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The Texas Alternative Fuels Pilot Project was led by the Railroad Commission of Texas. The Commission partnered with 45 qualified school districts and other public entities across the state of Texas to fund the total incremental cost of 608 vehicles, including propane and natural gas school buses, medium-duty trucks and vans, and light-duty vehicles through grants. To enhance the project’s sustainability, the Commission also awarded grants to install or upgrade 31propane or natural gas refueling stations on properties owned by partner fleets. The stations allowed the fleets to lower their costs by buying fuel in bulk, receive federal motor fuel excise tax credits, and refuel at the times most convenient to their schedules. Concurrently, the Commission designed and implemented a two-part public education program for Clean Cities stakeholders, fleet operators, and the general public involving all of the Clean Cities coalitions in Texas.

The project developed a plan and template that supports regional stakeholders in the development and implementation of local codes, expedited permitting and inspections, and processes and procedures to enable efficient and cost-effective placement of charging infrastructure in the area between San Antonio and Georgetown, Texas.

The Central Texas Fuel Independence Project expanded an interagency agreement to include alternative fueling infrastructure procurement; delivered electricity and natural gas vehicle safety training; hosted electric vehicle and natural gas workshops to educate potential fleet users in the Austin and San Antonio region; and held training seminars regarding multifamily housing and workplace electric vehicle charging.

Pecan Street Inc. is evaluating the use of a private fleet of low-speed, six-person, electric shuttles for first- and last-mile transit connections in three Austin, Texas neighborhoods. The project aims to demonstrate the value of public-private partnerships in rapidly and cost-effectively increasing the usage of public transportation.

As of 2019, the Electric Last Mile Project has successfully tested the use of electric shuttles for eight months, providing a total of 29,206 rides. During the test period Pecan Street Inc. used surveys, individual interviews, community charrettes, and hardware installed on the vehicles to collect data on consumer engagement, vehicle performance, traffic impacts, and pricing structures. This data has resulted in a categorization chart that can be used by communities interested in using autonomous shuttles and public-private partnerships for first and last-mile transit solutions. The project also created a telematics kit that monitors vehicle operations and occupancy, a mobile trip request app and website, and laid the groundwork for future implementation of an autonomous shuttle.

The baseline for rural transportation in Bastrop, Texas, and in many other rural communities, is the limited availability of mobility services to connect rural residents and visitors to existing rural transit and destinations within their communities. Rural communities do not have the suite of mobility options typically found in urban areas, and this is an opportunity to tailor low-speed electric vehicle (LSEV)-based mobility as a service (MaaS) to provide an affordable, practical, efficient, zero-emission, and fun way to enhance access. LSEVs use a fraction of the energy of conventional vehicles yet are capable of providing the same level of service for the intended market and service area. LSEVs run on 72 V systems that can be charged with 110 V outlets. The objective of this project is to develop, demonstrate, and refine affordable, accessible, sustainable, and replicable mobility service-enabled electric vehicle shuttle service applications in rural central Texas, supported by data collection, analysis, sharing, and public dissemination of results.

For more information on this project, check the Technology Integration 2020 Annual Report or Annual Merit Review presentation.

The project involved the installation of liquid propane (Autogas) refueling infrastructure in U.S. metropolitan areas. The project also supported the purchase of new and retrofitted LPG buses, vans, and trucks. Finally, the project provided an innovative outreach program designed specifically for veterans and out of work or at risk service technicians to provide training to work in the alternative fuels industry. The program concluded with 85 operational refueling sites, 684 LPG vehicles, and many successful training sessions.

The Recipe for Fueling Diversity in the Energy Capitol of the World project worked to expand access to natural gas, propane, and biodiesel transportation fuels across the eight-county Houston-Galveston area. Key activities of the project included conducting an assessment of current alternative fueling infrastructure in the region and creating a plan for increasing the future infrastructure to meet demand; incorporating planning for alternative fuel vehicles into the Transportation Improvement Program and State Implementation Plan; and creating a program with the region's community colleges to train fleet managers and mechanics, first responders, and permitting and code officials.

This project focused on a plan for plug-in electric vehicle charging infrastructure between the "Texas Triangle" cities of Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston/Galveston, and Austin/San Antonio along with topical areas of statewide application.

The Moving North Texas Forward by Addressing Alternative Fuel Barriers project focused on educating policy makers; updating the State Implementation Plan (SIP); creating an alternative fuel vehicle parking program; holding fuel-specific deployment workshops and first responder training; educating fleet managers, decision makers, businesses, and schools about alternative fuels and advanced technology vehicles; and developing a fleet recognition program.

Through this project, the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) sought to deploy alternative refueling stations, alternative fuel vehicles, and advanced technology vehicles in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area. This was pursued in a fuel- and technology- neutral manner, with a portfolio of different technologies and fuels. In total, the project deployed 290 vehicles and 11 refueling stations across 17 fleets, including cities, independent school districts, a major commercial airport, private sector fleets, and a faith-based nonprofit.