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.
Awardees
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Plug In America expanded its Plugstar Training and Credentialing Program and EV Sales Platform to accelerate EV sales across the Commonwealth. PIA worked with 16 dealerships to increase EV sales, decrease the cost of EV customer acquisition, and increase customer satisfaction with the EV buying experience. 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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Good2Go – Boston based EV carsharing company Awarded $200,000 to pilot an EV carshare in an Environmental Justice Communities Good2Go piloted an income-tiered and equity-focused carshare program in the Metro Boston area. Funding allowed the project team to procure four light-duty EVs in the first year of operation. The program improved clean transportation access, reduced the need for car ownership, and reduced GHGs in Roxbury. 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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Zoo New England - Franklin Park Zoo Awarded $175,000 to procure and convert a hybrid electric shuttle bus ZNE converted a new vehicle to a hybrid electric shuttle bus to provide free roundtrip service from Forest Hills MBTA station to the Zoo. The free hybrid shuttle offers a first-mile/last-mile solution to community members that live in the area. This project offered public benefit from both an emissions and transportation access perspective. |
| Enel MBTA Awarded $200,000 to pilot electrification planning tool Enel X North America partnered with the MBTA to pilot a fleet electrification planning tool through the deployment of 120 buses in Quincy. This tool addresses key barriers in public fleet electrification by reducing planning costs and total cost of ownership through a novel softwareas-a-service (SaaS) platform with detailed planning, simulation, design, and charging optimization features. The project aimed to significantly reduce total costs of ownership and greenhouse gas emissions for the MBTA as well as further develop the software platform for future use by other public transit agencies. | |
| Enel School Bus Awarded $200,000 to deploy a vehicle to grid demonstration project at Cohasset Public Schools Enel X has partnered with Cohasset Public Schools to deploy a vehicle-to-grid demonstration project with two electric school buses. This project saught to address the barrier of high upfront cost associated with electric school buses through Enel X’s financing model. | |
| PowerOptions Arlington- PowerOptions was awared $200,000 to deploy a retrofit demonstration project for Arlington Public Schools PowerOptions partnered with the Town of Arlington and AMPLY Power Inc. to first retrofit and electrify a diesel school bus in Arlington and then replicate this model within its membership network. AMPLY will provide the technology and managed charging services associated with an electrified bus to Arlington with a financial leasing model. | |
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Highland Electriic and Bverly Public Schools Highland was awarded $176,045 to demonstrate a 3rd party school bus electrification model with Beverly Highland electric partnered with the Beverly Public School District and MAPC to deploy an electric school bus with a 3rd party ownership model and explore the viability of a regional model for group procurement of electric buses. |
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.