There's a lighter side to bus driving, and one driver decided to go
public about it.
Routes: The Lighter Side of Public Transit is the first of two books written
by Heinz Hammer, in which he compiles funny, interesting and touching stories
from bus drivers around the world.
In Hammer's 30 years as a bus driver, he's pretty much seen it
all. From the everyday interactions with regular bus riders, to tattoo enthusiasts
who decide to add spice to a ride by showing off fresh body art, Hammer has
learned the importance of a good sense of humor and patience.
A good memory is also important. A bus driver has to remember routes, timing
points, names of passengers, stops people ask for, street names and locations.
A driver also has to be a quick judge of character to assess people and their
dispositions.
Hammer, a driver for a public transit system, says he chose this career
path because he likes working with people. His passengers can number anywhere
from one to 120 at any given time. This adds up to a lot of social interaction.
It's not all fun and games, however. Safety of the passengers is a
big issue with bus drivers. "This is always in the back of your mind and should
be of utmost importance," he cautions. "People do not expect to get hurt on
a public vehicle of any kind."
Hammer says road rage is very rare in his city, but not unheard of. He
says tense situations can be diffused by passive hand signals. Inconsiderate
drivers are still a pet peeve for him, though.
Having to wake up at 2:30 a.m. every morning, shift work, driving old equipment,
and driving under adverse conditions top Hammer's least favorite list,
too. On the flip side, he has job security, gets to drive expensive equipment,
has no boss looking over his shoulder, and gets to meet and work with people
from all walks of life, young and old.
He suggests selfish, impatient, uncaring people who are not able to put
themselves in others' shoes should not pursue a bus-driving career.
"Make sure you genuinely like people and driving," he says. "If not, you
are in the wrong profession."
As with many careers these days, bus driving is changing.
"More women are driving buses than in the past," says Marilyn Bolton, who
works for a metropolitan transit commission. "Before the Second World War,
no women drove buses." But during the war, women filled job vacancies that
were left by men who went to fight.
"Women worked in factories, made airplanes and, of course, drove buses,"
says Bolton. After the fighting stopped, the female drivers didn't stay
on the routes.
"Once the war ended, the women went back to the kitchen," says Bolton.
Women didn't start driving buses again until the '70s. But as the
years pass, more and more women are joining the ranks to become bus drivers.
Bolton estimates that if 100 people apply for a bus driving job, 10 to 20
of them might be women.
"The numbers have reached a point where there are enough women that they
feel relaxed and feel companionship doing this job."
Whether male or female, in the end it's the passengers that make a
shift a pleasant or a hectic one for a bus driver.
"One of the best things about this job is getting to meet new people,"
says Bob van Briesen, a bus driver in Minnesota. "You meet people from all
walks of life." Sometimes they will simply get on the bus for a ride; other
passengers like to spend the time talking to the driver. "You meet the whole
gamut of people."
Often van Briesen opens the door to strangers, but he also greets a few
familiar faces. "There are the regulars who have the time to talk," he says.
"A retired college professor rides my route quite a bit. It makes the day
interesting."
He not only enjoys meeting new people, he likes helping them. Before driving
a city bus he drove a mobility bus for the physically challenged. Van Briesen
would go door to door helping his passengers into the shuttle. "I enjoyed
working with these people, and really being able to help."
Even though van Briesen now drives a fixed route, he is still helping the
physically challenged move about the city. "I drive one of the new handicapped-accessible
buses. Drivers don't help people on and off the bus on this kind of route,
but we do help strap them in," he says.
This type of service probably isn't as helpful as the door-to-door
mobility bus, he adds. "It still has to be good weather for many people in
wheelchairs to get to the bus stop. Snow can be difficult for them."
Snow is also difficult for van Briesen. Some winters were especially tough.
"We had lots of snow and slippery sections that slowed us down," he says.
Drivers struggle to keep on the road in the poor conditions. When the bad
weather hits, people depend on the buses to keep the city moving.
Even when the weather clears, driving can be stressful. "Once in a while
you get people who've been drinking too much and are disturbing
others," says van Briesen. Drivers have to know how to calm these people and
know when to call in extra help to get them escorted off the bus. "This doesn't
happen that often," he says. Drivers are more likely to encounter tired or
frustrated passengers.
No matter who walks through the door, the driver has to be polite and courteous.
"That's why you've really got to enjoy working with people," says
van Briesen. "If you do, then this is a perfect job."