Overview

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law amended the statutory provisions for the Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive Program (49 U.S.C. § 5339(b)) and the Low or No Emission Program (49 U.S.C. § 5339(c)) to include a requirement that any application for projects related to zero-emission vehicles include a Zero-Emission Transition Plan.

The cost of developing a transition plan is not eligible under the Buses and Bus Facilities or Low-No Program, but is eligible under the planning programs (49 U .S.C. § 5305) as well as under the urbanized area formula (49 U.S.C. § 5307) and rural area formula programs (49 U.S.C. § 5311).

Plan Components

As defined in statute, a Zero-Emission Transition Plan must: 

• Demonstrate a long-term fleet management plan with a strategy for how the applicant intends to use the current request for resources and future acquisitions.
• Address the availability of current and future resources to meet costs for the transition and implementation.
• Consider policy and legislation impacting relevant technologies.
• Include an evaluation of existing and future facilities and their relationship to the technology transition.
• Describe the partnership of the applicant with the utility or alternative fuel provider.
• Examine the impact of the transition on the applicant's current workforce by identifying skill gaps, training needs, and retraining needs of the existing workers of the applicant to operate and maintain zero-emission vehicles and related infrastructure and avoid displacement of the existing workforce. 

FTA understands the length and complexity of an agency’s plan will vary depending on a number of factors, including the size of the agency’s fleet, service provided, etc.  Applicants are encouraged to develop a plan that meets their needs while also ensuring that the required content is included.   

If applicants have a similar plan in place that addresses some or all of these components, they may submit that plan to satisfy this requirement.  If the plan, does not cover all of the required components, an addendum may be submitted with the plan that addresses any component not covered.    

Resources

• Low and No-Emission Vehicle Federal Technical Assistance
• FTA Dear Colleague Letter: Fleet Transition Plan for Zero Emission Competitive Applications
• Guidebook for Deploying Zero-Emission Transit Buses published by the Transit Cooperative Research Program
• Transit Workforce Center Zero-Emission Bus Resources
• Workforce Evaluation Tool
• FTA's Sustainable Transit for a Healthy Planet Challenge/Resources

FAQs

Q1: Can the Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive or Low or No Emission programs provide funding for the preparation of a Zero-Emission Fleet Transition Plan?

A: No. The Buses and Bus Facilities and Low or No Emission programs are for capital projects only and general studies or planning efforts are not eligible expenses. The cost of developing a transition plan is eligible under the planning programs (49 U.S.C. § 5305) as well as under the Urbanized Area Formula (49 U.S.C. § 5307) and Rural Area Formula programs (49 U.S.C. § 5311).

Q2: Can a previously adopted Zero – Emission Fleet Transition Plan be included in the application? 

A: Yes, if the previously prepared or adopted plan meets the requirements as stated in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), Pub. L. 117-58, it can be included in the application. If the previously prepared plan does not meet all of the BIL requirements, applicants can attach a cover letter or addendum to supplement the plan and address areas that may not be included in a previously adopted plan.

Q3: If a state is submitting an application for a zero-emission project to the Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive or Low or No Emission programs on behalf of one or more subrecipients, is a statewide Zero-Emission Fleet Transition Plan required?

A:  No. A state may submit a statewide plan, a plan(s) developed by the state that covers only the subrecipient(s) included in the application, or a plan(s) developed by the subrecipient(s) it is applying on behalf of.  All subrecipients included in the application must be covered by one of the aforementioned options.