The Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE) is gearing up for its 2021 International Zero Emission Bus Conference (ZEB Conference) taking place Sept. 15-17 in Denver, Colorado.

The annual conference is designed to provide unique learning and networking opportunities for transit, school, and shuttle bus professionals who are leading the charge to electrification, according to a news release from CTE. 

For fleet operators gathering information for their first ZEB deployment, sessions such as “1.21 Gigawatts: The Future of Charging” and “The Other Electric Bus: Fuel Cell Bus Opportunities” will review technology capabilities and considerations. For seasoned ZEB experts, case studies from Capital Metro, Chicago Transit Authority, and Stockton (Calif.) Unified School District will explore approaches to full fleet transitions. 

The event narrative is shaped by more than 75 speakers who will present real-world deployment examples from transit, student transportation, and airport markets. These deployments include examples from across the U.S. of early ZEB adopters and large-scale fleet transitions including AC Transit, Boulder Valley (Colo.) School District, Kansas City Airport, Metro St. Louis, SARTA, and many others.

International perspectives from Europe, South America, and India will highlight the global importance of public transit in practical solutions for climate change. Panelists from Xcel, Ameren, and other utilities will discuss strategies for building lasting partnerships in this new electric vehicle paradigm. Attendees will also hear from thought leaders, including the World Resources Institute, Dream Corps, and the International Council on Climate Change.

In addition to the main sessions, the conference will offer networking opportunities such as the “Happy Bus Hour” Expo that includes ZEB displays from BYD, Proterra, GILLIG, New Flyer, Lightning Motors, and Thomas Built Buses. Attendees can take a tour of Denver’s Regional Transportation District’s (RTD's) electric bus depot and hear directly from RTD staff about their fleet of 36 electric buses. Lastly, CTE staff will teach a ZEB 101 class that will provide an in-depth look at the basics of bus technology, infrastructure design, and operational considerations.

Learn more about the 2021 International ZEB Conference.