Everett Transit

At a Glance

Industry

Government/Public Administration

Project Types

Clean and Renewable Energy, Goals/Targets, Zero Emission Vehicles, Freight and Logistics

Year

2024

Location

Summary

Liz Morrison created a plan to build resilience and emergency preparedness for Everett Transit's fixed-route battery electric bus fleet while simultaneously strengthening current operations.

Goals

Everett Transit has electrified 63% of its total fixed-route fleet, with plans to achieve full electrification by 2039. In order to address resiliency concerns, Everett Transit enlisted Liz Morrison to create a plan for how the agency can power its battery-electric fixed-route fleet using solar power and on-site energy storage, with an end goal of ensuring the availability of transit service in the event that power from the grid is not available.

Solutions

Liz approached this project in a three-part process: 1. Embarking on a thorough stakeholder engagement exercise, Liz began with familiarizing herself with the inner workings of the transit agency and shedding light on obstacles in their transition to electrification. 2) After speaking with over 30 internal and external stakeholders and subject matter experts, Liz assessed that she could better serve the agency by creating a plan that considers the unique position Everett Transit is in on its journey towards zero-emissions. Reframing it as a more industry-standardized "battery electric bus resiliency plan" reflects the goal of protecting fleet operations from small and large disruptions through robust supportive infrastructure and operational efficiency. 3) Liz performed a full evaluation of electric fleet resiliency methods and technologies, identifying those which could be employed by Everett Transit, while accounting for their most recent DER assessment, emergency routes, and procedures. This culminated in the formation of twelve immediate, short-term, and long-term recommendations for administration and operations.

Potential Impact

By following the recommended pathway laid out in Liz's plan to build resilience for Everett Transit's fleet, the agency will avoid missteps made in this process by other agencies who are in a similar place in their electrification transition. The twelve sequenced steps in the Resiliency Plan will allow the agency to potentially save millions of dollars in capital and operating expenditures over the next 16 years. Furthermore, this plan will ensure Everett Transit is able to meet its electrification goals without further extending its timeline to zero emissions.

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