Powering the Future of Clean Transportation

Last month, I read a New York Times article about a small town in Nebraska that received a free electric school bus through a federal grant. Initially seen as a great opportunity, the bus soon became a point of contention, facing challenges with charging, battery reliability, and long-term maintenance. Ultimately, the story wasn’t about the bus—it was about concerns around the energy transition in rural America.

The story reminded me of the importance of my own work at Resources for the Future (RFF). As the director of RFF’s Transportation Program, I focus on solving tough public policy questions with economic research. Chief among them are questions around the transition away from traditional fossil fuels—many of the same societal questions brought up in the New York Times article:

• As more Americans adopt electric vehicles, how can we ensure that charging stations aren’t concentrated only in wealthier neighborhoods?
• How can we ensure that there’s always enough power available to charge vehicle batteries—even in corners of rural America?
• How do we make electric vehicles—cars, buses, and trucks—financially accessible and practical for all use cases?

Getting these answers right is incredibly important. Thanks to your support of RFF, we have the resources to tackle these questions and get ahead of critical policy issues with robust economic research—before decisions are made.

Will you join us with a gift today? No matter the amount, you’ll help programs like mine stay ahead of rapidly evolving issues, ensuring that decisionmakers have the best information today, and in the future.