SAM Driving New EV Buses

Sandy Area Metro (SAM) purchased three new electric buses to run their Sandy-Gresham route.  

The buses were primarily funded through two federal grants and Oregon’s Public Purpose Charge program, which helps school districts and transit agencies invest in cleaner vehicles.  

The price tag per bus is about one million dollars each. The final costs will include three recharging systems, training for all drivers, and a building currently in the early stage of construction. However, the EV building project will include numerous environmental studies, required per each grant, sure to slow the building process to a crawl. Currently the EV buses are plugging into the recharging stations at Fred Meyer.

SAM Transportation Manager Andi Howell has envisioned a greener, cleaner, quieter fleet since she accepted her position ten years ago. The focus of her mission is to offer a healthier environment for the Sandy-Gresham communities while providing a quieter riding experience for both passengers and drivers.

Exploring new EV technologies became a necessary priority for Howell. In 2018 she took her first EV bus test ride from Gresham to Sandy with disheartening results.

“We demoed the first bus. It had a lot of trouble making the slight uphill ascension on the way to Sandy”, laughed Howell.

Howell continued to seek intel with advancing technologies of EV-powered vehicles while exploring propane and compressed gas options. Her studies led to a Livermore, California company named Gillig, listed as the second-leading provider of EV buses in the nation.  

An order for three buses from Gillig has been the start of a continuous plan to replace the entire fleet of fossil-fueled buses. The only route to continue with a fueled bus will be the Sandy-Timberline route.

The new EV buses are easy to spot. The side mural-theme will symbolize the ‘clean and green’ ideal with an array of brightly-colored flora and happy fauna living in a new era of breathable air.  On the back of each bus will feature the mythical mascot of the transportation department - Big Foot.  

“Big Foot can be found somewhere on the back mural.  He may be difficult to find, but he is there,” said Howell.

All three buses are thirty-five feet in length with the capacity for thirty-two passengers seated comfortably.  

In their limited duty to date there have been no issues recorded. Howell has planned to keep the older buses available for an emergency.  

The beloved red Trolley car will be ineligible for EV upgrades due to its smaller shape. Gillig buses are all thirty-five feet long and the Trolley chassis is only twenty-four feet long. 

Howell said, “The Trolley is a Sandy icon. I am looking into different options to upgrade the Trolley. The maintenance team has been challenged to come up with ideas too. I think we will come up with something that works.”

The high cost of future bus purchases will keep Howell searching low/no emission grants as well as state cost off-setting plans.  

“We are keeping our fares the same and the free rides within the city limits will continue. I am so happy this is starting to come together. It feels like we are on the right path going forward,” said Howell.