Authored by Alyssa Fritts, CTE Managing Consultant & ZEBRA Manager

September 29–30, transit agencies from across the U.S. and Canada traveled to the Puget Sound region and the picturesque city of Everett, WA, for the Zero Emission Bus Resource Alliance (ZEBRA) Fall Roundtable. Co-hosted by ZEBRA member agencies, Community Transit and King County Metro and organized by ZEBRA this gathering marked the largest ZEBRA roundtable to date—bringing together representatives from 22 agencies to exchange insights and explore the latest in zero-emission transit technologies.

More than 75 transit professionals from both agency and vendor communities participated in two full days of focused discussion and peer learning. ZEBRA roundtables are known for their unique format: concise presentations tailored to ZEB applications, moderated discussions led by CTE subject matter experts, and peer-driven dialogue in a vendor-free setting designed for open exchange.

Day One: Building Resilience, Safety, and Workforce Strength

The first day centered on resilience planning, safety, and workforce development, featuring presentations and discussions on:

• Workforce development and training programs
• Safety products and services
• Resilience planning and infrastructure

Day Two: Hydrogen Trailblazers

Day two shifted the spotlight to innovators in the hydrogen sector, featuring technology providers and agencies advancing hydrogen-based solutions for the transit industry.

Double the Fun: Two Agencies, Two Cities, Two Tours

A special feature of this roundtable was the opportunity to tour two co-hosting agencies: Community Transit in Everett and King County Metro in Seattle.

• Day One: Participants boarded ZEBs for a visit to the Seaway Transit Center, where Everett Transit demonstrated inductive charging technology. The tour continued to Community Transit’s Hardeson Campus, showcasing its BEB and FCEB bus pilot programs. The agency’s side-by-side comparison study is helping guide future fleet transition decisions.
• Day Two: The event concluded with a scenic ZEB ride to Seattle for a behind-the-scenes look at King County Metro’s Tukwila Base - set to become the agency’s first 100% zero-emission bus facility and one of the largest charging sites for battery-electric buses in the region.

A Decade of Leadership and Peer Exchange

The year 2025 marks 10 years of ZEBRA, celebrating a decade of collaboration among agencies leading the transition to zero-emission buses. ZEBRA’s mission comes to life through in-person events like this one, where the most valuable takeaway remains the peer-to-peer exchange. ZEBRA’s roundtables offer an intimate, discussion-driven format that encourages meaningful engagement with every attendee, making these gatherings a consistent industry favorite.

Thank You to Roundtable Sponsors and Hosts

A heartfelt thank you to the sponsors whose support made this event possible:

Speakers/Sponsors: ABM, Ballard, Bosch Rexroth, Clear Skies Hydrogen, Fleet Zero, Hyfluence, International Transportation Learning Center, Jacobs, and Zenobē.

Networking Sponsors: Altro, Camber, and Kiepe.

ZEBRA also extends deep appreciation to our host agencies, Community Transit and King County Metro, for their generous hospitality, seamless coordination, and behind-the-scenes tours of their cutting-edge facilities.

Up Next: Witness Electrolysis in Action – Champaign-Urbana, IL

ZEBRA hosts two roundtables annually - so there’s always another opportunity to join the conversation! Next up: June 3–4, 2026, in Urbana, Illinois, for ZEBRA’s Spring Roundtable, hosted in partnership with the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District (MTD) and the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus Council (HFCBC).

An industry pioneer, MTD was the first agency in the nation to operate a hydrogen fleet fueled entirely by renewable energy. Registration details will be announced in early 2026.

Visit www.zebragrp.org to learn more about membership, future events, and opportunities to participate.

The Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE) works on behalf of ZEBRA’s membership to provide the group with technical assistance and industry consultation based on extensive experience in ZEB deployments. CTE is a national non-profit with a mission of moving advanced clean vehicles to market.