Rural Community Leaders
A community leader for clean transportation in a rural community is an individual or individual within an organization that actively advocates for, educates about, and implements sustainable transportation solutions tailored to the unique needs of their area.
They collaborate with stakeholders, leverage local resources, and inspire action to promote cleaner, more accessible, and affordable transportation options, such as electric vehicles, ride shares, alt-fuel and charging infrastructure, while addressing the specific challenges and opportunities of rural settings. Community leaders uniquely could be a Fleet Manager or a part of a Supporting Organization but it's not a necessity.
They collaborate with stakeholders, leverage local resources, and inspire action to promote cleaner, more accessible, and affordable transportation options, such as electric vehicles, ride shares, alt-fuel and charging infrastructure, while addressing the specific challenges and opportunities of rural settings. Community leaders uniquely could be a Fleet Manager or a part of a Supporting Organization but it's not a necessity.
Downtown Fredericksburg, VA supports hundreds of square miles of rural Virginia counties. These include Spotsylvania, Caroline, Stafford, Fauquier, Culpepper and Orange.
Step 1: Engage Stakeholders
A. Contact your regional or statewide Clean Cities Coalition
- Find your local coalition here https://cleancities.energy.gov/
- Contact local energy and fuel providers where applicable
- Once contacted, Build with that coalition along with, schools, local businesses, and government agencies to pool resources and expertise to see alternative fuels implemented in your region
Our county was very big on Greenhouse gas emission reductions, we learned more about Propane, Compressed Natural Gas, and Biodiesel as well as Idle Reduction (from their local coalition). Monroe County started various environmental initiatives before this project. We would have liked to move faster and had more opportunities to apply for funding.
— County Representative from Monroe Indiana
B. Volunteer
- This project revealed that many local leaders, fleet managers, and supporting organizations are already at or beyond their capacity with current workloads. Volunteering offers a valuable opportunity to bridge these capacity gaps while fostering relationships that can be leveraged for future collaboration.
C. Organize workshops or demonstrations with alternative fuel and EV providers.
- Many local dealers and product reps are eager to share their knowledge and alt fuel vehicle experience so don't hesitate to reach out.
- Join or start an EV or Alt Fuel club.
- Many communities involved in this project have found great success by engaging with these clubs, as they are often filled with passionate enthusiasts who are eager and ready to join the clean transportation movement.
- EV’s being the most common version of alternative fuel vehicles, it is recommended to check with Plug In America to find EV clubs in your state or region.
Step 2: Tailor Messaging
A. When addressing Fleet Managers, Supporting Organizations or Local Officials it's important to come with a concise, clear, and helpful message
- Address specific concerns, such as upfront costs of alternative fuel vehicles, infrastructure needs (lacking or in abundance), or range anxiety, with factual data and local success stories. Here are some examples of data that could be helpful.
- Highlight community-specific benefits like reduced maintenance costs and local economic opportunities.
- Reach out to your local coalition for help in completing an Alternative Fuel Life-Cycle Environmental and Economic Transportation (AFLEET) assessment for the fleets in your region. This assessment is particularly valuable for Fleet Managers, so be sure to include them in the conversation or invite them to join the call.
ACFC (Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition) challenged a common preconception that the higher initial purchase price of an autogas or electric pickup is too much to overcome. We were presented a clear path to long-term cost savings due mostly to the lower cost of autogas or electricity compared to gasoline.
— Matthew Capps / Deputy Director / Alabama State Parks
Step 3: Leverage Partnerships
You've engaged the stakeholders and hit your regional officials and manager with the data — now what?
- It's important to leverage these relationships to build trust. In rural communities, as I’m sure you know, you're usually only able to move at the speed of trust.
- Therefore leveraging partnerships with supporting organizations, schools, coalitions, etc, with you being the bridge, will greatly benefit in success.
- Wondering what supporting organizations you should reach out to? Reference this PDF for examples — Supporting Organizations
Step 4: Be Prepared to Learn
A. Educate yourself - there's always something new to learn
- Sign up for free webinars offered by the EPA, DOE, DOT, or your state agency. These sessions are an excellent way to network, discover funding opportunities, and learn how to get involved in advancing your initiatives.
We were considering implementing EV school buses, and ACFC was able to provide a fleet analysis that was shared with our district leadership team that showed the benefit of moving forward and applying for EPA funding opportunities.
— Chris Hayes, Transportation Director, Clay County Schools Alabama
B. Plan for Equity
- Equity is the fair and just distribution of resources, opportunities, and treatment to ensure everyone can achieve their full potential, taking into account individual needs and circumstances to address systemic inequalities.
- These will look different for every rural community, likely with some large similarities. Therefore its important to not assume needs but listen and see gaps where you could volunteer your knowledge, time, or services.
