Chatgpt generated California transit depot where hydrogen remains a niche beside a much larger battery electric fleet.
Ballard Power and New Flyer announced what sounds at first like a market-making agreement, a commercial arrangement for 500 fuel cell engines, or about 50 MW of modules, for hydrogen transit buses starting in 2026. On the surface, that reads like the kind of order that only appears when a … [continued]
ChatGPT generated panoramic image of a Mississauga transit bus labeled "H2" with burning Canadian currency above it
Over a couple of the last months of 2024, part of my time was spent looking at the bizarre situation of the Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC). That’s resurfaced, as the Mississauga hydrogen bus trial is going forward despite having zero merit, and CUTRIC’s founder and head … [continued]
ChatGPT generated panoramic image of Winnipeg City Council looking at a hydrogen bus full of Canadian money on fire
Into Canada’s ongoing challenges with bus fleet decarbonization comes Winnipeg, which hasn’t featured much so far in the ongoing tale of transit think tank CUTRIC’s incompetence, sole sourcing and hydrogen-centric conflicts of interest. However, it did have a role in a piece assessing Canadian bus manufacture New Flyer’s strategic missteps … [continued]
ChatGPT generated panoramic image of a helpful person pushing a bus labeled "H2" over the edge of a cliff
I have a lot of sympathy for Winnipeg. I’ve been there for work many times. I’ve been there in their frigid, tens of degrees Celsius below zero winters. I’ve been there in their dusty summers. I’ve even tried to get across the main intersection that pedestrians still aren’t allowed to … [continued]
Four weeks ago, I didn’t know the Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium existed. If I’d seen mention of it, I probably would have assumed it as an innocuous little organization full of pleasant Canadians working diligently for the good of Canadian transit. But the onion keeps being peeled. … [continued]
A 60-ft articulated electric bus in Zion National Park, Utah, on October 26, 2024. Photo by Fritz Hasler
Background: Spectacular Zion Canyon — Cars Prohibited 7 Months a Year: I would argue that the 6-mile route up Zion Canyon in Zion National Park is the most beautiful place in the world. Twenty-five years ago, Zion National Park went “green.” The National Park Service decided that automobile traffic in … [continued]
ChatGPT generated panoramic image of a New Flyer Excelsior hydrogen bus sitting abandoned in a weed-filled parking lot, with an angry transit operations manager looking at it.
New Flyer is the leading provider of transit buses in North America. It’s also the leading provider of hydrogen buses in North America, which is a problem for it, although it feels like an opportunity. That’s where the bad strategy comes in. As always when I talk about strategy — … [continued]
More communities in British Columbia will benefit from new electric buses and charging infrastructure. Sixty-six electric buses are on order from two pre-qualified suppliers, Nova Bus and New Flyer. Additionally, nine communities throughout BC have transit electrification infrastructure projects getting started. In total, BC Transit expects to install approximately 134 … [continued]
Tracking and improving your own household’s carbon footprint is useful, because individual change adds up. As millions of people replace ICE vehicles with EVs, the overall impact becomes significant. Or, switching away from a car entirely and getting around with alternatives like biking, micromobility, and transit can have an even … [continued]
Electric buses are a super important part of the EV transition. Most importantly (and obviously), they bring about significant environmental benefits by producing significantly lower emissions compared to traditional diesel buses. This helps reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to the fight against climate change. Immediate human health … [continued]
