The Lion Bus electric school buses pulled from service in Quebec two weeks ago have reportedly all returned to the road after repairs were made to faulty HVAC fuses.
The Quebec Ministry of Education had ordered LionC electric school bus models to be taken out of service after a fire in Montreal Sept. 9, leading to school disruptions across the province and a renewed scrutiny of electric school bus safety. Lion360 diesel school buses, which Lion manufactured prior to only producing electric vehicles in 2017, were also affected by the issue. Lion Bus issued an inspection bulletin detailing the four-hour repair.
“We have identified some potential anomalies in a sub-component of the HVAC system that Lion obtains from a third-party supplier,” the bulletin states. “In the interest of safety above all else, we request that Lion bus operators perform the following inspections and modifications: [M]andatory inspection of several low-voltage electrical connections, replacement of certain electrical connectors, replace fan fuses with less powerful ones, adding a fuse to an HVAC control panel circuit. This inspection and modification procedure must be carried out on all Lion360 (diesel) and LionC 3rd generation and earlier buses (Gen3, Gen2 and Gen1).”
Lion Bus, the new name of the former Lion Electric based in Saint-Jérôme, Quebec, has become the centerpiece of Canada’s electric school bus transition. The manufacturer has delivered more than 1,200 all-electric buses across North America, with the majority operating in Quebec. But at the same time, the company recently emerged from Canada’s version of bankruptcy protection and was acquired by a Quebec real estate magnate. Per terms of the deal, all warranties outside of Quebec became null and void.
The Sept. 9 fire occurred while the English Montreal School Board bus, operated by contractor Transco, was parked and unoccupied. No injuries resulted. Transport Canada confirmed it was investigating three total reports of LionC fires, the Montreal incident and two earlier fires, with the focus was on the low-voltage heating system. The agency, Canada’s version of the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said its investigation has yet to identify a safety defect “due to the extent of fire damage in affected buses.”
Transport Canada recommended fleet owners immediately inspect their LionCs “in accordance with the manufacturer’s inspection bulletin.” For school bus drivers who see any smoke or smell anything burning, Transport Canada advises them to stop the bus, evacuate all passengers and, if safe, turn off the high-voltage and 12-volt power supplies.
CBC reported that three similar fires and a smoke-filled school bus have occurred since last November. It took the Sept. 9 incident for Transport Canada to investigate, according to the article.
But reports from local firefighters indicate the fire did not spread to the lithium-ion battery pack, added nonprofit climate advocate Green Communities Canada.
“It’s important to remember that data consistently shows gas-powered vehicles are six- to eight-times more likely to catch fire than electric vehicles,” added Leif Einarson, communications manager for Green Communities Canada. “One incident should not derail the momentum we’ve built in transitioning to cleaner, safer student transportation.”
Lion Bus said in a statement on Sept. 12 that it was working with Transport Canada to determine the exact cause but confirmed “neither the electric battery nor the propulsion system was involved.”
That same day, Lion said Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec approved its plan to return LionC electric school buses to service.
The English Montreal School Board confirmed in an Instagram post Sept. 20 that Transco received the missing parts needed for its electric buses. Two days later, Sunday, Sept. 22, the school posted that all buses had been repaired, inspected and cleared for operation Monday. In all, 76 school buses were grounded, cancelling 68 routes.
First Student owns Transco in Quebec. But the largest contractor in North America, First Student also operates more Lion ESBs than any fleet, including in the U.S.
“Our maintenance and engineering teams are following the Lion Inspection Bulletin to guide all inspections and replacements. As part of this [Lion] bulletin, we are conducting a multi-step inspection focused on electrical safety and system integrity,” company spokeswoman Brenna Rudisill told School Transportation News. “This includes replacing the HVAC control panel for wiring damage and foreign objects, replacing specific fuses to optimize fan performance, checking electrical panels and starter solenoid connections for proper torque and alignment, and verifying bulkhead terminal tightness.”
Rudisill added First Student technicians replaced any faulty components found and upgraded connectors. The issue had been receiving the parts. She said the contractor advises school districts across Canada and the U.S. to “continue to follow Lion’s inspection bulletin.”
Valérie Tremblay, coordinator for the Canadian Electric School Bus Alliance (CESBA), said the inspections brought an unexpected upside.
“The good thing is it pushed school districts, operators and Transport Canada to thoroughly inspect all electric school buses,” she explained.
Related: Report: Inequities in Canadian Electric School Bus Transition Threaten At-risk Populations
Related: Green Bus Summit Commences with Discussion on Future-Proofing Electric Buses
Related: Canada Becomes First Country to Mandate External School Bus Surveillance Feeds
Related: Arkansas School District Thanks Driver for Quick Response During Bus Fire
