Authored by Shannon Russell, Lead Associate and Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus Council Project Manager

The Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE) is excited to announce its official partnership with the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus Council, taking on a key role in providing administrative support to this influential organization within the public transit industry. This partnership reinforces CTE’s commitment to advancing clean transportation solutions by helping the Council expand its reach and impact.

Established in 2022, the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus Council is a registered 501(c)(6) nonprofit association comprised of public transit agencies, original equipment manufacturers, suppliers, and other stakeholders committed to advancing the use of hydrogen fuel cell technology in the public transit sector. Karl Gnadt, Managing Director for the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District (MTD) and Council president, leads the Council’s efforts to meet their primary mission of educating federal government stakeholders on the benefits of hydrogen fuel cell buses and their role in creating cleaner, more sustainable transportation systems. Through this collaboration, CTE will play a supporting role in helping the Council execute its initiatives and increase membership.

CTE’s Role in Supporting the HFCBC

CTE will be providing a range of administrative functions to support the Council. This work includes organizing member meetings, providing technical and educational resources, distributing a member newsletter, and managing member outreach efforts. CTE’s support will engage current members through effective conversation on the benefits and uses of hydrogen fuel cell buses and related infrastructure and encourage other agencies, organizations, and private sector entities within the transit industry to participate in the critical work the Council is doing.

As part of this collaboration, Dan Raudebaugh, Executive Director of CTE, joined the Council board as a non-voting member. His involvement will help guide the Council’s strategic direction and ensure that CTE’s administrative and technical support aligns with the Council’s goals.

By working with the Council, CTE will continue to support the advancement of hydrogen fuel cell buses and related infrastructure in the transit industry. This partnership represents a key step in furthering the shared vision of clean, sustainable public transportation systems that benefit both the environment and the communities they serve. In addition, CTE has been working closely with Cardinal Infrastructure, the Council’s federal advocacy entity, to coordinate administrative tasks and membership outreach with other responsibilities of the Council.

Management & Collaboration

With the addition of the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus Council, CTE is now managing membership efforts for four key organizations in public transit: CTE, the Zero Emission Bus Resource Alliance (ZEBRA), the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus Council, and the California Transit Training Consortium (CTTC). CTE will highlight the unique benefits of each organization while exploring opportunities for collaboration among them. By supporting membership growth and managing unique member benefits across these organizations, CTE further demonstrates its commitment to advancing the zero-emission transit industry. This role strengthens CTE’s position within the clean transportation space, helping to facilitate shared goals and drive forward initiatives that benefit the entire transit sector.