All five of Green Mountain Transit’s electric buses are currently out of service due to a battery recall that has left the agency operating on a razor-thin margin, according to a WCAX report.
The buses, manufactured by New Flyer and delivered less than a year ago, were pulled from service in November after the battery manufacturer warned they posed a potential fire hazard. As a result, the electric buses cannot be stored inside GMT’s garage and must remain outdoors, per the January 29 news report by Laura Ullman.
Cold weather has compounded the problem. The buses require temperatures of at least 41 degrees to safely charge, conditions that have been scarce this winter. The vehicles have remained parked outside, dusted with snow, unable to operate.
“It’s been literally down to our last bus, where if we have another bus that breaks or some other accident that happens, you know, we would have to start canceling service,” said Green Mountain Transit General Manager Clayton Clark. “There have been a couple of runs that we’ve had to cut because we didn’t have a bus available, but so far it’s just been limited to a few runs.”
With the electric fleet sidelined, GMT has been relying heavily on its remaining diesel buses, stretching an already tight budget and leaving little room for mechanical failures or disruptions.
Purchase announced in June, 2024
The announcement of the purchase of the five buses was made in a June, 2024 press release.
“Adding five more electric buses to the GMT fleet marks another significant step in Burlington’s efforts to fight climate change and make progress toward our community’s Net Zero Energy goals,” stated Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak in a GMT press release. “These buses will help us decrease our reliance on fossil fuels, cut carbon emissions, and improve air quality in our City. I look forward to working with our partners to continue the electrification of the GMT fleet that serves Burlington and neighboring communities.”
Miles on a Single Charge
The E-buses have 520 kWh of available battery capacity and generally will be charged overnight during off-peak hours with 100 percent renewably sourced electricity at GMT’s Burlington garage on Queen City Park Road, according to the press release While New Flyer indicates that the E-buses have an operating range of up to 258 miles on a single charge, actual range will depend on a number of variables, including topography, passenger loads, number of stops, and weather.
Funding Collaboration
Funding for the five E-buses, which together cost $8,118,526, including the charging equipment and planned GMT facility work, was a collaboration provided by the following partners:
- $275,000 – Burlington Electric Department
- $6,729,067 – Federal Government Low/No Emissions Grant
- $1,114,459 – GMT, along with Federal and State Transportation Funding