TCRP OVERSIGHT AND PROJECT SELECTION COMMISSION^*

CHAIR

Jameson Auten

Lane Transit District

VICE CHAIR

Ryan I. Daniel

St. Cloud Metro Bus

SECRETARY/TREASURER

Brad Miller

Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA)

IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR

Jeanne Krieg

Eastern Contra Costa Transit Authority (retired)

MEMBERS

Rashidi Barnes

Eastern Contra Costa Transit Authority

Andrea Burnside

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

Julia Castillo

Heart of Iowa Transit Authority

April Chan

San Mateo County Transit District

David Harris

New Mexico Department of Transportation

Tim Healy

Sound Transit

Brendon Hemily

Hemily and Associates

Vince Huerta

East Texas Council of Governments

Debra Johnson

Denver Regional Transportation District

Joseph Leader

HDR

Benjamin Limmer

Connecticut Department of Transportation

Bacarra Mauldin

Edward Kizeto, LLC

Jessica Mefford-Miller

Valley Metro

Raymond Melleady

USSC Group

Meghan Merritt

Movitas Mobility

Karen Philbrick

Mineta Transportation Institute, San Jose State University

Elizabeth Presutti

Charlotte Area Transit System

Charles Reeves

Pittsburgh Regional Transit

Catherine Rinaldi

Consultant

Jeffrey Rosenberg

Amalgamated Transit Union

Judy Shanley

Easterseals

Frank White, III

Kansas City Area Transportation Authority

EX OFFICIO MEMBERS

Sean McMaster

FHWA

Marcus J. Molinaro

FTA

Victoria Sheehan

TRB

Paul P. Skoutelas

APTA

Jim Tymon

AASHTO

TOPS COMMISSION STAFF ADVISOR

Arthur L. Guzzetti

APTA

SECRETARY

Monique R. Evans

TRB

__________________

^* Membership as of November 2025.

TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD 2025 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE^*

OFFICERS

Chair: Leslie S. Richards, Professor of Practice, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

Vice Chair: Joel M. Jundt, Secretary of Transportation, South Dakota Department of Transportation, Pierre

Executive Director: Victoria Sheehan, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC

MEMBERS

James F. Albaugh, President and CEO, The Boeing Company (retired), Scottsdale, AZ

Carlos M. Braceras, Executive Director, Utah Department of Transportation, Salt Lake City

Douglas C. Ceva, Vice President, Customer Lead Solutions, Prologis, Inc., Jupiter, FL

Nancy Daubenberger, Commissioner of Transportation, Minnesota Department of Transportation, St. Paul

Marie Therese Dominguez, Commissioner, New York State Department of Transportation, Albany

Garrett Eucalitto, Commissioner, Connecticut Department of Transportation, Newington

Andrew Fremier, Executive Director, Metropolitan Transportation Commission, San Francisco, CA

Martha Grabowski, Professor Emerita, Information Systems, Le Moyne College, Madden College of Business & Economics, Cazenovia, NY

Randell Iwasaki, President and CEO, Iwasaki Consulting Services, Walnut Creek, CA

Carol A. Lewis, Professor, Transportation Studies, Texas Southern University, Houston

Scott C. Marler, Director, Iowa Department of Transportation, Ames

Ricardo Martinez, Adjunct Professor of Emergency Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Decatur, GA

Russell McMurry, Commissioner, Georgia Department of Transportation, Atlanta

Craig E. Philip, Research Professor and Director, VECTOR, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN

Steward T.A. Pickett, Distinguished Senior Scientist, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY

Susan A. Shaheen, Professor and Co-Director, Transportation Sustainability Research Center, University of California, Berkeley

Marc Williams, Executive Director, Texas Department of Transportation, Austin

EX OFFICIO MEMBERS

Derek Barrs, Administrator, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Washington, DC

Bryan Bedford, Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration, Washington, DC

Michael R. Berube, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Sustainable Transportation, U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, DC

Steven G. Bradbury, Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC

Steven Cliff, Executive Officer, California Air Resources Board, Sacramento

Drew Feeley, Acting Administrator, Federal Railroad Administration, Washington, DC

David Fink, Administrator, Federal Railroad Administration, Washington, DC

LeRoy Gishi, Chief, Division of Transportation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior, Germantown, MD

Firas Ibrahim, Director, Office of Research, Development, and Technology, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology (OST-R), Washington, DC

Jason Kelly, Deputy Commanding General for Civil Works and Emergency Operations, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, DC

Sandra Knight, President, WaterWonks, LLC, Washington, DC

Sean McMaster, Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, Washington, DC

Marcus J. Molinaro, Administrator, Federal Transit Administration, Washington, DC

Jonathan Morrison, Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, DC

Niloo Parvinashtiani, Engineer, Mobility Consultant Solutions, Iteris Inc., Fairfax, VA, and Chair, TRB Young Participants Council

Paul Roberti, Administrator, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Washington, DC

Karl Simon, Director, Transportation and Climate Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC

Paul P. Skoutelas, President and CEO, American Public Transportation Association, Washington, DC

Jim Tymon, Executive Director, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, Washington, DC

Sang Yi, Acting Administrator, U.S. Maritime Administration, Washington, DC

__________________

^* Membership as of November 2025.

TRANSIT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM

TCRP RESEARCH REPORT 252

Public Transit Workforce Development for Zero-Emission Vehicles

John Schiavone

Karitsa Holdzkom

Douglas Nevins

Michaela Boneva

International Transportation Learning Center

Silver Spring, MD

Ann Steedly

Brandy Huston

James Farrell

Planning Communities

Raleigh, NC

Subject Areas

Public Transportation • Education and Training • Vehicles and Equipment

Research sponsored by the Federal Transit Administration in cooperation with the American Public Transportation Association

2025

TRANSIT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM

The nationʼs growth and the need to meet mobility, environmental, and energy objectives place demands on public transit systems. Current systems, some of which are old and in need of upgrading, must expand service area, increase service frequency, and improve efficiency to serve these demands. Research is necessary to solve operating problems, adapt appropriate new technologies from other industries, and introduce innovations into the transit industry. The Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) serves as one of the principal means by which the transit industry can develop innovative near-term solutions to meet demands placed on it.

The need for TCRP was originally identified in TRB Special Report 213—Research for Public Transit: New Directions, published in 1987 and based on a study sponsored by the Urban Mass Transportation Administration—now the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). A report by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), Transportation 2000, also recognized the need for local, problemsolving research. TCRP, modeled after the successful National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP), undertakes research and other technical activities in response to the needs of transit service providers. The scope of TCRP includes various transit research fields including planning, service configuration, equipment, facilities, operations, human resources, maintenance, policy, and administrative practices.

TCRP was established under FTA sponsorship in July 1992. Proposed by the U.S. Department of Transportation, TCRP was authorized as part of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA). On May 13, 1992, a memorandum agreement outlining TCRP operating procedures was executed by the three cooperating organizations: FTA; the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, acting through the Transportation Research Board (TRB); and APTA. APTA is responsible for forming the independent governing board, designated as the TCRP Oversight and Project Selection (TOPS) Commission.

Research problem statements for TCRP are solicited periodically but may be submitted to TRB by anyone at any time. It is the responsibility of the TOPS Commission to formulate the research program by identifying the highest priority projects. As part of the evaluation, the TOPS Commission defines funding levels and expected products.

Once selected, each project is assigned to an expert panel appointed by TRB. The panels prepare project statements (requests for proposals), select contractors, and provide technical guidance and counsel throughout the life of the project. The process for developing research problem statements and selecting research agencies has been used by TRB in managing cooperative research programs since 1962. As in other TRB activities, TCRP project panels serve voluntarily without compensation.

Because research cannot have the desired effect if products fail to reach the intended audience, special emphasis is placed on disseminating TCRP results to the intended users of the research: transit agencies, service providers, and suppliers. TRB provides a series of research reports, syntheses of transit practice, and other supporting material developed by TCRP research. APTA will arrange for workshops, training aids, field visits, and other activities to ensure that results are implemented by urban and rural transit industry practitioners.

TCRP provides a forum where transit agencies can cooperatively address common operational problems. TCRP results support and complement other ongoing transit research and training programs.

TCRP RESEARCH REPORT 252

Project J-11/Task 46
ISSN 2572-3782
ISBN 978-0-309-60102-3

© 2025 by the National Academy of Sciences. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and the graphical logo are trademarks of the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION

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The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) grants permission to reproduce written material in this publication for classroom and non-commercial purposes subject to the rights of any third parties and appropriate attribution. Permission is given with the understanding that none of the material will be used to imply NAS, TRB, AASHTO, APTA, FAA, FHWA, FTA, GHSA, or NHTSA endorsement of a particular product, method, or practice. For other uses of the written material, users must request permission from the National Academies Press.

NOTICE

The research report was reviewed by the technical panel and accepted for publication according to procedures established and overseen by the Transportation Research Board and approved by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Transportation, FTA, in the interest of information exchange. The U.S. government assumes no liability for the contents or use thereof. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed or implied in this document are those of the researchers who performed the research and are not necessarily those of the Transportation Research Board; the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; or the program sponsors.

The Transportation Research Board does not develop, issue, or publish standards or specifications. The Transportation Research Board manages applied research projects which provide the scientific foundation that may be used by Transportation Research Board sponsors, industry associations, or other organizations as the basis for revised practices, procedures, or specifications.

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TRANSIT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM

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Learn more about the Transportation Research Board at www.TRB.org.

COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAMS

CRP STAFF FOR TCRP RESEARCH REPORT 252

Monique R. Evans, Director, Cooperative Research Programs

Waseem Dekelbab, Deputy Director, Cooperative Research Programs

Gwen Chisholm Smith, Manager, Transit Cooperative Research Program

Dianne S. Schwager, Senior Program Officer

Sheila A. Moore, Program Associate

Natalie Barnes, Director of Publications

Doug English, Senior Editor

TCRP PROJECT J-11/TASK 46 PANEL
Field of Special Projects

Jana Demas, King County, WA, Metro Transit, Seattle, WA (Chair)

Cecil O. Blandon, Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District, Oakland, CA

Mary Cummings, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA

Dawn Distler, METRO RTA, Akron, OH

Sheila Jordan, Knowledge Architects, Inc, Atlanta, GA

Raymond A. Santiago, Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District, San Rafael, CA

Alvaro Villagran, Shared-Use Mobility Center, Chicago, IL

Tara Echols, FTA Liaison

Matthew Dickens, APTA Liaison

FOREWORD

By Dianne S. Schwager
Staff Officer
Transportation Research Board

TCRP Research Report 252: Public Transit Workforce Development for Zero-Emission Vehicles identifies and is organized around seven areas (referred to as tasks) that each address workforce skills and knowledge needed by transit agency frontline employees to operate (i.e., drive) and maintain zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) in revenue service, specifically full-size (i.e., 40- to 60-foot) battery electric-buses and fuel-cell buses. The research included a literature review, industry input and feedback, and case studies. While transit agencies may need to focus on certain tasks more than others, each of the seven tasks is important to consider. The report will be of immediate interest to public transportation agencies seeking to build the skills of their frontline workforce to safely and efficiently operate and maintain ZEVs.

Public transportation agencies throughout the United States have introduced zero-emission fleets and supporting technologies. Consequently, transit agencies need to train current employees and hire new employees with relevant education and training to safely and effectively operate and maintain zero-emission fleets and technologies.

Under TCRP J-11/Task 46, “Zero-Emission Vehicles: New Tech, New Skills, New Jobs,” the International Transportation Learning Center (ITLC) was asked to develop a useful resource to help transit agencies develop and provide the skills and knowledge needed to safely and efficiently operate and maintain these highly specialized vehicles. Research was needed to examine and present:

• Educational training and development approaches that have historically been effective and can be more widely used by public transportation agencies;
• Approaches to help train and develop frontline workers to operate and maintain ZEVs;
• The role that larger public transportation agencies, unions, and public–private partnerships can play in leveraging their training capabilities for ZEVs to help mid-sized and small transit agencies; and
• Findings regarding how original equipment manufacturers of ZEVs can better address workforce development and training needs for transit agencies.

The research did not address workforce skills related to facilities or the infrastructure required to support ZEVs.

CONTENTS

Summary

Chapter 1 Introduction

Background: Introduction and Expansion of Zero-Emission Fleets

Methodology and Report Structure

Chapter 2 Identify Needed ZEV Skills

Diagnostic Skills Training

Safety Training for ZEVs

Approaches and Resources

Chapter 3 Assess Workforce Readiness

Approaches and Resources

Qualification Processes

Chapter 4 Develop a Systematic Process for Building Skills

Approaches and Resources

Chapter 5 Cultivate OEM Support

Approaches and Resources

Chapter 6 Establish Training Resources and Capacity

Approaches and Resources

Chapter 7 Build Foundational Electrical Skills

Approaches and Resources

Chapter 8 Recruit and Retain Workforce to Operate and Maintain ZEVs

Demographic Challenges

Approaches and Resources

Chapter 9 Lessons from Other Industries

Automotive Industry

School Bus Fleets

Chapter 10 Key Findings and Conclusions

References 

List of Acronyms 

Appendix A  Methodology

Appendix B  Case Studies and Case Profiles 

Appendix C  Focus Group Summaries 

Appendix D  Industry Survey 

Appendix E  Skills-Gap Survey Example