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Consultants: Trinity Transit can adopt zero-emission buses but will need phased purchases, yard chargers and hydrogen refueling
Summary
A Stantec study presented to the Trinity County Board of Supervisors finds a mixed battery-electric and hydrogen fuel-cell plan is feasible for Trinity Transit but will require staged vehicle procurement, yard charging, hydrogen deliveries and substantial up-front capital; the report is being finalized and can support grant applications.
A consultant team told the Trinity County Board of Supervisors on July 1 that Trinity Transit can transition to a zero-emission fleet but will need a phased approach combining battery-electric and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, new charging and fueling infrastructure at the county transit yard, and grant funding to cover higher up-front costs.
The study was presented by Jonathan Garrett and Annalie Castillo of Stantec; Sarah Saad, transportation planner for Trinity County, introduced the item. Garrett said, "This presentation really summarizes our full report," and noted the final report would be delivered in the following week.
The consultants modeled local routes, topography, passenger loads and seasonal temperatures. They reported that many individual routes could be served by battery-electric buses, but when routes were combined into the multi-route vehicle assignments used by Trinity Transit no single battery-electric vehicle could complete its full daily assignment on a single charge under current vehicle and infrastructure assumptions. Garrett said that resolving that shortfall would require options such as midday depot charging, larger batteries or increasing fleet size.
Stantec recommended a mixed-technology fleet: battery-electric buses for shorter or lower-energy routes (with 150-kilowatt depot chargers and midday charging) and hydrogen fuel-cell buses for the longest, higher-energy routes where quick refueling and energy density are important. Garrett noted the fuel-cell option assumed future availability of cutaway fuel-cell buses with larger tanks; such vehicles are not widely commercially available today.
The consultants described a concept site plan for the Trinity yard. It would include three 150 kW chargers (dual dispensers) for depot charging, switchgear and a transformer provided from Trinity Public Utility District, and a hydrogen fueling area served by periodic tube-trailer deliveries (truck-delivered cylinders and a fixed dispenser). Garrett said on-site hydrogen production would be a "massive investment and not feasible" for the county, and that tube trailers were the least capital-intensive near-term option.
Stantec supplied greenhouse-gas and cost estimates. The study team estimated the nine-vehicle procurement scenario through 2040 would yield modest CO2 savings (roughly equivalent to removing about 14 passenger cars per year) and increase capital and lifecycle costs compared with a diesel baseline — the report estimated roughly a $4.8 million difference through 2040 for the modeled small fleet. The consultants emphasized the analysis treats the plan as a "living document" because technology, incentives and regulations will change over time.
The presentation also listed federal and state funding programs that could offset procurement and infrastructure costs (for example, FTA competitive programs, CARB incentive programs such as HVIP, Volkswagen settlement funds and the Carl Moyer program). Garrett said the Stantec study is suitable to support grant applications.
Board discussion raised operational concerns. Supervisors asked about weather and heating impacts on battery range, midday traffic delays, real-world field experience from other counties and whether emissions from periodic hydrogen deliveries were included in the calculations. Annalie Castillo and Garrett said the modeling incorporated route-level topography and ambient-temperature effects, validated against peer agency data, and included upstream emissions from hydrogen deliveries. Sarah Saad told the board the county had been in contact with CARB and other agencies about rural concerns and exemptions.
At the end of the presentation the board agreed to pursue policy-level engagement with state agencies and other rural counties to press for recognition of rural operating conditions and available funding. County staff said they will coordinate further outreach with supervisors and regional partners.
The Stantec report will be finalized and is intended to be used as the county's template for funding applications and for selecting an implementation phasing that can be adjusted as technology and funding evolve.
