By BLAINE CONLEY
Assistant Superintendent, Tippecanoe Valley School Corporation

Blaine Conley, assistant superintendent Tippecanoe Valley School Corporation

AKRON — Typically, the response I receive from people when asked if they would ever want to be a bus driver is, “No way!” Everyone knows how critical transporting students to and from school is to the success of students. Many imagine how difficult it is to accomplish this task especially taking into consideration the conditions of our roads in the winter months, student behavior, and a lack of parental support. But, our bus drivers still get the job done day in and day out.

I’m privileged to work with these dedicated professionals within the transportation department at Tippecanoe Valley. Our school corporation is 200 square miles. Our buses travel down dirt roads in the pitch black of morning and sometimes in the onset of late arriving fog (we make the decision on delays by no later than 6:15 a.m.).

Twenty-eight drivers have an accumulated 344 years of driving experience. Daily, our buses travel approximately 1,500 miles on the roads of Kosciusko and Fulton Counties. We also have drivers who transport our students to athletic events, academic competitions, and field trips.

Melinda Pratt, TVSC route driver for 20 years, responded to the question, “Why be a bus driver?” with the following:

“My experiences that have come from driving bus are priceless. Several bus drivers and former bus drivers are now long time respected friends. One of my former students is now a fellow bus driver. The everyday happenings are always unpredictable, and it’s never boring. It’s been great getting to know so many students and parents over the years.”

“My parents both worked extremely hard. They taught me that there are no demeaning or unimportant jobs as long as you do them well. That is what I strive to do. Most people would never consider being a school bus driver and don’t really think about the responsibility we have. No, we are not teachers or administrators. But I am the one that loads your most important and precious loved ones in a bus every morning, and God willing I bring them safely home to you in the afternoon. As jobs go, is it a good gig? Well, that’s debatable. But it sure is a pretty important one. And I’m proud to do it.”

Duane Hackwork, TVSC route driver for 32 years, responded to the same question by stating, “I really enjoy the kids, especially the little ones who are riding for the first time.”

In summary, transportation is one cog in the wheel of educating our children. The value of the service provided by our bus drivers, coupled with the responsibilities of the job, make the day-to-day operations our bus drivers perform invaluable.