Sustainability

C-TRAN’s zero-emission future came into clearer focus in 2024 as we developed plans for a hydrogen fueling station. The new facility—a first for Clark County—will power not only C-TRAN’s hydrogen fuel cell buses that it plans to roll out in the coming years, but also other agencies that may add hydrogen-powered vehicles to their fleets. The hydrogen fueling station neared final design in 2024. It’s expected to be operational in 2026.

Hydrogen is only one piece of C-TRAN’s goal to become an entirely zero-emission fleet by 2043. We introduced our first battery-electric buses in 2023, C-TRAN’s first zero-emission vehicles in the fixed-route fleet. More will follow as we gradually phase out existing diesel-powered buses in the next two decades.

C-TRAN also strives to be sustainable in our smaller, day-to-day practices. That’s reflected in the fact that we’re a certified Clark County Green Business, a distinction C-TRAN has held since 2019.

The Vine on Highway 99 and Fourth Plain Extension

Given the outstanding success and ridership increases of The Vine’s two corridors, Fourth Plain and Mill Plain, C-TRAN plans to expand the Vine system into other key corridors to enhance the quality of life for the growing communities we serve.

In 2024, we made significant headway on The Vine on Highway 99 branch, including completion of the environmental process, design, gathering of public feedback, and securing the right-of-way. The Vine on Highway 99 will deliver a critical connection on Vancouver’s busiest north-south corridor from the Vancouver Waterfront to the Washington State University Vancouver campus. The nine-mile alignment includes 33 new stations along the route in downtown Vancouver, Uptown, Hazel Dell and Salmon Creek. The project also includes an expansion of the existing Salmon Creek Park & Ride.

The Vine on Fourth Plain Extension will extend the original Vine corridor—serving Fourth Plain Boulevard—to continue east on Fourth Plain from Vancouver Mall Transit Center, as well as the 162nd/164th Avenue corridor in east Vancouver.

The Highway 99 project is scheduled to begin construction in 2025 and launch in 2027, with the FourthPlain Extension project close behind. The Vine expansion adds to a bus rapid transit (BRT) network that provides more efficient, reliable, award-winning service while improving opportunities for the entire community.