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Fleet Electrification Planning

 

A Fleet Electrification Plan (FEP) is a roadmap to electrify a school district or third-party operator’s entire school bus fleet by 2035. This includes a comprehensive evaluation of existing fleet operations and depot electrical capabilities. The plan will serve as a guide, or action plan, that identifies and prioritizes recommendations to help fleet owners make informed decisions about bus and infrastructure purchases and installations. Completing a FEP also unlocks additional funding for electric school buses and chargers, prepares fleet owners to apply for incentives, and prepares school districts to meet their Education Law 3638 reporting requirements.

NYSERDA provides funding to school districts and third-party bus operators to complete FEPs.

Benefits of a Fleet Electrification Plan

A well-developed FEP provides:

  • A customized and actionable plan for meeting NYS’s electrification requirements with prioritized actions
  • A living resource that can easily be updated to account for new technologies or route changes
  • Relationship-building with key external partners (ie. Utilities, dealers, engineers, operators, funders, AHJs)
  • Role identification for internal team members and workforce training needs
  • A reference document for annual Education Law 3638 reporting requirements

Completing the FEP unlocks:

  • $30,000 in additional NYSBIP Charging Voucher Funds per bus
  • An increased cap on the number of NY School Bus Incentive Program (NYSBIP) School Bus Vouchers for which each operator can apply

Support for Completing a Fleet Electrification Plan

To support school districts in completing FEPs, NYSERDA provides:

  • Funding for developing a FEP.
  • Access to pre-qualified engineering consultants who can develop the plan.
  • Administration support to reduce burdens on fleet owners, including direct payment to contractors.
  • Independent Review of deliverables throughout the Plan process to ensure they meet expectations.
  • Approval of the proposed Plan scope and final report to ensure the Plan meets fleet owner requirements.

Applying for Funding

NYSERDA provides funding to support the completion of FEPs, amounts depend on the applicant. The following funding percentages, or cost-shares’ are provided by NYSERDA:

  • 100% of costs covered by NYSERDA for NYSBIP Priority Districts [1]
  • 75% of the costs covered by NYSERDA for non-Priority Districts
  • A minimum of 50% of the costs covered by NYSERDA for third-party bus operators [2]

Consultants applying on behalf of Priority Districts can submit the CGSI Application, Task Work Order Plan (TWOP), and Budget through the email [email protected].

Consultants applying on behalf of Non-Priority Districts and third-party bus operators can submit the FlexTech Application, Task Work Order Plan (TWOP), and Budget through the NYSERDA Salesforce Portal Link opens in new window - close new window to return to this page..

Key Components of a Fleet Electrification Plan

While each district and/or contractor will have a customized FEP tailored to their unique requirements, there will be common components in each Plan. The following components must be included for approval (more information is provided in the ESB Scope of Work Guidelines template ):

  • Electrification Goals – an overview of the electric bus assessment and the approach to fleet electrification. This may include the proposed timeline and milestones for electrification.
  • Route Analysis – analysis of the time and distance involved in each available bus route, which is necessary to understand the range requirements. The analysis will support recommendations for minimum battery requirements and the total energy required to charge the batteries.
  • Charging Strategy – development of a charging strategy that includes number of chargers, power ratings, preferred charging times, and on- and off-peak demands.
  • Utility Assessment – in coordination with the fleet owner’s utility[3] provided, analysis of the existing grid connection and additional electrical capacity required to meet the energy needs determined by the Route Analysis. Equipment needs, upgrades, and costs required to provide additional power, as well as the expected rates for charging buses, will be identified.
  • Phasing Plan – development of a unified phasing plan for capital projects, vehicle replacements, and charger installations. The phasing plan will include a schedule and transition cost estimate for Utility upgrade/sitework, bus purchases, charger purchases, and operating costs.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a FEP take?

An FEP typically takes 6-8 months from the official Notice to Proceed to the approval of the Final Report. Some additional time is required ahead of the Notice to Proceed to identify a contractor and finalize scoping documents with NYSERDA.

Our FEP is done, what do we do next?

When the Final Report for the FEP is approved, a great next step is to start thinking about buying the first buses and charges identified in the Plan (though this often happens during the FEP process as well). These will likely be for easy-to-electrify routes that will provide an opportunity to troubleshoot and test out operational changes before scaling up.

When do we qualify for the FEP bonuses (additional NYSBIP School Bus Vouchers and increased NYSBIP Charger Vouchers)?

The bonus can be accessed once the FEP Final Report is approved by the NYSERDA Project Manager. This is typically 6-8 months after receiving the Notice to Proceed.

We already did a Route or Fleet Assessment with our bus dealer or Utility – do we really need this?

It is still recommended that you complete a FEP because it will provide more customized analysis for your particular bus routes, topography, and operational constraints. Additionally, completing a FEP unlocks funding for buses and chargers that cannot be unlocked with non-FEP assessments. The fleet owner can also choose to complete the FEP outside of the NYSERDA FEP program, but the FEP will still be subject to review prior to NYSBIP bonuses being applied.

We already have a few ESBs – do we really need this?

While you have likely learned some valuable lessons from the vehicles you already have, it is still recommended that you complete a FEP. Scaling up to a full electric fleet is complex and will likely require longer-term planning, capital investment, and coordination with your Utility that the initial ESBs may not have required.

What if we have multiple bus depots?

If there are multiple bus depots, the FEP will take into account all routes and locations for the district. This can include the use of information from multiple utility providers and can provide timelines for each individual bus depot in order to transition the districts entire fleet to zero-emissions.

What if we contract out our bus fleet?

The FEP will take into account the current bus routes and uses by the district including contracted routes. The FEP will tailor to the district needs and can provide cost estimates for ownership of the fleet, as well as estimates for continuing to contract the fleet. Alternatively, the contractor may opt to apply for a FEP that covers all of the routes they operate for any districts they serve.

Additional Resources

Footnotes

  1. Districts with a building on the Clean Green School Initiative Eligible Under-Resourced Schools list also receive a 100% cost-share.
  2. Contractors who apply for all districts they serve out of one depot location in one application will receive the cost-share of the highest district included in the application.
  3. For fleet owners served by Central Hudson, Con Edison, National Grid, NYSEG, Orange and Rockland, and Rochester Gas and Electric, this aligns with the capacity analysis and rate analysis provided through the Fleet Advisory Services process. PSEG-Long Island provides a similar service as well.