Transit districts across the country continue to have problems with electric buses they bought from Proterra, a company former President Joe Biden had touted. Districts that purchased buses from other suppliers appear to have had fewer issues, but those with Proterra buses are still trying to keep them running.
Customers who purchased Proterra, which went bankrupt in August 2023, have reported a number of issues, including difficulty getting parts for repairs. In many cases, the buses remain inoperable for weeks.
Proterra, which President Joe Biden once said was "making me look good," sold hundreds of electric buses to municipalities across North America. Every transit district Just The News spoke with, except one, has inoperable buses awaiting repairs.
The city spent $255 million to acquire 197 electric buses, some of which were manufactured by now-bankrupt Proterra. The buses broke down twice the rate of diesel buses.
During her tenure at the DOE, former Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm was accused of a number of widely reported potential ethics violations, including conflicts of interest and using her official position to promote companies in which she purportedly had a financial stake or relationship.
The Biden administration's electric school bus program comes on the heels of the Proterra debacle. Cities across the U.S. purchased hundreds of electric buses from failed Silicon Valley-based Proterra.
Proterra was hailed by the Biden administration, and its CEO was appointed to White House council.
Secretary Jennifer Granholm’s transaction occurred about two years before Proterra filed for bankruptcy protection this month.
PPT previously filed a complaint against Granholm in relation to a grant made to Proterra, a firm of which she was a prior board member.
Vice President Harris is tasked with overseeing the federal e-bus program, and her experience as school bus czar appear to be no better than her work managing the border crisis.