City staff briefed the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on the citywide fleet electrification program and CCAP (Clean City Action Plan)‑related vehicle replacements, and committee members probed funding sources, charging infrastructure management and heavy‑duty vehicle strategy.

Donzo Gibson of the city manager’s office said regional grant programs and competitive federal opportunities are available for vehicle acquisitions and charging infrastructure but cautioned the awards are competitive, not formulaic. “It’s a competitive process,” Gibson said. “It’s not like formula based where the city of Dallas gets an automatic allotment.”

Gibson said charging infrastructure funding is mixed: some grants have paid for hardware and installation, some vendors include infrastructure with vehicle purchases, and the city sometimes installs chargers with budgeted funds. He said the city has a 10‑year master services agreement with Ford Motor Company to buy charging equipment and receive maintenance support; the contract’s longevity was a factor in vendor selection.

On operations and maintenance, Gibson said the city initially contracted a third party to manage repairs and upkeep for charging stations rather than immediately build in‑house capabilities. “We thought our first run at it, it would probably better to have a third party do this,” he said, noting the risks and specialized skills required for high‑voltage equipment. Gibson also said the Ford agreement includes maintenance obligations and that the city has been satisfied with the vendor’s performance so far.

Committee members asked about compatibility and employee or public access to chargers. Gibson said the city’s chosen equipment is broadly compatible with non‑Ford electric vehicles; the fleet program has not purchased Tesla vehicles and no municipal public‑facing charging program is being launched as part of this procurement. He said the technical platform could support point‑of‑sale systems if the city chose to allow employees or the public to pay to use chargers.

Heavy‑duty vehicles and CNG: Members asked why compressed natural gas (CNG) still appears in fleet planning. Gibson explained that while light‑duty electrification is ready for widespread deployment, many heavy‑duty vehicles (class 8 and others) remain on the “bleeding edge” of electrification and that CNG remains a lower‑carbon alternative to diesel for some applications. He said the city has historically invested in CNG and will test heavy‑duty electric equipment as field reliability improves.

Data and follow‑up requests: Committee members asked for a detailed list of which departments have received electric vehicles and which vehicles are planned, and for an updated count of existing full EVs and vehicles on order. Council Member Mendelson asked for a follow‑up memo listing completed and planned EV acquisitions by department; Gibson agreed to provide the information. Members also asked for clarity on a memo line that incorrectly stated “63 departments” — staff confirmed that was a typo.

Ending: Staff said it will provide a Friday memorandum with department‑level details, a breakdown of grant applications and the split between EV and CNG items in pending grant requests.