MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — After spending nearly $62 million on a fleet of troubled Proterra electric buses, Miami-Dade County has asked the federal government for permission to replace the vehicles before they reach their expected service life, according to a newly released report submitted to county commissioners.
The report, which can be read at the bottom of this story, also confirms that Miami-Dade terminated its contract with Phoenix Motor, the company that took over Proterra’s transit bus business following the manufacturer’s bankruptcy, after county officials concluded Phoenix failed to meet warranty and service obligations.
The report was prepared in response to a resolution sponsored by Commissioners Roberto Gonzalez and Natalie Milian Orbis seeking information about the county’s electric vehicle fleet following questions raised by Local 10 News investigations.
As Local 10 News first reported, Miami-Dade spent approximately $61.8 million on 69 Proterra electric buses and related charging infrastructure. Of that amount, approximately $19.9 million came from federal grants, $4.4 million came from state grants and $37.5 million came from local surtax revenue.
The buses were purchased as part of the county’s effort to transition to cleaner public transportation. Instead, reliability problems, repeated breakdowns and difficulties obtaining replacement parts sidelined much of the fleet.
Local 10 News found approximately 60 of the buses sitting out of service at what transit workers described as an electric bus graveyard at Homestead Air Reserve Base.
According to the report, the Miami-Dade Department of Transportation and Public Works has petitioned the Federal Transit Administration for a waiver of useful life requirements that would allow the county to replace the buses before they reach the federally required 12-year useful life without having to repay federal funding associated with the vehicles.
The disclosure comes as county officials continue searching for ways to salvage at least some of the fleet.
In a statement provided to Local 10 News, Miami-Dade Communications Director Carlos Suarez said the county spent more than a year attempting to get Phoenix Motor to honor warranty and service commitments after acquiring Proterra’s assets through bankruptcy proceedings.
“After Proterra’s bankruptcy and the assignment of the contract to Phoenix Motor, the county spent more than a year working with Phoenix to honor its warranty and service commitments,” Suarez said. “Despite repeated discussion and opportunities to address the issues, Phoenix failed to take necessary corrective actions. As a result, the county terminated the contract in April 2026.”
Suarez said the county continues to pursue contractual and legal remedies while looking for ways to reduce financial losses and restore service.
“The county continues to pursue all available contractual and legal remedies to recover damages,” Suarez said.
According to Suarez, transit officials are evaluating whether components from out-of-service buses can be used to return some vehicles to operation, working to secure access to proprietary software and replacement parts and coordinating with the Federal Transit Administration regarding future options for the fleet.
The newly released report provides the most detailed accounting yet of the county’s efforts to address the troubled buses.
While Miami-Dade officials continue exploring ways to get some buses back on the road, the report makes clear the county is simultaneously preparing for the possibility that replacement may ultimately be necessary.
The report notes that Proterra buses were deployed to more than 135 transit agencies across the United States and Canada and that many have experienced similar challenges following the company’s bankruptcy.
Local 10 News reported that Broward County Transit has also sought relief from the Federal Transit Administration as it deals with its own troubled Proterra fleet. Broward officials told Local 10 News they have applied for forgiveness from federal repayment requirements and are seeking approval to dispose of their buses.
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava recently told Local 10 News that she remains hopeful some of the buses can be returned to service through retrofit efforts.
“We are still hopeful we can still put them into service,” Levine Cava said. “I personally have spoken to other companies about ways to retrofit so we can move these buses forward. I haven’t given up hope that we can put them into operation.”
For now, the future of Miami-Dade’s Proterra fleet remains uncertain.
County officials say they are continuing to explore options to return some buses to service while simultaneously seeking federal approval that could allow them to replace the vehicles before the end of their expected service life.
READ THE REPORT:
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