Accelerating New York Fuel Cell Electric Bus & Hydrogen Infrastructure Deployments
This project will help the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) deploy its first two hydrogen city buses. These buses will run out of MTA’s Gun Hill Depot in the Bronx, and will help the authority test the use of hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Buses (FCEBs) for transit operation. FCEBs provide two advantages compared to the electric buses- they offer longer ranges and can refuel in minutes, two characteristics which are especially useful for city buses which can be on the road 18 hours/day.
This project will deploy two 40' New Flyer FCEBs and should have a range of over 300 miles. The station will be able to fuel up to 40 FCEBs in as little as 10-20 minutes per bus; and the buses and fueling station will have software and communications capabilities to monitor operations in real-time. The MTA will operate the buses on eight routes serving multiple disadvantaged communities throughout the Bronx, helping to reduce emissions in these neighborhoods.
Solution Location: Bronx
Color coded map shows the eight Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) bus service routes throughout Bronx, New York out of Gun Hill Depot.
Show Bus Routes Show Bus Routes
Bronx HFC Bus Map Routes:
- BX16
- BX24
- BX26
- BX28
- BX29
- BX30
- BX34
- BX38
Project Progress
Reduced Air and Noise Pollution for the Bronx with Hydrogen Transit Buses
A New Vehicle Type for NYC
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) runs the largest transit bus fleet in the country, with almost 6,000 buses on the road in New York City. The agency is aggressively working to clean this fleet, and has hundreds of hybrid and electric vehicles, with many more in the pipeline. Through this project, the agency is adding two hydrogen fuel cell electric buses (FCEBs) to its fleet, which offers another clean transportation option that can refuel quickly, and be on the road for many hours without the need to recharge. With the help of the New York Clean Transportation Prizes (NYCTP) Initiative, the MTA will be putting its first two hydrogen buses into operation this summer 2026, and will have the capacity to fuel up to 35 FCEBs in total.
What is Krueger Transit Consulting (KTC)?
With a mission to improve air quality and reduce emissions for a healthier planet, this woman-owned consulting firm focuses on bringing zero-emission transportation to locations across the nation. Krueger Transit Consulting 
specializes in supporting organizations that are making the switch from diesel fleets to hydrogen fuel cell electric fleets, and they’ve partnered with the MTA for this project in the Bronx.
NYSERDA’s New York Clean Transportation Prizes initiative awarded KTC with funding to help bring this project to fruition.
The Pathway to Clean Air for All
An important aspect of this project is introducing hydrogen fuel cell technology and its benefits to residents in the neighborhoods where these new buses will be running. Communities near the Gun Hill Depot in the Bronx have withstood decades of diesel-related air and noise pollution. These neighborhoods—many of them NYS-designated Disadvantaged Communities—suffer from elevated asthma rates and environmental stress due to the concentration of medium- and heavy-duty diesel trucking and transit operations in the area. As part of this project, KTC has actively participated in educational events in schools and other local venues to share information about the technology and address residents’ questions, in partnership with non-profit organizations that have deep roots in these neighborhoods.
KTC began working with MTA to deploy the city’s first two hydrogen buses and the hydrogen-fueling infrastructure to support them. The fueling station will bring long term benefits to MTA in that it can support up to 35 additional buses. These buses emit only water as a byproduct and are expected to reduce annual per vehicle diesel demand by approximately 16,000 gallons. Additionally, the bus rides themselves will be noticeably quieter and vibration-free rides—offering a new standard for urban transit. The anticipated reduction in diesel emissions near the Gun Hill Depot should help to improve long-term community comfort, health, and safety.
Affecting Long-Term Change
KTC navigated complex permitting, procurement, and design processes to propel the project forward. In addition, they joined with local partners and co-hosted numerous community meetings and educational events to share the benefits of hydrogen technology with local residents. As a result, this will be the first public hydrogen bus deployment in New York City, and can be a model for how hydrogen can complement battery-electric vehicles in the sustainable transit mix—supporting NYSERDA’s mission to implement clean transportation options throughout the State. Sydney Krueger, Project Director at Krueger Transit Consulting, spoke to the impact of this initiative for the community: "The project proves that clean transportation isn’t just a technical goal, it’s a human one. When kids in the Bronx ride a 100% zero emissions hydrogen fuel cell bus for the first time and learn it only emits water vapor, they start to see themselves in a future that’s healthier, quieter, and full of opportunity!"
By coupling technical innovation with strong grassroots collaboration all supported by the Prizes initiative, this project shows how zero-emission solutions can be delivered with both precision and heart.