I am currently working on my 18th year of driving a bus at Boiling Springs Elementary School. I have had the same route for the past 15 years. I love driving my bus. I love being the first person from school that children see in the morning. I love the fact that I get see my bus children every day until they leave to go to the middle school. I don’t have that experience in the classroom. You only get that for the year you have them. I love that I get to watch them grow from kindergartener’s to fifth graders.  I love looking at the different phases of the moon and talking about it with my bus kids then getting to watch the sun rise with them every morning.but out of all the things I love about driving my bus, my favorite part is making sure that I tell all my riders as they get off my bus at school that I love them. Everyone needs to hear those words at least once every day.  Those words are a difference maker. 

Best of luck to you all!

On my bus I tell them we are a family. We respect each other and treat each other with kindness and love. Do we have bad days? Yes, however the good outweighs the bad. Some of your kids just need someone to tell them I love you! Some may just need you to give extra love! When you see where they live and you learn of their home life it touches your heart. You care! You want the best for the child. 

In life you may never know the influence you will have on a child's life. 

This past weekend I was approached by a young mother with a baby. She asked me if I was going to retire soon. I want you to keep my baby. You were the best bus driver! You showed love and kindness to me. I have never forgotten you. I would trust you with my child. This is what it's all about folks! To leave that kind of impression on someone and then years later they remember how you treated them on your bus. I was humbled by the kind words she gave to me. 

As you drive your bus each day I encourage you to get to know your kids. Talk to them and let them know you care. Some days on my bus we talk about what we are having for supper. What they did over the weekend. We may play a game of seeing how many American flags we can find on our route. Sometimes we sing! 

Enjoy your kids! They need you! I wish you the best as you drive these children to school each day. May God bless you and keep all of you safe. 

I enjoy driving the bus.  It can be stressful at times, because we are responsible for a lot of lives.  It is also very rewarding.  I like the fact that I get to be a part of the students' lives.  It is rewarding in the fact that we are the ones that get them to and from school safely.  They can make the route a lot of fun, but they can also make it very long.  The thing I say over 100 times is stay out of the aisle.  I always make sure to say Good morning to everyone.  There are some that have a rough start to the day.  We can help to turn their day around.

I think the one thing that sticks out the most is.  I had a student one year that was a handful.  She was always getting into trouble.  We have a bus award that we give out at our school every nine weeks.  She told me that she wanted to be the one that got the bus award.  I told her what all she had to do to get the bus award.  They can’t have any write ups for the bus.  She talked about it everyday and how much she wanted it.  She changed her behavior completely.  I told her mom that she was getting the bus award the day before.  I wanted to make sure that she was there to see her get it.  Her mom cried and thanked me for that.  She said that I had no idea how happy she was going to be.  She turned out to be one of the best students I’ve ever had on the bus.

I’ll leave you with this story.  I had a little dog named Rosebud to get on the bus one day.  The student told Rosebud that she couldn’t be on the bus.  She threw Rosebud off the bus and she hit every step going down the bus.  She learned her lesson Rosebud never came near the bus again.  You never know what you might encounter on a bus route.  I think the best advice that I ever received was from a former bus driver.  She said “honey don’t fret, just get in it and drive.”

If you don't know someone personally that drives a school bus, let me introduce you!

Bus drivers get up crazy early. They make sure the bus is safe for the students to pick up & take home. They have their head 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 students on their shoulders, they are SO MUCH MORE!

They tie shoes, fix zippers & backpacks. Pick up a spilled lunch (or clean up a sick tummy mess).

They care deeply, form bonds of trust, set expectations, give praise.

Show concern & empathy, enjoy the silly jokes. Worry about the sadness on faces, miss an absent child or morn who moved without a word.

Prays for them, laughs with them, hurts with them.

Just to get up and do it again the next day. Many people don't realize how emotional, stressful, consuming, and rewarding it is.

What a privilege it is to be a school bus driver. Huge shout out to my fellow brothers and sisters that care enough, are brave enough and can love enough to do this job!