Driving a Bus is the Perfect Job for College Students

How did you find this job?

When asked what drew him to becoming a bus driver, Jermaine said that he had been interested in it since he was a bus rider.

"I've always wanted to be a bus driver since I was a little kid. My bus driver of eight years had made that look fun for me. So, when I was searching for a new job, I looked into the criteria for my local bus company, and I was like, 'Okay, let's give this a shot!' Then, a couple of months later, I started driving, and I have been driving ever since."

After he started driving buses for another company in his hometown, he decided he wanted to continue doing it while in school. So, he did some digging and found Student Transit in Eau Claire, which got him started pretty quickly.

"I met with Jen, the HR person, and she gave me a little tour. Then, she gave me the paperwork to fill out, and it only took them like a week or two to get everything going for me."

What is your favorite part about being a bus driver?

With a natural affinity towards children and a desire to become a teacher one day, Jermaine has found that, as a bus driver, he can positively connect with students, which is why he enjoys it so much.

"My favorite part about the job is being able to impact some of the kids' lives. It's just heartwarming. They ask you questions and get to know you, and I think that's pretty cool that some of these kids like to have that bond."

Why is this a good job for college students?

With college classes, finding a job that works around varying schedules can sometimes be difficult. But, Jermaine says that Student Transit has been great at helping him navigate that.

"They have a variety of routes that can meet my requirements for being there every day. If I'm done early, or I don't have a class that day, I'll drive a route. Otherwise, field trips are what I go for. It's a lot of flexibility, me working with them and them working with me."

He also says that it is an excellent opportunity for students to learn about the city they live in outside of the university campus and interact with new people.

"It's a great way for people to get involved with their community and know what's happening in the area. Especially with the field trips. I usually go and watch my teams; I support them, and I'll cheer 'em on. Like, I'll go watch a football team and tell them they did great that day, and they're always so appreciative."

Sometimes, there's even downtime during field trips where you can enjoy watching a sports game or getting some homework done.

"You don't necessarily have to watch them. You can do whatever as long as you're there to pick them up. But, I'll do my homework and watch them play a basketball game or something, which is a great way to motivate myself."

Overall, Jermaine feels that becoming a bus driver is an excellent option for students balancing work and school simultaneously.

"It's just a nice, easy job. It's only a couple of hours if you want a week. It's pretty flexible with most students' schedules. I know a lot of my friends are interested in doing it."

Is being a bus driver stressful?

While the job does come with some unique learning curves, Jermaine says it's nothing a person who has worked in other positions can't handle.

"It was challenging initially, but I've worked in other jobs in high-paced, fast-changing environments. So, this is nothing compared to that… There are some frustrations on the job, but that's every job."

How was learning to drive the bus?

Some people may hesitate to become bus drivers because they are nervous about learning how to drive the bus. But Jermaine says it's much easier than you think and just takes practice.

"It is intimidating because it is a much larger vehicle, and you must get used to it. But my trainers were always confident in me and told me not to fear the bus because I controlled it. Once I got the hang of it, it became fun."

He said that his supervisors were very supportive and more than willing to help him along the way.

"If you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask."

Is it challenging to work with so many kids?

Jermaine acknowledges that transporting many energetic students around can seem overwhelming, but you can get more comfortable with it over time.

"You're the one in control. You're the one that sets the rules. You're the one in charge of the bus. So, it's nothing scary. You just gotta remind yourself of that."

As a bus driver, it is somewhat inevitable that you'll experience some behavior challenges with different students over time. But Student Transit has a great system in place to help with that.

"With the kids' behaviors, it's best to approach with a positive mindset or attitude. If you are continuously having issues with specific children, learn their names. At Student Transit, we have a Mischief Program, so if a kid is not behaving, you can go into the computer and write them up, and you'll get support from our internal program manager and the school administrators."

Jermaine says you never really feel alone while managing students, as there is often a support network of people ready to assist as needed.

"That's another thing -- if you're having issues with children, teachers are more than happy to help out."

And, if you are intimidated by the younger students, there are other options.

"If you want to do this, you don't have to do school routes; you can just do field trips. We have just charter drivers at our company, where they do field trips for everybody, and if that works with your schedule, cool. And if you're not comfortable with the younger kids, then you can do charters, and they're mostly high schoolers or college students."

What do you like about Student Transit?

Regarding school bus companies, Jermaine agrees that Student Transit is pretty top-tier.

"I like the setup at Student Transit since there's only one terminal. They're well-organized and have route sheets there for you. So, when I have to sub, I go into the drawers and find my routes. Most drivers will also have notes about where to pick kids up, smaller roads, etc. It helps me out for sure."

He appreciates that the whole team is supportive and works together efficiently.

"A lot of the drivers here are friendly. They're nice and always help me out. Communication is another thing here that's pretty tight."

And, as a bonus, the buses and garage are in great shape.

"Another thing here is they keep their buses in this giant garage. So, in the winter, when it gets super cold, the doors keep the buses warm in the garage. So that's pretty nice. And they really, really take care of the buses, which is pretty cool."

What would you say to a student who is interested in this job?

If there's one piece of advice Jermaine could give about this job, you should be prepared to learn new skills and everything that comes with it.

"Patience. You gotta have patience if you wanna do this because every kid is different, and it takes some time to get used to them."

And, all things considered, he believes being a bus driver is the perfect job for others in his demographic.

"It's just a fun job. I'd highly encourage other college students to do it. It's a simple job and intimidating at first, but once you get everything under control, like the patience part and getting used to the job, it's super simple. And, it's not bad for what they pay."

If you're interested in joining our team of awesome bus drivers, visit our employment page for more information on available opportunities.