Low/No Emission Grant Will Fund 20 New Clean Buses and Infrastructure in Columbus, Ohio

The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) announced it received a $22.8 million grant award from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) that for the first time will fund 10 new hydrogen fuel cell electric buses (FCEBs) to COTA and the region. The award will also support the construction of a new hydrogen fueling station at the McKinley Avenue facility, and help fund an additional 10 electric buses, all of which will help COTA achieve its goals to transition to a zero-emission bus fleet by 2035 and achieve net-zero carbon neutrality by 2045.

FCEBs are zero-emissions vehicles that use hydrogen gas to create electricity to charge a stack of batteries that powers the bus’s electric motor. With a range of roughly 300 miles – similar to COTA’s current compressed natural gas fleet – and an ability to be refueled in 10 minutes or less, these new buses are a promising option for expanding COTA’s zero-emissions fleet and can cover any current COTA route.

In addition to alignment with the City of Columbus Climate Action Plan, a fleet that includes both battery electric buses and FCEB vehicles continues momentum in meeting the goals of LinkUS, COTA’s comprehensive transportation plan to create a more equitable and sustainable region for all. Approximately 65% of the region’s greenhouse gas emissions come from passenger vehicles, and increasing the use and availability of zero-emissions transit vehicles will be critical to reducing those emissions.