Atlanta-based Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE) finalized a contract with Connecticut Transit (CTTRANSIT) to deliver a 40-foot, hydrogen fuel-cell heavy-duty transit bus in partnership with ElDorado National, BAE Systems and Ballard Power Systems.

The fuel-cell bus and extended operations support was procured under a standard request for proposal (RFP) process, utilizing transit industry-defined specifications and terms that drive contractor accountability — a significant step toward commercialization for the fuel-cell bus industry.

Typically, fuel-cell buses have been procured and built under various federally funded research programs, most notably the Federal Transit Administration’s National Fuel Cell Bus Program.

The fuel-cell bus, based on the SunLine American Fuel Cell bus configuration, utilizes an ElDorado National heavy‐duty urban transit bus glider with a Ballard FCvelocity HD6 fuel-cell power module and BAE Systems’ HybriDrive propulsion system. BAE Systems will be responsible for systems integration. The bus has proven to be very reliable in its demonstration at SunLine.

CTE will provide project management and administration, in addition to compiling and delivering the necessary manuals, coordinating training and training material, and serving as CTTRANSIT’s primary point of contact for technical support. The CTE team expects to deliver the CTTRANSIT bus in fall 2014.