Keaton PetersCalifornia wants to make zero-emissions transportation easier by expanding mobility options. The state is investing $33 million in clean transportation initiatives aimed at under-resourced communities, bringing the state’s total commitment to addressing mobility gaps and reducing air pollution to more than $66 million. The funding, announced through the Clean Mobility Options Voucher Program (CMO), will support projects ranging from on-demand shuttles to electric bike-sharing and zero-emission school buses.
This latest round of funding builds on California’s climate goals, intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while prioritizing environmental justice for communities historically burdened by pollution. By prioritizing mobility, the state is attempting to address two pressing challenges simultaneously: improving air quality in polluted areas and providing reliable, affordable transportation options to communities that have historically been underserved.
“For many awardees, this will be a first-of-its-kind mobility project to be funded and launched in their community,” said Steven Cliff, executive director of the California Air Resources Board. “Clean Mobility Options was designed around the belief that these communities should receive the highest sustained investments toward safe, efficient, affordable, reliable and clean transportation options that connect them to the places they need to thrive.”
The CMO program is funded by California Climate Investments, the state’s initiative that directs billions of dollars from cap-and-trade revenue toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving public health, particularly in underserved areas. Additional funding comes from the California Energy Commission’s Clean Transportation Program, which is investing more than $1 billion to accelerate the deployment of zero-emission transportation infrastructure and support in-state manufacturing and workforce development.
Eligible projects include on-demand shuttles and buses, traditional fixed-route transit services, bike-sharing and scooter-sharing programs, carpooling and vanpooling initiatives, electric vehicle sharing and on-demand rideshare services like those provided by Uber or Lyft.
The $33 million in new funding is being distributed across multiple categories: $12.5 million for new general funding recipients, $3 million specifically allocated for eligible tribal governments, $7.5 million for first-round Community Transportation Needs Assessment awardees and $10 million set aside for first-round Mobility Project Vouchers.
The City of San Clemente received $1.8 million to acquire electric vehicles for a new fixed route service between Max Berg Park and the Avenida Pico Corridor. The service will provide free rides through low-income communities and connect to the city’s existing trolley system, offering critical transportation links to grocery stores, services and employment opportunities.
The Bishop Paiute Tribe secured $1.5 million for the Nuumu Mobility Project, which will establish a transit service specifically designed for the safe transportation of children and elders. Using medium-duty shuttles, mini-vans and a 30-passenger electric school bus, the program addresses the challenges tribal members face when walking along rural roads and increases access to essential tribal programs including education and elder services.
In the academic sphere, California State University Dominguez Hills received nearly $1.5 million to launch the Toro Clean Air Car Share program, providing economically disadvantaged students from South Los Angeles with access to seven electric cars and charging stations. The initiative helps students travel to job interviews, healthcare appointments and essential services while addressing transportation inequities in surrounding communities.
The Youth Transportation Organization was awarded $1.5 million to create a youth outdoor excursion service in Contra Costa County. Its Richmond Outdoor Zero Emissions Shuttle Fleet will enable community organizations and the local school district to connect young people with parks and natural spaces using clean electric vans and buses, particularly benefiting youth from areas facing high unemployment, poverty and air pollution challenges.
The demand for this type of funding significantly outstrips supply. While only 17 new communities received funds in this round, 85 applicants requested up to $1.5 million each, highlighting the widespread need for clean transportation investments across the state.
This funding announcement comes on the heels of other significant clean transportation investments by California. The California Air Resources Board recently announced over $42 million in awards through the Clean Mobility in Schools program and the Sustainable Transportation Equity Project. In recent years, California has invested more than $100 million in clean mobility options.
Photo Courtesy
City of Santa Monica via Wikimedia Commons
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