The Unexpected Ride: A City Bus Driver’s Tale of Patience and Humor

Driving a city bus is more than just following a route and keeping to a schedule. It’s about navigating through a world filled with diverse people, each with their own story, attitude, and way of dealing with life’s challenges. It’s a job that tests your patience, empathy, and ability to keep a cool head—especially in the aftermath of Covid when the streets can feel a little more chaotic than usual.

One of our newest drivers, who’s had a CDL for years but just started working on the bus, recently had an incident that perfectly encapsulates what it’s like to drive a city bus. In training, we’re taught to stick to the schedule—if passengers aren’t at the stop, you leave. There’s simply no time to wait. But sometimes, passengers don’t exactly follow the rules.

A few days ago, a young woman waiting at a stop was on a mission—not just to catch the bus, but to wait for her boyfriend, who had sent her ahead to catch it. She told the driver, in no uncertain terms, that he would have to wait for her boyfriend to show up. When the driver opened the door and she stepped on, she made it clear that she wasn’t getting off until her boyfriend was on board, too.

Now, city buses are equipped with accordion-style doors, so she managed to step just far enough in to prevent the driver from closing them. But despite the heated exchange of words—filled with cursing and threats—he calmly told her that he wasn’t going to wait. He had a route to follow, and the schedule had to be kept.

Here’s the twist: The boyfriend she was waiting for was nowhere in sight. The driver kept an eye out for him, hoping to see someone running toward the bus, but there was no sign of him.

At this point, the driver, who is known for his laid-back attitude and sense of humor, continued on his route. The woman, realizing that the bus wasn’t stopping, started yelling even louder, demanding to be let off. By then, they had already passed two stops. True to his training—and his nature—the driver pulled over and let her off.

As she stormed off, the bus driver watched her take off running back toward the direction they’d just come from. It was a moment that left everyone on the bus chuckling, even though it could have easily turned into something more stressful.

In this line of work, humor is often the best defense against frustration. There are always passengers who try to push your buttons, but a smile and a laugh can help defuse the situation. Most bus drivers, despite the challenges, are compassionate people. We deal with a range of emotions, from kindness to hostility, and it’s our job to keep that compassion intact, no matter how trying the day might get.

Because, in the end, if you hold a grudge, you won’t last long in this job. There’s always another stop to reach, another passenger to help, and another moment to laugh off.

Feel free to tweak or adjust anything you’d like! If you’d like to add a personal touch or further expand on any part, let me know!