(Metro photo)
Route 128, which includes West Seattle, is one of the routes to which Metro will assign its newest battery-electric buses starting next week. The new GILLIG-manufactured buses, painted “electric yellow and seafoam blue,” are 40 foot long, with a capacity of up to 69 people, and they’re expected to be able to go up to 280 miles on a single charge. Metro’s announcement today also makes note of this distinctive feature:
The new buses are the first in Metro’s fleet to enter service with new operator safety partitions installed. The partitions include a reinforced lower metal panel extending to the operator’s platform, along with a two-part sliding glass system. A larger, extendable glass panel provides increased coverage and visibility, while an additional polycarbonate panel extends to the ceiling for added protection. The partition will remain closed at all times except when transit operators are assisting customers with mobility devices and meets industry safety standards for vehicle windows and operator compartments.
Metro will be adding charging capacity, starting this spring at its Tukwila base, which it says will be able to handle up to 120 battery-electric buses.