AC TRANSIT PARTICIPATES IN WHITE HOUSE ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION ON CLEAN BUSES

The Board President joined federal and transit thought leaders in protecting the zero emission bus procurement process.

OAKLAND, Calif. – The Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) is honored to have participated in the recent White House Roundtable on Clean Bus Manufacturing. Board of Directors President Joel Young joined the White House Climate Policy Office and National Economic Council, the Federal Transit Administration, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), thought leaders from across the U.S. transit industry, and bus manufacturers to showcase the nation's advancements in transitioning to zero-emission buses.

Critically, during the roundtable leaders focused on solutions aimed at ensuring that the United States can fortify a more competitive and stable domestic bus manufacturing industry and efficiently deliver zero emission buses that meet the growing transit industry demands, while simultaneously fulfilling national climate and equity objectives.

"We know firsthand that zero emission buses improve air quality and better lives. In that light, AC Transit is grateful to the Biden-Harris Administration's roundtable and its commitment to boldly face the current challenges of increased procurement costs for zero emission buses," said President Joel Young. "Our transit district has led the zero emission conversion for more than 20 years. So, the roundtable and the Administration's 5.6-billion-dollar investment supporting purchases of American-made zero emission buses, funding to upgrade fueling infrastructures, and importantly, dollars to support training for our next-generation workforce reinforces the Biden-Harris vision of a robust future for public transit."

AC Transit is looking forward to a continued partnership with the APTA Bus Manufacturing Task Force to delve into the root causes of Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) challenges. With APTA's guidance, our transit district aims to implement actionable solutions to the OEM challenges, which includes moving towards a new procurement model that better supports a competitive and financially healthy bus manufacturing capacity in the United States.

AC Transit echoes the Task Force's proposed solutions, which advocate for transit agencies across the nation to integrate price adjustments, progress payments, and vehicle pricing into bus contracts. These actions are crucial to maintaining a robust procurement process for zero emission buses, ensuring their sustainability, and promoting environmental health.