Tillamook, Ore.

Zero-Emissions Fleet Transition Planning for Northwest Oregon Transit Alliance

Client: Northwest Oregon Transit Alliance
Our Role: Prime

A white and blue bus picking up riders at a transit station with a blue sky and white clouds in the background.

As Oregon continues to advance its statewide climate goals, rural communities face unique challenges in the journey toward zero-emissions mobility. The Northwest Oregon Transit Alliance (NWOTA), a coalition of five rural and small urban transit providers, recognized that reducing carbon emissions across its geographically diverse region required a coordinated, data-driven strategy.

Each NWOTA member agency, including the Tillamook County Transportation District, operates under distinct conditions, from coastal routes to mountainous terrain, with varying facility capacities and funding readiness. The Alliance needed a unified roadmap that could balance cost, reliability, and service continuity while ensuring equitable access to cleaner, more resilient transit options for residents across northwest Oregon.

GFT partnered with NWOTA and the Oregon Department of Transportation to develop a zero-emissions fleet transition plan that connects fleet strategy, facility readiness, and funding pathways into one phased roadmap.

Leveraging a partnering and people-first approach, GFT combined fleet modeling, facility assessments, and financial planning to create a phased implementation strategy aligned with each agency’s technical and operational realities. The team integrated federal guidance from FTA’s Low-No and 5339(b) programs, along with Inflation Reduction Act provisions, to position NWOTA for near- and long-term funding success.

Recognizing the region’s distinctive geography and energy landscape, GFT collaborated with utilities and agency partners to assess readiness for both battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell technologies. The resulting plan combines innovation and practicality, empowering NWOTA to transition confidently toward a zero-emissions future while maintaining dependable service for those who rely on it most.

Key Features

Supported five NWOTA member agencies with a coordinated regional transition plan.
Modeled route-block energy needs to evaluate technology fit and develop charging or fueling strategies.
Assessed facility readiness, including electrical capacity and required infrastructure upgrades.
Developed operational and maintenance guidance, including training, safety, and emergency response planning.
Prioritized capital needs and tied projects to federal and state funding programs.
Facilitated regional workshops with NWOTA agencies and ODOT to align goals, share data, and build consensus.

Outcomes

Delivered a phased transition roadmap for NWOTA’s move to zero-emissions operations.
Provided agency-specific implementation pathways for vehicles, facilities, and funding eligibility.
Identified a prioritized capital program to support fleet and facility upgrades.
Positioned NWOTA to compete successfully for federal and state grants, supporting Oregon’s climate goals.
Established a replicable approach for other rural transit coalitions planning zero-emissions transitions.