructure, inclusive of possible scenarios including, but not limited to utilizing:

• Rooftop or parking canopy renewable energy installations.

• Stationary energy storage to provide resiliency and lower cost; and,

• Using EVs as battery storage solutions.

An evaluation of current fleet greenhouse gas emissions expected fleet emissions throughout the transition to an EV fleet, and ongoing methods of tracking emissions.

Niti System consultants is supporting Metropolitan Council to provide Program Management Services for its fleet of 650 vehicles to transition to the electric buses. This effort will require a fully integrated program management approach, not unlike the models Metro Transit has successfully implement for its New Starts and ABRT programs. We understand the Metro Transit needs for program management services will vary as it embarks on implementing electric vehicles. Program Management services may include, but are not limited to the following types of tasks:

• Establishing program management frameworks

• Surveys of available funding sources for capital and operating expenses

• Energy modelling and tariff analysis

• Competitive funding application assistance (ongoing)

• Energy management and smart infrastructure planning

• Development and refinement of standard operating procedures

• Alternative delivery models

Niti Systems was hired by Long Beach Transit to support them with the procurement of 50 fully electric buses. The agency is looking to purchase fully loaded electric vehicles along with charging infrastructure and various technology solutions pre-installed in the vehicles. These systems would be managed by a Vehicle Logic Unit (VLU) that acts as a gateway for the Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD), Automated Vehicle Locator (AVL), Automated Passenger Counting (APC) systems, Scheduling software and other communication to the LBT control center. The vehicles will also come installed with a Mobile Gateway Router to provide communication backbone for the VLU as well as offer the Wi-Fi onboard for the passengers. Besides these, the vehicles will come pre-installed with a full surveillance system, including an onboard Digital Video Recorder (DVR), video cameras and a GPS unit. Niti Systems supported the agency with concept of operations, assessment, technical specifications for vehicles and project management for this effort. Our consultants are also supporting the design, installation/deployment plans and project management for the existing fleet of vehicles to match the new technology solutions that will be deployed on the new vehicles. Niti Systems successfully delivered the project with 100% scope, within schedule and budget. Budget for this project was $150,000.