Public Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Now at Cal State San Bernardino

Six electric vehicle (EV) charging stations are now open for public use at Cal State San Bernardino to encourage the use of cleaner and more efficient transportation options for employees, students and visitors. With the next closest station more than six miles from the university, the campus stations will provide a safe and convenient charging location on site, and a practical option for EV drivers travelling longer distances. “I commute just under 30 miles one way, so even with a full charge, it was a white-knuckle drive (round trip) before the charging stations were installed,” observed Kenneth Shultz, a CSUSB professor of psychology. “My wife used to drive the electric vehicle to work, but now it makes more sense for me to.” The charging stations are located within each of the university’s parking structures: three on the main access level on the south side of the east structure, and three on the lowest level on the far west side of the west structure. Both locations have disability access and are open 24/7 and on campus holidays, unless parking structures are closed for safety reasons. The charging locations and station access are being provided by the university’s parking and transportation services. These and other charging stations are registered on the U.S. Department of Energy Alternative Fueling Station Locator website and related mobile device applications. The university’s facilities services department coordinated the project and installed the site electrical connections, and the South Coast Air Quality Management District has pledged to reimburse CSUSB for related infrastructure costs, said Tony Simpson senior director of Facilities Services. The new EV charging equipment and its installation was funded through the Reconnect CA Program, a partnership between ClipperCreek Inc. and the California Energy Commission to upgrade and expand publicly available charging infrastructure to the SAE J1772 charging coupler standard. This standard allows for safe vehicle charging in half the time with Level 2 charging and is compatible with current vehicle manufacturers. Public charging costs $1 per hour, with a four-hour maximum per charge, and requires users to set up a Parkmobile account and access the system via a Parkmobile app on a mobile device. The designated parking spaces have a maximum time limit of four hours. Vehicles that exceed the posted time limit are subject to a fee citation. CSUSB also offers unlimited charging for campus employees at no cost. Employees who wish to enroll in the EV charging incentive program may sign up at the Parking and Transportation Services department in UH-039. To qualify for the program, employees must charge a minimum of eight times per month and are required to turn in a monthly log of their charging activities. Each participant is then issued a monthly charging code. Currently, six employees are participating in the program. The EV charging incentive program is funded through the Transportation Program, the commuter services department of CSUSB’s office of parking services, with no cost to tax payers or fueling rate payers. This program receives its funding through the collection of parking citation fees. “The Inland Empire is a prime location for development of greener transportation options,” said Michelle Dyck, sustainability coordinator for CSUSB. “With an immediate benefit to regional air quality, more affordable commutes, and less net impact to our planet’s atmosphere and global natural resources, it’s a no-brainer.”