Over 300 individuals attended the 2024 Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference & Expo at the Durham Convention Center in Durham, NC that spanned over three days, providing attendees with various networking opportunities, informational breakout sessions, and opportunities to hear from experts in the clean transportation industry.

NCCETC’s Clean Transportation team organized the conference and worked diligently to bring fleet managers, purchasing officials, state and local government leaders, Clean Cities Coalitions, non-profits, and alternative fuel organizations together to create an unforgettable opportunity for all attendees and exhibitors to connect with each other on the basis of creating a clean vehicle economy. 

During the pre-conference day on August 13, 2024, the NAFA Fleet Management Association announced the 2024 Green Fleet Award winners.

Pictured above: Port Authority of NY & NJ receive an award for ranking second in the list of top Green Fleets of 2024.

Pictured Above: Miami-Dade County, FL ISD Fleet Management receive an award for “Best Policies, Procedures, and Long Term Planning” as well as a recognition for ranking third in a list of the top Green Fleets of 2024.

Pictured Above: Cedric Roberts, CAFM – Birmingham, AL receives an award for “Best Long Term Greening Effort”

Pictured Above: NCCETC Executive Director Steve Kalland speaks with pre-conference attendees at the Green Fleet Awards Reception.

The main conference events began on August 14, 2024, featuring two keynote addresses from Bill Combs, Vice President of Sustainability at Penske Transportation Solutions, and George Fotopoulos, Vice President of the e-mobility Business Unit at Mack Trucks.

Pictured Above: Bill Combs, Penske Transportation Solutions

Pictured Above: George Fotopoulos, Mack Trucks

Pictured Above: Conference attendee Stan Cross participates in the Q&A session with the keynote speakers.

After attending the keynote speeches, the exhibit hall opened featuring an array of sponsors and exhibitors.

Pictured Above: Exhibitors engage with attendees in the Expo Hall.

Both days of the conference offered informational breakout sessions in one of three tracks: Funding & Planning, Advanced Vehicle Technologies, and Fueling & Charging. (Pictured Below)

Outside, clean vehicles lined the street to allow individuals to check out the latest and greatest clean fueling technologies.

Pictured Above: City of Durham fire engine display featuring idle reduction technology

Pictured Above: City of Raleigh electric vehicle display

The final day of the conference began with a plenary panel: Best Practices from Top Fleet Managers, with panelists Guadalupe Federico, Al Curtis, Chris Davis, moderated by LP Monroe. (Pictured Below)

Attendees then had another opportunity to network with exhibitors in the expo hall, before attending the closing plenary panel: What Does the Future Hold? Panelists Jennifer Weaver from the Clean Fuels Alliance America, Marianne McInerney from Mullen Automotive, Jed Routh from Kempower, and Tyler Rhew from Alliance Autogas were moderated by Rick Sapienza. (Pictured Below)

The conference ended with the final two breakout sessions, making for a successful and fulfilling three days of networking with clean transportation experts, and learning from professionals in the field.

We would like to thank our sponsors for all of their support throughout the planning and execution of the conference:

Platinum Sponsors

• North Carolina Department of Transportation
• Southeast Propane Alliance (SEPA)
• Propane Education & Research Council (PERC)

Silver Sponsors

• Diesel Laptops
• Kempower
• NAFA Fleet Management Association
• Central Pines Regional Council
• Black Fleet Network
• InCharge
• Mullen Automotive

Bronze Sponsors

• Alliance AutoGas
• U.S. Soy & Clean Fuels Alliance America
• Samsara
• Model 1 Commercial Vehicles
• Thompson AutoGas
• Stealth Power

 

NCCETC hopes to see everyone for the 2025 Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference & Expo on August 25-27, 2025, at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, NC!

Government and commercial fleets are at the forefront of the evolving landscape of fleet technology and sustainability, and public and private fleet managers, OEMs, sustainability managers, and transportation industry professionals will be at the 2024 Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference, taking place from August 13-15 in Durham, NC. The SFT Conference is the best opportunity in the Southeast to hear directly from fleet administrators about how they are implementing cutting-edge sustainable solutions for fleet management. This event is a must-attend for anyone looking to stay ahead in the evolving landscape of fleet management, including technology, financial planning, fiscal responsibility and sustainability solutions.

“The conference has provided me with information, insights, knowledge, and relationships that have helped me advance my career while growing personally and professionally, empowering me to make significant contributions to Charlotte’s Sustainable Energy Plan while providing a firm foundation for pursuing alt-fuels and fleet electrification efforts. Year after year, this conference has given me actionable insights that have influenced my approach to sustainability, enabling me to turn ideas into real-world applications that benefit my entire community.”

Chris Davis, City of Charlotte Department of Transportation, NC Fleet Manager

Pre-conference events start August 13, with the NAFA Sustainable Fleet Management Training, a comprehensive boot camp certificate program designed to equip fleet professionals with the latest sustainable practices and strategies. Other activities include the free Clean Transportation Landscape in the Southeast session hosted by Triangle Clean Cities, and the NAFA Green Fleet events including the announcement and presentation of the National Green Fleet Awards.

The SFT Conference kicks off with Penske’s VP of Sustainability and Mack Trucks eMobility VP, who will highlight the state of the clean transportation industry. August 14th and 15th, explore the SFT Expo Hall with more than 40 exhibitors including EV charging manufacturers, sustainable fuel providers, clean fleet vehicles, fuel infrastructure companies, telematics technology providers, and education and training institutions.

During the conference attend insightful sessions across three main tracks: Funding & Planning, Advanced Vehicle Technologies, and Fueling & Charging. Gain practical knowledge through workshops, case studies, and interactive sessions. Panelists include fleet administrators, federal and state funding agencies, fleet technology developers, and alternative fuel providers. (See the full agenda online.)

Thursday’s mainstage will include a morning plenary, Best Practices from Fleet Managers, with speakers from the Pacific Northwest, Southeast, and Southwest regions of the United States. Over lunch we’ll consider What will the future hold? with representatives across various fuel and charging options.

Networking opportunities will be abundant in the Expo Hall Reception and at the Durham Bulls Baseball Event, allowing attendees to connect with peers, industry experts, and solution providers.

The SFT Conference & Expo is an affordable conference that allows professionals to delve into real-world applications and future trends in fleet sustainability. Register now and join us in Durham, NC, from August 13-15, 2024, for an event that promises to inspire, educate, and connect. For more information and to register, visit www.sustainablefleetexpo.com.

On June 20, 2024, NCCETC staff held a Requirements for Federal Funding for Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Infrastructure webinar to give a breakdown of the necessary components when it comes to applying for one of the many EV funding programs in the United States. To watch the recording, visit NCCETC’s YouTube Channel. This webinar is part of the Sustainable Fleet Technology Webinar Series in which industry professionals analyze challenges, demonstrate areas of potential operational improvement, and share innovative strategies and technologies that fleets are implementing across the country. Registration is free for all SFT webinars, so be sure to sign up for upcoming webinars being offered September 18, October 2, October 23, November 20, and December 4.

Clean energy policy experts Anne Blair (Electrification Coalition), Dr. Thomas Stout (HDR), and Eleni Petrow (TRC) each tackled an area of federal funding programs, beginning with an overview of Build America, Buy America (BABA). Anne Blair is the Vice President of Policy at the Electrification Coalition, a non-profit that works to reduce the United States’ oil dependence and reimagine the transportation sector to support economic development.

In Blair’s overview of BABA, she explains the act was passed by congress and signed by President Biden in November 2021 as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal. The goal is to build a resilience supply chain and manufacturing base for critical products used for EV infrastructure in the United States. BABA mandates that all iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials used in projects supported by federal funds must be produced in the United States. Products that are considered produced in the U.S. must be 1) manufactured in the U.S., and 2) the costs of components mined, produced, or manufactured in the U.S. are greater than 55% of the total cost of all components of the manufactured product. Federal funding programs that are relevant to BABA include the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Reduction of Truck Emissions at Port Facilities, National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI), Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI), the Department of Transportation (DOT) Port Infrastructure Development (PIDP), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Clean Ports, Clean Heavy Duty Vehicles (CHDV), and Clean School Bus Program.

Dr. Thomas Stout works as an Inductive Pavement Lead at HDR, and shared NEVI guidance and requirements with the attendees. The Corridor aspect of the program has spacing requirements of less than 50 miles between stations. The stations also must be within one mile of an Alternative Fuel Corridor (AFC). All AFCs must be constructed first before stations and other infrastructure can be placed. Dr. Stout notes that an important aspect of spacing requirements within the program is that the distance is measured in driving miles.

Before diving into the rule requirements of the NEVI program, Dr. Stout defined key terms used throughout the guidance. A station refers to the area where EV chargers are located; a charger is the equipment that converts power from the grid (AC) to the battery (DC). Connectors are the physical connections to the car and there are multiple types including Combined Charging System (CCS), North American Charging Standard (NACS), and CHAdeMO. A port is a single output from the charger that can charge one vehicle at a time. Dr. Stout explained that this is a logical construct as ports are physically made up of chargers and connectors. He says, “if one vehicle can be charged, that is one port; if two can be charged at a time, then that same hardware counts as two ports.” The requirements for NEVI are written around ports rather than chargers, connectors, or stations.

The NEVI rule requires a minimum of four ports with a CCS Type 1 connector on each port. Power sharing among ports is allowed, but the power cannot be reduced below 150kW per port. There is also an output requirement of between 250 and 920 V DC. Charging stations must also support contactless credit and debit payment methods as well as an automated toll-free phone or SMS payment option. The charging stations need to be maintained and operational for at least 5 years, and there are standards specified for interoperability such as charger-to-EV, charger-to-network, or network-to-network.

There are also requirements for qualified technicians under the NEVI program. Those installing, maintaining, or operating chargers must have appropriate licenses, certifications, and training. Electricians are required to be either Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program (EVITP) certified, or a graduate of a DOT and Department of Labor (DOL) approved electrical apprenticeship program. If there is a need for more than one electrician, at least one will need to be enrolled in a registered apprenticeship program.

There are ADA and multilingual requirements as well, that state multilingual users and those with limited English proficiency must be accommodated. Charging stations need to be accessible for individuals with disabilities and need to comply with ADA standards.

Dr. Stout ended the run-through of NEVI requirements with guidelines for data availability, and stated price has to be communicated in $/kWh, real-time data must be provided to third parties through a free Application Programming Interface (API), and all ports need to maintain 97% up-time.

Eleni Petrow, Senior Director at TRC’s Clean Transportation Solutions team, shared an in-depth review of Federal Reporting Requirements. The three main reporting requirements include progress reports, site visits/technical assistance, and audits which are required for grantees expending more than $750,000 in federal dollars in one fiscal year. Petrow also lists the standard federal reporting forms as follows:

• Performance progress reports/research performance progress reports (PPR/RPPR)
• SF-425 Federal Financial Report
• SF-270 Request for Advance or Reimbursement
• SF-271 Outlay report and request for reimbursement for construction programs
• SF-428 Tangible personal property
• SF-429 Real property status report
• SF-LLL Disclosure of lobbying activities – as revised in 1996
• SF-SAC Data collection form for single audits

 

DOT and FHWA require data reporting that is quarterly for charging stations and ports, annual for maintenance and repair cost per station, and on-time for entities involved in operations and maintenance.

There is also a public accessibility component for certain projects. AFC projects must be publicly accessible at all times and community projects need to be accessible during regular business hours. Petrow says the accessibility of shared fleet projects is currently under discussion which could be an opportunity for individuals to engage with their local DOT to advocate for shared fleet projects.

Petrow also discussed the Federal Transportation Improvement Program (FTIP), which is managed by the Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) and the Regional Transportation Planning Agencies (RTPAs). All FHWA projects must be included in an approved FTIP. She stated to “look at these agencies as your partners, work closely with them, and ask for guidance”.

A great resource to find more detailed information about incentives and state requirements is the Alternative Fuels Data Center.

Make sure to sign up for the remaining SFT Webinars this year to learn more about the latest and greatest clean transportation programs and technologies!

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) together have three major grant opportunities available to expand the implementation of zero-emission vehicles and electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure throughout the United States.

The EPA’s Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Program is funded by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) investment of $1 billion to be used toward replacing existing emitting heavy-duty vehicles with zero emission vehicles, supporting infrastructure for these vehicles, and workforce development.

The Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) has been announced and offers up to $932 million in funding under the Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Program. The deadline to apply is July 25, 2024, and the EPA plans to notify those selected by November 2024, and award grants by February of the following year. Those who are eligible to apply include States, United States territories, municipalities, public school districts, Indian Tribes, and non-profit school transportation associations. The vehicles eligible under the program are Class 6 and Class 7 school buses, along with other Class 6 and 7 vehicles like dump trucks, transit buses, delivery trucks, utility trucks, and other box trucks.

Visit the EPA’s website for more information on the program and what components are eligible for funding. John Bonitz, NCCETC Clean Transportation Specialist, says “In the case of old diesel school buses, each one we replace with an electric school bus will immediately give those students cleaner air, fewer asthma attacks, better attendance, and increased ridership. That’s a great payback!”

On the EV charging side of clean transportation, the CFI Grant Program offers up to $1.3 billion in funding and has two tracks aimed to make EV charging more accessible. The Community Charging and Alternative Fueling Grants (Community Program) focus on the installation of EV charging and alternative fuel in public schools, parks, roads, and accessible parking facilities. Rural areas and low- or moderate-income neighborhoods will be prioritized in the Community Program grants. The Charging and Alternative Fuel Corridor Grants (Corridor Program) work to install EV charging as well as hydrogen/propane/natural gas fueling infrastructure in designated alternative fuel corridors.

Applications are open for the CFI Grant Program until August 28, 2024. State Governments, Local Governments, Federally Recognized Tribes, planning organizations, transportation providers, and United States territories are eligible to apply. The funding can be used for planning, equipment, technology demonstrations, sustainability, and accessibility. To learn more about the CFI Grant Program visit the DOT website or the Federal Highway Administration website.

The NEVI Program offers up to $5 billion to be distributed over 5 years between 2022 and 2026 for EV charging infrastructure deployment and to establish a network to oversee data, access, and reliability. States, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico are eligible to apply for activities such as public transportation charging, infrastructure planning, and workforce development. States will be required to submit annual plans on their use of grant funds for EV infrastructure. View this fact sheet for more information about the program.

NCCETC Clean Transportation Program Director, Heather Brutz, says “The NEVI and CFI grants will go a long way towards helping to close the infrastructure gaps for EV charging in North Carolina and the United States.” Look into applying for one of these funding opportunities today to play a part in the initiative to decrease vehicle emissions across the country.