Orange County Transportation Authority launches hydrogen station and transit plan

The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) announced that Clean Energy Fuels Corp. will design, build, and operate a new private hydrogen fueling facility at the Garden Grove bus base. The $27.5 million station, slated for completion by 2028, will supply liquid hydrogen to OCTA’s expanding fleet of zero‑emission fuel‑cell buses, which the agency aims to grow to 50 vehicles by 2028 as part of its goal for a 100 % zero‑emission bus fleet by 2040. Alphonse Anderson, senior account manager at Clean Energy, said the project “supports OCTA’s reputation as a forward‑thinking transit agency.”

In parallel, OCTA released a draft 2026 Long‑Range Transportation Plan covering the period through 2050 and opened a public comment period. The plan outlines strategies for maintaining aging roadways, addressing funding gaps, and adapting to shifting demographics in the county’s 34 cities and 3.2 million residents. It highlights current ridership levels—about 100,000 daily boardings—and proposes investments in micro‑transit, equitable service, and continued expansion of hydrogen and electric bus technologies.