Four retired Double Tall double-decker buses will be up for public auction for one week starting at 10 a.m. Thursday, June 6 at James G. Murphy Co. in Marysville, with the auction taking place online.

The diesel-powered Alexander Dennis Ltd. E500 coaches were built in 2010 and were retired in August 2023, having served the FTA standard of 12 years useful life for a transit agency.

That doesn’t mean the buses are scrap — Double Talls on the block are in working order and have been well maintained by Community Transit mechanics.

“These Double Talls have been on scheduled maintenance throughout their life at the agency, including mid-life overhauls,” said Ryan Chase, Senior Procurement Specialist at Community Transit.
The Scotland-designed, USA-built coaches seat around 80 passengers between the upper and lower levels, and could make a fantastically quirky Airbnb, a food truck with built-in seating, or a unique RV.

This is the second time Community Transit is rolling decommissioned Double Talls onto the auction block. Five Double Talls were sold at auction in 2023. Notable buyers from that round include a cruise line and a Seattle sightseeing company.

Community Transit was one of the first transit agencies in the United States to adopt the double decker-style bus in 2011 and they have remained a key part of the fleet for over a decade.

Double Tall facts

Bus Model: 2010 Enviro 500

• Manufacturer: Alexander Dennis Limited
• Extra-large windows
• High-back reclining seats
• Seating: Around 80
• Upper Floor Ceiling Height: 5’7” entire length of bus
• Lower Floor Ceiling Height: 6’4” feet tapering to 5’ at the rear of bus
• Height: 14 feet
• Weight: 52,911 lbs
• Length: 42.5 feet
• Weight distribution: 70% of weight is within four feet of the ground, making the buses very stable.
• Comfort: All seats have three inches more hip-to-knee room than standard; reading lights; individual air vents
  

See an in-person preview of the auction from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, June 11 and Wednesday, June 12. Search for the Double Tall lineup under “heavy trucks”.

What would you do with your own Double Tall bus?