A month into the school year, one of the many things students have experienced is the commute to Loyola. Schools all around Los Angeles have always been using a school bus system to take students to and from school, and Loyola is no exception. Buses drop students off before school begins and pick them up at various times depending on the day’s schedule. On Mondays, the typical pick-up time is 3:00 p.m.; on Fridays it is 1:40 p.m.; and on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, it is 2:15 p.m.
All school buses drop students off on Venice Blvd., and there are 5 buses in total that are in circulation. Stfudents have the opportunity to study for tests or review homework while on the bus. Freshman Daniel Acosta occasionally takes the school bus to and from school. He said, “The buses are pretty good. You can do homework or study while going to school. I personally study for English sometimes.”
Freshman Owen Higley, who regularly takes one of the school buses, said, “The buses are usually pretty fast and I’ve got a lot of time to get to class.”
Junior John Sullivan, a South Bay bus rider, said, “The bus has been late a few times, but I like it the way it is because I don’t want to wake up any earlier and we usually arrive on time.”
However, the school bus system has been experiencing an issue for the past month. Some buses have been showing up past 8:05 a.m., causing many students to be late to class.
Loyola’s Director of Transportation Adam Gonzalez manages the school buses from various locations, such as the South Bay, Pasadena and the Valley. Addressing the bus tardiness issue, he said, “I intend to get the students to school safely and on time by the next month.”
Junior Sharbel Challita, who has been taking the bus for three years, said, “The biggest change so far is that the school has taken control of the bus system rather than the parent volunteers in previous years.”
Freshman Ford Cary, who rides the South Bay bus, said, “I’ve been late to class a few times, and every time it makes me feel really rushed and not concentrated in class.”
All of these tardies have been excused by the dean’s office, but many students like Ford Cary hope Gonzalez addresses the tardiness problem.