As the wheels on the bus go round and round for the first day of school today, bus drivers are reflecting on their role in a student's life.
"The primary role is to get children to and from school safely," said Bryan Abbot, director of transportation at Fulton Public Schools. "But, the driver is the first and last person from school the students see every day. With that comes the responsibility of starting them off on the right foot and getting them home."
Bus drivers have been portrayed in pop culture as everything from the cold, uninviting Dorothy Harris in "Forrest Gump" to the laid back rocker Otto from "The Simpsons."
The reality, Abbot said, involves many early mornings and long hours.
"Drivers give a lot," he said. "Even though they run routes in the mornings and afternoons, sometimes work can take up a majority of their day. Not everybody would want to work the schedule of a bus driver. Their schedule is unique."
According to Jennifer Doebelin, assistant to maintenance and transportation for the district, a driver's work isn't only limited to the school year.
"Leading up to the first day of school, drivers have already been here multiple times to run their routes and make sure they know where the kids are," she said. "They take on a huge responsibility for a part-time worker."
Although many people have daily interaction with a school bus driver, they're often misunderstood, said Jakob Shill, a bus driver for Fulton Public Schools.
"The biggest thing is what we go through daily," he said. "I have one of the biggest buses and carry a lot of students. It can get loud, kids fight, kids don't get along."
The safety of the precious cargo a driver carries requires focus and diligence, and remaining focused comes with its own challenges, Abbot said.
"They have to watch other motorists and their actions, they have to be on time because families plan around the bus schedule, yet we know we have to drive and remain safe," he said. "They're managing a diverse group of kids of all ages and demographics on their buses. You have to manage all that while driving."
"They really do bend over backwards when they have a problematic stop and see something that's unsafe," she added. "They do everything they can to make sure there's as little hazard as possible."
Along with a focus on safety, the drivers are also acutely aware of their opportunity to positively influence children, Shill said.
"We don't know how many have positive role models at home, so I ask them what they like, and let them know I care about them," he said. "I like to think I've made a difference in their lives."
Shill, who is also a full-time student at Westminster College, said driving a bus is a great way to supplement his income that more people should do.
"I don't know why more college students don't do this," he said. "It's work that you get paid really well for. It's been great."
Being close to the students is an opportunity to change the life of a child, Doebelin said.
"I genuinely think all the drivers believe they can do good for the kids," she said. "They take interest in them, say hello, ask how their day is. They take pride in each of the students on their bus."
Although being a successful bus driver requires sacrifice and dedication, Abbot said it is all worth it.
"It's a very rewarding profession," he added. "They're a very important part of the academic lives of the children. They take a lot of pride in that. The drivers get to see the students grow up and graduate, and they feel like they were part of their lives."
For anyone interested in working as a driver, Abbot said, the district is currently hiring part-time. For more information about Fulton Public Schools transportation, call 573-590-8020, or visit the district website at www.fulton58.org.