Pasadena Transit to transition nearly half of its bus fleet to zero emissions in 2027

The Pasadena Transit fleet is set to receive 17 hydrogen fuel cell electric buses that will start service in spring of 2027 after the city of Pasadena Department of Transportation (DOT) received council authorization for the purchase. Once active, nearly half of Pasadena Transit’s fleet will be zero emissions.

“I’m proud of our Pasadena staff who have worked tirelessly over the last two years to secure the funding for Pasadena’s zero emission vehicle transition. To have almost 50% of our fleet transitioned to zero emission by 2028 is a huge accomplishment, especially for an agency of our size,” said Pasadena DOT Director Joaquin Siques.

While the Pasadena Transit fleet already runs on renewable natural gas, Pasadena City Council adopted a zero-emission bus roll out plan to transition the fleet to zero-emission technology in 2023.

Pasadena Transit already has one battery-electric bus in its fleet, launching in May of 2025, with its first zero-emissions bus to join the Pasadena Dial-A-Ride ride fleet later this year.

The Pasadena DOT is financing this transition with over $100 million in grant funding to purchase zero-emission vehicles and create necessary infrastructure to operate them at a cost of $150.7 million. This funding will cover vehicle purchases and construction of fueling, maintenance and operations facilities.