The Orange County Transport Authority (OCTA) board is continuing to test hydrogen fuel cell electric and plug-in battery-electric technologies in two pilot programmes.
Testing of the buses is part of an approved draft plan outlining how the agency will convert Orange County’s bus fleet to 100% zero emission technology by 2040.
“This is a great opportunity for us to plan for a healthier future that will include both reliable transportation and no potentially harmful emissions into our environment,” said OCTA Chairman Steve Jones, also the Mayor of Garden Grove.
“We are accomplishing two important goals at the same time.”
OCTA’s zero-emission bus rollout plan, approved by the board of directors on Monday, will now be submitted to the California Air Resources Board.
Through testing both hydrogen fuel-cell and plug-in battery-electric buses will allow OCTA to collect valuable data and to determine which technology – or the best mix of technologies – to pursue moving forward.
OCTA will begin phasing in the purchase of zero-emission buses as part of future bus procurements beginning in 2023.
