The San Joaquin Valley region ranks second in the United States for worst air quality with valley residents regularly breathing high levels of air pollution. In 2020, the San Joaquin Council of Governments (SJCOG) was awarded a $7.4 million California Air Resources Board grant that provides funding for clean transportation projects that increase residents’ mobility and access to essential services, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

This spring SJCOG launched project activities for the Stockton Mobility Collective, a bundle of projects including community engagement, Vamos Mobility-as a-Service, electric vehicle carsharing, electric pedal assist bikesharing, e-workforce development, and transit and shared mobility incentives. The Stockton Mobility Collective will deliver transformative projects in the city’s disadvantaged communities, especially South Stockton neighborhoods where mobility challenges are greater compared to other areas of the city due to disproportionately higher rates of poverty and zero vehicle households.

Previous studies on the benefits of electric carshare and bikeshare found that increased use of public transit, walking, and cycling led to fewer automobile trips and reduced vehicle miles traveled. Through electric carshare and bikeshare projects, SJCOG aims to achieve similar benefits and more.

To deliver electric carsharing, SJCOG will partner with Míocar, a car sharing service in the San Joaquin Valley with a fleet of 100% electric vehicles. The Stockton Mobility Collective carshare program will provide 30 electric vehicles at six to seven stations. Both electric vehicles and infrastructure will be distributed at a mix of affordable housing locations, private property, transit hubs and rail stations in the project area. The Míocars are easily accessible and affordable at $4/hour, $35/day, and 35 cents/mile after 150 miles. The carshare program will allow South Stockton residents direct access to a network of electric vehicles that will enable trips previously impossible without a car and better access to transit.

The Stockton Mobility Collective bikeshare program will provide access to 100 electric-assist smart bikes at 15 bike locations throughout the project area in Stockton. Bicycle locations will be informed by existing planning studies, community outreach, and stakeholder input. Bicycles will address the first mile/last mile connection by locating stations at Altamont Corridor Express and transit stations. Finally, an e-workforce program is also a component of the Stockton Mobility Collective bundle of projects to support the e carshare and bike operations. The program will provide apprenticeships with a curriculum focused on career pathways in clean, low-carbon technologies and electric shared mobility operations. The Stockton Mobility Collective better positions the city of Stockton and the region for a decarbonized future for transportation and improved air quality.