Agenda Item #13.4
For Council Meeting of: October 13, 2026
CITY OF SANTA ROSA
CITY COUNCIL
TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: RACHEL EDE, DEPUTY DIRECTOR – TRANSIT, TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT SUBJECT: AUTHORIZATION TO APPLY FOR ONE BAY AREA GRANT CYCLE 4 FUNDING FOR THE ZERO-EMISSION BUS ROLLOUT PLAN IMPLEMENTATION: BUS FLEET RESILIENCY PROJECT AGENDA ACTION: RESOLUTION
RECOMMENDATION
The Transportation and Public Works Department recommends that the Council, by resolution: 1) authorize the City Manager or designee to submit an application to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission for $1,467,000 in One Bay Area Grant Cycle 4 funding for the Zero-Emission Bus Rollout Plan Implementation: Bus Fleet Resiliency Project; 2) commit the required nonfederal matching funds from the Transit Division’s Transportation Development Act Article IV funds; 3) provide the assurances required by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission concerning project delivery and completion; and 4) authorize the Chief Financial Officer to increase revenue and expenditure appropriations in the appropriate Transit fund and project key by the amount of the grant funding awarded. This item requests appropriations for one-time grant funding.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In response to the Sonoma County Transportation Authority’s 2025 call for projects, the City submitted the Zero-Emission Bus Rollout Plan Implementation: Bus Fleet Resiliency Project for consideration for One Bay Area Grant Cycle 4 funding. Following its evaluation, SCTA recommended the Project for submission to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.
The City is requesting $1,467,000 in federal funding to replace degraded or failed battery components in its existing battery-electric bus fleet. The Project is intended to maintain vehicle reliability, avoid service interruptions, and support operation of the buses through their remaining useful lives. A Council resolution authorizing the application, committing the required local match, and providing the required project-delivery assurances is necessary to complete the application.
GOAL
This item relates to Council Goal 1 by supporting Transit operations by applying available funding. It also relates to Goal 2 by supporting the replacement of Transit equipment.
BACKGROUND/PRIOR COUNCIL REVIEW
The City of Santa Rosa submitted this project to the SCTCA’s 2025 Call for Projects. The project was recommended by SCTCA and will be submitted to the MTC under the OBAG 4 Program for consideration for funding to support the longevity of the Zero-Emission Bus Fleet that provides citywide transit service. This application for OBAG 4 will require a non-federal local match. The current local match requirement is a minimum 11.47% of the total project cost, with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) providing up to 88.53% of the total project cost.
On August 5, 2025, the City Council approved Resolution No. RES-2025-134 designating the list of projects to be submitted to the SCTCA for their 2025 call for projects.
ANALYSIS
After consideration and scoring through SCTCA, this City project was recommended to the MTC for OBAG 4 funding.
This project supports CityBus' compliance with the California Air Resources Board Innovative Clean Transit (ICT) Rule, which was adopted in 2018. The project also supports implementation of the Sonoma County Comprehensive Transportation Plan (Sonoma Moves 2050), which was adopted in 2026 following robust public outreach.
Santa Rosa CityBus' fixed-route fleet includes 12 battery-electric buses (BEBs)—approximately 41% of the fleet. These buses each have a federal minimum useful life requirement of twelve years but may be operated in the CityBus fleet for up to 15 years. The batteries on these buses are covered by a six-year limited warranty. Battery degradation is expected within the useful life of BEBs, with transit agencies expecting to replace battery packs at mid-life in response to battery failures or reduced state of charge that prevents buses from completing their daily duty cycle.
The CityBus system employs depot charging and relies on BEBs completing a full day's schedule on a single charge. Reduced range or inoperability due to degraded or failed battery packs would require replacement of a BEB with a diesel-hybrid bus for all or part of its service day, leading to inefficient operations and potential service interruptions. The financial exposure to CityBus' capital fund and operating budget for out-year battery failures and degradation is significant.
If this application project were to be awarded by MTC, it will enable CityBus to selectively replace battery packs in the 12 buses that show the greatest degradation or have failed at mid-life (following warranty expiration) to maintain sufficient state of charge that will support continuity of operations through the remaining useful life of the buses. OBAG 4 funds would enable CityBus to replace up to 20% of the battery packs making up the batteries for the 12 BEBs depending on pricing at the time of replacement.
A resolution of support is required for the project to qualify for the OBAG 4 funding.
FISCAL IMPACT
Approval of this action does not have a fiscal impact on the General Fund.
The City is requesting $1,467,000 in One Bay Area Grant Cycle 4 funding. The required nonfederal local match of approximately $190,630 will be provided from the Transit Division’s Transportation Development Act Article IV capital funds. Sufficient appropriations are available for the local match. If the grant is awarded, the Chief Financial Officer is authorized to increase corresponding grant revenue and expenditure appropriations by the amount awarded.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(4), the recommended action is not a project subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it consists of an application for and commitment of governmental funding and does not authorize the replacement of battery components or another physical activity. Implementation of the proposed Bus Fleet Resiliency Project remains subject to completion of applicable environmental review. Approval of the funding application will not commit the City to undertake the Project before that environmental review is completed.
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Not applicable.
NOTIFICATION
Not applicable.
ATTACHMENTS
Resolution
PRESENTER(S)
Shawn Sosa, Administrative Analyst
AUTHORIZATION TO APPLY FOR ONE BAY AREA GRANT CYCLE 4 FUNDING FOR THE ZERO-EMISSION BUS ROLLOUT PLAN IMPLEMENTATION: BUS FLEET RESILIENCY PROJECT PAGE 3 OF 3