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Addressing opportunities and challenges as California leads the ZEV transition

California transit agencies are leading the heavy-duty transportation sector in the adoption of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) that improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and create good-paying American jobs.

While transit agencies lean into this important transition, the Association provides crucial support to the broader industry to make visionary plans reality. Over the last decade, the Association, with guidance from our ZEV Task Force, has shaped and supported world-leading ZEV regulations, like the California Air Resources Board’s Innovative Clean Transit and Proposed In-Use Locomotive regulations; helped secure significant new dedicated funding for ZEVs and charging/refueling infrastructure; secured statutory authorities to accelerate the purchase of ZEVs and the buildout of necessary infrastructure; and offered industry-leading technical education for our annual conferences and regular webinars.

Through our work, the Association has established itself as a national voice on ZEVs in the public transit industry, and our advocates are routinely recruited to serve as industry experts before national, state, and local audiences.

To learn more about our ongoing and past work, view 2023 Objectives below.

The Association’s objectives for ZEV deployment are established by our Executive Committee and State Legislative Committee (with guidance from our ZEV Task Force) through the adoption of an annual legislative program.

As outlined in our 2023 State Legislative Program, the Association’s current objectives for ZEV deployment include:

Advocate for additional state funding to support the transition to zero-emission transit vehicles across all modes.
Identify and pursue strategies to reduce the cost of compliance with the Innovative Clean 6 Transit regulation, Commercial Harborcraft regulation, and proposed In-Use Locomotive regulation.
Pursue legislation ensuring electricity is made available for transit agencies during times of stress on California’s electricity grid – introduced as AB 463 (Bennett).
Monitor and pursue, as necessary, regulatory and legislative solutions to reduce the cost of electricity and hydrogen procured by transit agencies, and to ensure the reliability of these energy sources.

Addressing opportunities and challenges as California leads the ZEV transition

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