LTD Scales Back Electric Bus Fleet After โReliability Issues
Eugene, OR – Laneโ Transit District (LTD) is reversing course on a $30 millionโค investment in electric buses,โข opting to prioritizeโฃ diesel options after six years of operational challenges. The agency announced plans to significantly reduce its electric fleet, citing limited range, weather-dependent performance, and safety concerns.
LTD beganโค deploying โthe Newโฃ Flyer electric โขbuses in โ2018, aiming toโค reduce emissions and meet climate goals. However, the buses consistently fell short of expected performance.Drivers experienced unpredictableโ range, with trips โขlimited to 80 or 90 miles on a single charge nonetheless of weather conditions – a โฃsignificant hurdle forโ reliable public transitโค scheduling.
“The number one indicator forโฃ us in meeting climate goals is to increase โridership โฆ regardless of whether โit’s an electric bus or โdieselโ bus,” โขLTD CEO Jameson T. Auten stated โduring a Nov. 12โ public meeting.
The decision follows a September 20 recall issued by New Flyer,advising LTD to limit batteryโค charges to less โฃthan 75% due to a risk of fire. this recallโฃ impacted 19 of LTD’s electric buses. Similar issues have been reported by transit agencies in New Jersey and New york.
LTD will now โinvest in R99 diesel buses utilizing 99% renewableโฃ diesel,a fuel derived โfrom plant or animal โขsources โwith lower tailpipe โemissions than traditional fossil fuels. Only 11 electric buses will remain in service.
The remaining 19 buses โคmay be transferred toโข Los Angeles in time for theโ 2028 โฃsummer Olympics, contingent uponโ approval from the Federal Transit Administration. LTD’s original grant agreementโฃ required the busesโฃ to accumulate 500,000 โmiles or a portion โขof theโ funding would need to be repaid; Los Angeles would assume responsibility for that โคobligation.
“Hindsight isโฃ always 20-20. We are proud of our commitment to innovationโ and sustainability. Several years โin withโฃ these buses, we know more,” auten said. “The โpropulsionโ system is not the innovation. The innovation is โฃcreatingโข a system that gets more people on our โฃbuses, that’s โคhow we moveโ the needle on sustainability. โฃTheseโค are the forward-thinkingโฃ investments we’re making now.”
Despite the setback, LTD Board Member Peterโ Skov remains optimistic about the future of electricโข buses. “It’s worthโ figuring out how to deploy electric buses,” Skov said.”Maybe that’s not two or three yearsโ away, maybe five to 10 years away, but if you โlook around the โคworld, people are โfiguring this out. Electric buses are now becoming โฃthe norm.”