The majority, if not all, of the Proterra electric buses operated by SEPTA have been sent to the Midvale Scrap Yard. These buses were plagued by a series of persistent issues since their initial deployment in 2019. In early 2020, these were sidelined and never entered full revenue service.
Problems encountered with the Proterra fleet included:
- Battery Issues: Frequent battery failures and charging difficulties significantly impacted the buses’ operational reliability.
- Frame Issues: Structural problems with the bus frames raised concerns about safety and vehicle integrity.
- Other Technical Problems: The buses experienced a range of other technical malfunctions, further hindering their ability to provide consistent service.
It’s unknown what the long term fate of these will be but rest assure these will not go back into service any time soon. There were some rumors or speculation going around that some of these would be overhauled however I wouldn’t count on them. It would be interesting to see what gets earmarked into SEPTA’s FY 2027 Captial budget moving forth.