TRANSPORTATION

Climate action plan & transportation

Objective 1: Decrease Vehicle Use

The mobility pyramid…

can act as inspiration on how to reduce your need for vehicle travel and utilize clean transportation.

Making your way down the pyramid:

Walking

How can you get creative with your morning routine? Take a look at local trail opportunities that can connect you to where you need to go. Motivate a friend to commute by walking with you as moving with others can make us happier and healthier!

Biking

Have you taken advantage of local bike paths to get you from point A to B? Does your community have a bike to work day? Take a look at statewide and local incentives for E-bikes to make your biking commute even more feasible.

public transportaion

The Galloping Goose runs a loop through the town of Telluride 7 days a week, every 15 minutes. From the Shandoka parking lot on the west end of town all the way to Gold Run on the far east end of town, you can surely get within reasonable distance to work places, delicious restaurants, shops, hitting the slopes or hiking the trails. SEE SCHEDULE HERE.

SMART busses serve Telluride, Montrose, Mountain Village, Placerville, Lawson Hill, Two Rivers, Sawpit, Illium, Rico, Norwood, Redvale, Naturita and Nucla. These regional rides are either free or at a very low cost. SEE SCHEDULES HERE.

The Gondola provides a free daily service between Telluride and Mountain Village.

Operating Dates:

Winter 2024-25 Dates: November 22, 2024 - April 6, 2025 Summer 2025 Dates: May 22, 2025 - October 19, 2025

Operating Hours:
Seven days a week - 6:30 a.m. to midnight
Open until 2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays December 20, 2024 - April 5, 2025

Do you live in Ouray county? Have you checked out the bus schedule to and from Montrose using OurWay? SEE SCHEDULE HERE.

shared rides

SMART offers a vanpool service where the vans are supplied by SMART and driven by volunteer drivers. Passengers and drivers sign up for the vanpool and pay on a monthly basis at the beginning of each month. Occupants of the vanpool agree on a time and a central location for pickup and drop-off. Each vanpool must have a minimum of three passengers and two volunteer drivers. Utilizing a vanpool is cheaper than using your own vehicle. Vanpool costs are currently set at $40.00 per month or approximately $1.80 per day if you commute by vanpool five days per week. Driving a private car to and from Montrose costs $0.58 per mile according to IRS standard mileage rates, which equals approximately $37.70 per trip. LEARN MORE HERE.

PRIVATE cars

Living in a rural place like San Miguel County, Ouray County or San Juan County can make it challenging to avoid needing a personal car from time to time. If possible, consider using an all electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle.

Climate action plan & transportation

Objective 2: Increase use of Electric Vehicles

EV Readiness Plan

The Regional EV Readiness Plan identifies challenges and opportunities for EV’s in our region and provides guidance for new EV charging stations. This map is a snapshot of the EV charging infrastructure across our three county region in 2024. Yellow icons represent existing EV chargers, while blue icons represent potential locations for new EV infrastructure. The majority of these potential locations will host level 2 chargers, although some locations are being evaluated for their potential as DCFC/Level 3 chargers. For the most up to date information on EV charging stations visit the PlugShare website (click here).

Frequently asked EV questions:

  • a. On a full charge EVs typically cover 250-300 miles. Cold temperatures can reduce this by up to 40%. Here are a few common travel distances between destinations in the San Juan mountain region.

    • Telluride to Rico= 28 miles

    • Norwood to Telluride/Mountain Village= 33 miles

    • Silverton to Ridgway= 34 miles

    • Norwood to Ouray= 50 miles

    • Mountain Village/Telluride to Montrose= 66 miles

    • Norwood to Silverton= 74 miles

    • Durango to Montrose= 107 miles or 169 depending on direction

    b.  Even when factoring in cold weather, your daily commute is likely going to be within the range of an EV. However, if you often drive more than 200 miles in a single day, then a plug-in hybrid option might work better for you.

    c. As with any vehicle, being aware of the distance you’d like to cover, the capacity of your vehicle and planning ahead is always recommended.

  • a. While many folks enjoy the faster charging speed provided by a level 2 charger, a 140 V level 1 charger is an inexpensive addition to your panel that can help. Level 1 chargers provide electricity at a rate of 3-5 miles per hour of charge, equivalent to 24-40 miles over 10 hours overnight.

    b. Level 1 chargers can be a great option to top off your battery each night if you have shorter a commute, want to start of with a more affordable home charger, or have limited electrical panel capacity.

    c. The higher the voltage of your EV and appliances, the greater they demand from your panel. A lower voltage draws energy at a slower rate, allowing you to use multiple electric devices at once. Click here to learn more about this concept.




  • a. Charging overnight allows you to tap into the grid when the demand is lowest. San Miguel Power Association’s Time Of Use rate incentivizes individuals to lower their utility bill by using electricity and charging EVs during “off-peak” times. “On peak” happens between 4-9pm, when most people return from work and use energy to cook, clean and keep the lights on after it gets dark.

    b. You can use timers to program your EV to NOT charge during the “on-peak” hours of 4-9pm

    c. EV owners can take advantage of Time of Use rates by charging during off-peak hours when electricity is less expensive. Take a look at SMPA’s website to learn more.

    d. You can also visit the SMPA website to use the SmartHub tool and view your utility electric usage.

  • a. While tax credits only apply to new EVs, used EVs do not qualify for the same incentives. However, in Colorado, the Vehicle Exchange Program applies to both new and used battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

    b. The federal government offers a tax credit of 30% off the purchase and installation of at-home Level 2 charging, up to $1,000. To learn more, click here. If you’ve purchased an EV charger for your home, visit the IRS website to learn how to claim this deduction on your taxes.

  • a.  You can get either a Level 1 or Level 2 charger installed in your home by a qualified electrician.

    b.  Level 1 chargers are less expensive and less demanding on your electrical panel, but charge your EV more slowly.

    c. Level 2 chargers are more expensive upfront and are more demanding on your electrical panel, but charge your vehicle more quickly and might qualify for financial incentives.

    d.  While many individuals charge their EV overnight with an L1 or L2 charger in their garage, you can also charge at a variety of public locations.



  • a. Yes, there are now a variety of EV styles, ranging from trucks to sports cars, and more come out each year. You can search EVs by type here.

    b. Hear the response to this question from a recharge coach in this video.

  • Charging speeds

    • Level 1

      Uses a 120-V outlet, which is similar to the outlet used for a cell phone or toaster. Level 1 charging is typically used at home. 

    • Level 2

      Uses a 240-V outlet in residential applications or a 208-V outlet in commercial applications. Level 2 charging is often used at home, in the workplace, and at public charging stations. 

    • Direct Current Fast Charging (DCFC)

      Uses public charging stations to provide rapid charging. DCFC can charge an EV to 80% in 20 minutes to 1 hour. 

    Charging equipment

    • Level 1 equipment: Most EVs come with a portable Level 1 cordset that plugs into a standard NEMA wall outlet. 

    • Level 2 equipment: Level 2 charging often requires purchasing and installing charging equipment. 

    • DCFC equipment: DCFC equipment is only available at public charging stations. 

    Charging time 

    • Level 1: Level 1 charging can take 40-50+ hours to charge an EV to 80% from empty.

    • Level 2: Level 2 charging can take 4-10 hours to charge an EV to 80% from empty.

    • DCFC: DCFC can charge an EV to 80% in 20 minutes to 1 hour.

Still have questions? give us a call or Get in touch with a recharge coach

Interested in EV Taskforce meetings?

EV Taskforce meetings are held every 2-3 months and are facilitated by EcoAction Partners staff. Contact kendra@ecoactionpartners.org to be added to the invite list.