School bus drivers get up at 0 dark thirty in the morning. They make around 93 visual, and manual safety checks to ensure the bus is safe to be on the road to pick up and drop off students. They have the potential for 71 future lawyers, doctors, teachers or president of the United States in their care. Their head is on a swivel for 6+ hours watching out for the millions of other drivers who can’t see the BIG YELLOW BUS, or the STUDENTS Crossing the road. They carry the safety of all the students on board on their shoulders. and they are so much more. They tie shoes, fix zippers & backpacks. Pick up spilled lunch or clean up after a sick child. They care deeply, forms bonds of trust, set expectations, and give praise. They are the first one your child sees in the morning for school, and the last one they see after school. A bus driver shows concern & empathy, enjoy the silly jokes, and worry about the sadness on faces. They miss an absent child or morn those who moved without a word. They will pray for them, laugh with them and hurt with them. We get to see them grow up and develop into responsible adults. Just to get up and do it all over again the next day.
What a privilege it is to be a School Bus Driver and rewarding in many ways.