STV to develop Montgomery County Department of Transportation ZEB transition plan

STV has been selected by the Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) in Maryland to develop a master plan to support its transition to zero-emission buses (ZEB). As part of this initiative, STV will evaluate MCDOT’s existing transit infrastructure for integration needs, while also investigating potential funding opportunities to support the client’s investment priorities.

“This master plan will serve as a road map for MCDOT’s ZEB transition and will look at all of the county’s existing infrastructure assets, including vehicles, bus maintenance facilities and depots, and bus stops and routes,” said Joseph Kruczynski, engineering specialist and project manager. “MCDOT is committed to sustainability and reducing its carbon footprint and we’re excited by the opportunity to help the agency achieve these goals.”

MCDOT’s ZEB transition program is a component of the county’s Climate Action Plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2027 and 100 percent by 2035. The transportation sector currently represents 42 percent of the county’s greenhouse gas emissions. As a result, MCDOT is striving to have its entire fleet consist of ZEB technology by 2035.

MCDOT’s program mirrors a statewide initiative currently underway following the passage of Maryland’s Zero-Emission Bus Transition Act, which mandates that all new buses procured for the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration’s fleet be emission-free starting in 2023, with a goal of having 50 percent of the fleet converted by 2030.

As part of its work with MCDOT, as well as all of these other ZEB programs, STV utilizes a suite of unique tools that help drive design development for clients, most notably the Performance Evaluation of Electric bus Routes (PEER) tool. PEER has been customized by STV’s team to study bus route factors such as the number of stops, passengers and schedules in a dynamic model to help agencies determine the best practices for ZEB infrastructure integration.