Mountain Line moves toward almost all-electric fleet, cites zero-fare gains and new facility plans

Mountain Line has converted almost its entire fixed-route fleet to battery-electric buses and is planning a new, federally funded operations facility to accommodate further expansion, Mountain Line representative Jordan Hess said during a Missoula County Commissionerspodcast conversation.

"Were up to 26 out of our 29 buses are electric at this time," Jordan Hess said. He told Commissioners Josh Slotnick and Juanita Vero the agency took delivery of 10 electric buses this summer and four last fall, after beginning a pilot of multiple manufacturers in 2018.

Hess said the agency chose a single vendor after testing several manufacturers for winter performance, efficiency and maintenance needs. He said electric buses reduce many routine maintenance tasks: regenerative braking reduces brake wear and there are no oil changes, although the vehicles cost more up front.

The agency has installed chargers at its existing facility but is "maxed out" on the electrical feed there, Hess said. Mountain Line plans a new facility near the airport using about $40,000,000 in federal…