(The Center Square) – A King County audit revealed that the King County Metro Department faces significant challenges regarding its goal of electrifying its entire bus fleet by 2035.
King County auditors flagged risks including the loss of bus manufacturers, technology limitations, sufficient electricity supply, and lagging battery-electric bus performance.
Metro’s entire bus fleet consists of 1,400 buses. Currently, around 40 of those buses are battery-electric. King County Metros stated that another 89 buses are scheduled to begin arriving in 2026.
The 2023-2024 King County budget dedicated $180.5 million for the purchase of 120 more battery-electric buses in 2024.
In March 2024, Metro reported that roughly 50% of its battery-electric New Flyer buses were out of service on any given day.
Auditors also noted that Metro is exploring hydrogen fuel cell buses as a way to mitigate some of these risks, but the department has not communicated this shift in strategy to the King County Council.
King County Metro’s bus operations create 43% of the county government’s greenhouse gas emissions, according to the audit.
King County Metro Transit received $33 million in federal funds in the 2023 fiscal year to buy battery-electric buses and charging equipment through this program.
The funds stem from the U.S. Federal Transit Administration’s Low or No Emission grant program, which distributed $5.5 billion in funding in 2022 to help transit agencies buy vehicles that emit low or zero emissions.
The current total estimated cost for King County Metro’s capital projects intended to support its transition to a zero-emission bus fleet is $782 million. However, all projects are still in process and the figures are subject to change.
The audit revealed that the number of companies that manufacture zero-emission transit buses has fallen in recent years. In 2020, there were five companies that manufactured zero-emission transit buses, but that number dropped to two by this year.
Manufacturers cited supply chain disruption and inflation as factors in their decisions to leave the U.S. market.
Metro staff indicated that additional European manufacturers could become an option in the U.S., but as of April they have not committed to the U.S. market.
The county’s goal of electrifying its bus fleet by 2035 is ambitious compared to other U.S. cities. Many other jurisdictions have zero emissions goals by 2040 or later, including New York City, Chicago, San Francisco and Portland.
Only Los Angeles County’s bus electrification goal has a shorter goal of a zero-emission bus fleet by 2030. However, that agency staff said the 2030 goal is not achievable in the current market context and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board is discussing whether to shift the goal.
In short, the King County Auditor’s Office recommends Metro improve communication about its efforts to explore hydrogen fuel cell buses and implement a strategy to make best use of collaborative delivery methods and take steps to formalize procurement, safety collaboration, and government relations in capital projects.
