The Challenge
Transportation remains Massachusetts' largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, contributing over 40% of the Commonwealth's total emissions in 2017.
Unlike other sectors that have seen significant reductions since 1990, transportation emissions have remained stubbornly high, creating a critical barrier to meeting the state's ambitious Net Zero by 2050 goals. While early clean transportation programs focused on vehicle rebates and charging infrastructure, the sector needed innovative business models, financing mechanisms, and deployment strategies to accelerate adoption across diverse communities and vehicle types. The challenge was particularly acute in environmental justice communities, where barriers to clean transportation adoption remained highest despite facing disproportionate impacts from transportation pollution.
2019-2025
About the Program
The Accelerating Clean Transportation Now (ACTNow) Program launched in 2019 as MassCEC's first major initiative to pilot innovative, replicable clean transportation business and service delivery models. Rather than duplicating existing rebate programs, ACTNow focused on demonstrating scalable solutions across light-duty vehicles, medium and heavy-duty fleets, and mass transit applications. The program specifically incentivized projects benefiting environmental justice communities through reduced cost-share requirements and prioritized initiatives that could attract substantial third-party investment while producing significant carbon emission reductions at scale. With $1.4 million in funding, ACTNow supported nine demonstration projects that collectively leveraged over $2 million in external cost-share funding, creating a testing ground for approaches that would inform future state clean transportation policy.
ACTNow Accomplishments
The ACTNow Program successfully deployed innovative clean transportation solutions across Massachusetts, demonstrating viable pathways for large-scale adoption while advancing equity in the clean energy transition. The program's diverse portfolio of projects created replicable models that directly informed future state clean transportation initiatives.
Awardee Highlights
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School Bus Electrification
- Highland Electric deployed Electric Buses and charging infrastructure in Beverly, MA, to demonstrate the viability of their electrification as a service model and test vehicle-to-grid operations for a school bus fleet. Read the Final Report to learn more about this project and how the Buses and infrastructure performed.
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Dealership Education
- Plug In America expanded its Plugstar Training and Credentialing Program and EV Sales Platform to accelerate EV sales, decrease the cost of EV customer acquisition, and increase customer satisfaction with the EV buying experience with 30 dealerships across the Commonwealth. Read the Final Report to learn more about how participating PlugStar-certified dealerships sold more EVs than non-certified dealerships during the pilot.
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EV Carsharing
- Good2Go piloted an income-tiered and equity-focused carshare program in the Metro Boston area. The program improved clean transportation access, reduced the need for car ownership, and reduced GHGs in Environmental Justice Communities. Read the Final Report to learn more about the pilot’s successes and challenges, including vehicle cost and revenue, team structure, and carshare insurance.
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Public Transit Electrification
- Zoo New England converted a new vehicle to a hybrid electric shuttle bus to provide free roundtrip service from Forest Hills MBTA station to the Zoo. This project offered public benefit from both an emissions and transportation access perspective.
Key Program Achievements
Vehicle Deployment & Operations
- Electric School Bus Fleet - Deployed 5 electric school buses through 3 pioneering initiatives featuring innovative third-party ownership models and vehicle-to-grid demonstrations.
- Light-Duty Electric Vehicles - Deployed 4 light-duty EVs across various demonstration projects.
- Electric Shuttle Service - Operated hybrid electric shuttle providing free transportation from Forest Hills MBTA station to Franklin Park Zoo, transporting over 700 passengers.
- EV Carsharing Demonstration - Piloted app-based carpooling service in the Boston metro area to reduce single-occupancy vehicle trips.
Training & Education
- Vehicle Dealership Certification - Trained and certified 30 Massachusetts car dealerships in EV vehicle sales, implementing comprehensive training and credentialing programs to accelerate EV adoption.
Technology & Planning Tools
- MBTA Fleet Planning Tool - Developed comprehensive fleet electrification planning platform through deployment of 120 electric buses in Quincy.
Community Impact
- Environmental Justice Focus - Delivered clean transportation benefits to 6 environmental justice communities, reducing barriers to clean transportation access in underserved areas.
Financial Impact & Leverage
- Leveraged Investment - Attracted over $2 million in external cost-share funding, demonstrating market viability of innovative financing models.
Program Legacy
- Clean Transportation Pipeline - Informed development of MassCEC's ACT4All and Electric School Bus programs, creating a sustainable pipeline of clean transportation innovation.
ACTNow in the News
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Baker-Polito Administration Announces $1.4 Million in Funding For Clean Transportation Projects
The Baker-Polito Administration today announced $1.4 million in funding to support nine clean transportation demonstration projects. The funding, which comes from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center’s (MassCEC) Accelerating Clean Transportation Now (ACTNow) program, will support clean transportation initiatives that help reduce the cost and advance the market for low carbon transportation technologies across the Commonwealth. -
Wednesday July 12, 2023 | Franklin Park Zoo debuts electric shuttle
Zoo New England is excited to announce a brand-new, complimentary, electric shuttle bus to connect guests to Franklin Park Zoo. The weekend shuttle is running now and offers free roundtrip service from Forest Hills MBTA station to the Giraffe Entrance at Franklin Park Zoo.