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The Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE) is proud to support The Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority (The COMET) in Columbia, South Carolina, as the agency expands its zero-emission fleet with both battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell buses. This deployment marks a major step forward for The COMET as it explores how both technologies can work together to serve the community more sustainably and efficiently.

The Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE) attended NTEA’s 2025 Work Truck Week and its featured Green Truck Summit in Indianapolis, Indiana, this March. As CTE’s Commercial and Private Fleets Market Lead, I was eager to not only learn about the latest innovations in vehicle and fuel technologies for work trucks but also to gain insights into the perspectives on low- and no-emission advancements within fleet operations.

ZEB Transition Plans are an indispensable tool for agencies to reach their zero-emission goals. Your Transition Plan serves as your primary roadmap for securing future funding, scheduling infrastructure improvements, and procuring vehicles. Our guidebook outlines a nine-phase process to guide transit agencies, or any fleet operator, aiming to transition to zero-emission technologies.

Transitioning to zero-emission fleets requires selecting the right technology to meet diverse operational needs. While battery-electric buses (BEBs) may be ideal for some routes, there are scenarios where FCEBs are a better fit — and others where a mixed fleet may provide the most efficient and flexible solution, optimizing performance across different route types and operational conditions.

CTE is proud to announce the appointment of two esteemed professionals to its Board of Directors: Jacqueline Torres, Executive Vice President of Finance at Forum Mobility, and Beverley Swaim-Staley, former Secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation.

The Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE) is pleased to invite Class 4-8 truck operators who are considering zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) to submit expressions of interest for a complimentary ZEV Transition Plan. This opportunity is made possible through a Strategic Industry Grant from the C.H. Robinson Foundation, which supports nonprofit organizations committed to advancing the supply chain and logistics industry through innovation and sustainability.

CTE is pleased to announce the release of the Zero-Emission Bus Transition Planning Guidebook authored by CTE Senior Managing Consultant, Niki Rinaldi El-Abd, with funding provided by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) through the National Transit Institute (NTI). This first-of-its-kind transition planning guidebook is designed to equip public transit agencies with the knowledge and tools necessary to plan and implement a successful transition to a zero-emission bus fleet.

The IIJA has transformed the zero-emission transportation landscape, laying a strong foundation for industry growth, U.S. job creation, and technological advancement. As we look to the surface transportation reauthorization in 2026, CTE encourages Congress to continue to support efforts that bolster American innovation, strengthen energy independence, create U.S. jobs, expand zero-emission transportation options, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.