CALSTART, a global clean transportation nonprofit, and partner New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) have created the New Jersey Fleet Advisor Program, a free technical assistance program that helps medium- and heavy-duty fleets plan for electrification in support of sustainability goals.
During its first round, the program will provide free technical assistance to 15 New Jersey fleet companies interested in learning how to transition to zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs).
The goal of this program is to help small fleets overcome challenges to electrification, such as bridging knowledge gaps about ZEVs, evaluating charging needs, securing incentives, and engaging with utilities, manufacturers, and permitting authorities. By working directly with fleets, the program hopes to spur ZEV adoption and achieve state climate and health goals.
Participation in this educational program is free and aims to help fleets navigate key decisions around transitioning to ZEVs.
“Children, whose lungs are still developing, are most vulnerable to the harmful health effects of poor air quality, yet millions of them are transported to and from school every day in buses that release harmful diesel emissions,” says Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette. “It is critical that our school buses be equipped with the latest technology to protect them. The DEP congratulates grant recipients for their commitment to the health of our children and looks forward to helping school districts and fleet operators as we work together to grow the use of electric school buses and trucks.”
As the lead consultant for New Jersey Fleet Advisor, CALSTART will oversee fleet recruitment, selection and development of the Fleet Electrification Roadmaps, similarly to Mass Fleet Advisor. The personalized Fleet Electrification Roadmap will include:
- ZEV recommendations based on current fleet vehicles’ duty cycles
- Total cost of vehicle ownership projections and an onsite assessment that evaluates capacity for chargers and infrastructure upgrades
- Funding and incentive opportunities with descriptions and application instructions
- A zero-emission transition guide to understanding these types of vehicles
New Jersey Fleet Advisor is open to private, nonprofit and public fleets that are registered and operate in New Jersey. They must meet these eligibility requirements:
- Medium- or heavy-duty vehicles (gross vehicle weight rating over 6,000 pounds)
- 20 or fewer vehicles in the fleet
- Typically own or lease vehicles for a minimum of 36 months
Priority will be given to fleets in overburdened communities.
If selected for the program, participants will identify a project lead to serve as the program’s point of contact and will gather and share fleet data that will be used to develop their Fleet Electrification Roadmap. This will include fleet operations and usage information, vehicle attributes, and duty-cycle data. (The supplied information will not be shared outside of the New Jersey Fleet Advisor program team.)