DART electric buses remain grounded, future uncertain

(Des Moines, IA) — Seven electric buses previously operated by the Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (known as “DART”) as part of a pilot program now sit unused. Their future is uncertain.

According to DART’s Erin Hockman, the buses were taken off the road in 2022, after about two years of service, due to expired warranties and extensive mechanical issues.

“During the time that we had the buses in service, we ran into some issues with the operation of the vehicles,” Hockman said. “We piloted our electric buses, and so we measured the performance of our zero-emission vehicles against new 40-foot diesel buses,” she said, “and we know that our zero-emission buses were out of service and required a lot more maintenance than our regular 40-foot diesel buses.” Hockman says this also raised safety concerns.

DART attempted to work with the manufacturer, Proterra, to fix the problems, but the company has since filed for bankruptcy. In the meantime, Hockman said, they have contacted the Federal Transit Administration, along with the company that bought the bus line from Proterra, Phoenix Motorcars, to determine if it is possible to obtain parts and repairs.

The seven buses, charging stations and supporting infrastructure were purchased by DART in 2020 for $6.7 million. According to Hockman, 75 percent of the cost was funded by a federal grant, with the remainder funded by DART, the city of Des Moines and MidAmerican Energy.

The situation has caused frustration on many levels, including among members of the Des Moines City Council. Ward 2 Councilwoman Linda Westergaard raised the issue earlier in July during a local neighborhood meeting.

“They’re rotting in a parking lot,” Westergaard told attendees. “We just have to work on making it sustainable and making it work for our residents.” The comments came as part of a broader discussion about the city’s DART funding, in response to a projected $4.7 million budget deficit in fiscal year 2027.

“On average, we buy five to ten (diesel) buses per year and we have never had a situation like this where we had to park a bus because it did not meet our expectations,” said Hockman.

Des Moines isn’t the only place facing a slowdown in electric bus service. The Washington Post reports that Proterra’s bankruptcy has left other cities in the lurch, including Chicago, where a bus line was waiting for 22 buses last year when Proterra’s bankruptcy was announced.