Authored by Will Handke, Managing Consultant

While America’s coasts frequently command the narrative around zero-emission vehicles, the Greater Lafayette Public Transportation Corporation (CityBus), a transit agency in Lafayette, Indiana, is quietly advancing the first hydrogen bus deployment in Indiana.

As an an early adopter of both hybrid and compressed natural gas (CNG) technologies, CityBus is no stranger to instituting clean transportation innovations ahead of the curve. The transition to hydrogen fuel cell electric buses (FCEBs) is simply a continuation of CityBus’s legacy of tackling innovative technologies that promise to improve the wellbeing of those it serves.

Unlike many of its peers adopting FCEBs, CityBus was not driven to do so by a state mandate to adopt zero-emission buses. CityBus’s leadership chose this path proactively, prioritizing long-term technical viability, cost efficiency, and community benefit. Its decision reflects a broader mindset: zero-emission transit doesn’t belong only to coastal cities. Through careful planning, collaboration, and persistence, CityBus is showing that clean, reliable, and locally driven transit can thrive in the heartland.

Supported by two consecutive Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Low or No Emission awards in 2023 and 2024 totaling $18.1 million, the project is approaching several key milestones:

• Vehicle Deployment: Four 40-foot New Flyer FCEBs will soon be in service.
• Extended Range Technology Implementation: CityBus’s FCEBs will carry 50% more hydrogen than previous models, achieving an estimated 450-mile range—on par with the diesel buses they replace – a first for zero-emission buses in the US.
• Infrastructure Commissioning: A dedicated hydrogen fueling station is under construction and facilities are being upgraded to safely support indoor FCEB maintenance.
• Workforce Development Program Initiation: Ballard is providing a fuel cell training module to upskill the local transit workforce.

CTE played a critical role in advancing the project, supporting CityBus in securing the successful Low-No grant awards, guiding competitive procurements for the hydrogen station and facility upgrades, developing detailed technical specifications for both the buses and fueling infrastructure, and modeling FCEB performance and lifecycle costs across a range of service scenarios.

In April 2025, CTE Members DLZ and IVYS Energy Solutions were selected to build CityBus’s hydrogen station. DLZ provided local expertise to help navigate complex permitting challenges. Those challenges were significant: the project site sits on a former landfill, requiring early and in-depth engagement with permitting authorities and creative problem-solving. DLZ’s efforts kept the station project on track for a Spring 2026 commissioning.

Through a combination of local initiative, technical planning, and collaborative execution, CityBus is not only deploying the first hydrogen bus fleet in Indiana, it is creating a blueprint for America’s hydrogen heartland.