New Initiatives in California

SUMC believes that shared mobility programs can reduce the effects of climate change while increasing access to jobs, resources, and overall quality of life. The State of California shares this goal. The California Air Resources Board (CARB), the government agency charged with protecting the public from the harmful effects of air pollution and developing programs and actions to fight climate change, has since been investing in clean, equitable shared mobility—and SUMC is proud to lead the charge.

Over the next two years, SUMC will serve as the co-manager of CARB’s Clean Mobility Options (CMO) program, directing $17 million to shared and electric pilot projects in low-income communities around the state. The program will help move California further towards its ambitious climate change goals while providing equal access to transportation for all.

SUMC will co-manage the CMO program with partner CALSTART, serving as the technical lead with a focus on program design, technical assistance, and evaluation. Additional partners GRID Alternatives and the Local Government Commission will support a major statewide outreach effort to engage the public about these promising solutions to our climate, transportation, and equity challenges.

Our work in California allows us to test out strategies and solutions, such as Blue LA, the shared + electric carsharing program for disadvantaged communities, before adoption by other cities across the country. Together, we can make the US a healthier place for everyone to live without having to own a car.

Explore our shared + electric pilot projects (listed alphabetically)

Blue LA EV Carsharing Program (2015-Present)

Launched on April 20th, 2018, SUMC served as lead technical partner for Blue LA, a first-of-its-kind pilot program designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase mobility choices by adding approximately 300 electric and hybrid carsharing vehicles and 500 charging stations in disadvantaged communities in and around Central Los Angeles. SUMC provided in-depth technical assistance and project coordination services from initial conception to current construction activities. SUMC also facilitated a local Steering Committee to help ensure that the project is relevant and accessible to residents from a wide range of backgrounds. A case study of  the Blue LA pilot’s first phase, through Spring 2019, is available in the MOD Learning Center.

EVgo Equal Access Charging Hubs (EACH) (2017-2020)

Electric vehicle (EV) charging provider EVgo is developing seven DC fast charge hubs for shared mobility services in disadvantaged communities across California. SUMC is providing technical assistance around site design, partnerships, stakeholder engagement, and evaluation. SUMC’s stakeholder engagement role entails outreach and meetings with chief business officers in each of the seven communities. SUMC is also conducting an in-depth evaluation, identifying metrics, developing survey instruments, and developing methodologies for GHG emissions impacts.

Fresno Clean Shared Mobility Network (2019-Present)

SUMC is helping to lead the development of a $10 million public-private partnership to deploy electric vehicle (EV) carsharing, ridesharing, bikesharing, and vanpooling services in the disadvantaged communities of downtown and Southwest Fresno. The services will be delivered by a collective of community organizations and private mobility companies led by the Fresno Metro Black Chamber of Commerce and integrated through a software application and customer services center.

Green Raiteros (2016-2018)

SUMC provided technical assistance to support the design and launch of the Green Raiteros program, a volunteer ridesharing service in the rural community of Huron, California. Led by Valley LEAP, Green Raiteros provides low-cost, social service rides in zero-emission electric vehicles to the community’s low-income farmworkers. SUMC prepared a Business Plan for Green Raiteros and provided extensive technical assistance around business plan implementation, EV charging infrastructure, marketing, and partnerships.

MTC/TransForm Mobility Hubs (2018-2020)

Funded through the second round of the CARB Clean Mobility Options program, the MTC/TransForm Mobility Hubs project is designed to deploy battery electric vehicles and complementary programs such as EV carsharing, bikesharing, and information/resources to residents in affordable housing facilities in the Bay Area. SUMC serves as the primary technical advisor in the project, supporting activities around community needs assessments, EVSE procurement, mobility operator partnership development, and evaluation.

To get involved with our West Coast/California initiatives or if you have any questions or comments, please contact Brian Holland at [email protected].