By: Maya Gasca
Sep 16, 2021
The lack of buses for afterschool pickup dramatically increases.
Shortages of buses for after-school pickup have dramatically increased throughout early September. This is due to the number of quarantined drivers, as well as theft of catalytic converters within the buses themselves.
This has left numerous bus-riding students waiting after school for the bus since the second week of school.
“I’ve had to wait for about 50 minutes after school to be picked up,” senior Fatima Martinez said.
While students are struggling to get picked up on time, the buses themselves are struggling to keep their catalytic converters from people looking to steal them for money.
“Catalytic converters are made with precious metals in older vehicles like the buses,” senior Chloe Heick said. “They’re just worth a lot of money, from $100 to $200.”
Theft of catalytic converters on cars and buses alike has spiked throughout the year. Since April, reports of this theft have been made in Saginaw. Texas is now ranked second for the most catalytic converter theft in the nation. No comments have been made by GoldStar Transit, the bus rental company that owns the buses.
“Most of the time, thieves just hook up chains to the converters and yank them out of your car,” Heick said. “As long as your car is lower to the ground, it’s harder to steal.”
As of Sep 15, there have been no updates of the buses going back on schedule or new bus drivers being hired.