At its recent board of commissioners meeting, Lakewood, Washington’s Pierce Transit presented a surplus vehicle to Bates Technical College for use in the college’s Diesel and Heavy Equipment Technology program. 

The donation provides students with additional hands-on access to a full-size public transit vehicle, allowing them to train on the same equipment that transit agencies across the region and the country use.

“This donation represents a meaningful investment in our students and their future careers,” said Dr. Lin Zhou, president of Bates Technical College. “It strengthens the connection between classroom learning and industry expectations, giving students the confidence and preparation they need to succeed in public transit and transportation careers.”

The Pierce Transit, Bates Partnership

The partnership focuses on workforce development and career readiness, connecting students directly with the skills and experience employers seek. 

With the vehicle on campus, students gain exposure to the scale and complexity of public transit vehicles before entering the workforce.

Pierce Transit has worked closely with the college to strengthen the pipeline from classroom to career. Most recently, the agency updated its Mechanic 1 classification to better align with the skill level of recent Bates Tech graduates. 

The agency has also hosted tours to introduce students to transit careers and continues to explore opportunities such as job shadowing and other work-based learning experiences.

“The strong partnership between Pierce Transit and Bates Technical College is a win for both organizations — but even more so for students,” said Pierce Transit CEO Mike Griffus. “The retiring vehicle Pierce Transit is donating will open doors for Bates students to learn how to maintain transit vehicles and potentially pursue a career in the industry.”

The vehicle donated to Bates is a 30-foot, 2019 ARBOC Spirit of America trolley, similar to buses in the Pierce Transit fleet and used by public transit agencies nationwide. 

Having this vehicle on site at the college will allow students to work hands-on with mechanical, structural, electronic, and operational systems, gaining experience that mirrors what they will encounter on the job, said agency officials.