The West Coast Center of Excellence in Zero Emission Technology and Renewable Energy

 A Resource for the Development of Clean Air Technology in the Transit Industry 

SunLine Transit Agency’s West Coast Center of Excellence in Zero Emission Technology (WCCOE) is a workforce development program focused on deploying and operating zero emission buses in public fleets. Since there are limited resources and training material available on zero emission bus (ZEB) technology, the WCCOE has worked with its partners to develop comprehensive tools and resources that address all aspects of in-service management for ZEBs.

 

Mission

The Center of Excellence strives to provide training, best practice information and access to technology and software geared towards the planning, procurement and deployment of zero emission buses. It also brings education to transit agencies looking to establish or increase their zero-emission fleets and technologies.

Program History

SunLine is proud to be a leader in the alternative fuels industry for decades. Over this period of time, the Agency recognized that there are unexpected challenges that come with utilizing new technology. As California starts to plan for the Innovative Clean Transit Rule set by the California Air Resources Board and the nation, as a whole, to improve air quality, SunLine has set forth a vision and path to help others find success with their ZEB deployment.

Funding

Grant funding from the Federal Transit Administration has been awarded to build a state-of-the art maintenance facility at SunLine’s headquarters in Thousand Palms, California. SunLine is continuously seeking additional partners to help with the Center's effectiveness and reach.

Beta Training

SunLine Transit Agency completed a successful beta version of the training program with Santa Cruz Metro. The 3-day training was brought to their transit facility and included hands-on demonstrations of hydrogen electric fuel cell buses that are part of SunLine's fleet.

Advisory Board

Working closely with OEMs, SunLine has created an Advisory Board that will oversee content and curriculum so that participants who attend courses at the Center of Excellence can receive industry certified training.

Contact Us

Stay informed on the progress of the maintenance facility, learn about future course offerings and let the Center of Excellence team know about any ideas you may have for partnering.

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Future Courses

Curriculum for the Center of Excellence has been developed through a series of roundtables and workshops hosted with transit agencies and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). These key stakeholders have identified the most beneficial topics to include as initial course offerings.

Click here to register


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Leadership and Employee Relations
Overview
  • New leadership role with ZEB adoption
  • Establishing agency mission and policies to support ZEB fleet and expansion
  • Encouraging organizational cultural shift 
  • Developing staff ownership of ZEBs
Zero Emission Bus Overview
Overview
  • Introduction to ZEB technology
  • Differences between ZEBs and incumbent technologies 
  • ZEB demonstrations globally
  • Introduction to ZEB fueling 
  • ZEB and fueling vendors
  • Industry standards developed and in development
Zero Emission Bus Operations
Overview
  • Introduction to zero emission bus technology
  • Differences between ZEBs and incumbent technologies
  • Dashboard familiarization
  • ZEB fueling training 
  • Preventing roadcalls
Zero Emission Bus Maintenance
Overview
  • Introduction to ZEB technology
  • Differences between ZEBs and incumbent technologies 
  • Preventative maintenance practices for ZEBs
  • Unscheduled maintenance practices for ZEBs
  • General and high-voltage  safety training
  • Basic diagnostics and troubleshooting
Financial Management
Overview
  • ZEB grant management
  • ZEB total cost of ownership 
  • Funding opportunities 
  • ZEB budget development
Zero Emission Bus Procurement
Overview
  • Federal Transit Administration guidelines for ZEBs
  • American Public Transportation Association White Book: Zero Emission Technical Standards
  • Contract Options for ZEBs
Zero Emission Bus Policies and Regulations
Overview
  • Federal and state legislation for ZEBs and fuels
  • State regulations for ZEBs and fuels
  • Complying with state regulations for ZEBs and fuels
  • Federal Transit Administration policies and guidelines for ZEBs
Planning for ZEB Operation
Overview
  • Introduction to ZEB technology
  • Anticipating ZEB performance
  • Identifying appropriate routes
  • Scheduling operations and fueling
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