When Troy Musgrave pencils out the savings from one of the two electric yard trucks he’s piloting at his company’s main terminal in Ontario, it works out to nearly $70 per truck per day, or more than $24,000 projected for the entire year.

Musgrave, director of process improvement for Dependable Supply Chain Services, parent company of Dependable Highway Express, or DHE, does not actually have to pencil out the cost savings. He has a return-on-investment app that compares the cost of charging the electric trucks to what it would have cost to fill up with diesel every day.

The two Orange EV electric yard trucks, which are used to move trailers within the terminal, have been in service since Dec. 9. Musgrave said DHE, a medium-sized regional carrier, hopes to deploy more at the company’s 10 other California facilities that stretch from Redding to San Diego.

But what about those who are not as far down the road in the transition to electric as Dependable? Musgrave recommends that anyone considering electrifying their fleet start by consulting their electric utility first.

“Find out how their program is set up and what the qualifications are,” he said. “Learn that right away. There are lead times you need to be aware of. If you don’t have the power to charge your vehicle, it doesn’t make any difference what kind of truck you’re going to use.”

That’s good advice, says Jesus Sosa, an advisor with Southern California Edison’s eMobility Group.

“We encourage companies to reach out to their electric utility early to begin the process,” Sosa said. “Once you submit an interest form on our website, we will contact you to get an understanding of your operation and what makes sense for your fleet.”

Sosa says one aspect of his job at SCE is to familiarize commercial customers who are looking to electrify their fleets with all the funding options available, whether through the utility or through state and regional grant programs,

SCE, for example, has a program called Charge Ready Transport that pays for the cost of installing charging infrastructure for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles for customers who qualify. The program offers significant construction and logistical support, as well, including site design and permitting.

To help fleet owners determine how much they could save by converting to electric, SCE has also developed an Electric Fleet Fuel Savings Calculator.

Another program, available through the California Air Resources Board in partnership with CALSTART, is the Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project, or HVIP, which offers a voucher incentive at the point of vehicle purchase.

“During your transition from fossil fuel to electric, there will be equipment choices and operational adjustments that you need to consider,” Sosa said. “SCE is experienced in this field, and we have a process established to guide you every step of the way.”

However, don’t wait too long, says Sosa. “The state mandates are there, and everyone has to move forward with zero-emission trucks,” he said. “It’s going to be a hurdle initially, but once you deploy, you’ll be CARB-compliant for the future.”

And one final caveat.

“If you wait till later, all funding could be taken away, and you may have to pay out of pocket,” he said. “It’s always better to be an early adopter because you can take advantage of all the programs that are available.”