Flash flooding and severe storms delay buses

Bus 410 drives down I-495 in the after leaving late due to the torrential downpour.

Eli Tillemann, Staff Writer
September 17, 2021

Severe flooding and storms on Sept. 16 delayed buses at Jefferson, causing students to seek refuge in the gym while waiting to go home.

Caused by a sudden thunderstorm, the flooding closed roads and delayed transportation. Administrators quickly stepped in to reorganize the bus loading system, sending students inside to wait in the gym for buses to arrive. With bus routes that can last over an hour, Jefferson is especially vulnerable to road closures and bus delays. While administrators worked on coordinating the buses and keeping students safe, bus riders assembled in the gym, waiting for clearance to leave, with some buses leaving later than 4:35 p.m.

Students sit in the gym, waiting for late buses to arrive, during a thunderstorm on Sept 16. They made the best of their predicament through the use of technology. “I didn’t really care [about the delay] because I was on my phone,” freshman Harry Xiao said. (Elijah Tillemann)

“[I arrived home] around 20 minutes later than normal,” freshman Harry Xiao, whose bus was delayed due to the flooding, said.

The delays were disappointing and stressful for many, but several students took it in stride and looked on the bright side: they hadn’t been struck by lightning.

“I think it was useful, because it was raining heavily and there was lightning, so I think it was a good idea because it kept students safe,” Xiao said.