Fuel cell hybrid bus begins service in Hartford, Conn.

New England's first zero-emission, fuel cell-powered hybrid bus made its debut April 10 in ceremonies at the Connecticut Convention Center. The bus will enter CTTRANSIT service and operate on the free downtown Hartford Star Shuttle route and other routes that serve the capital city and surrounding towns. The project aims to test the bus in all types of typical transit service, including low and high speeds, and routes with steep grades. CTTRANSIT and project partners will gather and analyze data on fuel economy, maintenance costs and reliability. The Greater Hartford Transit District contracted last year with UTC Power for the fuel cell-powered bus and two years of program support, including the use of a hydrogen refueling station located at UTC Power's headquarters in South Windsor, Conn. The special project partnership also includes AC Transit of Oakland, Calif., which now has three UTC Power fuel cell-powered buses in operation; Van Hool of Belgium; and ISE Corporation of Poway, Calif.