At a brief ceremony March 9 in the Evans Campus automotive shops, Regional U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Wayne Nastri presented Chancellor Philip R. Day, Jr. with a $200,000 check to promote bio-diesel and advance the fledgling industry.

The two-year grant under the guidance of the City College Advanced Transportation Technology Institute will be used to develop infrastructure for bio-diesel fueling and distribution facilities, as well as provide classroom instruction for distributors, mechanics, fleet operators and other private users, according to an EPA press release and information sheet.

“This grant gives City College of San Francisco a unique opportunity to help jump start the use of bio-diesel in the Bay Area,” Nastri said. The EPA’s Region 9 Website, “Bio-diesel: Fat to Fuel,” highlights bio-diesel production from waste oils that would otherwise go down the drain, end up in landfills, clog pipes or cause hazardous spills.

“Under the Advanced Transportation Initiative we are looking for ways to incorporate alternative fuels into transportation systems, such as electric cars, hydrogen, compressed natural gas and bio-fuels,” said Ben Macri, chair of City College’s Automotive, Motorcycle, Construction and Building Maintenance Department.

“CCSF has a long history of developing technical skill training for existing and emerging industries,” said Chancellor Day. “This ‘Bridging the Bio-diesel Gap’ initiative will facilitate the introduction of bio-diesel fuel to users throughout the Bay Area. Beyond this training, however, will be emission reductions, improved air quality and improved health here in Bay View-Hunters Point and other parts of the city.”

Many ATTE achievements are realized in conjunction with partners. The Goodwill Industries Bayview Hope Truck Driving Academy allied with the City College of San Francisco’s ATTE program provides an example of modern technology applied to increasing driver training and safety, while providing environmental benefits from reduced fuel conservation and diesel emission reductions.

In 2004, Goodwill Industries of San Francisco, San Mateo & Marin counties sought a means to expand its programs in and for the residents of the Bayview and Hunters Point neighborhoods of San Francisco. A truck driving academy was identified as the type of program that could benefit young residents seeking employment skills, while offering re-training to older residents seeking to transition jobs. In May 2004, the Trucking Academy was opened with one leased tractor and a Goodwill trailer. Classes were offered to 10 student cohorts, with graduates prepared to take their California Class A license written and road exams.

From the start, it had been anticipated that a driving simulator could be acquired to enhance the skills taught. In December 2006, the simulator was acquired and located at the City College of San Francisco Evans campus with the college’s ATTE and Automotive programs. Since then, the simulator has received daily use from big-rig classes; 80 students are expected this year. The MPRI TransSim VS III simulator provides wrap-around vision with a cab that can be re-configured for other types of vehicles as needed. (Indeed, new software is on-order to simulate a 30-passenger bus for a new program.) It enables drivers to experience a wide variety of environments (urban or rural, freeway or narrow streets, day or night, clear-rain-or snow) that would be hard to manage in a real-world setting. And it allows for drivers to experience hazardous conditions such as tire blowouts. All this with no fuel consumed (except for the electricity) and no emissions added to this part of the city which already experiences the highest asthma rates in San Francisco due to its high volume of diesel traffic.

The CCSF-ATTE program is supported by the Academy in its proposal to San Francisco’s Department of Environment to provide a Biodiesel training program (including driver training) to area residents this summer and fall. There is indeed something new to be said for truck driver training.

• Motorcycle: City College of San Francisco has adopted the Sacramento City College motorcycle curriculum to its already popular motorcycle program. Implementation of the SCC-ATT model is already under way, and beginning in the Fall 06 semester, CCSF will expand its current 16 unit program to the ATT-SCC 32 unit program.

• GIS: CCSF-ATT continues to offer GIS related classes with a focus on transit. This quarter we started with a ‘quick start intro’ for people who have limited experience with GIS and need basic GIS skills before moving forward with industry specific classes. We will be adding additional curriculum, including cartography, Internet GIS web mapping, and Google Earth to this program during the coming months.

• Alternative Fuels: CCSF-ATT offers a variety of workshops on alternative fuel vehicles including biodiesel, compressed natural gas and hydrogen technology. In the past year over 80 individuals have participated in these workshops.

• BART: CCSF-ATT wrote curriculum for computer based courses customized for BART clerical workers. CCSF-ATT published a series of workbooks on power-point, Microsoft word, Access and Excel. All exercise and examples use BART as a starting point, which accelerates the learning and situates what people need to know in the right framework. The classes were designed for BART employees who are either in danger of being laid-off or in need of computer skills as BART begins use of People Soft at their facilities.

• Biodiesel Development and Technical Programs - ATT Program worked in the forefront or background on four critical biodiesel activities during the last six months. Work was initiated with Mark Snyder Associates, West Coast People’s Coop and Plavan Petroleum to develop and stage two biodiesel demonstration and fuel purchase events – July 23 and July 30, 2005.
  
  About 50 people attended these events and purchased biodiesel fuel at cost and/or received information about the fuel characteristics and benefits from using

  "Biodiesel advocates, Willie Nelson and Daryl Hanah participate in National Biodiesel Conference"

  such fuels. This was followed by a November technical symposium on biodiesel fuel in partnership with the Air and Waste Management Association of San Diego.
  
  Over 80 professionals, including fleet managers, attended the symposium which focused on how to use and over come issues in the use of biodiesel fuel. These events led up to the staging of the National Biodiesel Conference in San Diego in February 2006 with over 2,000 attendees – the largest attendance ever. The event culminated in the d edication of a public biodiesel fueling facility by Willie Nelson and Daryl Hannah as a site for BioWillie biodiesel fuel.

• California Automotive Teachers Conference – The ATT Program and Miramar Automotive Faculty sponsored the California Automotive Teachers Conference in October 2005 – with technical and information programs for about 180 high school and community college automotive faculty throughout California. Education programs focused on hybrid and fuel cell vehicles.

• California Association of School Transportation Officials – The ATT Director provided an overview program on natural gas vehicle safety and maintenance for technicians and administrators at the CASTO (California Association of School Transportation Officials) Chapter 3 Transportation Workshop on November 19, 2005.

• San Diego Regional Clean Cities General Membership meeting - In its continued partnership with the Clean Cities Coalition, the Miramar ATT Program hosted approximately 40 organizations in a program that included: 1. information on new funding opportunities for clean fuels through the air pollution control district; 2. a review of ongoing testing of biodiesel fuel for electricity production – this is a first in California and if successful will be used to obtain California Air Resources Board approval for using biodiesel fuel in a specific set of generators; and 3. a ride and drive of a Chevrolet 4X4 hydrogen powered truck from the US Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton.

You remember the Red Rover game when you were a kid. It encourages risk and strength - you have to approach the line of opposition and try to break through the blockade. West Valley College ATT is using the principles from this kid's competition for a grownup issue: helping farmers improve their bottom line and at the same time benefiting air quality.

The Monterey Air District recently awarded West Valley College ATT a $17,000 grant for the Regional Outreach for Vehicle Emission Reductions (ROVER) project. ROVER will demonstrate how trying something new, biodiesel, will give farmers a stronger stance in the worldwide food market. Each year, the Monterey Bay Unified Air Pollution Control District awards AB2766 grants to agencies serving Santa Cruz, San Benito, and Monterey counties.

The funds are designated to promote efforts to reduce air pollution and are given for a variety of educational and demonstrative activities, as well as new alternative fuel vehicles, equipment purchases for emission reduction technologies, and other activities that reduce mobile source emissions. The ATT will perform outreach, marketing, and training activities specifically focused on biofuels. Through demonstrating the environmental, health, and economic benefits of replacing petroleum diesel with biodiesel, West Valley ATT will help industry and public entities in their region realize the overall benefits that can be achieved. This project should provide an understanding that biodiesel is a viable alternative fuel choice.

Biodiesel is the cheapest possible way to reduce the most harmful diesel emissions. It is a non-toxic, biodegradable, renewable source of energy. Because biodiesel is produced from a variety of renewable sources, including soybean oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, animal fats and even recycled restaurant grease, it can be made right here in California and emits about half as much carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and particulates as petroleum diesel. In California, environmental degradation and market fluctuations are seriously impacting the agricultural economy, and farmers are taking a hard hit!

The California Air Resources Board attributes annual crop losses of 12% - 31% to air pollution. Additionally, the global agricultural market is changing and California is seeing a much greater influx of imported produce and grain. These changes can lessen the value of California crops and shrink California's economy. Fortunately, biodiesel popularity is growing rapidly with U.S. sales increasing from 2 million gallons in 2000 to 30 million gallons in 2004. The U.S. Department of Energy represents the United States as the second largest producer and user of biodiesel.

The National Biodiesel Board shows that in 2004, soybeans represented 57% of world oilseed production and 40% of those soybeans were produced in the United States. We all need improved air quality and farmers need help with their business. Growing crops to produce biodiesel provides an opportunity for farmers to improve their bottom line by investing in a product that is less subject to market fluctuations and pressures and for everyone to benefit from cleaner air! A handful of biodiesel distributors exist in California. In Monterey and Santa Cruz counties, residents may have it delivered and diesel vehicle drivers can pump their own biodiesel at the Mountain Feed Store on highway 9 in Ben Lomond, CA - the heart of the Santa Cruz Mouains.

To find out more about this project or other transportation subjects, email melissa_ceresa@westvalley.edu.

Cal Macy, Long Beach City College ATTC Director and a longtime supporter of transit training, has been re-elected Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Southern California Regional Transit Training Consortium (SCRTTC). The SCRTTC is a nonprofit consortium of 14 transit agencies and 16 community colleges in Southern California that is dedicated towards a common training solution for all agencies, big and small. The founding Board of Directors was elected earlier this year and determined the organizational structure and applied for non-profit status. Formal elections were held in August to select the Board that will serve for the next full year term. Milo Victoria from Los Angeles MTA was elected Chairman of the Board with Cal Macy as Vice-Chairman and Ralph Merced from Santa Monica Blue Bus as Vice President.

The ATT Consortium colleges have been key players in the SCRTTC organization with Long Beach, Rio Hondo, Cypress, Cerritos and College of the Desert actively involved as members and Board members. Other college and university members have also participated in this regional effort to provide skilled technicians for the member transit agencies. The ATT Consortium has been the strongest supporter of this effort and the hard work that the members have contributed has resulted in major accomplishments.

The SCRTTC Consortium was the brainchild of Jim Ditch from Long Beach Transit (LBT) and Rich Wong of Orange County Transit (OCTA) who saw what the colleges could offer. It all started back in 1997 with Long Beach City College providing CNG training held at Long Beach Transit. This was followed by propane training at OCTA jointly offered by LBCC and Cypress College in 1999. These visionary managers saw that the colleges were an excellent source that they could tap to provide much needed training with expertise not available within their organizations. They especially liked how the colleges collaborated as a team teaching effort to provide training for OCTA with classes held at 4:00 a.m. to meet the needs of the transit agency. This was "getting it done" at its finest.

The SCRTTC Consortium, which is now in process of becoming a corporation, began to organize in 2002 with meetings and commitments by both the colleges and the transit agencies. Its purpose is to pool resources to provide training for all agencies, regardless of size, using all available sources and resources. The ultimate goal is a common skill set of training, resulting in a certificate issued by the Consortium, for transit bus mechanics. The training for the certificate will be offered at multiple locations with both college and industrial training resources being utilized. This certificate will help to train incumbent workers as well as recruit new applicants in a field that is in dire need of new talent.

The Consortium's efforts last year resulted in a $75K grant to conduct Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) training. This training was so successful that they received a second grant for this current year. Through the resources of this grant, LBCC is hosting ITS training in October for the SCRTTC.

The most exciting development was the receipt of a $1.2M Federal Earmark through Senator Barbara Boxer to develop a regional transit training consortium pilot program for technicians. Senator Boxer saw the vision of the Consortium and sponsored the effort to obtain a 4 year funding opportunity that will enable the Consortium to be fully operational. The Board will be tasked with making this pilot program happen over the coming year.

The SCRTTC shows the value that industry places on California Community Colleges and their ability to get it done regarding training. The program is statewide and nationally available for replication, and is truly revolutionary in the way that it partners the strengths of both education and industry.

ATT has a new contract agreement with California's Department of Transportation (Caltrans). The contract that began in June 2005 includes a needs assessment, curriculum development, and training for Caltrans' transportation planning staff.

The ATT staff will travel throughout California to assess the regional training needs of their planners. Training that is developed will support specific regional characteristics, while identifying the core skill sets common to planners throughout California. Based on the finding, the ATT and our partnering community colleges will deliver training courses throughout the State of California at some of the 110 California Community College campuses and at the Department's 12 District metro area locations. Courses taught are likely to include, Intelligent Transportation Systems, Geographic Information Systems, Transportion Demand Management, Aeronautics, and Rail Technology. Soft skills, such as math, english, economics will also be included to improve core comptencies.

In addition, the ATT will provide technical services to increase Caltrans planning staff's awareness of current transportation trends. The ATT will also conduct job analyses and surveys in preparation for developing new courses or modifying existing courses to meet the Department's needs.

According to Peter Davis, the ATT Statewide Director, "This contract increases the participation of community colleges throughout the state in economic development activities." Additionally, Caltrans benefits by gaining access to the intellectual capital and resources of the largest system of higher education in the world - the California Community Colleges.

This contract is the culmination of years of effort from many individuals within the ATT organizaton. City College of San Francisco's Suzanne Korey was instrumental in developing the relationship with Caltrans that opened the door for this opportunity, while Phil Cypret (Sacramento City), David Esmaili (West Valley), and Peter Davis participated in years of discussions, meetings, and proposal development that ultimately secured the contract.

NORWALK - Cerritos College has received a $100,000 donation from the Southland Motor Car Dealers Association to help develop a Southland CerritosCenter for Transportation Technologies.

This gift matches last year's $100,000 donation toward the development of Cerritos College's automotive technology programs, which includes a state-of-the-art center for alternative fuel technologies.

State and federal officials have said further training is needed in the area of alternatively fueled vehicles in order to preserve a balanced environment. By providing a resource center for this type of study, college officials said they hope to take a leading position in addressing the needs of the transportation industry in the 21st century.

Cerritos College's Auto Technology Program provides students with hands-on, nationally authorized training for GM, Ford, DaimlerChrysler and import vehicles, and operates a California Advanced Transportation Technology Center partially subsidized by the state to encourage development of alternative fuel sources.