WSDOT highlights ZAP car-share pilot, local successes and operational challenges

Crystal Lloyd, WSDOT's transportation planning specialist and ZAP grant manager, briefed the commission on the Zero Emissions Access Program (ZAP), a pilot designed to seed community-based electric vehicle car shares in underserved areas. Lloyd said ZAP awards average $50,000 to $200,000 per project, the program has funded 18 locations across 12 cities, and current biennium funding of $3 million supports operations through 2027.

Lloyd highlighted grantee successes: Lopez Community Land Trust has graduated to self-sufficiency and Women of Wisdom in the Tri-Cities has expanded operations and now trains local technicians for charger maintenance. She said grantees use car shares for medical trips, shopping, job access and minority-business freight needs. Lloyd emphasized equity goals, partnerships with community organizations and requirements for grantees to conduct site assessments and coordinate with utilities and local partners.

She also described recurring operational challenges: charger vendors that go out of business can render hardware inoperable when proprietary operating software is lost, securing insurance for small fleet operations is difficult, and operating costs for apps and maintenance are rising. WSDOT has established a ZAP Community of Practice and produced a ZAP guidebook to share operational lessons. Lloyd said the program would benefit from additional outreach to tribal communities, a lower-tier operational grant (as little as $25,000) to help grantees reach self-sufficiency, and expanded charger rules to allow one slot on a dual charger to be public-facing to generate revenue for car-share operations.