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Transportation Decarbonization | ZEB Program Planning at LA Metro

Yesterday, Los Angeles Metro released a solicitation to purchase up to 1,160 zero emission buses (solicitation link in comments). The base order includes 260 battery electric buses (BEBs), 20 fuel cell electric buses, and opportunity chargers for future bus rapid transit lines. The order is an important next step in achieving Metro's ambitious zero emission fleet goals. Metro's procurement meets many of the Federal Transit Administration's administrative priorities meant to strengthen the U.S. transit bus manufacturing industry -- there are only two Buy America compliant full size transit bus OEMs left!! We've reduced customization, introduced progress payments, and implemented a regional procurement approach that will allow other LA County transit operators to buy buses through the contract options. While it will be a few years before these buses hit the streets, Metro's existing BEB fleet has logged more than 5 million miles, to my knowledge, more than any other transit agency in the U.S. And we have 95 more BEBs coming this year that will serve the J Line and local service around the County. BEB technology still has a long way to go before it reaches cost and performance parity with Metro's renewable gas-powered CNG fleet, but we anticipate considerable improvements with each new generation of buses. We hope that by aligning our procurements with FTA's administrative priorities it will bring more certainty to a challenged industry, draw more competition into the transit bus space, and drive technology advancement. Well done Daniel Surmenian, Metro's Vendor / Contract management team, and the many other staff and consultant team members who got this procurement together. Your efforts not only help to push the industry forward but also put Metro's recent application to the FTA LoNo / Bus & Bus Facilities grant programs in a strong position to receive funding. Go Metro!

Matthew Dake

Deputy Chief Operating Officer - Maintenance

7mo

Great work team! We are well on our way to a ZEB fleet.

Shari Tavaf

Senior Fellow at University of California, Berkeley; Catalyst for Change; Innovative Problem Solver; Effective Organizational Leader who delivers results through creativity, teamwork and fun

7mo

Congratulations!

Sashko Stubailo

CTO / co-founder at Flipturn: charger management for EV fleets and depots

7mo

Can't wait to see more EV buses on the streets of LA!

Adam J Shaw

US Lead - Infrastructure & Capital Projects (I&CP) at Accenture

7mo

Congratulations to Los Angeles Metro on this massive step forward! 🎉

Ryan Wolfe

Working for a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable California

7mo

Yeah, buddy! Great to see this moving.

Steve Schupak

VP National Zero Emission Transit Lead

7mo

Congrats on getting this RFP on the street and continuing the early work VEA put in to making ZE operations a reality at LA Metro! Go get em Daniel!

Daniel Hilson

CEO and Founder - Evenergi

7mo

Great work Shaun Miller

Dave Sauvé, P.Eng.

Director, Low Carbon Fleet Programs at Coast Mountain Bus Company

7mo

Shaun that’s amazing news! Congratulations to LA Metro for the milestone. Keep pushing!

Paul Bottrill MBA (Lon)

Resilient Infrastructure Services

7mo

Shawn, This is super cool news. Go Metro…Go Olympcs!!

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