Connecticut Transit Provider Honored for Developing Fuel-Cell Bus

The Connecticut Quality Improvement Award Partnership Inc., which claims to be America's first state-level quality award, honored CTTransit and UTC Power for developing a hydrogen-powered fuel-cell hybrid bus. According to CTTransit, the bus gets twice the fuel economy of a standard bus.

“CTTransit has been involved for many years in projects to demonstrate new, environmentally friendly technologies,” CTTransit General Manager David Lee said. “The hydrogen fuel-cell bus is the ultimate 'green' technology – a bus whose only emission is warm water. What we learn from this demonstration will help to improve future generations of fuel cells and storage batteries, and move us closer to the day when non-polluting, zero-emission buses are standard in our industry. In the meantime, we are thrilled to be working with UTC Power and our other partners to help make Connecticut the premier venue in the United States and the world for demonstrating fuel-cell vehicle technology.”

According to CTTransit, the fuel-cell bus has an operating range similar to a standard diesel bus, with the added benefits of zero tailpipe emissions and the ability to travel 7 miles per kilogram of hydrogen.

CTTransit provides bus service to the greater Hartford, New Haven, Stamford, Waterbury, New Britain, Meriden, Bristol and Wallingford areas.

CTTransit: Technology is First on the East Coast

According to CTTransit, the hydrogen-powered fuel-cell hybrid bus is the first of its kind on the East Coast.

“We have done technologically advanced projects in the past, but the hybrid hydrogen fuel-cell bus is the most challenging, exciting and cutting-edge project ever,” said Stephen Warren, CTTransit assistant general manager of maintenance. “This program will really put us on the map as one of the leading transit systems in the country. When our grandchildren are using hydrogen fuel-cell power in their everyday lives, we will be able to tell them that we helped lead the world in this technology.”

CTTransit noted that it currently is using the bus on the free Star Shuttle route that circles downtown Hartford. The bus eventually will be used on all routes in the Hartford area, the agency said.

Founded in 1987, the Connecticut Quality Improvement Award honors agencies whose efforts improve quality, performance and marketplace competitiveness in the state. This marks the fifth year in a row that CTTransit has received a CQIA Innovation Prize.

Others who contributed to the project, CTTransit said, were U.S. Rep. John Larson, D-Conn.; the Connecticut Department of Transportation; the Greater Hartford Transit District; the Capitol Region Council of Governments; ISE Corp.; AC Transit; and bus and trailer manufacturer VanHool.