Thursday, October 1, 2026
Intercity Transit is moving forward with its zero-emission fleet of buses.
The agency presented a hydrogen fueling and storage system project to the Olympia Site Plan Review Committee at a meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 5.
The project is part of the agency's long-term transition to a zero-emission fleet at its Pattison Street campus. The plan includes the installation of an interim hydrogen fueling and storage system to support its buses.
Eric Wood, project architect for Stantec, said the agency is beginning the first phase of its 20-year zero-emission fleet plan. The agency is preparing to integrate hydrogen fuel cell buses, which can travel longer routes and refuel faster than other alternative fuel vehicles.
The proposed hydrogen fueling and storage system is a pilot project, starting with a temporary hydrogen fueling and storage system at the Pattison campus. The project includes space for a fueling skid, hydrogen storage tanks and two equipment trailers, all arranged to allow buses to pull in and exit easily.
Olympia Fire Marshall Randy Haines noted the complexity of hydrogen fuel systems. He emphasized the need for a fire protection engineer to review the project.
He added that the complexity of hydrogen fueling systems are beyond the city’s expertise because they encompass multiple safety codes, including International Fire Code (IFC) Chapters 58-63 and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 2, 44 and 70, which cover electrical codes.
“Hydrogen fueling systems are extremely complex and cross multiple safety codes, far beyond our in-house expertise,” Haines said.
“Because of the hazards involved, we will require a fire protection engineer to provide a stamped code analysis for this project. That’s the only way the fire department and Fire Marshall’s Office can ensure proper setbacks, electrical safety and compliance moving forward.”
According to Haines, the city determined in a 2023 meeting that a fire protection engineer would be required for this project.
Olympia Associate Planner Paula Smith suggested relocating the hydrogen fueling system to an area of the Pattison campus that is already developed with impervious surfaces. That would avoid impacts to the nearby wetland, reduce permitting needs and possibly qualify the project for a land-use waiver if no significant changes are proposed.
Smith noted the current proposed location sits in an undisturbed, vegetated area adjacent to a mapped wetland.
The existing wetland report is more than five years old. Smith said the city would require a new wetland survey to determine the correct buffer. She said the buffer could increase under current regulations.
The development would have to be relocated if it falls within that buffer, and the project may face impervious surface limits, potentially triggering a conditional use permit.
She also reminded the project team to consider State Environmental Police Act (SEPA) thresholds, particularly for fuel storage tanks. A SEPA review would be required if the tanks exceed 10,000 gallons.
The applicant had indicated an estimated capacity of about 3,000 gallons.
From the engineering side, Olympia Senior Engineering Plans Examiner Tiffani King said the city would require a stormwater scoping meeting and a full drainage report because of the site activity. She noted all liquid systems, including lubricants, coolants and refrigerants, must have secondary containment under stormwater regulations.
The proposal remains in early stages. Based on the discussion during the presubmission, the agency would need to complete several technical studies, including a fire protection engineering review and updated wetland delineation.
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jimlazar
I attended this meeting and heard a very different result from that reported.
The City staff told Intercity Transit that their fueling system cannot be built where it was proposed, because that is a wetland buffer and not buildable. And their site is developed to the maximum level of impervious surface that is allowable.
They were told to go find a location on the existing paved surface somewhere.
The other points are accurate, but the fire issue is a concern. The City said that they do not have the expertise to regulate a hydrogen fueling station, and would need to secure that expertise. Intercity Transit proposed that their own consultant could do this. Anytime I hear a developer in charge of their own safety or environmental studies, I see a fox guarding the hen house.
The proposal to use hydrogen buses is a really terrible idea. Hydrogen costs the equivalent of about $20/gallon equivalent at current hydrogen fueling stations in California. Even if IT could do it for half that amount, that's still $10/gallon.
By contrast, battery electric buses charge directly from the grid, and that costs about $1/gallon equivalent (that's what I pay PSE to charge MY electric car, on the overnight TOU rate, and the IT buses will be charging overnight like my car does.
Think about it. The electrolyzer process to make electricity into hydrogen is about 50% efficient. The fuel cell process in the bus to make it back into electricity is about 60% efficient. So about 30% of the original electricity makes it to the wheels. In a battery-electric bus, about 10% is lost in the charging process, and 90% makes it to the wheels.
IT is choosing an expensive and undesirable method, which also has safety issues. It's time to park the hydrogen bus concept in favor of battery electric buses. The battery electric buses cost less to buy, less to maintain, and less to fuel.
Wednesday, November 19, 2025 Report this
JW
Intercity Transient has too much money to waste.
Wednesday, November 19, 2025 Report this
36098501
The progress Intercity Transit (IT) is making on its hydrogen fueling system highlights the ambition of local leaders in advancing zero-emission transit. Yet, as commenter Jim Lazar notes, hydrogen fuel-cell buses raise serious questions about cost and viability for the region. It prompts tough questions on cost and fit for IT’s transit system.
For IT, Olympia and taxpayers, hydrogen doesn't stack up against the battery-electric (BEV) solutions already scaling nationwide, from King County Metro to Portland's TriMet. While hydrogen may suit long-haul routes elsewhere, IT's urban grid heavily favors proven BEVs. King County is purchasing almost 400 BEV’s for a reason.
IT’s standard 40-passenger gas buses rarely come close to approaching capacity making smaller, efficient BEVs a smarter fit for low-demand routes.
In 2024 each fixed-route bus trip cost ~$11.39, or $22.78 round-trip. Dial-A-Ride's 10-passenger paratransit vehicles, often carrying just one rider, cost $124.82 one-way, or $249.64 round-trip.
IT is shifting to corridor-based service with higher frequencies, yet still grappling with underutilization of its existing transit model.
With IT's cash reserves at the start of 2025 near $250 million and a taxpayer-funded budget of ~$164 million, these inefficiencies demand scrutiny—not further expansion.
IT operates largely below public scrutiny, governed by a political board blending local City Council members with very limited management or business expertise – with no professional experience in any aspect of a complex transit system.
Local politicians shouldn't gamble on an unproven and expensive hydrogen platform at the taxpayers’ expense when BEVs offer proven range, lower maintenance and grid-scale savings. The community should advocate for a pivot: Channel investments into BEVs that align with rider needs, infrastructure availability and fiscal reality.
Another JOLT article on this topic
https://www.thejoltnews.com/stories/intercity-transit-to-reimagine-its-bus-network,19165?
Thursday, November 20, 2025 Report this