WSDOT’s ZAP grants expand zero‑emission car shares in underserved areas, staff say

Crystal Lloyd, the ZAP grant manager with WSDOT, briefed council members on the third biennium of the Zero Emissions Access Program, which funds zero‑emission car‑share pilots in underserved and transportation‑desert communities.

Lloyd said ZAP grants target community‑based organizations, nonprofits and housing authorities to pilot local car‑share solutions. Grant awards, she reported, have ranged from $50,000 up to about $200,000 per project, and the program provides hands‑on technical support and training because many grantees are new to operating shared fleets.

ZAP grantees operate in varied contexts: Lloyd highlighted 18 active locations including campus programs, an Orcas Island car share that supports island mobility, and a Tukwila program offering vans and trucks to minority‑owned small businesses. She said one grantee in the Tri‑Cities averages roughly 675 trips and provides many medical and health‑care rides.

Lloyd also discussed program challenges: charging‑network software vendors have exited the market, leaving some units temporarily inoperable; small grantees struggle to find affordable insurance and rising operational costs (app licensing, maintenance) can threaten self‑sufficiency. She said WSDOT is allowing the purchase of lightly used EVs to expand fleets as the used market grows and costs decline.

Council members welcomed the expansion and asked about scaling and security; Lloyd said WSDOT aims to create smaller grant options and expand charging rules to allow dual‑port chargers to be monetized to help grantees sustain operations.

The council did not vote on any action; WSDOT will continue program management and monitor grantee performance and operational risks.