HEART OF A BUS DRIVER

This just in from our mail box. Thanks

HEART OF A BUS DRIVER

Over the hill and down the street

Old friends to see and new faces to greet.

Your stop is at the end of the street !

Sit straight in your seat and please don't eat.

Who are you and what's your name ?

I may or may not want to play your game.

" I'm the driver of this bus and responsible for all of us.

The game I play is like baseball "THREE STRIKES YOUR OUT"

Now let me explain what bus riding is all about.

Good Morning my dears, keep your voices

down I need to hear.

Please sit down and stay seated so I

Can see all the dangers coming near.

Don't put anything out that window not even your ear.

When you look at the doom and see the light on

Don't act like you don't know what's going on.

And put away your cell phone.

"If you don't write me up this time I'll be your best friend"

They say with an angelic grin.

If you can be good for a week I'll think about it then.

Maybe you and I will be friends.

Ut Oh ! Their starting to get under your skin.

Then comes December, and for no rhyme or reason you begin to worry

about being on time to keep them from freez'n

I'M sure it's just because of the holiday season.

They come with candles, cups with funny handles and

Your favorite cookies and cakes.

I bet from here out you wait a while when their running late

It's great how they worm and squirm their way into your heart

And make it very hard at the end to part.

Some people think this is just another job, a way to make money.

Yes, their right it's that, and a lot more !

Your making a difference each day when you drive a bus.

You're the sunshine that starts their day,

By picking them up and taking them on their way.

You get their hugs and smiles as they say

"Good Morning Mr. or Ms. Bus Driver."

May God Bless and guide you along your special way

As you make a difference in the lives of our most precious cargo
everyday

YES !

A "BUS DRIVER" is what you are, and

THAT MAKES YOU VERY SPECIAL BY FAR !!

By: Florence J. Lamont


Willis ISD Transportation Department
Willis, Texas

Yikes - Spikes

Oh Man!!! more BS, from First Student of course!

Now we have to wear rubber spiky things on our boots or shoes for the winter, supposedly to stop us from slipping.

They are poor quality and break easily. Several drivers have already reported, lost spikes and broken rubber and we have had them only a couple weeks.

The tread on my own boots is better than this safety equipment, but this junk is now mandatory to be worn around the bus, and in the yards.

However because of the spikes and possible damage to floors, you cannot go into schools or offices with them on, so must remove them... this is a major hassle when they are cold and wet.

I would like to know how many are now are being forces to wear these rubber spiky things on you feet for the winter., and please share your opinion on the pros and cons of these things.

Maybe our branch is just over reacting to all of this, as most drivers in our branch are disgusted with most everything coming out these days.

Our branch has been reduced to nothing but a parking lot with a storage shed. No hydro to plug in buses, no plumbing, no nothing..

A run at my school was lost... sort of .... it actually got split between myself and another driver, more time, more distance but not enough distance to get more money.

I work an extra hour a day but get nothing for it, and this is the sort of thing that is going on around this company constantly.

WOW!!! what did First Student say when they first came here " don't worry things won't hardly change at all".... what a load of BS that was ... it sucks when you work for a nameless entity, no one is responsible for anything, complaints or problems just pass up the line to the nameless no-where, where policies are created without any actual thought to the process or to the people they effect.

Everyone knows that different areas have different needs or standards, and common sense is usually best, but.... Policy and procedure, are the catch phrases of a share holder run company, follow these rules, no matter how ridiculous they may be, or lose your job.

Man I think I need another coffee ... a strong one!

Incredible Weather

Oh I just love the warm sun we have been enjoying here. It's so nice to see such an early early spring for a change.

So what's new?

Well I have 2 new students riding my bus since I posted last and they are both settling in very nicely.

I also needed to lower the boom on a couple of litterbugs that are on my bus.

Every so often I need to remind both kids and parents that our buses are not just giant trash cans...

I have also started a new blog... that I will introduce here soon.

Enjoy the sunshine and I hope everyone has a great week!!

January 2010

First day back driving, and what kind of day is this ... A true miserable January day.

Plagued by snow squalls, not quite bad enough in my little area of the world to cancel all of our buses, the visibility was at times pretty low.

I really never mind driving in whatever weather... as long as I can see the road that is.

Thick fog or blowing snow most aways give me a headache, and I just as soon curl up with another hot coffee as bundle up to face down old mother nature on this kind of days.

But the kids were great this morning. Waiting for me, all bundled with pink noses showing and eager to tell of all the Christmas magic the holiday had had.

I love listening to the kids chatter, love listening to the telling of treasures and treats, hearing them compare notes, and giggling with each other... it's such a happy sound,... it even helps the headaches tone down... hmmmm