Enter trolleybuses, commonly referred to as ETBs. Trolleybuses are a combination of a bus and a streetcar that have been in Seattle for multiple decades. Used on routes such as the 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7 these retain the size and wheels of a regular diesel bus but add the environmental benefits and much reduced noise of a streetcar because of this.
Today's ETBs run mainly along old streetcar routes dating back to earlier days in Seattle, as seen on the map here: Kroll's Standard Map of Seattle, 1914.
Trolleybuses are the most quiet frequently-used transit solution in Seattle. Because they are electrically powered by catenary, they do not have the engine-roaring of diesel buses, but because of their rubber tires, rail squeaking is not a problem, unlike on a streetcar. This allows them to traverse through residential neighborhoods late at night and early in the morning unnoticed.
They are also the best vehicle for climbing and descending steep grades, better than both streetcars and diesel buses, which is one of the main reasons why they are such great transit solutions for Seattle. Many of the routes that use ETBs are the hilliest routes in the region, particularly the 1, 2, 3, and 4 that tackle Queen Anne Hill, First Hill, Cherry Hill and many other significantly sized inclines.
These vehicles also avoid one of the main problems of diesel buses. For one, they avoid the rapidly rising prices of gas, which actually makes them budget-friendly in many ways. And because they do not burn any fuel and use electricity that is generated in an environmentally friendly way, their effects on the planet and carbon emissions are reduced.
They are also more budget-friendly than streetcars, although that does come at the cost of capacity. While the while the vehicles themselves cost more than diesel models, they end up being a more budget-friendly solution for many reasons.
One is their longevity. Trolleybuses last up to 10 years longer than regular diesel and hybrid buses, which can be evidenced in the well-aged Breda buses running on routes such as the 7, the 43 and the 49. This longevity is exemplified with steep hills, which absolutely destroy diesel buses, but are handled well by ETBs.
Another is the frequency with which they have to be maintained. ETBs have to be serviced much less than normal buses, and although the price for maintenance is slightly higher, the reduced frequency of repairs adds a convenience factor to the buses.
Many of these factors are addressed in the evaluation of the replacement of these aging vehicles in the Metro system right here: Metro Trolleybus Replacement Document.
In all, ETBs are an excellent solution for transit in Seattle right now, particularly with the combination of signal priority and maybe even separate lanes. They are a great way to maintain and improve transit infrastructure in the city, particularly because they are budget-friendly when compared to other modes, which makes them suitable even considering how broke Metro is.
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