Department of Transportation
ZERO-EMISSION BUS ROLLOUT
STATUS UPDATE AND FLEET
TRANSITION STRATEGY
MUNICIPAL SERVICES COMMITTEE
April 28, 2026
Department of Transportation
Pasadena Transit & Dial-A-
Ride
• 1.4 Million Passengers Annually
> 30% Older Adults & People with a Disability
> 12% Youth
> 73% Low Income
> 85% No Access to a Car
> 40% Live in Northwest Pasadena
• Pasadena Transit provides the highest
ridership levels of any local transit provider in
the Arroyo Verdugo and San Gabriel Valley
• Essential feeder service to the regional
network and for local connections
2 Department of Transportation
Background
• 2023 Council approved Zero-Emission Bus (ZEB) Rollout Plan > Established hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Bus (FCEB) for fixed-route and Battery Electric Bus (BEB) for paratransit
• 2023-2025: Staff Secured Funding
> Secured over $115 Million for infrastructure and transition of about 50% of transit fleet
• 2023-2026 Council ZEB Implementation Approvals
> April 2023: 1 BEB Fixed Route and 1 BEB Dial-A-Ride
> February 2025: Transit Operations Maintenance Facility (TOMF) alternative delivery method
> March 2025: Hydrogen Station fueling station alternative delivery method
> August 2025: 17 FCEBs ordered with anticipated October 2026 delivery > Upcoming (June 2026): Request authorization to purchase 7 BEBs for Dial-A-Ride Service
• 2028 ZEB Rollout Plan Update3
Department of Transportation
ZEB Transition Update
4 Pasadena Transit ZEB Transition Timeline
Pasadena Dial-A-Ride ZEB Transition Timeline
Year 2025 2027 2030 2032 2037 Total
ZEB Delivery 1 17 8 4 15 45
Year 2026 2027 2030 Total
ZEB Delivery 1 7 8 16
Department of Transportation
Pasadena Transit FCEB
5 • Superior Range & Operational Efficiency
• Cost Effectiveness
• Resiliency & Service Reliability
• Seamless Replacement & Proven Technology
Department of Transportation
6 Department of Transportation
BEB Real World Performance
• Pasadena Transit Duty Cycle Requirements
> Require 14–16 hour shifts
> Operate up to 200 miles a day
• Battery Electric Battery (BEB) Performance Gaps
> BEB actual usable range of ~80 miles per day
Only 45-50% total charge recommended for daily use to preserve long term battery health
» Limited to 75% charge to prevent battery
deterioration
» Functionality compromised when charge drops
below 20%
> Require mid-day removal of service
> Real-world bus replacement ratio is 2:1
7 Department of Transportation
FCEB – Cost Effectiveness
• Require less
> Capital and
operating cost
> Drivers
> Maintenance
resources
Parking
Shop capacity
> Space
8 Department of Transportation
FCEB - Resiliency
• Operates during grid
outages
> Fueling station operates on
backup generators
> Back up stations available
> Comparable existing
refueling times
No charging schedules
No range variability
> Green hydrogen integration,
further decarbonizing transit
9 Department of Transportation
FCEB – Proven Technology
10 • California Agencies with FCEB
> Foothill Transit
> OCTA
> Santa Clarita Transit
> AC Transit
> SunLine Transit
> SamTrans
> San Joaquin RTD
> Omnitrans
> Santa Cruz Metro
> Humbolt Transit Authority
> Riverside Transit Authority (RTA)
> Montebello Bus Lines
> Gold Coast Transit
> Santa Cruz Metro
> North County Transit District
> Victor Valley Transit
Department of Transportation
Green Hydrogen Supply
• Green Hydrogen is available locally
• Regional Capacity is scaling up
11 Department of Transportation
Hydrogen Market Snapshot
• Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus Status
> 327 Hydrogen FCEB in California
> 70% of FCEB deployed across 14 public transit
agencies statewide
> California is leading with 81% of new adoption
> FCEB rapid refueling (about 10-min). Best match
for high duty use cycle.
> Longer range capacity. Allows for 1:1
replacement for CNG buses
12 Department of Transportation
FPH2 Shared Goals
• Build a municipal, robust, cost-effective, accessible, zero-emission public hydrogen network
• Remove barriers to achieving clean air and climate
goals through hydrogen deployment
• Support strategic municipal partners to establish
hydrogen infrastructure and expanded use across
the California economy
• Accelerate investments in clean hydrogen
infrastructure, increase in-state supply, fueling
equipment and power production
13 Department of Transportation
Fiscal Strategy
• Funding Success:
> Over $115M secured for about half of the transition
> $38M secured specifically for hydrogen FCEB and
associated facilities
• Local Financial Risk:
> Any loss of grant funding is detrimental to the
capital asset plan
> Forgoing FCEB grant funding would require an
estimated additional $45M to purchase 34 BEB.
> Interagency Standing: Deviating from plan
implementation jeopardizes City’s standing with
Metro, SCAG, and State and Federal transit
funding agencies when competing for grants
14 Note: Costs listed above are estimates and do not include tariffs or escalation after 2026 Department of Transportation
ZEV Transition
15Note: Costs listed above are estimates and do not include tariffs or escalation after 2026
Department of Transportation
Next Steps
• Green Hydrogen Procurement
• ZEV Rollout Plan Update (2027)
> Environmental Performance
> Full Lifecycle Cost
> Operational Fit
> Risk Analysis
> Alternative Approaches
16 Department of Transportation
ZERO-EMISSION BUS ROLLOUT
STATUS UPDATE AND FLEET
TRANSITION STRATEGY
MUNICIPAL SERVICES COMMITTEE
April 28, 2026