AC TRANSIT WINS 2025 EAST BAY INNOVATION AWARD FOR COMMUNITY IMPACT

The "Academy Awards of the East Bay" honored the innovative Zero Emission Bus University (ZEBU)

OAKLAND, Calif. – The Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) is honored to announce that our transit district was recognized by the East Bay Economic Development Alliance (East Bay EDA) as a recipient of the highly coveted 2025 East Bay Innovation Award for Community Impact.

This year, over 100 public agencies, academic institutions, and companies from Alameda and Contra Costa Counties were nominated across four competitive award categories: Catalyst, Community Impact, Manufacturing, and Product or Technology.

At least half of the nominees were in the Community Impact category, where the competition was fierce and the judges' deliberations equally rigorous. The award committee considered various factors, including whether the nominee fostered a culture of innovation in the East Bay, how they addressed and resolved operational challenges for the region’s benefit, and ultimately, whether the nominee emerged as a leader in their industry and community.

AC Transit was recognized for its significant community impact on workforce development through the innovative Zero Emission Bus University (ZEBU), launched in 2024, making it the nation’s first transit-collegiate partnership with Hayward’s Chabot College.

ZEBU offers vocational and academic pathways, training a new generation of workers in zero emission technology. The curriculum incorporates augmented reality (AR), permitting the safe teaching of high-voltage systems and enabling remote training across AC Transit's facilities in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, with plans for global expansion. The partnership with Chabot College also certified our Maintenance Trainers as official Instructors of Record, allowing them to teach half of the courses toward an Associate of Science degree.

AC Transit extends congratulations to our fellow visionary Community Impact award winners: Cristo Rey De La Salle East Bay High School, Diablo Valley College’s Industrial Automation and Robotics Program, and the Richmond Community Foundation.

The awards were presented on the evening of March 27 during a ceremony dubbed the "Academy Awards of the East Bay." The Innovation Awards is the region's leading program that recognizes and celebrates the exceptional companies and organizations shaping the East Bay’s legacy of innovation.

Founded in 1990, East Bay EDA was established by key leaders who recognized the need for collaboration in addressing shared challenges. Today, it has grown into a 150+ member organization that serves as the regional voice and networking hub dedicated to strengthening the economy, building the workforce, and improving the quality of life in the East Bay.