Pasadena to Speed Up Transit Fleet Conversion to Zero-Emission Buses

Pasadena plans to convert its entire public transit fleet to zero-emission buses by 2037, three years ahead of California’s 2040 mandate.

The city will transition its Dial-A-Ride fleet by 2030 and Pasadena Transit fleet by 2037. On Tuesday, July 8, the Municipal Services Committee will receive an update on the zero-emission rollout plan.

A report by the Department of Transportation showed Pasadena has secured over $100 million in grant funding toward the estimated $150.7 million total cost for new vehicles and infrastructure. The city needs an additional $31.5 million to complete the transition.

The plan calls for fuel cell electric buses for the fixed-route Pasadena Transit fleet and battery electric buses for the Dial-A-Ride paratransit service, according to the Transportation Department.

Fuel cell buses were chosen for fixed routes because they provide superior operational range. Battery electric buses would require a 1.5-to-1 replacement ratio due to range limitations, increasing the fleet by 51 percent.

The city expects to receive its first zero-emission bus deliveries in 2025. By 2028, about 47 percent of the city’s 55 public transit vehicles will be converted, the report said.

The report also said two major infrastructure projects are underway. A Transit Operations Maintenance Facility is at 50 percent design and should be completed by 2028. A hydrogen fueling station is at 30 percent design and expected to be operational by 2027.

The California Air Resources Board’s Innovative Clean Transit Rule requires all public transit agencies to transition to 100 percent zero-emission fleets by 2040.

Starting in 2026, Pasadena will purchase only zero-emission buses. This exceeds the state requirement of 25 percent zero-emission purchases beginning that year.

Currently, the Pasadena Transit fleet has 39 vehicles, while Dial-A-Ride operates 16 vehicles. The maintenance facility will be located at 2180 E. Foothill Boulevard. The hydrogen fueling station will be built at 159 South Kinneloa Avenue.

The city received environmental clearance for the hydrogen fueling station in April 2025. Three community outreach meetings were held over the past year for the project.

Contracts for both the maintenance facility and hydrogen fueling station will be advertised in summer 2025, the report said.