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PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE
NOVEMBER 18, 2020
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Motion by:
DIRECTORS HAHN, GARCETTI, SOLIS, BUTTS, AND BONIN
Electrification of the Silver Line and Metro’s Fleet
Over the last few years, the Board has aggressively pursued many strategies that will require Metro to do their part to tackle climate change. One of them is to convert Metro’s bus fleet to Zero Emission Buses by 2030, as was directed by the Board in April of 2016.
In October of 2016, the Board also directed Metro to develop an implementation plan for the electrification of the Orange Line by 2020, and to report back on the feasibility of electrifying the Silver Line. A year later in October of 2017, the Board approved a Strategic Plan for Metro’s Transition to Zero Emission Buses. Metro is currently developing a Zero Emission Bus Implementation Master Plan, which anticipates replacing Metro’s aging bus fleet at a rate of 200 buses per year, completing the Metro Orange Line transition to Zero Emissions by 2020, and transitioning the Silver Line by approximately 2021.
In December 2015, Metro extended the Silver Line to San Pedro via existing Harbor Freeway transitway stations south of Harbor Gateway Transit Center. This service delivered a valuable direct connection between Harbor communities and Downtown Los Angeles and provided enhanced Silver Line frequency north of Harbor Gateway.
Last month, the Board approved the NextGen Bus Plan, which would terminate the Silver Line at the Harbor Gateway Transit Center, effectively undoing the December 2015 San Pedro extension. This service change is planned to go into effect in December 2021. While there is plenty of ridership on the San Pedro segment, Metro cited operational constraints due to the lack of Metro-owned land for charging stations and battery range limitations as the reason for this future service change. Metro also disclosed that the forthcoming Zero Emission Bus Implementation Master Plan currently only considers land already owned by Metro for potential locations for charging infrastructure as a means of reducing risk. This Plan has not yet been finalized by Metro or considered by the Board.
Electrifying the transportation system will require unprecedented levels of coordination among many different government agencies. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) passed regulations requiring public agencies to transition to Zero Emission Fleets by 2040, both the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have committed to build infrastructure to transition to Zero Emission Goods Movement, and our very own agency is developing a Regional Clean Truck Initiative and Clean Truck Program. These changes provide Metro with the opportunity to develop new partnerships with other agencies trying to achieve the same goals. Metro should thoroughly evaluate the feasibility of leveraging these partnerships to provide critically needed charging infrastructure before making any service changes to the Silver Line that will affect ridership.
Subject
SUBJECT: ELECTRIFICATION OF THE SILVER LINE AND METRO’S FLEET
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RECOMMENDATION
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APPROVE Motion by Directors Hahn, Garcetti, Solis, Butts, and Bonin that the Board direct the CEO to:
A. Meet with the County of Los Angeles, City of Los Angeles, the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, and neighboring transit agencies to discuss potential private property, joint-use, and public right of way opportunities for charging stations that could serve the Harbor Area, beginning with the Silver Line
B. Provide recommendations on how to fully electrify the Silver Line in the Zero Emission Bus Implementation Master Plan due before the Board in Spring of 2021
C. Continue Silver Line service to San Pedro until the Board discusses and chooses a recommendation on how to move forward