California, SamTrans procures 108 fuel cell buses from New Flyer

New Flyer received a new firm order for 108 zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell Xcelsior Charge FC 40-foot transit buses from San Mateo County Transit (SamTrans), marking the largest single fuel cell bus order in New Flyer’s history. The contract for 108 buses was added to New Flyer’s backlog in Q2 2024 (although it was announced in late 2023 already), with firm orders placed over the second and third quarters, parent company NFI states.

This investment in fuel cell-electric buses is made possible through combined funding from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), California’s Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP) vouchers, and local funds.

Largest fuel cell bus order in New Flyer history

These vehicles will replace SamTrans’ diesel buses and support the agency’s transition to a zero-emission fleet to meet sustainability targets defined by the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB’s) Innovative Clean Transit (ICT) regulation, requiring agencies to transition bus fleets to 100% zero-emission by 2040. This purchase will also help SamTrans to meet the U.S. greenhouse gas emissions targets of 50-52% below 2005 levels by 2030, NFI says.

SamTrans provides transportation services in San Mateo County, extending its reach to San Francisco and Palo Alto, California, delivering close to nine million bus rides across an extensive network of 74 bus routes.

“Our partnership with SamTrans spans nearly 35 years,” said Chris Stoddart, President, North American Bus and Coach, NFI. “During that time, New Flyer has delivered more than 175 buses, 27 of which were zero-emission. The technology advancements included in this next-generation vehicle will drive a high level of performance while delivering a reduction in environmental impact and improvements to air quality for the community.”

“Our zero-emission fleet demonstrates SamTrans’ commitment towards reducing the impact of transportation on air quality and our climate by reducing greenhouse gases in our communities, which further supports our mission to provide safe, equitable and sustainable transportation for our riders,” said Tasha Bartholomew, Communications Manager, SamTrans.