Metro - File #: 2025-0436

• File #: 2025-0436
• Type: Informational Report
• Status: Agenda Ready
• File created: 5/13/2025
• In control: Operations, Safety, and Customer Experience Committee
• On agenda: 7/16/2026
• Title: RECEIVE AND FILE status update on the ZEB Program.
• Sponsors: Board of Directors - Regular Board Meeting
• Indexes: Bus Acquisitions, Bus rapid transit, Division 02, Division 09, El Monte, Electrification, Grant Aid, Informational Report, Metro Busway G Line, Metro Busway J Line, Metro Divisions, Metro Rail A Line, Metro Rail B Line, Motion / Motion Response, North San Fernando Valley Transit Corridor, Plan, Program, Purchasing, Rolling stock, San Fernando, San Fernando Valley Service Sector, San Fernando Valley subregion, Strategic planning, Zero Emission Bus (ZEB) Master Plan, Zero Emissions

Meeting_Body
OPERATIONS, SAFETY, AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE COMMITTEE
JULY 16, 2026

Subject
SUBJECT: ZERO EMISSION BUS (ZEB) PROGRAM UPDATE

Action
ACTION: RECEIVE AND FILE

Heading
RECOMMENDATION

Title
RECEIVE AND FILE status update on the ZEB Program.

Issue
ISSUE

This report provides a status update on the ZEB transition plan, including bus acquisition, division electrification, and upcoming program activities.

Background
BACKGROUND

In July 2017, the Board approved Motion 50 by Directors Bonin, Garcetti, Najarian, Hahn, and Solis (Attachment A), which endorsed a ZEB Strategic Plan to transition Metro's entire bus fleet to zero-emission by 2030. This was contingent upon cost and performance equivalence with Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses, as well as continued advancements in charging infrastructure. In 2018, the California Air Resources Board (CARB)'s Innovative Clean Transit (ICT) regulation mandated that all transit agencies in the state operate zero-emission fleets by 2040. In addition, ICT ZEB purchase requirements for large transit agencies require 25% of bus purchases to be zero emission by 2023, 50% by 2026, and 100% by 2029.

Metro has met all state-mandated program requirements. Furthermore, since October 2020, Metro has powered its bus fleet with 100% Renewable Natural Gas. Since the Board endorsed the ZEB Strategic Plan, staff prepared a ZEB Master Plan in 2022 and a Master Plan Update in 2023. In September 2024, staff prepared a more detailed plan to deliver a 100% ZEB fleet no later than 2035. This ensures Metro's ability to continue providing reliable bus service, including availability of operations and maintenance funding to support the full seven million annualized revenue service hours as planned through the NextGen Bus Plan.

In 2021, Metro electrified the G Line, which has accumulated more than six million miles of zero-emission service to date. In 2025, Metro installed all charging infrastructure to electrify the J Line. El...