Maine assesses options after electric bus provider seeks credit protection [Video]

Lion Electric Co., the Quebec-based company that has provided several Maine school districts with electric buses, plans to file for credit protection, according to a company news release issued Tuesday.

Now, the future of the buses in Maine is up in the air, but officials for the Maine Clean School Bus Program said they are monitoring the situation as it unfolds.

“The Maine Department of Education, along with its partners at the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and the Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future are evaluating the impact of Lion Electric Company’s announcement and will remain in touch with affected school districts,” said Chloe Teboe, director of communication for the Department of Education. “With respect to the program, aside from Lion Electric, the Maine Clean School Bus Program has other vendors as part of the state’s master agreement for school administrative units.”

Two weeks ago, Lion Electric laid off 400 …