Santa Cruz Metro to purchase 57 New Flyer fuel cell electric buses
The Santa Cruz Metro has set a US record by purchasing 57 hydrogen-powered, fuel cell electric buses, the largest acquisition of its kind in the country. This includes forty-eight 40 ft. buses and nine 60 ft. articulated buses, set to roll out in late 2024, mainly serving Watsonville. The aim is to achieve zero-emissions transportation in Watsonville and Santa Cruz County.
These buses will replace older compressed natural gas (CNG) and diesel buses, boosting METRO’s zero-emissions buses from 10% to over 69%. This aligns with California’s Innovative Clean Transit (ICT) Regulation and will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1.2 million MTCO2e, equal to offsetting emissions from approximately 1.33 million cross-country flights.
Santa Cruz Metro plans to go 100% emissions-free by 2037, and this bus acquisition is a crucial step in achieving this goal.
In tandem with the FCEB procurement, Metro will build a hydrogen fueling station to support their entire 94-bus fleet transition to zero-emissions. The funding for this comes from various grants, totaling $86 million. The buses will be procured from North American bus manufacturer New Flyer.
This initiative underscores Metros’s commitment to environmental sustainability and a greener future, inviting support through their “One Ride at a Time (ORAT)” program.
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