Low Carbon Transit Operations Program (LCTOP)

Program Overview

The Low Carbon Transit Operations Program (LCTOP) is one of several programs that are part of the Transit, Affordable Housing, and Sustainable Communities Program established by the California Legislature in 2014 by Senate Bill 862. For more information on the Transit, Affordable Housing, and Sustainable Communities Program (and associated programs) please visit California Climate Investments.

This site serves as a central hub for information about California Climate Investments.

The LCTOP was created to provide operating and capital assistance for transit agencies to reduce greenhouse gas emission and improve mobility, with a priority on serving disadvantaged communities. Approved projects in LCTOP will support new or expanded bus or rail services, expand intermodal transit facilities, and may include equipment acquisition, fueling, maintenance and other costs to operate those services or facilities, with each project reducing greenhouse gas emissions. For agencies whose service area includes disadvantaged communities, at least 50 percent of the total moneys received shall be expended on projects that will benefit disadvantaged communities. Senate Bill 862 continuously appropriates five percent of the annual auction proceeds in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (Fund) for LCTOP, beginning in 2015-16.

This program will be administered by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) in coordination with Air Resource Board (ARB) and the State Controller's Office (SCO). Caltrans is responsible to ensure that the statutory requirements of the program are met in terms of project eligibility, greenhouse reduction, disadvantaged community benefit, and other requirements of the law.

Submit questions or comments regarding LCTOP

LCTOP Announcements

Final FY 2020-21 LCTOP Allocation Request submittals are due Friday, March 25, 2022.

2022 LCTOP Allocation Request Workshops

The allocation request workshops this year have been pre-recorded and are immediately available to watch at the following links: Workshop #1 and Workshop #2.

LCTOP 2022 Schedule

Allocation Request Schedule

• Caltrans posts LCTOP Guidelines FY 2021-2022 January 2022
• LCTOP Staff will release Allocation Request template January 2022
• LCTOP Draft Allocation Request Window opens late January through early February 2022
• SCO releases Apportionment Announcement for the fiscal year February 2022
• Call for projects announced in conjunction with SCO Apportionment Announcement
• Transit agencies submit Final Allocation Requests to Caltrans March 2022
• Transit agencies submit Final Allocation Request package to Caltrans March 25, 2022
• Caltrans and CARB approve the list of approved projects and submit to SCO Mid-June 2022*
• SCO releases approved project amounts to recipients By June 30, 2022*
• *Subject to Change

Reporting Schedule – NEW !!!

LCTOP will now be requiring project activity reporting on an annual basis instead of previously requiring semi-annual reporting. The new Project Activity Report will be due October 28, 2022. This report covers project activity from October 1st through September 30th.

LCTOP Program Information