Attachment G_10-Year Strategic Plan.pdf

Cape Cod Regional

Transit Authority

Ten Year Strategic Plan

Supporting Five Year Capital Plan

Thomas S. Cahir

Administrator

Last Updated: October 17, 2022

Attachment G

Executive Summary

General Approach and Considerations

Infrastructure Improvements

Current Condition – Dennis Operations

Facility Options

Option 1 – Upgrade the Dennis Facility Only

Option 2 – Build an Operations Facility in Barnstable Area

Facility Conclusions

Updating of Rolling Stock

Rolling Stock Overview

Dart/SmartDART

Gillig (Large Bus)

Hybrid Technologies

Training

Cape-Wide Initiative

Develop and Build-Out Cape-wide Electric Vehicle infrastructure

Goals (Action Items)

Five Year Capital Plan FY2023 – FY2027

Goal #1: Increase ridership through funding outlays designed to improve the customers’ transportation experience and restore the public’s confidence that it is safe to travel on public transportation

Goal #2: Bolster critically needed transit assistance supporting the diverse needs of our customers, contribute to the improvement of our local economy, and assist local businesses through the provision of a broader umbrella of transit services

Goal #3: Improve the efficiency and cost-effective delivery of transit services through technology enhancements that employ a data driven decision approach to the implementation of transit improvements

Goal #4: Achieve a Zero Carbon Footprint Goal by 2030 through targeted capital investments in EV charging station infrastructure, incremental conversion from fossil fuel vehicles to electric, and further investments in “green building” and solar technology

Goal #5: Reduce future budgetary costs and increase revenues through selective investments in operating and capital budget initiatives

Appendix A – Five Year Funding Sources and Uses Summary

Budget Overview

Federal Stimulus Funding:

Controls & Policies - CARES Act:

Risk Factors:

Basic Assumptions (Funding & Expenses):

Mitigation Efforts:

Summary:

Source and Uses

Appendix B – Five Year Capital Budget

Appendix C – 2023 – 2026 Transportation Improvement Program

Appendix D - Rolling Stock Plan

Replacement Schedule - Cutaways

Gillig Schedule

Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority

Executive Summary Over the years, the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority has led the way in providing safe, reliable, and low-cost transportation services to the residents and visitors to Cape Cod. During that time, we have coordinated our services with the fifteen Cape Cod Towns, our intermodal transportation partners, colleges, hospitals, social service providers, and others to help provide customers end-to-end transportation service to their destinations on the Cape and Islands. Our close working relationship with the Federal Transit Administration, Massachusetts Department of Transportation and the Cape Cod Commission has provided guidance and assistance and will continue to play a significant role in the future plans.

The CCRTA is the recognized leader in the nation in efforts to leverage additional federal revenues through the strategic partnerships forged with our intermodal partners. Over the next ten years, the CCRTA will continue these partnerships and expand our efforts with other intermodal partners to further enhance the transportation options for our customers and access to expanded federal funding.

During Goal-Setting exercises for our Ten-Year Strategic Plan in the Fall of 2021 and Spring of 2022, the CCRTA identified the following five areas of focus:

1. Increase ridership through funding outlays designed to improve the customers’ transportation experience and restore the public’s confidence that it is safe to travel on public transportation.

2. Bolster critically needed transit assistance supporting the diverse needs of our customers, contribute to the improvement of our local economy, and assist local businesses through the provision of a broader umbrella of transit services.

3. Improve the efficiency and cost-effective delivery of transit services through technology enhancements that employ a data driven decision approach to the implementation of transit improvements.

4. Achieve a Zero Carbon Footprint Goal by 2030 through targeted capital investments in EV charging station infrastructure, incremental conversion from fossil fuel vehicles to electric, and further investments in “green building” and solar technology.

5. Reduce future budgetary costs and increase revenues through selective investments in operating and capital budget initiatives.

With respect to Goal #4, the global turmoil of early 2022 has led to dramatically increased fuel prices and a corresponding backlog on the availability of electric vehicles as demand has soared. Further, battery technology needed to support large buses is presently insufficient to provide the needed range on CCRTA runs. We will continue to monitor advancements in technology and EV availability as we push to “all-electric”, but we fully recognize that our “Zero Carbon Footprint Goal by 2030” will be a monumental challenge to achieve. Regardless, we will continue to aggressively promote this compliance goal through a strategy that first achieves 100% compliance on all vehicles under twenty passengers (135 vehicles of our 178 or 75.8% of our fleet), and the remaining larger buses, as quickly as EV battery technology advances to a state that supports the CCRTA’s larger bus runs. Additionally, we expect to investigate hybrid technology and temporary bus leasing options (as opposed to purchasing) in the event that it proves a responsible interim step.

In order to advance our goals, the CCRTA developed the following Five-Year Capital Spending Plan which involved a rigorous process for the short and long-range identification and prioritization of capital projects in support of the Authority’s mission to provide excellent customer service through safe, reliable, efficient, affordable, and environment sustainable transit options to all of our customers and communities. Coupled with the 10-Year Strategic Plan, the 5-Year Capital Spending plan provides a Cape-wide vision for managing and augmenting transit infrastructure and operations to continually enhance the customers’ travel experience. The Capital Plan is intended to be a flexible document in that availability of funding in any year is not assured, but is meant to recognize the many projects, large and small, that will help us achieve our goals. With that said, it is important to note that due to the efforts of the CCRTA and its transportation partners, the CCRTA has received significant funding over three rounds of Federal COVID Relief funds that enable us to advance capital projects in an accelerated fashion that work toward our Strategic Plan. We believe that much of this can be accomplished in a five-year window and while ambitious, it is achievable with the assistance of our partners.

Accomplishing these goals will require investment across all segments of our business model. For the purpose of this plan, those investments have been aligned into three categories:

• Infrastructure Improvements

• Updating of Rolling Stock

• Cape-wide initiatives

Each of these areas will be expanded upon below.

General Approach and Considerations The CCRTA has always approached capital spending in a conservative fashion which has protected our investments without taking unnecessary risks on unproven technologies and upgrades that do not have a clear return on investment. The need for this conservative approach to capital spending is particularly heightened in a quickly evolving technological environment where major advances in electric vehicle (EV) and EV infrastructure occur in real-time. Additionally, future investments in parts, equipment, information technology services, and maintenance facility upgrades need to be contemplated in lockstep with this quickly changing transit industry environment. With this in mind, the traditional capital budget funding and investment processes, such as function-specific budgets, long-term funding cycles, and traditional procurement and vendor management practices, can at times clash with the concepts of the CCRTA’s need to nimbly adjust to fast paced changing conditions. This will require an adjusted approach that involves responsive value-based/cost benefit analysis and dynamic funding models to shift capital resources to properly respond to this rapidly changing transit environment.

Over the next five years, the CCRTA’s Capital Spending Plan places great emphasis on a regional approach working with our multimodal partners to promote and advance “economy of scale” collaborative investments for the transition to electric vehicles and supporting infrastructure. As part of this capital investment process, the CCRTA plans to selectively procure the services of consulting resources to further this effort. This will include the direct participation of our multimodal partners that will allow them to take part in this important initiative and add to its success. With the above in mind, the CCRTA’s 5-Year Capital Plan includes a wide-range of potential investments in electric vehicles and supporting infrastructure as well as significant upgrades or replacement of our existing facilities. However, on a go-forward basis, it will be critically important to evaluate each capital project in the context of a cost/benefit analysis and how it supports the 10-Year Strategic Plan’s articulated goals. As a result, the following list of capital projects identified in the 5-Year Capital Spending Plan should be viewed as a menu of possible capital spending options, each requiring further review before approval to move forward.

Infrastructure Improvements Ordinarily, one would not expect to start a strategic plan with a discussion on infrastructure, but decisions made on this aspect of our vision, drive much of what will follow. Significant investment needs to be made to the Dennis Operations facility to support the primary goal of the CCRTA’s migration to an all-electric fleet of buses. The current Dennis, MA facility location needs significant investment in electric infrastructure, solar capacity to generate electricity, storage capacity to better manage off-peak pricing of electric needs, waste water recycling capacity to stay within what the Commonwealth considers a “small contributor” of hazardous waste, and more. As we started to develop pricing to support these requirements, it became obvious that we should consider an option of building a new facility elsewhere that has been designed with this in mind from the beginning and see if we could make it competitive enough to warrant the expense. The next paragraphs will document some of the items that have been discussed and present a case for each of the two options so a decision on future direction can be made.

Current Condition – Dennis Operations The current facility is fully functional and has operated since 2006 without significant investment in the facility since then. There are space considerations that have plagued us for several years. Parking for revenue vehicles, non-revenue vehicles and employee vehicles is extremely tight. The overall layout is not optimum due to the lack of space. The footprint of the building and parcel is proving problematic to support the more than one hundred forty vehicles the CCRTA operates and/or supports, fuels, washes and vaults. There are two abutting properties that have been for sale for some time and this would make it possible to solve some of the shortcomings of the facility within the expanded footprint.

We currently maintain seventy DART and SmartDART buses, thirty-eight large Gillig buses, nineteen COA vehicles, twenty-two cutaway buses, eight administrative vehicles and five trolleys in Dennis.

The four service bays are insufficient now for this effort, but when electric vehicles are added in a phased rollout, we will need to support the old and the new and this is expected to last eight to ten years. Adding service bays is an option but it will further exacerbate the space issues as this will eliminate more parking. It is possible, but it has complications.

Currently, there is no electric infrastructure to support an electric fleet in place. This will require significant investment to provide both generating and storage capacity. A solar canopy has been considered and approved in past years but not yet constructed. This will cover the buses and provide a portion of our electric needs.

We have needed to cover the fueling area with some protection from the elements and a canopy over the bus area does nothing to address this. A reconfiguration of the parking might be able to relocate the buses sufficiently closer to the fueling area that the canopy could be extended to satisfactorily address both issues at once but this is unsure at this time and being looked into.

Finally, a capital investment to improve security access to the Operations facility is recommended.

The automated sliding gates for entrance to the facility are opened and closed all day to allow buses and employee vehicles to enter and exit. Presently, the entrance to the facility does not have a structure to station an employee at the gate entrance, which provides an opportunity for unauthorized vehicles to access the facility without permission. Although no security issues of note have arisen in the past, this recommended capital investment addresses the present security risk at the Operations facility. The structure will have dual “check-in” windows on either side to allow for security checks and efficient arrivals of entering vehicles, as well as the efficient distribution of keys, documents, and check-outs of drivers beginning their shifts or exiting for the day. All keys and driver support material inventories could be easily distributed and streamline the process of on-time gate departures. Visual security on anyone entering the facilities would be performed.

Facility Options The first option explores the pros and cons of upgrading the current Dennis facility. The second option explores the possibility of constructing a new facility in the Town of Barnstable area.

Option 1 – Upgrade the Dennis Facility Only This option would purchase the available land, some 1.06 acres, abutting the current footprint on the northwest corner. It is presently unclear the availability, cost, and development control limitations associated with this parcel. This land would be used for parking of buses, employee parking and a redesign of the bus flow to take better advantage of lanes approaching the fueling station. A solar canopy would be installed that would provide a portion of our electric needs. The parking area “may” be redesigned to allow the canopy to be extended to cover the fueling area. A security building would be added near the main gate. The service bays would be expanded by adding two additional bays which would result in four additional work stations (two per bay) to accommodate electric buses and diesel buses in the future. Installation of a gantry crane to manage batteries for electric vehicles would be required. (Gillig buses have roof mounted batteries). The existing wash bay would be upgraded to include waste water recycling. Finally, the electric infrastructure to support the vehicles would be retrofitted to the site including generating via the solar canopy, storage as available and back-up generating capacity to maintain the fleet in power outages. Cost estimates for this option are included below.

Option 1 – Pros and Cons The pros include:

• The obvious advantage to this plan is cost. It is will be the lesser expensive option.

• The procurement of property would necessitate only the purchase of property already for sale and currently available.

• Operations staff have agreed that the required upgrades can be accomplished in this footprint and will support the current needs of the Operations Division of the CCRTA.

The cons include:

• We cannot dispatch to areas in Bourne and parts of Falmouth with the current electric vehicle mileage constraints from a distance as far as Dennis without some interim stop. This will require additional vehicles and possibly drivers.

• While not a large fiscal issue, it is, nevertheless, a significant challenge to upgrade the facility while remaining operational in the process. Even with phased-in oversight of the project, significant consideration needs to be given to daily bus operations impacted by the proposed construction of the expanded facility and bus canopies. The smaller narrow footprint of the current site would require us to move equipment and employee parking down to the training oval which would then be unavailable for at least a year.

• If future plans somewhere down the road require additional expansion, there is no room available. This is a “one and done” option.

• The topography of the site leaves many broken up segments that are awkward and not efficient. The developed properties that surround the site make this something we cannot change. (See site map below and additional description under CC-021, Page 26)

Option 1 – Estimated Expense

1. Land Purchase appx. $700,000 per parcel $1,400,000.

2. Facility Redesign for buses and other vehicles $775,000

3. Solar Canopy 900,000.

4. Security Building 50,000.

5. Service Bay Expansion 1,250,000.

6. Waste Water Recycling Upgrade 675,000.

7. Electric Infrastructure 1,000,000.

ESTIMATED COST $6,050,000.

Option 2 – Build an Operations Facility in Barnstable Area

An analysis of the DART/SmartDART rides provided by CCRTA has been performed to assess the proper location of a future Operations Center if a decision was made to relocate. For CY2021, CCRTA provided 73,812 rides originating from Barnstable or 48.5% of all DART/SmartDART rides. Of those rides, 48,660 rides originated and terminated in Barnstable or 32% of all DART/SmartDART rides.

Considering the CCRTA goals of moving to an all-electric fleet over the next decade, it was the consensus of the committee that any new Operations facility should be constructed in the Town of Barnstable area. This does not eliminate the need for additional depot charging capacity in the Falmouth and Provincetown areas in the future, but allows us to start immediately on the EV transition to smaller vehicles as we build out the needed infrastructure to satisfy the larger capacity buses that have a much shorter range with current technologies.

A new facility would be built on property in the Town of Barnstable area that would be designed from the beginning to meet the needs of the CCRTA into the future. All existing deficiencies in the Dennis facility would be addressed at this location during construction. This is admittedly an aggressive option, but it has opportunities and efficiencies which we believe should be considered.

Cost estimates for this option are included below.

Several properties have been identified that meet basic criteria each of which has challenges to overcome. All three are in the vicinity of Cape Cod Community College.

Option 2 – Pros and Cons The pros include:

• This option solves all the issues with the current facility.

• There would be no disruption to the Dennis, MA facility operations while the new maintenance facility is being constructed on a separate site.

• If a cooperative collaboration with CCCC is started along with an electric vehicle training program, having both facilities in close proximity would be a strong plus.

• If the CCRTA wants to take the lead Cape-wide in promoting electric vehicle infrastructure, a new facility could help support our partners beyond those which we currently support, i.e.

Cape Towns and other inter/intramodal partners etc. A state of the art facility would be a showcase for those efforts.

• This option offers room for expansion to accommodate future operational needs as yet unseen.

• The cons include:

• This is the more expensive option.

Possible Site Locations

This property makes up part of the CCCC carve out. The overall property size of that parcel is 44 acres and dividing out approximately twenty acres would provide sufficient space. The location shares easy access to existing electric infrastructure , efficient access and egress and quick access to a major highway.

On the southeast side of the Exit 66 interchange, this property is two parcels.

The smaller is 4.2 acres and belongs to Mass DPW. The larger adjacent parcel is 18 acres and belongs to the Town of Barnstable.

Consideration of a land swap with the Town of Barnstable would be challenging but worth considering.

This property is 32 acres and is across from CCCC and behind the existing Cape Cod Conservatory property. It is owned by the Mass Dept of Environmental Management. There may be conservation restrictions as yet determined but it is a sizeable lot and should be considered until proven otherwise.

Option 2 – Estimated Expense

1. Construct Facility in Barnstable $25,000,000

2. Electric Infrastructure 1,000,000

ESTIMATED COST $26,000,000.

Facility Conclusions There are pluses and minuses to both options and a larger discussion needs to take place early in the implementation of this plan in order to proceed. The committee has reviewed the options and is recommending the second option as the best way forward if possible. Operations staff has made it clear that the Dennis facility could be made to work with the purchase of the additional properties and the upgrades proposed, so Option 1 remains a viable solution. It is fair to say that this opinion may be swayed when the financials are developed for each option, but given the existing thinking, we recommend construction of a new facility in the Barnstable area.

Updating of Rolling Stock It is widely recognized that the largest single contributor to climate change is exhaust generated by fossil fuel cars, buses, aircraft and other transportation vehicles. Given Cape Cod’s fragile environment and its susceptibility to climate change issues related to air quality and rising sea level, it is appropriate for the CCRTA to step forward and provide leadership and funding to begin a migration to a zero-emission fleet for ourselves and other large vehicle operators. With this in mind, the CCRTA has set an aggressive goal of operating 100% zero-emission transit vehicles by 2030 and where this is not possible, as soon thereafter. Technology constraints and production limits in the Spring of 2022 show early indication that we may have to delay replacement of the largest buses until issues are resolved, but we will monitor and adapt as required to pursue the goal to our utmost.

Electric vehicles are seen as an improvement by our riders. In addition to the environmental advantages, electric buses are cleaner and quieter and riders take notice of both. For drivers, electric buses accelerate faster and can merge into traffic easier which is particularly useful on Cape roads in the summer season.

Prior to specifics on the rolling stock recommendations, a brief description of current thinking is required. The CCRTA operates routes that vary in length from fifty-one miles one-way to as short as twelve miles one-way. Large battery electric buses (thirty-five foot), have a relatively short run distance between charging and are currently impractical for wide spread use by the CCRTA.

Tremendous progress has been made in just the past five years towards extending this run-distance as battery capacity has improved and this bears watching. However, over the short-run this is not a proposed capital investment recommendation. On the other hand, small cutaway buses used for most DART service and the SmartDART service have relatively short runs in most cases and could be integrated into the CCRTA fleet immediately. The SmartDART vehicles, in particular, have the advantage of being dispatched from the Hyannis Transportation Center where the electrical charging infrastructure is already in place. With this combination of factors considered, it makes perfect sense to start a controlled migration to electric vehicles in a responsible way for the DART/SmartDART transit service.

There are several concerns that have been considered with this recommendation including:

1. The MassDOT Mobility Assistance Program (MAP) does not currently provide for electric vehicles, which would require CCRTA to purchase vehicles outright with 100% federal stimulus funds unless approval is granted to use a portion of the RTA Capital funds as a 20% match.

2. Electric vehicle charging infrastructure is not standardized.

3. There is a lack of infrastructure in general Cape-wide to support further expansion of this effort.

4. There is a lack of “off-peak” pricing by current electrical providers on the Cape needed for economical pricing for a large increase in consumption by CCRTA and other partners.

5. Large vehicle battery electric buses (BEB) are not viable under current technologies for the long distance routes operated by the CCRTA.

This migration will require advancement on several fronts simultaneously to be successful, but there are opportunities for quick targeted advancement and those should be embraced as soon as reasonably possible.

Rolling Stock Overview Dart/SmartDART FY23 will start the migration of the DART/SmartDART fleet to EVs. The recent addition of ten dual charging stations at the HTC will support an immediate deployment of the five buses currently dedicated to SmartDART in Hyannis and Yarmouth. The recommended vehicle for this purchase is vans which will accommodate the SmartDART passengers and have sufficient range to run a day in service for that purpose. Limited availability of this type of EV model due to manufacturers’ supply chain issues and greater consumer demand will likely impact the CCRTA’s ability to quickly procure

EVs in support of this objective. However, once the EVs are procured, this will be accompanied by a significant press statement and graphics on the vehicles calling immediate attention to the “zero-emission vehicle” now being used exclusively in the SmartDART program. We have been informed that MassDOT is planning on an electric vehicle option in the FY24 MAP vehicle program, which means FY23 will be the last in a series of non-electric bus procurements that the CCRTA makes through MAP.

Rather than relying solely on the age/mileage on a vehicle to schedule replacement, CCRTA will move the smaller vehicles up for early replacement and schedule larger cutaways more heavily in later years. The constant improvements in battery life and extended range should allow for larger vehicles to improve in range and better suit our needs and the longer runs that these vehicles service. It is our belief that this will allow us to move ahead aggressively with our electrification immediately and allow more time for improvements in the industry that will better leverage our investment in these vehicles.

It is worth noting that several discussions have taken place regarding the “right sizing” of the fleet with the move to electric buses. We currently operate seventy-eight “cutaway” vehicles which range in seating from eight to eighteen passenger. The Demand Response group at Operations has evaluated the ridership based on pre-Covid ridership and determined that we could downsize the fleet by ten vehicles if we find that the electric vehicles offer a “one for one” replacement in performance and longevity. We recommend keeping the present number of operational vehicles until at least year four of this migration to properly assess the impact of the new vehicles in our environment. At the same time, an evaluation of passenger rides is driving the recommendations to move to smaller DART vehicles on a portion of our fleet as we proceed. For instance, we will replace our seventeen passenger vehicles with fourteen passenger vehicles when the replacement cycle calls for them. These same discussions have been held regarding the larger Gillig buses but there is not sufficient information available now to make an informed decision.

In our next round of purchases in FY2023, we hope to be procuring a share of ADA and non-ADA vehicles to supplement the SmartDART fleet. Passengers must use our app to book trips and a checkbox for those requiring an ADA capable vehicle has been added so that the proper vehicle is dispatched. This is currently part of both Uber and Lyft’s booking process. The advantage of the non- ADA vehicle is the significant reduction in price and increased passenger capacity. In 2022, the price difference is approximately five thousand dollars less and will accommodate an increased shared ride passenger capacity from six to twelve.

MassDOT has been working with a consultant to move forward on an electric vehicle study and CCRTA added its voice to the urgency of moving this process along. The cycle for statewide MAP procurements is going to begin shortly for the FY23 purchases, and recently MassDOT informed agencies that some limited EV options will be available for FY24. If these options are suitable for our needs, we will gladly embrace them. The alternative recommendation is the measured addition of SmartDART EVs through a CCRTA initiated procurement process using a combination of federal stimulus funds and State RTA Capital funds.

Vehicles purchased with State or Federal funds that have reached the end of their useful life must document a sufficient number of miles and/or years of service prior to retirement. These numbers vary by vehicle. The vehicle replacement sheets included in Appendix D list the various years/miles for retirement for each vehicle type. As vehicles become eligible for retirement, we will be replacing them with electric vehicles to the greatest extent possible. CCRTA is a high mileage agency so we usually exceed the mileage limits long before we reach the age requirements. This will assist us in pushing an accelerated schedule for replacement. The following provides a narrative description by fiscal year of planned vehicle replacements.

For FY22, we received replacement vehicles that had been ordered in advance over one year ago and are gasoline vehicles. They consist of 5 four passenger mini-vans; 7 twelve-passenger cutaways; and 3 fourteen-passenger cutaways. This illustrates our move forward to smaller vehicles to promote future battery purchases. It was necessary to move other vehicles originally scheduled for FY2022 into the FY2023 procurement schedule as circumstances delayed our initial proposal. Also ordered two fiscal years earlier and received in FY2022 were 6-Gillig replacement buses for vehicles that exceeded useful life standards for both miles and age.

For FY23, we put grants in place with expiring 5339 funds to replace five to seven vans with electric equivalents to replace the SmartDART buses. These will be secured outside the MAP replacement process. Additionally, we plan on replacing 8 three-passenger mini-vans, 14 eight-passenger small cutaways, 7 ten-passenger cutaways and 2 administrative vehicles. All replacement vehicles from this point forward are electric.

For FY24, we plan on replacing 3 eight-passenger cutaways; 9 twelve-passenger cutaways;

8 fourteen-passenger cutaway; and one administrative vehicle. All replacement vehicles are replacing a bus or vehicle that was one size larger previously.

For FY25, we plan on replacing 16 fourteen-passenger cutaways, 8 twelve-passenger cutaways, and 5 eight-passenger cutaways.

For FY26, we plan on replacing 3 six-passenger vans, 1 three-passenger caravans, 3 ten-passenger cutaways and 9 fourteen-passenger cutaways.

For FY27, we plan on replacing a large portion of the Council on Aging fleet. This will be driven by conditions at the time of replacement as many of these vehicles have lower mileage that is challenging to get approved. Our plan calls for 5 three-passenger vans, 15 eight-passenger mini-buses and 1 twelve-passenger cutaway. Additionally, beginning in FY27, CCRTA will begin purchasing “spare” vehicles that will meet our FTA requirements for spares and provide extra capacity for electric vehicles not capable of meeting all of our daily mileage requirements. This will consist of 3 three-passenger Caravans and 3 eight-passenger cutaways. Finally, we expect to purchase the first five Gillig Buses in FY27 if the technology supports our needs.

Gillig (Large Bus) Migration of the larger buses to EVs is somewhat more complicated as the current technology does not support the longer mileage that CCRTA operates on many of its fixed routes. The technology is improving rapidly and this will need to be reassessed every year, but moving to zero-emission buses under the current technology limitations does not present a fiscally responsible option. The buses sell for twice the price as a diesel-powered vehicle and we would need to double the number of buses in the fleet to provide coverage. It is likely that the eventual move to electric buses will necessitate additional vehicles as transit authorities nationally who have committed to BEB’s have growth of approximately twenty-five percent to accommodate charging schedules. Given that reality, CCRTA will follow an interim plan and assess annually to know when we see a responsible opportunity to start the migration.

This will require managing the existing Gillig fleet to stretch its longevity and make the necessary repairs to maintain a proper level of service without the purchase of new equipment wherever possible. A new Gillig bus is expected to last at least twelve years and it is our desire that we will have moved to electric before that time. This in no way should slow the buildout of electric infrastructure to support the eventual migration as a wise investment will avoid sunk costs that we have to abandon in the future.

Future decisions regarding large bus deployment will need to consider range, turn-around charging time, hot and cold weather accessories and the stop and go nature of Cape Cod driving. This assessment should take place annually and as other transit agencies adopt these buses, we should evaluate their experiences and push forward as quickly as the technology allows.

While not directly related to the electrification of the fleet, CCRTA will work closely with the Cape Cod Commission and MassDOT to be included in planning for all road improvements where our buses currently operate fixed route service to take advantage of possible scenarios that might include bus pull-outs to alleviate traffic backups but also provide the potential of adding electric infrastructure to support vehicle charging.

Hybrid Technologies While the technology to support electric vehicles exists in a supportable fashion for smaller vehicles, the technology for large buses is not there yet. CCRTA will evaluate the state of technology annually, but if the advances in battery technology do not appear to support a move to electric buses (large) prior to 2027, the CCRTA will look to bridge the years by considering hybrid large buses. This is not a permanent solution but it does move us closer to our ultimate goal. A consideration to purchase any large bus is a commitment to a twelve year investment so this needs to be weighed carefully before committing, but nevertheless, we will consider it.

Training While not directly a rolling stock expense, the training of mechanical personnel to manage the maintenance of this new fleet is very important. The shop at CCRTA is responsible for the maintenance of over one hundred sixty vehicles and as new electric technologies achieves greater adoption, we must be ready to support those vehicles. Our mechanics are not prepared to keep the fleet operational as they are trained in fossil fuel engines and equipment. Part of our proposal for the rollout of electric vehicle technology includes training for our mechanics. This should begin in the current fiscal year and be a required feature for at least the next three years.

Cape-Wide Initiative Develop and Build-Out Cape-wide Electric Vehicle infrastructure In order to more rapidly advance the CCRTA’s Electrical Vehicle (EV) and EV Infrastructure planning, the CCRTA will collaborate with the Cape Cod Commission to hire a consulting firm specializing in this highly technical and fast evolving industry. The Cape Cod Commission’s multifaceted approach in this area has produced a deep level of research data that will help guide and significantly benefit the work of the consulting firm in this effort. The scope of the project will include an important collaboration with our multimodal partners (e.g. SSA, Hy-Line, Intercity bus carriers, etc.), towns, 5-C’s, hospitals, colleges, shopping centers and other select private entities and will integrate results from the MassDOT BEB study. The conclusions and recommendations derived from the consulting firm’s EV and EV infrastructure review will become a critical component of updates to the CCRTA’s 10-Year Strategic Plan and 5-Year Capital Spending Plan. Under this proposal, the CCRTA takes a major leadership role in a critically important Cape-Wide/Regional “Climate Change” EV and EV Infrastructure initiative. To be clear, it is the intent of the CCRTA to implement the final result of the Cape-wide plan and we are prepared to commit funds for this purpose in participating Towns as Federal funding constraints allow.

Cape-Wide Infrastructure Design Timeline

Goals (Action Items) In order to accomplish the initiatives above, CCRTA will continue to implement the five strategic goals set by the agency and follow the steps outlined for each below.

Goal #1: Increased ridership through funding outlays designed to improve the customers’ transportation experience and restore the publics’ confidence that it is safe to travel on public transportation.

• Expand the CCRTA Public Awareness campaign

• Improve the customer experience with improved facilities

• Improve the technologies currently employed to provide information in a more timely fashion

• Invest in training for staff to promote safe environments on transportation vehicles

• Upgrade technology to provide customer-facing IT infrastructure that create improved overall customer experience and provide real-time route information

• Add new bus shelters where appropriate

• Selective implementation of fixed route free fares, with an initial focus on the disabled and ADA populations

Discussion:

Over the past five years, the CCRTA has:

• Redesigned the outside areas of the HTC to accommodate more than twice as many buses

• Provided car rental options

• Added electric charging stations for electric vehicles

• Doubled the parking capacity

• Provided better wheel chair access to all visitors

• Provided space for new bus companies to provide additional routes and schedules

Over the next five years we will:

• Repair and upgrade the existing facility at the HTC to protect the investment for the future and provide a better customer experience at the HTC

• Improve the website and social media offerings to provide better, more timely information, and better payment options

• Selectively offer additional “Free Fare” days to further promote what has been a successful campaign in the past

Goal #2: Bolster critically needed transit assistance supporting the diverse needs of our customers, contribute to the improvement of our local economy and assist local businesses through the provision of a broader umbrella of transit services.

Action Items:

• Continue to negotiate possible financial involvement in the Bourne Rail Trail connection to Falmouth Shining Sea Bike Path and further extension to other parts of the Cape

• Selective expansion of fixed route headways; starting and ending hours of operation; and Sunday service

• Promote other transportation options (pedestrian, cycling, ferries, rail, etc.)

• Expanded MBTA rail service from Middleboro to Buzzards Bay

• Redesign Transportation Avenue for better access/egress for transit operations

• Provide low cost, on-demand bus service from point-to-point in select areas of Cape Cod (SmartDART)

• Provide coordination and funding to develop plans with non-governmental entities to support their efforts to use of zero-emission vehicles

• Support Cape Cod businesses and the economy through the expansion of essential transportation services for seasonal workers including J1s, H2Bs

• Added routes to better support the downtown areas in several towns on the Cape

• Been a major contributor in discussions and plans to bring commuter rail to the Cape Cod Buzzards Bay area to provide easier access to metropolitan areas of the State

• Redesigned the outside areas of the HTC to accommodate more than twice as many buses

Over the next five years we will:

• Expand the SmartDART transportation service Cape-wide

• Expand fixed route and paratransit services in the Town of Falmouth

• Expand essential transportation services for seasonal workers to address worker shortages in the Cape’s service industry

Goal #3: Improve the efficiency and cost-effective delivery of transit services through technology enhancements that employ a data driven decision approach to the implementation of transit improvements.

Action Items:

• Analyze and modify our routes using AI generated data to better manage peak-hour periods of ridership

• Provide better information displays at bus stops across the Cape

• Expansion of SmartDART technology to the regular DART vehicles and scheduling system

Discussion:

Over the past five years, the CCRTA has:

• Run a pilot program to provide on-demand point-to-point service around Hyannis and Yarmouth (SmartDART)

• Expand selectively fixed route headways, starting and ending hours of operation and Sunday service

• Expand the SmartDART program to the rest of the Cape

Goal #4: Achieve a Zero Carbon Footprint Goal by 2030 through targeted capital investments in EV charging station infrastructure, incremental conversion from fossil fuel vehicles to electric, and further investments in “green building” and solar technology.

Action Items:

• Accelerate a phased implementation of electric vehicles to promote zero-emissions options whenever we offer transit options

• Provide coordination developing plans with all Cape towns for increased use of zero-emission vehicles

• Provide funding to provide electric vehicles with the required infrastructure throughout the Cape for both public and private entities where it benefits the public

• Reduce waste water produced by bus washing

• Install large solar canopies at CCRTA’s Operations Center that provide shelter for the fleet with electrical storage that supports the charging infrastructure for electric buses

• Installed a solar canopy that provides for 90 plus percent of the electrical requirements of HTC

• Installed roof-top solar panels at the Operations building in Dennis, MA that provides 90 plus percent of the electrical requirements

• Down-sized buses when appropriate to reduce the exhaust emissions on routes and trips

• Purchased zero-emission administrative vehicles for use by staff at HTC

Over the next five years we will:

• Convert the majority of our rolling stock to zero-emission vehicles (see separate bus plan)

• Build out infrastructure by working with our intermodal partners to support electric vehicles Cape-wide

Goal #5: Reduce future budgetary costs and increase revenues through selective investments in operating and capital budget initiatives.

Action Items:

• Provide training to educate existing mechanical staff in electric bus technologies

• Upgrade existing software systems to better control inventory, vehicle records and promote shop efficiencies

• Upgrade office equipment to better support staff and expand service

• Make a decision on whether to construct a new Operations facility or upgrade the existing facility in Dennis. With that decision made, build out the electric infrastructure, the wash facilities, the shop infrastructure and grounds to support the mission.

• Undertaken a major revenue enhancement effort through expanded reporting of ridership data by the Steamship Authority, Peter Pan Bus Lines, Hyline Cruises and other private transportation providers to the Federal Transit Administration’s National Transit Database that significantly increased federal funding apportionments to the Barnstable Urbanized Area

• Installed solar panels on canopies at the HTC and rooftop at the Dennis Operation building that significantly reduces electrical costs

• Convert a significant amount of our non-fixed route transportation services to EV operations and downsize the vehicles to be more efficient for the demand

• Streamline the accounting system and corresponding drawdown of federal and state funding which will support the continued reduction of Revenue Anticipation Notes borrowings

• Add at least one additional intercity bus carrier to NTD reporting to generate additional revenue to drive the projects

• Take advantage of intermodal partners who contribute NTD data qualifying for “State of Good Repair” funding which increases Federal funding by 50%. This is expected to add an additional $1.5 to $2M annually beginning in FY23

Five Year Capital Plan FY2023 – FY2027

Goal #1: Increase ridership through funding outlays designed to improve the customers’ transportation experience and restore the public’s confidence that it is safe to travel on public transportation.

CC-001 – Customer Related Lobby Renovation and Redesign This project will address shortcomings in the ticketing area that customers find confusing as well as redesigning office space to better represent all of our intermodal partners that use the space. Further, we will address cosmetic deficiencies and rehabilitate HTC to extend its overall service life. Enhanced information area, electronic signage and communications will be incorporated, providing customers with better route and station information. This project is expected to seek funds in FY2023.

Contingencies/Dependencies: Movement on this project must consider future negotiations with Plymouth & Brockton Bus Lines who leases a major space of the lobby. Their lease runs out in 2023 and it is likely some changes will be made. There are no dependencies.

CC-002 – Elevator Refurbishment The elevator at HTC is original to the building and has become increasingly problematic requiring outside maintenance at least monthly now. Federal requirements around ADA require us to report all incidents where the elevator is out of service as this restricts access to the second-floor administrative offices for disabled individuals. We do have policies in place to address these times, but they reflect poorly on the CCRTA when the number of incidents get too high. Several options are under consideration at this time from replacing the electrical components of the lift and control panel (electrical issues have been the largest contributors to down time) to an overhaul of the mechanical lift components. The servicing company is putting together several proposals with pricing for our consideration.

Contingencies/Dependencies: There are no contingencies. The eventual direction is dependent on the recommendation of the manufacturer and the amount of down-time it will take to execute those options.

CC-003 – Reserve Fund for Building Emergencies As the Hyannis Transportation Center and Dennis Operations Center buildings age, we find ourselves, even with proactive planning, dealing with issues from time to time that require immediate attention. Examples include the recent hot water heater replacement at HTC, the water leak at the Dennis Operation Center, issues with the entry doors, window damage from weather, etc. This request establishes a reserve fund for the purpose of addressing these issues when they arise unexpectedly. One example of an emergency future need includes a mini-split air conditioner that serves the two IT server rooms to ensure temperature is maintained at the proper level to avoid equipment failure.

Contingencies/Dependencies: All expenditures in this line item are contingent on prior approval of the Administrator before proceeding. There are no dependencies.

CC-004 – HTC Roof Replacement The roof at the Transportation Center has been patched three times in the past five years and continues to have occasional leaks that arise, mostly due to heavy wind and torrential rain/snow events. This is a major investment to replace the rotted wood in the roof (mostly trim pieces) as well as the roof material itself with a more permanent material that should stand up better to the damage from severe weather events. With this in mind, the current plan is to replace the asphalt roof with a metal roof with a fifty year guarantee and to replace the trim with PVC trim pieces which will match the investment made five years ago for the rest of the building. The attic storage area contains the air conditioning evaporator unit and this was recently inspected to ensure that no major components were needed prior to replacing the roof. In the event that major repairs are needed to these evaporator units, a metal roof can be removed for repairs and then reused. It is a good investment for this application.

Contingencies/Dependencies: There are no contingencies or dependencies for this project, other than the optimal time to replace the roof would be before or after the summer and/or summer shoulder season.

CC-005 – Irrigation System Overhaul The irrigation system at HTC needs a full overhaul. The redesign of the parking and the bus bays has left some zones uncovered but more visible. The removal of the storage building for the MassDOT access road project has done the same. These funds will extend the coverage to the areas mostly by the East entrance so they will be automatically watered rather than staff doing this manually during the summer.

Contingencies/Dependencies: There are no contingencies or dependencies for this project.

CC-006 – Catch Basin Cleaning The catch basins become clogged from rain water runoff as well as from sand that is carried into them after the winter snow remediation. This is a standard maintenance item that is required every two to three years.