LCTI: Sacramento Regional Zero-Emission School Bus Deployment Project

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Advanced Technology Demonstration and Pilot Projects

Electric School Buses  Electric School Bus Charger

Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District


Sacramento Air Quality Management District logo

February 13, 2017 – Spring 2020

Project Details:

The Sacramento Regional Zero-Emission School Bus Deployment Project’s large-scale deployment of zero-emission school buses will prove that commercially available zero-emission school buses have the best total cost of ownership, substantially improve maintenance and performance, and optimally serve the needs of school districts to sustainably transport California’s children to and from school.

Twin Rivers, Elk Grove, and Sacramento City School Unified School Districts have committed to operate the zero-emission school buses and charging infrastructure on the identified routes for this project for many years beyond the end of the grant agreement. The end-users consider this project to be the strong spark that is needed now to transition fleets to be fully zero-emission.

Grantee:

Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District

Partners:

First Priority Bus Sales, Lion, MotivPower Systems, SMUD, TransTech and ChargePoint.

Grant Amount

CARB Contribution

$7,535,643

Matching Funds

$6,949,826

Project Total$14,485,469

Vehicles/Equipment Funded

  • Deploy zero-emission, battery-electric school buses from eLion and TransTech and charging ports to serve as a large-scale demonstration in the State’s Capital.
  • 28 Zero-Emission School Buses show that battery electric school buses best serve school transportation needs, substantially reduce GHG emissions, and eliminate toxic emission exposures to children in disadvantaged communities.
  • Twin Rivers Unified School District: 8 Type C eLion and 8 Type A TransTech school buses.
  • Sacramento City Unified School District: 3 Type A TransTech school buses and 1 Type C eLion.
  • Elk Grove Unified School District: 8 Type C eLion school buses.
  • Install and commission 29 charging ports for all project school buses.

Lessons Learned

  • Time delays due to unintended consequences in planning on the scope of work for the project, incorrect assumptions regarding infrastructure completion steps.
  • Delays in construction of infrastructure, due to requirements, regulations, inspections. Project setbacks.
  • Develop improved communication and collaboration with our facilities department, for more understanding and acceptance of new technology. Breakthrough resistance to change.
  • Stricter management of invoicing and payment process needed between participant and their vendor.

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