Alberta's Shared Truck Model Could Crack Hydrogen Adoption

When multiple trucking companies want to test hydrogen technology but none can justify the cost alone, what's the solution? Trimac Transportation and the Alberta Motor Transport Association just figured it out. They're rotating a single Hyundai XCIENT fuel cell truck among participating carriers, letting each fleet gather real-world data without shouldering the full financial burden.

This isn't your typical pilot program announcement. It's a practical workaround to the chicken-and-egg problem that has stalled hydrogen adoption across North America. Fleets need data before investing, but they can't get data without trucks on the ground.

How the Rotating Testbed Works

The AMTA-led pilot rotates the Hyundai XCIENT among participating carriers through early 2026. Each company evaluates performance in their own commercial operations, collecting data on range, refueling logistics, payload impacts, and operational costs. The association coordinated driver and technician training, even hosting Hyundai Global representatives for discussions with carriers and government partners.

Calgary-based Trimac brings serious credentials to this test. The bulk-haul carrier has operated 140 branches since 1945 and has been experimenting with hydrogen retrofits alongside Innovative Fuel Systems and Hydra Energy since 2022. This background work positioned them perfectly to evaluate the Hyundai XCIENT under demanding commercial conditions.

The truck will run key corridors between Edmonton's industrial zones and Calgary's freight hubs. Engineers and fleet managers will collect data on fuel cell efficiency, uptime, refill times, and handling under full load. Driver feedback will also shape the final assessment of operational viability.

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Why Alberta Makes Sense

The province offers a unique testing environment that California or Europe simply cannot replicate. Alberta's harsh winters will stress-test fuel cell performance in ways that fair-weather pilots never could. The province also sits on significant natural gas resources feeding both blue and green hydrogen initiatives.

Canada's national hydrogen strategy targets widespread deployment in heavy-duty mobility. Provinces like Alberta and Quebec are leading massive investment in both production and infrastructure. The coordinated approach is creating a supply chain that positions North America as a global proving ground for clean hydrogen technology.

The Bigger Picture

Trimac is also a core stakeholder in the Alberta Zero Emission Truck Electrification Collaboration (AZETEC), which is preparing its own hydrogen fuel cell prototype for commercial testing. This layered approach, combining the rotating AMTA pilot with AZETEC's development work, positions Alberta as a proving ground for hydrogen trucking technology.

The global fuel cell market is projected to grow from $5.66 billion in 2025 to $18.16 billion by 2030. Heavy-duty trucking represents one of the strongest use cases because battery-electric solutions struggle with the weight and range requirements of long-haul routes. Fleet operators also have predictable routes and centralized fueling, which helps solve infrastructure challenges.

A Model Worth Watching

The shared testbed approach could be replicated in other regions facing the same adoption barriers. Transport Canada's Zero Emission Trucking Program is already supporting data collection through the AMTA's broader Zero Emission Trucking Testbed initiative. Similar pilots are underway in British Columbia, including Loblaw's recent hydrogen truck demonstration between Vancouver and Squamish.

Trimac's participation aligns with sustainability commitments outlined in its 2024 ESG report, which focuses on fleet modernization, fuel-saving technologies, and zero-emission alternatives. If the pilot delivers promising results, the implications extend far beyond Alberta. The shared risk, shared learning model could become the template for hydrogen trucking adoption across North America.

The evaluation continues through early 2026. By then, carriers will have cold-weather performance data that no other hydrogen pilot has generated at this scale. That information could be exactly what the industry needs to move from experimentation to deployment, especially as Alberta continues to attract clean energy innovation.