MaineDOT Bus Electrification Project

Part of Maine's Clean Transportation Roadmap to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045.

Created customized fleet electrification plans for 12 transit agencies.

Provided effective performance metrics for each agency to track the efficiency of its fleet transition.

Mitigated over 10,000 metric tons of GHG emissions.

Challenges

To meet carbon neutrality goals set by the Governor's office of Maine, MaineDOT launched a program to support transit agencies with developing electrification plans.
In 2021, the Governor's office outlined key strategies to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045, as part of the Clean Transportation Roadmap. A key component of these outlined strategies was increased adoption of hybrid and battery electric vehicles.
MaineDOT needed a partner to support multiple transit agencies within the state in developing feasible pathways toward either hybrid or battery-electric technologies.

Developed fleet electrification plans for 12 transit agencies. Provided support across procurement, performance metrics, emissions calculations, utility rates, scheduling, and grant and funding support.
Developed cooperative procurement programs between the transit agencies to reduce administrative and capital costs.
Modeled current and future planned EV charging rates to determine the impact on future electrification plans. Provided feedback to local utilities on the implications of existing rate structures and suggested potential modifications.
Created detailed schedules for each agency's transition to electric buses. Included details on retirement of existing assets and the procurement and commissioning timelines for new buses, charging systems, and support infrastructure.

Developed strategies to minimize energy costs and improve operational efficiency by running simulations of each transit agency's operations and determining charging systems that allow for feasible year-round service.
Provided effective performance metrics, including energy consumption of vehicles on each route, operating costs, and mean distance between road calls, to enable agencies to track the progress and efficiency of each transition.
Created customized capital plans to support the transition to electric bus operations based on extensive review of each agency's funding and resources. Hatch also authored grant applications to assist the agencies in securing funding to support the capital plans.