Troy 30-C school buses back on the road

Troy 30-C School District has fully restored the 30 buses that were vandalized Monday morning.

The restoration required “three days of intensive efforts,” with Troy 30-C giving credit to Central States Bus Sales Inc. in a news release Wednesday.

Troy 30-C said in the release that Central States Bus Sales' “expertise and support in quickly sourcing parts and facilitating repairs were invaluable.”

The district also credited its transportation and facilities staff with ensuring “all buses are fully operational and ready to safely transport students,” according to the release.

While preparing the buses for the day, the district’s transportation team had discovered that more than 80% of the district’s large bus fleet had its catalytic converters stolen from them Monday morning.

The buses were rendered inoperative.

The catalytic converter also was cut from a plow truck that the district keeps outside in the same parking lot, said Luis Ayala, deputy director of the Tri-County Auto Theft Task Force.

Ayala previously said that at least three suspects were involved. It’s believed that the suspects drove up to the fence, hopped over the fence, cut the catalytic converters and then went back out, Ayala previously said.

The thefts put many schools throughout Will County on alert, too.

Patrol deputies were notified of the catalytic converter thefts at Troy, and they have been performing additional patrols in the area, Will County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Kathy Hoffmeyer previously said.

Troy 30-C plans for in-person learning Thursday. If weather conditions dictate changes to the school schedule, Troy 30-C will update families Wednesday evening or Thursday morning, according to the release.

Troy 30-C serves more than 3,500 students from several communities including Shorewood, Joliet, Channahon and Crest Hill.

Troy 30-C’s transportation department has 65 buses total that serve all seven of the district’s schools, according to the district’s website.

The thefts remain under active investigation.

If anyone has video footage or additional information regarding these thefts, they are asked to contact the Tri-County Auto Theft Task Force at tcat@joliet.gov or call 815-724-4677.

Illinois Central School Bus, located at 1000 Swanson Drive, Batavia, reported the theft of four catalytic converters at a cost of almost $14,300 on Feb. 4, according to a Batavia police report.

Catalytic converters from four yellow 2021 Bluebird school buses were stolen, and all four buses were damaged, according to the report.