Bus Operator 'Definitely Concerned' After Suspicious Device Turns Up Under MTA Bus
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A suspicious device found under a city bus on Staten Island has operators, mechanics, and their families worried about safety. They want to know who put it there, and why.
As CBS2's Dave Carlin reports, regular maintenance on a city bus at Staten Island's Yukon Ave Bus Depot became the opposite of routine when a mechanic got underneath for an oil change.
The worker was shocked to find a metal box, round magnet, and flashing tracking device attached to the oil pan.
It was Wednesday morning, and who put it there, as well as their reason for doing so has investigators stumped.
"I'm definitely concerned. My family is concerned. They are just not telling us anything right now," bus operator, Mario Randazzo said. "Maybe somebody's tracking us, testing us, maybe it was a dry run."
The depot was evacuated.
Buses that needed to go out were stuck, so for a few hours, some riders were stranded.
Police determined the device was not explosive, and thousands of city buses were checked and cleared.
Buses already have GPS technology, so why would someone add to it?
Police sources say one theory investigators are taking seriously is that someone, maybe a private detective, put the device on someone's car. Perhaps the car's owner found it, and attached it to the bus to get the tracker off of him.
The device has caused concern about response, and depot security.
Some depot workers said it took too long to evacuate the workplace after the device was found.
"I hope next time the response will be faster," maintainer Justin Martinez said.
Leaders of the transit union want the depot to be better guarded.
"Any additional security I think is a good thing," Dan Casella, President, ATU Local 726 said, "Manpower to monitor the buses outside."
CBS2 reached out to the MTA to find out if the discovery of the device means security will be tightened. The MTA did not have a comment.
Mechanics at the depot said the MTA buses get full top to bottom inspections about once a month.
