California is to begin operating fuel cell buses, as part of a three-year programme to test the viability of zero-emission fuel cell bus technology.

The testing will be undertaken by two transit agencies, the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) and SamTrans, to begin next week in the San Jose area, reports Fuel Cell Today.

The agencies will operate three buses powered solely by hydrogen, which comply with new regulations by the California Air Resources Board to reduce nitrogen oxide and particulate matter.

The programme will test whether a $3 million bus operated by fuel cells can withstand the daily pounding of traffic and loading of thousands of passengers a day.

Tailpipes from the buses will emit water vapour instead of diesel exhaust, which has been linked to numerous respiratory ailments.

The agencies are reportedly the first in the area to test the new fuel technology, which could reduce soot emissions by up to 90 per cent.

The VTA's goal is to convert 15 per cent of its buses from diesel to zero-emission fuels over several years.