King County Metro Transit Bus Electrification: Best Practices Review

Published August 24, 2020

King County’s goal to electrify its bus fleet will take years to implement. This long timeframe means that, to be successful, Metro Transit will need to address inherent uncertainties and challenges over the next 15 or more years. At this stage, Metro Transit should be conducting detailed analysis and developing long-term plans for its transition to an all-electric fleet. This planning will help ensure Metro Transit and the County are able to reach their goals within the timeframe they chose.

This report summarizes key areas that Metro Transit should include in its planning, and county decision-makers should consider as part of oversight of electrification efforts. We have not yet completed our assessment of Metro Transit’s bus electrification efforts and are not yet making recommendations due to current uncertainty around budget and timeframes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. When the Auditor’s Office completes the full audit of electrification in the future, we will use information in this document as a starting point for our evaluation.