What drives the bus system is the bus driver it seems to me. A play on words here… the bus driver is the passenger attraction, and they make it all work. So I was wondering what drives the bus driver.
I have had the opportunity to ride on Dawn’s bus several times, and then have a sit across the table visit with her. (Thanks to the transit leadership for making the way to provide this opportunity.)
Dawn has several defining characteristics of her character that stood out to me. Here’s how she got where she is and what she is about.
Dawn didn’t have a childhood dream to be a bus driver. As a stay-at-home mom in a small town, when her kids got school age she wanted to get out more. She saw an ad that the school was looking for a bus driver. Dawn responded to the ad and the next 10 years or so she was taking kids to and from school. This plan was perfect for her… getting out and getting her kids, and the kids of her community, off to and home from school.
Later, a major school district was looking for a school bus driver trainer. That developed and after four years of training school bus drivers, she is now part of the CU Transit system. As a bus driver, she is also continuing her education at Drury University in Organizational Communications.
Her favorite part of the day is the early morning pulling out. Getting people to work, kids to school, she enjoys the time of getting people to where they need to go. I kidded with her that so you went from being a stay-at-home Mom to being the Mom of the city. She laughed which made me think I struck a chord. I think she gets similar fulfillment … getting people safely to their destination.
Two areas seemed to rise up in importance to her as we talked. Safety and respect. Dawn is very concerned for people’s safety and watches it carefully. I remember on a snowy day, as I was boarding her bus, she cautioned me to be careful, and watched my step as I was stepping on some plowed snow to get on the bus. She made it a point to make sure I got on safely. I have observed she keeps her eyes on the passenger from the time they step on to seated, and then taking that last step off the bus ...constantly consistent in doing this.
Respect is important to her. All people deserve respect she told me. She listens well, and no matter who talks to her she is attentive to them. “Every person has value and every person deserves respect.” When you listen you also know your passengers’ needs. “How can you build your clientele if you don’t know the needs of your customers,” she added.
I wondered if she had to deal with any disturbances. No, she said, she usually nips any potential sign of that in the bud early on so it doesn’t escalate. Most passengers are very nice and courteous people she said. Being on the bus is an orderly, courteous and safe place.
(To me it may show how respect is reciprocated… show respect, you get respect.)
I have had the opportunity to ride on Dawn’s bus several times, and then have a sit across the table visit with her. (Thanks to the transit leadership for making the way to provide this opportunity.)
Dawn has several defining characteristics of her character that stood out to me. Here’s how she got where she is and what she is about.
Dawn didn’t have a childhood dream to be a bus driver. As a stay-at-home mom in a small town, when her kids got school age she wanted to get out more. She saw an ad that the school was looking for a bus driver. Dawn responded to the ad and the next 10 years or so she was taking kids to and from school. This plan was perfect for her… getting out and getting her kids, and the kids of her community, off to and home from school.
Later, a major school district was looking for a school bus driver trainer. That developed and after four years of training school bus drivers, she is now part of the CU Transit system. As a bus driver, she is also continuing her education at Drury University in Organizational Communications.
Her favorite part of the day is the early morning pulling out. Getting people to work, kids to school, she enjoys the time of getting people to where they need to go. I kidded with her that so you went from being a stay-at-home Mom to being the Mom of the city. She laughed which made me think I struck a chord. I think she gets similar fulfillment … getting people safely to their destination.
Two areas seemed to rise up in importance to her as we talked. Safety and respect. Dawn is very concerned for people’s safety and watches it carefully. I remember on a snowy day, as I was boarding her bus, she cautioned me to be careful, and watched my step as I was stepping on some plowed snow to get on the bus. She made it a point to make sure I got on safely. I have observed she keeps her eyes on the passenger from the time they step on to seated, and then taking that last step off the bus ...constantly consistent in doing this.
Respect is important to her. All people deserve respect she told me. She listens well, and no matter who talks to her she is attentive to them. “Every person has value and every person deserves respect.” When you listen you also know your passengers’ needs. “How can you build your clientele if you don’t know the needs of your customers,” she added.
I wondered if she had to deal with any disturbances. No, she said, she usually nips any potential sign of that in the bud early on so it doesn’t escalate. Most passengers are very nice and courteous people she said. Being on the bus is an orderly, courteous and safe place.
(To me it may show how respect is reciprocated… show respect, you get respect.)
The passenger group is diversified. Some people may see a small city bus as a service to the needy, but Dawn said her passengers are from all places of life. You see shirts and ties, work apparel, business and community service people, students… etc.
Give transit more than one chance, things are not always as they may seem from the first perception, Dawn reiterated. (Personally, I know that’s what I did. I gave it a chance. I tried it. Liked it. And continue to use it. To me, it is an interesting environment, gives me time to think and de-clutter my mind.)
What would you like from the passengers I asked? She said having their money, passes ready when they get on the bus. It’s important to her to be on time. An extra minute or two at several stops can put the bus behind on its time points. What concerns her are the cold days, people waiting in the cold when she is trying to get to their stop on time.
What stood out is Dawn’s character. She genuinely likes people and enjoys getting them to their destination. Her gifts as a person, which are strengths for being a driver, come through. A helper by her nature, I saw Dawn excellent at interpersonal communications(knowing how to explain something at a person’s plane of understanding), a listener who cares for each person as a valued person, and one who demonstrates respect and, consequently, receives it too. She said her parents were good to people, a quality inbred in her character as well.
In the future, Dawn hopes her studies in Organizational Communications can bring added value to the transit system. Already good at communicating with people (add being “Mom of the city” :), Dawn brings transit an ideal of what those of us who ride the bus appreciate, are glad for and value.
“What you give, will be given back to you in even greater degrees.” (Jesus)
(A recent book summary about givers and takers is at
Give transit more than one chance, things are not always as they may seem from the first perception, Dawn reiterated. (Personally, I know that’s what I did. I gave it a chance. I tried it. Liked it. And continue to use it. To me, it is an interesting environment, gives me time to think and de-clutter my mind.)
What would you like from the passengers I asked? She said having their money, passes ready when they get on the bus. It’s important to her to be on time. An extra minute or two at several stops can put the bus behind on its time points. What concerns her are the cold days, people waiting in the cold when she is trying to get to their stop on time.
What stood out is Dawn’s character. She genuinely likes people and enjoys getting them to their destination. Her gifts as a person, which are strengths for being a driver, come through. A helper by her nature, I saw Dawn excellent at interpersonal communications(knowing how to explain something at a person’s plane of understanding), a listener who cares for each person as a valued person, and one who demonstrates respect and, consequently, receives it too. She said her parents were good to people, a quality inbred in her character as well.
In the future, Dawn hopes her studies in Organizational Communications can bring added value to the transit system. Already good at communicating with people (add being “Mom of the city” :), Dawn brings transit an ideal of what those of us who ride the bus appreciate, are glad for and value.
“What you give, will be given back to you in even greater degrees.” (Jesus)
(A recent book summary about givers and takers is at
Spirit Savvy Business blog by Dale Shumaker.)
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