Driving Toward a Cleaner Future: How California’s Clean Miles Standard is Reshaping Everyday Transportation
Featured Story
During Earth Month, many people think about the small choices that can make a difference, using less energy, reducing waste, or driving a little less.
But some of the biggest changes happen at a larger scale, through policies designed to make everyday systems cleaner for everyone.
That includes how we get around.
On any given day in California, millions of trips happen with the tap of a button. A ride to work. A trip to the grocery store. A late-night ride home.
It’s convenient. It’s fast. And over time, it’s become a major part of how people move through their communities.
But those everyday rides also add up.
Transportation is the single largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in California, accounting for nearly half of the state’s total when fuel production is included. Most of those emissions come from everyday vehicles on the road.
As ride-hailing and app-based transportation services continue to grow, California faced a critical question: how do we keep the convenience people rely on while reducing the pollution that comes with it?
The answer is the Clean Miles Standard.
What is the Clean Miles Standard?
The Clean Miles Standard is California’s plan to reduce pollution from ride-hailing and similar transportation services, also known as transportation network companies or TNCs.
Created through Senate Bill 1014 in 2018, the program is a joint effort between the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and the California Air Resources Board to cut greenhouse gas emissions from these services over time.
At its core, the Clean Miles Standard sets annual targets for companies to:
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Reduce emissions per passenger mile traveled
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Increase the use of zero-emission vehicles, like electric cars
In simple terms, it’s about making each ride cleaner than the last.
Why It Was Enacted
The need for change is rooted in what’s happening on California roads.
More ride-hailing trips can mean more vehicles on the road, more miles driven, and more emissions, especially when those trips rely on gas-powered cars.
Without intervention, the rapid growth of these services could offset progress the state has made in reducing emissions elsewhere.
The Clean Miles Standard was designed to address that challenge head-on by:
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Aligning new transportation technologies with California’s climate goals
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Reducing air pollution that affects public health
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Supporting a long-term transition to cleaner vehicles
It’s part of a broader statewide effort to build a transportation system that works for both people and the environment.
Turning Policy into Action
In 2024, the CPUC took a major step forward by adopting the first phase of the program.
This initial phase established the foundation for how the Clean Miles Standard works in practice. It defined which companies must comply, set reporting requirements, and introduced a key piece of the program: support for drivers.
Many drivers who power these platforms rely on their vehicles for income. Transitioning to an electric vehicle can be expensive, even if it saves money in the long run.
To address this, the CPUC created a Drivers Assistance Program, designed to help eligible low- and moderate-income drivers make the switch. The program will provide financial incentives and resources, acting as a one-stop shop for drivers navigating the transition to cleaner vehicles.
What’s Next: Phase 2
Now, the program is entering its next chapter.
The CPUC is advancing a Phase 2 proposal that focuses on strengthening and expanding the program’s impact. This next phase looks at how to:
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Enforce Clean Miles Standard requirements
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Expand incentives for zero-emission vehicles
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Include emerging technologies like autonomous vehicles
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Support sustainable land use and transportation planning
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Improve outreach so drivers and companies understand their options
The proposal reflects years of collaboration and public input, and it will help shape how the program evolves moving forward.
What This Means for Everyday Californians
For most people, the Clean Miles Standard works quietly in the background.
You might not notice it when you book a ride. But over time, it changes what shows up.
More electric vehicles.
Cleaner air.
A transportation system that better reflects California’s climate goals.
For drivers, it means new opportunities and support to transition to vehicles that are cheaper to operate and better for the environment.
For communities, especially those disproportionately impacted by air pollution, it means progress toward cleaner air and healthier neighborhoods.
A Cleaner Ride Ahead
The way Californians move is changing, and the Clean Miles Standard is helping guide that change in a more sustainable direction.
It recognizes something simple but powerful: transportation isn’t just about getting from one place to another. It’s about the impact those trips have on our health, our environment, and our future.
By making each mile cleaner, California is taking a step toward a transportation system that works not just for today’s riders, but for generations to come.
To learn more about the Clean Miles Standard, visit our webpage
By Taseen Shamim, Public Information Officer