EVERETT, Wash. — Everett Transit is seeking permission to sell nearly half of its electric bus fleet after problems with the coaches themselves, as well as the manufacturer.
Starting in 2018, Everett began purchasing buses from Proterra, a company with experience in the battery and charging industry but a relative newcomer to the electric bus industry, according to an Everett spokesperson.
Some issues arose on buses. Everett’s own technicians were able to solve them, though other larger issues and technology problems required the manufacturer’s expertise. In the beginning, it wasn’t too much of a problem.
“The first thing you do is work with a warranty with the manufacturer,” said Matt Coones, an outreach specialist with Everett Transit.
Then, Proterra as a company began to falter. In 2023, the company filed for bankruptcy. In 2024, Phoenix Motors bought the remains, though a city council document shows it struggled to supply the parts and service needed to keep buses running. Other cities like Austin, Texas, and Miami, Florida have also reportedly had issues with Proterra buses.
“We were able to work with them, but as time had gone on, as issues continued to develop, then the shrinking amount of support offered by the manufacturer really led to the idea of—instead of continuing to throw additional resources, let’s fill the gap,” said Coones.
A total of nine Proterra buses are in the fleet, at a median cost of about $900,000 each, Coones said. He says five Proterra buses remain on the road but likely will not last through the remainder of 2025.
“Obviously, you cannot run the risk of running a bus that is exhibiting difficulties out on the road,” Coones said.
On Wednesday, the Everett City Council granted the transit agency authorization to spend more than $2.1 million to buy seven diesel-hybrid buses in order to prevent any impact on the agency’s routes.
Everett paid for 20% of the buses, with the rest coming from grants from the Federal Transit Administration. Everett has filed a waiver with those agencies in order to get permission to sell the buses.
“If the waiver is granted, we are confident we will be able to sell these buses. What the market will bear, at this point, we don’t know what the numbers will be.” Coones said.
Coones says most of the sales revenue will go back to the FTA from the sale. Everett Transit has a separate budget from the rest of the city, and Coones says its reserves will be able to bear the unexpected cost of buying the hybrid replacements without impacting bus fares.
Ten other buses manufactured by Gillig, which has a longer history of building buses, remain in the fleet with no issues thus far. Everett Transit believes it will still be able to meet its goal of electrifying half its fleet by 2030.
“This is more considered a setback. It’s not something we predicted several years ago, but we will have half of our fleet electric,” Coones said.
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