# King County Metro fleet

As of 2019, King County Metro operates the seventh largest fleet of buses in the United States, with a total of 1,583 buses. The agency's buses traveled a total of 53 million miles (85,000,000 km) and transported over 123 million passengers in 2019.
Upon taking over transit operations on January 1, 1973, Metro used buses acquired from predecessor agencies Seattle Transit System and the Metropolitan Transit Corporation, still painted in their original colors. Metro acquired the 91-bus fleet of the Metropolitan Transit Company in December 1972 at a cost of $2.75 million. The first fleet of new 40-foot (12 m) buses ordered by Metro arrived in June 1976, consisting of 145 diesel coaches manufactured by AM General. In 1978, Metro became the first large transit agency in North America to introduce articulated buses to its fleet, which required some bus stops to be rebuilt to accommodate 60-foot (18 m) coaches. The fleet of 151 buses were manufactured by German maker MAN as part of a bulk order with other large U.S. transit agencies.

## Vehicle types

In 1978, Metro was the first large transit agency to order high-capacity articulated buses (buses with a rotating joint). Today, King County Metro has one of the largest articulated fleets in North America (second only to MTA New York City Transit) and articulated buses account for about 42% of the agency's fleet.
In 1979, the agency ordered some of the first coaches in the U.S. equipped with wheelchair lifts to provide accessibility for disabled passengers. Early lifts often became stuck and had a very short platform, which was replaced by more reliable models in the 1980s. Metro's entire fleet became wheelchair-accessible in 1999.
Metro was reluctant to adopt low-floor buses, not buying any until 2003. Low-floor coaches have slightly reduced seating capacity (because the wheelwells intrude further into the passenger compartment) which may have been a concern. Whatever the reason for the delay, Metro has now embraced low-floor buses and all new fleet additions since 2003 have been low-floor and the last high-floor buses were retired in March 2020.

### Trolleys

Metro maintains a fleet of electric trolleybuses that serve 15 routes along almost 70 miles of two-direction overhead wire. This is the second largest trolleybus system in the United States by ridership and fleet size. The trolleybuses are valued by Metro both as zero-emission vehicles, and as vehicles well adapted to Seattle's hilly terrain.
Metro's trolleybus fleet consists of 174 entirely low-floor New Flyer Xcelsior coaches. Of the total, 110 are 40-foot (12 m) vehicles (model XT40) and 64 are 60-foot (18 m), articulated buses (model XT60). The buses include an auxiliary power unit, to allow them to operate off-wire for up to 3 miles (4.8 km).
Occasionally Metro will use diesel or diesel-electric hybrid coaches on trolley routes. Reasons for doing this include construction (weekends only), overhead wire maintenance or events that require coaches to go long distances off-route, "coach changes" (replacing a bus in service that has developed a problem) or to add temporary additional capacity. The latter two cases sometimes lead to diesel buses being used, in order to get the replacement or supplementary vehicle into service as quickly as possible; diesel buses can reach the point of entry into service faster, as they do not need to follow the overhead wires when deadheading.

### Diesel-electric hybrids

Metro operates the largest fleet of hybrid buses in the country. The first hybrid buses were purchased in 2004 for use with routes that operated in the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory conducted a one-year comparative study between conventional diesel and hybrid-powered buses operating on a typical King County drive cycle. Results showed that the hybrid powered buses lowered fuel consumption by 23%; NOx by 18%; carbon monoxide (CO) by 60%; and total hydrocarbon (THC) by 56% when compared to conventional diesel buses. Those results have led Metro to purchase hybrid buses exclusively since 2005 (with the exception of the all-electric trolley buses). Metro now has over 700 hybrid buses in the fleet, with more on order.

#### Hush mode

Buses equipped with the GM-Allison E$^P$50 and the Allison H 50 EP parallel hybrid systems had a special "hush mode" that allowed the buses to operate solely on electric power, reducing tailpipe emissions and noise while operating in the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel. Before entering the tunnel, the operator pushed a button that put the coach into hush mode. While buses were inside stations, the coaches operated solely on electric propulsion (although, while the doors are closed, the engine still rotates in order to operate auxiliary loads). In between the tunnel's stations, the buses used electric traction to get to 15 mph (24 km/h), after which a combination of the electric and diesel motors were used. The operation of the diesel engine allowed the batteries to recharge. Hush mode would normally be deactivated by the operator as they exited the tunnel, but the mode will be automatically deactivated after the coach had traveled a certain distance.
Buses have not operated in the tunnel since March 23, 2019.

#### Series hybrids

Metro's newest buses are equipped with the BAE Systems HybriDrive, a series hybrid system. In these buses an electric motor turns the wheels, with power provided by a generator attached to a diesel engine and regenerative braking. Any excess power is stored in batteries on the roof of the bus. Because the diesel engine is not directly propelling the bus, it can operate at a more steady, fuel-efficient speed.
Buses delivered after 2014 are equipped with the upgraded HybriDrive Series-E which uses electrically powered accessory systems (alternator, air conditioning, air compressor, cooling fans and steering pump) to increase fuel efficiency and allow the diesel engine to stop when the bus is stopped and the batteries are sufficiently charged.

### Battery electric buses

Metro began testing three new Proterra Catalyst battery electric buses in 2015. The coaches are capable of traveling over 26 miles before the battery needs to be recharged. A special fast charge station located at the Eastgate Park and Ride allow the bus to be fully recharged in under 10 minutes, during the driver's normally scheduled layover. These new vehicles get the equivalent of 20.8 MPG, which is over 6 times better than the 3.18 MPG seen on Metro's series hybrid electric coaches. The coaches were purchased with support from a $4.7 million Federal Transit Administration grant and entered revenue service on February 17, 2016. They operate on shorter routes (due to their limited range) on the eastside, specifically Routes 226 and 241. Metro has committed to purchasing 120 electric buses with the option to purchase up to 80 additional vehicles by 2020. In 2017 and 2018, Metro tested electric buses with ranges of 140 miles from several manufacturers, and plans to have a zero-emissions bus fleet by 2040.

## Historic preservation

Metro has a special fleet of more than a dozen historic motor buses and trolleybuses ranging from ones built in the late 1930s and early 1940s through to ones only recently retired. The coaches are restored, maintained and operated under an agreement with the Metro Employees Historic Vehicle Association (MEHVA), a non-profit organization formed in 1981. Metro maintains ownership of the historic fleet, providing coverage under its fleet self-insurance along with storage, work space and parts on an as available basis.
Money to operate the coaches and purchase parts not in Metro stock is generated by selling tickets to public excursions. The first trips took place in 1984, and nowadays MEHVA typically operates six to eight per year. Each excursion has a different route and a different emphasis.
MEHVA was established in 1981, as Metro prepared to retire trolleybuses that had been operating in Seattle since the 1940s. Since that time, MEHVA acquired other retired transit vehicles which were formerly operated in King County. Often these retired coaches were purchased by private citizens and left on the owner's property for many decades, leaving them in need of restoration. The collection of vehicles has gradually expanded over time, with the addition of newly retired buses when deemed historically notable and not yet represented in the collection.

## Liveries

Metro's buses are painted in various color schemes that are assigned based on their type; the last major change was in 2004. The buses generally have their bottom half painted in yellow with a different color on top, including purple for electric trolleybuses and red for RapidRide buses. It is intended to be replaced beginning in 2025 with the introduction of battery electric buses that are colored yellow and light blue for conventional coaches or red and purple for RapidRide.
Several buses also have special liveries, including a "Ride with Pride" coach, a Black Lives Matter design by transit operator Robert L. Horton, and a mural for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

## Current fleet roster

| Make/Model | Length | Propulsion | Year | Fleet Series (Quantity) | Notes |
| New Flyer DE60LF | 60 feet (18 m) | diesel-electric hybrid | 2008–2009 | 6813–6865 (53) | First articulated buses in fleet with separate air conditioning units for front and rear sections. |
| New Flyer DE60LFA | 60 feet (18 m) | diesel-electric hybrid | 2009 | 6000–6019 (20) | Dedicated to RapidRide routes. Unit 6000 was built as a prototype and has a rear window, a feature that was eliminated from the production coaches. |
| OBI Orion VII | 40 feet (12 m) | diesel-electric hybrid | 2010–2012 | 7001–7199 (199) | First buses in fleet to be equipped with series diesel-electric hybrid propulsion. |
| New Flyer DE60LFR | 60 feet (18 m) | diesel-electric hybrid | 2010–2013 | 6866–6999, 6800 (135) | |
| New Flyer DE60LFR | 60 feet (18 m) | diesel-electric hybrid | 2010–2013 | 6020–6035, 6040–6073, 6075–6117 (93) | Dedicated to RapidRide routes. |
| New Flyer Xcelsior XDE35 | 35 feet (11 m) | diesel-electric hybrid | 2014 | 3700–3759 (60) | First buses in fleet with HybriDrive Series-E system that shuts off diesel engine while stopped to decrease emissions and fuel consumption. Buses originally ordered from Orion, order transferred to New Flyer after closure of Orion factory. |
| New Flyer Xcelsior XDE40 | 40 feet (12 m) | diesel-electric hybrid | 2015 | 7200–7259 (60) | Buses originally ordered from Orion, order transferred to New Flyer after closure of Orion factory. |
| New Flyer Xcelsior XT40 | 40 feet (12 m) | electric trolleybus | 2014–2015 | 4300–4409 (110) | First trolleybuses in fleet with low-floor design, air conditioning and a battery power system to allow coaches to operate off-wire for short distances. |
| New Flyer Xcelsior XT60 | 60 feet (18 m) | electric trolleybus | 2015–2016 | 4500-4563 (64) | |
| New Flyer Xcelsior XDE60 | 60 feet (18 m) | diesel-electric hybrid | 2015 | 6200–6219 (20) | Dedicated to RapidRide routes. |
| New Flyer Xcelsior XDE60 | 60 feet (18 m) | diesel-electric hybrid | 2018 | 6220–6241 (22) | Dedicated to RapidRide routes. |
| New Flyer Xcelsior XDE60 | 60 feet (18 m) | diesel-electric hybrid | 2019 | 6242-6269 (28) | Ordered for the RapidRide H Line. Has the features of a RapidRide bus, but will be wrapped in regular metro livery and operate regular routes until the opening of the H Line in March 2023. |
| New Flyer Xcelsior XDE60 | 60 feet (18 m) | diesel-electric hybrid | 2015–2016 | 8000–8084 (85) | Equipped with three doors for use on urban routes. |
| New Flyer Xcelsior XDE60 | 60 feet (18 m) | diesel-electric hybrid | 2017–2018 | 8100–8199 (100) | Equipped with two doors for use on suburban routes. |
| New Flyer Xcelsior XDE60 | 60 feet (18 m) | diesel-electric hybrid | 2018 | 8200–8299 (100) | Equipped with three doors for use on urban routes. Coach 8261 is New Flyer's 10,000th Xcelsior. |
| Gillig BRT | 40 feet (12 m) | diesel-electric hybrid | 2017–2019 | 7300–7494 (195) | |
| New Flyer Xcelsior XE40 | 40 feet (12 m) | battery electric | 2021 | 4700-4719 (20) | 4700 delivered October 2021 for inspection and testing. First bus entered service on March 30, 2022. |
| New Flyer Xcelsior XE60 | 60 feet (18 m) | battery electric | 2021 | 4800–4819 (20) | 140-mile range with a 525 kWh battery. First bus was delivered in April 2021. First buses entered service on March 30, 2022. |
| New Flyer Xcelsior XDE60 | 60 feet (18 m) | diesel-electric hybrid | 2023 | 6400–6412 (13) | Dedicated to the RapidRide G Line. Has 5 doors; 3 on the right and 2 on the left. Has interior bike racks. Metro originally planned to order electric trolleybuses, but New Flyer was unable to supply a trolleybus that met all requirements. |

## Future fleet

| Make/Model | Length | Propulsion | Year | Quantity | Notes |
| New Flyer XE60 Xcelsior CHARGE | 60 feet (18 m) | battery electric | 2022 | 4840–4859 (20) | |
| New Flyer XE60 Xcelsior CHARGE | 60 feet (18 m) | battery electric | TBD | 4860–4879 (20) | |
| Gillig Low Floor EV Plus | 40 feet (12 m) | battery electric | TBD | TBD (89) | |
| Solaris | 40 feet (12 m) | battery electric | 2026 | TBD (2) | King County Metro is the first in North America to buy from Solaris. Unconfirmed model designation. |
| Solaris | 60 feet (18 m) | battery electric | 2026 | TBD (2) | King County Metro is the first in North America to buy from Solaris. Unconfirmed model designation. |

## Historic fleet

These historic buses are owned by King County Metro, but are restored, maintained and operated by unpaid volunteers who are in the Metro Employee Historic Vehicle Association (MEHVA).
| Make/Model | Length | Propulsion | Year | Purchasing Agency | Fleet Number | Notes |
| Kenworth H-30 | | Diesel | 1938 | Seattle Municipal Street Railway | 1705 | |
| Twin Coach 30-G | | Diesel | 1939 | Seattle Transit System | 231 | |
| Twin Coach GWFT | 40 feet | Electric trolleybus | 1940 | Seattle Transit System | 905 | Its original number when built was 905. Renumbered 643 in 1963, then 622 in 1965, which number it had when retired from regular service in January 1978. Renumbered back to 643 when cosmetically restored in 1982. Restored to operating condition in 1985–1990. Original fleet number 905 was restored in 2018. |
| PCF-Brill 40 SMT | 40 feet | Electric trolleybus | 1940 | Seattle Transit System | 798 | Listed as a Seattle city landmark since 1978 |
| Twin Coach 44 GTT | 40 feet | Electric trolleybus | 1943 | Seattle Transit System | 636 | |
| Pullman-Standard 41CA-100-44CX | 40 feet | Electric trolleybus | 1944 | Seattle Transit System | 1005 | |
| Kenworth K-10 | | Diesel | 1947 | Suburban Transit System | 86 | |
| Twin Coach 41-S | | Diesel | 1948 | Seattle Transit System | 1705 | |
| General Motors TDH-5105 | 40 feet | Diesel | 1955 | Seattle Transit System | 263 | |
| General Motors TDH-4512 | 40 feet | Diesel | 1959 | Metropolitan Transit Corporation | 2962 | |
| Flxible New Look F2D6V-401-1 | 40 feet | Diesel | 1963 | Seattle Transit System | 598 | |
| General Motors New Look T8H-5305 | 40 feet | Diesel | 1968 | Seattle Transit System | 724 | |
| AM General Metropolitan 10240B | 40 feet | Diesel | 1976 | Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle | 1122 | |
| AM General Metropolitan 10240T | 40 feet | Electric trolleybus | 1979 | Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle | 1008 | |
| MAN/AM General SG 220-18-2 | 60 feet | Diesel | 1978 | Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle | 1455 | |
| Flyer D900 D10240C | 40 feet | Diesel | 1979 | Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle | 1657 | |
| MAN Americana SL40102L | 40 feet | Diesel | 1987 | Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle | 3152 | |
| Breda DuoBus 350 (ADPB 350) | 60 feet | Dual-mode (diesel & electric trolley) | 1990 | Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle | 5034 | |
| Gillig Phantom 40102TBM11 | 40 feet | Diesel | 1997 | King County Metro | 3374 | |
| Gillig Phantom C28D102N4 | 40 feet | Electric trolleybus | 2002 | King County Metro | 4195 | |
| New Flyer DE60LF | 60 feet | Diesel-Electric Hybrid | 2004 | King County Metro | 2766 | |
In addition, No. 4020, one of the MAN SG-T 310 articulated trolleybuses, was donated to and preserved at the Illinois Railway Museum (IRM) in 2008 through the efforts of MEHVA. It was part of the first fleet of articulated trolleybuses to operate in America.

## Retired fleet

    See Trolleybuses in Seattle for a detailed history of Seattle's trolleybus fleet.
| Make/Model | Length | Propulsion | Motor/Powertrain) | Purchased | Retired | Fleet Series (Qty.) | Seated Capacity | Notes |
| Brill trolley | 40' | Electric trolleybus | GE | 1940 | 1963 | 700–799 (100) | 40 | |
| Twin Coach trolley | 40' | Electric trolleybus | Westinghouse | 1940 | 1978 | 800–976 originally 600–659 after 1974 (177) | 41 | Original series of 800–976 included 24 slightly larger units, built in 1943; remaining coaches renumbered in 1974. No. 905 preserved by Metro (initially preserved as No. 643 from 1982–2018, then reverted to original No. 905). |
| Pullman-Standard trolley | 40' | Electric trolleybus | GE | 1944 | 1978 | 977–1006 originally 642–655 after 1974 (30) | 44 | Remaining coaches after some retirements were renumbered in 1974. No. 1005 preserved by Metro. |
| GMC TDH-5105 | 40' | Diesel | | 1955 | 1982 | 200–304 (105) | 51 | No. 263 has been preserved by Metro. |
| Flxible "New Look" | 40' | Diesel | Detroit Diesel 6V71 | 1963 | 1986 | 500-599 (100) | 51 | No. 598 has been preserved. |
| GMC "New Look" T8H-5305 | 40' | Diesel | Detroit Diesel 8V71N / Allison VS2-8 | 1968 | 1987 | 700-769 (70) | 48 | |
| AMG "Metropolitan" 10240B8 | 40' | Diesel | Detroit Diesel 8V71N / Allison V730 | 1976 | 1996 | 1100–1313 (214) | 45 | |
| AMG "Metropolitan" 10240B8 | 40' | Diesel | Detroit Diesel 8V71T / Allison V730 | 1976 | 1996 | 1340-1349 (10) | 45 | |
| MAN SG-220 | 60' | Diesel | MAN D2566 MLUM / Renk-Doromat 874B | 1978–1979 | 1999 | 1400-1550 (151) | 72 | |
| Flyer D900 | 40' | Diesel | Cummins VTB903/ Allison V730 | 1979 | 1997 | 1600-1823 (224) | 47 | |
| AMG 10240T | 40' | Electric trolleybus | GE | 1979 | 2003 | 900-1009 (109) | 45 | No. 911 not used. |
| Flyer D900 | 35' | Diesel | Cummins VTB903 / Allison V730 | 1980 | 1997 | 1850-1884 (35) | 39 | |
| MAN SG-310 | 60' | Diesel | MAN D2566 MLUM/ Renk-Doromat 874B | 1982–1983 | 2001 | 2000-2201 (202) | 70 | |
| MAN Americana | 40' | Diesel | MAN D2566 MLUM/ Renk-Doromat 874B | 1986–1987 | 2004 | 3000-3146 3150-3159 (157) | 44 | |
| MAN SG-T 310 | 60' | Electric trolleybus | Siemens | 1987 | 2007 | 4000-4045 (46) | 64 | |
| Breda DuoBus 350 (ADPB 350) | 60' | Dual-mode (diesel & electric trolley) | Diesel: Detroit Diesel 6V92TA / ZF 4HP600 Electric Trolley: AEG / Westinghouse | 1988–1991 | 2005 | 5000–5235 (236) | 63 | |
| Breda DuoBus 350 (ADPB 350) | 60' | Electric trolleybus conversion | AEG/Westinghouse | 1988–1991 (converted 2004–2007) | 2016 | 4200–4258 (59) | 56 | Last Breda trolleybus to be retired was unit 4243 on route 36 on October 27, 2016 |
| Gillig Phantom | 35' | Diesel | Cummins M11 / Allison B400R Gen III | 1997 | 2015 | 3185-3199 (13) | 34 | |
| New Flyer D60HF | 60' | Diesel | Cummins M11 / Allison B400R Gen III | 1998–1999 | 2018 | 2300–2573 (274) | 64 | |
| Gillig Phantom | 40' | Electric trolleybus | GE (refurbished by Alstom) | 2002 | 2016 | 4100–4199 (100) | 42 | |
| New Flyer D60LF | 60' | Diesel | Caterpillar C9 / Allison B500R Gen IV | 2004 | 2018 | 2870–2899 (30) | 56 | |
| StarTrans President LF | 28' | Diesel | GMC/Duramax Allison 1000 series | 2009 | 2013 | 1900-1934 (35) | 19 | Retired due to design flaws |
| Gillig Phantom | 40' | Diesel | Cummins M11/Allison WB-400R | 1996–1999 | 2019 | 3200-3594 (395) | 42 | Last coach to be retired was unit 3430 on route 269 on September 24, 2019. 3341, 3361, & 3416 sold to Pullman Transit in 2014. |
| Gillig Phantom | 30' | Diesel | Cummins ISC/Allison WB-400R | 1999-2000 | 2020 | 1100–1194 (95) | 30 | Last 4 coaches in service were 1104 and 1127 on Route 200, 1114 on Route 236/238 on March 20, 2020, and 1187 on Route 200 on March 10, 2020. |
| New Flyer D40LF | 40' | Diesel | Cummins ISL/Voith 864.3 | 2003 | 2020 | 3600-3699 (100) | 35 | Last two coaches to be retired were 3660 and 3680 on route 65/67 on April 8, 2020. |
| Proterra Catalyst BE40 | 40' | Battery Electric | UQM HD220 / Eaton EEV-7202 | 2019 | 2020 | 1750-1751 (2) | 38 | Test buses Original T461-T462 renumbered to 1750-1751. |
| XE40 Xcelsior CHARGE | 40' | Battery Electric | Siemens ELFA2 | 2018 | 2020 | 1752-1753 (2) | 38 | Test buses Original 1252-1253 renumbered to 1752-1753. |
| XE60 Xcelsior CHARGE | 60' | Battery Electric | Siemens ELFA2 | 2018 | 2020 | 1754-1755 (2) | 49 | Test buses Original 1250-1251 renumbered to 1754-1755. |
| BYD K9 | 40' | Battery Electric | BYD TYC90A | 2018 | 2020 | 1756-1757 (2) | 38 | Test buses |
| BYD K11M | 60' | Battery Electric | | 2018 | 2020 | 1758-1759 (2) | | Test buses |
| New Flyer DE60LF | 60' | Diesel-Electric Hybrid | Caterpillar C9 / Allison EP50 | 2004 | 2021 | 2600-2812 (213) | 56 | Last coach active was 2807 on route 372 operating toward Woodinville, making its final stop at Campus Way N.E. at approximately 12:28 A.M. on December 11, 2021. |
| Proterra Catalyst | 40 feet (12 m) | battery electric | UQM HD220 / Eaton EEV-7202 | 2015 | 2024 | 4601–4603 (3) | 37 | Believed to be retired due to parts not being available. Multiple other transit agencies have also retired their Proterras. |
| Proterra Catalyst | 40 feet (12 m) | battery electric | UQM HD220 / Eaton EEV-7202 | 2018 | 2024 | 4604–4611 (8) | 37 | Believed to be retired due to parts not being available. Multiple other transit agencies have also retired their Proterras. |