Editor's Notebook: Keeping the Momentum Going on the Zero-Emission Transition into 2025 and Beyond
I remember attending a session during the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) 2024 annual conference that asked audience members to help take stock on the current state of implementing zero-emission buses (ZEBs). Through an interactive survey, the majority of audience members—primarily from transit agencies—acknowledged that while there may not be a direct economic return on investment, they still felt an obligation to transition their fleets to sustainable vehicles. These investments go beyond financial incentives and instead reflect the industry's commitment to supporting healthy communities and addressing climate change. As one panelist summarized, it’s a necessary cost, and financial gain shouldn’t be the reason to do the right thing.
While federal support for clean fleets over the next four years may look uncertain, the momentum for these projects is well underway. According to responses from our 2025 Mobility Outlook survey, 47 percent of agencies plan to purchase battery-electric buses in 2025. When including hybrid and hydrogen fuel-cell buses, that number jumps to 90 percent.
These are not one-off purchases. Over half of agency respondents report already having low- and zero-emission buses in their fleets, with 54 percent having a plan in place to complete the transition. By 2035, 32 percent of agencies expect to fully transition, and by 2040, nearly 68 percent anticipate reaching that milestone. State mandates and agency-driven initiatives—beyond board directives—are the primary drivers behind these transitions.
Tackling the zero-emissions transition is a feat—from hundreds of thousands of dollars invested in studies, research and training personnel to millions spent on right-sizing facilities and supporting infrastructure. For many agencies, this work has reached a critical point. Too much has been invested in time, resources and funding to turn back now. But more importantly, this is about fulfilling a responsibility to the communities we serve. Greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector have a direct impact on public health and the environment.
One of the last questions during the APTA session asked whether the ZEB transition was worth it and if agencies could wait to do it. Over 80 percent of the audience members said it was worth it, and it can’t wait. Meeting this challenge will require collaboration, resource-sharing and ongoing innovation. The road ahead won’t be easy, but as an industry, we’re ready to face it together.
Megan Perrero | Editor in Chief
Megan Perrero is a national award-winning B2B journalist and lover of all things transit. Currently, she is the Editor in Chief of Mass Transit magazine, where she develops and leads a multi-channel editorial strategy while reporting on the North American public transit industry.
Prior to her position with Mass Transit, Perrero was the senior communications and external relations specialist for the Shared-Use Mobility Center, where she was responsible for helping develop internal/external communications, plan the National Shared Mobility Summit and manage brand strategy and marketing campaigns.
Perrero serves as the board secretary for Latinos In Transit and is a member of the American Public Transportation Association Marketing and Communications Committee. She holds a bachelor’s degree in multimedia journalism with a concentration in magazine writing and a minor in public relations from Columbia College Chicago.
