Thursday, October 1, 2026
Intercity Transit is waiving the standard procurement process for deals related to its hydrogen demonstration project.
The Intercity Transit Authority unanimously voted to authorize General Manager Emily Bergkamp to engage in direct negotiation for goods and services related to the project at a meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 6.
The project aims to evaluate the viability of hydrogen fuel cell technology for the agency’s long-term goal of achieving a zero-emission fleet.
As part of the project, Intercity Transit has so far spent $8.95 million on five, 40-foot hydrogen fuel cell electric buses and $4.6 million for the installation of a hydrogen fueling station at its Pattison Street base in Olympia. The majority of the costs are funded by grants from the Washington State Department of Transportation
Intercity Transit Deputy Director of Procurement Michael Maverick briefed the authority about their request to waive the standard process. He explained the agency needs the additional flexibility, as volatility in the hydrogen fuel market creates challenges for consistent supply, delivering and pricing.
Documents prepared for the meeting also state that staff are not making the request lightly.
“Staff believe this is a rare instance where routine procurement policy and processes may hamper project success,” a document state.
The document explained that hydrogen buses must be filled daily, but only a small quantity of hydrogen fuel can be stored on-site, making the agency dependent on just-in-time supply.
Waiving the standard process implies the agency would forgo competitive bidding processes for transactions relating to the project, except for deals above $100,000, which the authority would still have to approve.
Maverick said the move would cover deals, such as “third party subscription networks, service, delivery, compliance and storage.”
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JohnGear
I'm a big ICT backer and regular bus rider, and a former Community Advisory Council member.
So it pains me to say but this is another big step in the wrong direction.
There is nothing zero-emissions about hydrogen. It's made from reforming methane, so it keeps us dependent on fossil fuels.
The fossil fuel industry is behind the push for H2 in transportation because they are desperate to find a new market now that people are recognizing that the industry's products are as hazardous to a livable future as cigarettes are to lungs. The fossil fuel industry was mad for so-called "biofuels" for decades, which was a gigantic scam, and they got the US to squander billions and billions on ethanol, just so they could keep the US chained to the combustion paradigm while poisoning the midwest with pesticides and fertilizers that wash down into and kill the Gulf of Mexico. And they're still pushing "biodiesel" which is devastating palm forests throughout the global south -- destroying the planet to feed it to vehicles.
There is no perfect transport fuel, there are tradeoffs with all alternatives, but the way to get the best results the fastest is to climb the learning curve and manufacturing curve for advanced batteries and to electrify everything, not to cling to the combustion paradigm.
There are places where H2 may be the optimal answer as a method of reducing carbon emissions (mostly heavy industry applications that are hard to decarbonize). But the best fuel in the best application rule would say that whatever H2 is made should be used where we don't have a better alternative. And we definitely have a better alternative than H2 for bus fleets.
Thursday, August 7, 2025 Report this
BettyVerdammt
Our first hydrogen fuel cell bus is here, so naturally, we named it "The Hindenburg". Because Hydrogen & irony are as free as our fares!
Friday, August 8, 2025 Report this
KarenM
Thank you John Gear for explaining that this is not a 'no carbon' fuel for Intercity Transit. I hope that IT will not invest more into this fuelish approach.
Friday, August 8, 2025 Report this
DanaMadsen
How could this be anything but a great deal....only 1.79 million dollars EACH for buses. But it's grant money from the state, so it really doesn't cost anything....or does it???
Friday, August 8, 2025 Report this
HappyOlympian
"As part of the project, Intercity Transit has so far spent $8.95 million on five, 40-foot hydrogen fuel cell electric buses and $4.6 million for the installation of a hydrogen fueling station at its Pattison Street base in Olympia." ....works out to about $48 per person in Thurston County, and that does not include operating costs. Since only about 3% of those taxpayers ride buses, that is about $1200 per rider without having actually anyone (many shattered drug addicts) given a free ride. Does not matter where the funds come from, an astounding waste by any measure. And they still have not found a reliable fuel source! Well done, Intercity Transit and the governing "Authority Board"!
Friday, August 8, 2025 Report this
S2345S23456
Who makes these decisions? Did WE vote for this?
Saturday, August 9, 2025 Report this