New zero-emissions bus depot in Tukwila

King County Metro unveils new 'green' transit hub

King County Metro gave the public a first look at its first-ever zero emission bus depot in Tukwila on Tuesday.

TUKWILA, Wash. - King County Metro gave the public a first look at its first-ever zero emission bus depot in Tukwila on Tuesday.

According to Metro General Manager Michelle Allison, within the next couple of years, at least a hundred buses will pass through the space to recharge.

Big picture view:

Stepping inside the electrified buses, passengers will experience an interior already seen in the diesel coaches making the rounds, but it’s what's under the hood—and above it—that signals a major shift in public transit.

"It’s the first of its kind in this region," touted Shannon Braddock, Deputy King County Executive. "Moving this commitment to climate action forward through this amazing base."

Hovering above the pavement are gantries with robotic chargers called "pantographs" hanging from them. These systems will automatically connect to buses and begin charging with the press of a button.

The infrastructure is being made possible thanks to a $61 million federal grant. Metro clarified the funding is not tied to Washington’s Climate Commitment Act.

Other transit agencies, including Everett Transit, have faced challenges in electrification. Everett’s first all-electric buses, launched in 2018, suffered major reliability issues. The manufacturer eventually declared bankruptcy, and in March, Everett Transit said it was considering auctioning off some of its buses.

"We are taking very deliberate steps to test our fleet before we put it out into revenue service," said Allison.

She added that the buses won’t begin full service until Metro is confident they can meet performance standards—including handling Seattle’s hilly terrain and cold weather.

"As coaches come and they’re ready for revenue service, we will put them in and we will do it over time," she said. "So you won’t see 100% service the day this place opens because we want to ensure that reliability exists."

But maintaining the facility and its fleet depends on critical materials—many of which come from overseas. Could the ongoing tariff war with China put a strain on the supply of rare earth materials required to keep this green infrastructure running?

"I think we are absolutely paying incredibly close attention to what is happening at the federal level," assured Braddock. "For now, we are on track, we are moving forward. We haven’t seen an interruption in that work at this time. But yes, there are concerns absolutely."

King County Metro predicts if all goes as planned, electrified busses will begin running out of this depot serving riders by March of 2026.

The Source: Information in this story is from King County Metro, Deputy King County Executive Shannon Braddock, Everett Transit and FOX 13 Seattle reporting.