![\"Transit](\"https:\/\/addtransit.com\/images\/blog\/Transit-Driver-Appreciation-Day.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nHere are some of the ways bus drivers do an amazing job:<\/p>\n
They Keep You Safe<\/strong><\/p>\n According to research done in the EU<\/a>, buses are the safest way to travel.\u00a0 They are even safer than walking!\u00a0 This is in large part due to the excellent training<\/a> that bus drivers receive.\u00a0 They have to pass difficult knowledge and driving tests, take medical exams, and continue to take classes throughout their careers to improve their driving.<\/p>\n Most people have had the experience of driving the family car with the distractions of passengers talking or kids crying.\u00a0 Now imagine doing it with 30 passengers while handling a 40 foot, 27,000 pound vehicle!\u00a0 Bus drivers must be intensely focused at all times to keep you safe on the road.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n They Drive in All Weather<\/strong><\/p>\n Some people might choose to take the bus in the winter when the weather is bad so they don’t have to drive.\u00a0 But the bus drivers are still driving in that nasty weather!\u00a0 Bus drivers work in rain, sleet, hail, snow, and high winds, at all times of day and night.\u00a0 Not only do they have to make sure their own driving is safe, slow, and careful, they have to watch out for other drivers who are going too fast for the conditions.\u00a0 People slide on the ice or pull right out in front of buses, and those buses don’t stop on a dime!\u00a0 Bus drivers have to be extremely skilled to stay safe in winter weather conditions.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n They’re Usually on Time (and when they’re not, it’s usually for a good reason!)<\/strong><\/p>\n Bus drivers do an excellent job of running their routes on time.\u00a0 Think about how difficult it is to time a trip.\u00a0 You’ve been to the same grocery store or friend’s house or you kid’s school dozens, maybe hundreds of times, but do you know exactly, down to the minute, how long it takes to get there?\u00a0 Most of us estimate, “Oh, it takes about 10 minutes,” then when we hit a little traffic, we’re 5 minutes late!<\/p>\n Bus drivers stay on track the majority of the time.\u00a0 It’s frustrating when they are late, but consider the reasons.\u00a0 They may have had to help someone in a wheelchair get on or off the bus at the last stop.\u00a0 Maybe there was a car accident and they were held up in traffic.\u00a0 Maybe an elderly passenger took a long time fishing change out of her purse.\u00a0 Try to be patient with your bus driver when he or she is late, and consider all the times they have been on time despite constant fluctuations in the contributing factors.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Bus Drivers Deal with All Sorts of People S<\/strong>ometimes passengers get angry at bus drivers for not having change, for fare increases or for being 30 seconds late.\u00a0 Sometimes passengers are intoxicated and acting rowdy.\u00a0 Some passengers harass other passengers, threaten other passengers or the driver, or bring weapons on the bus.\u00a0 Bus drivers deal with all of this in a professional and firm, yet kind manner.\u00a0 They have to make judgement calls about allowing potentially troublesome passengers on the bus and how to handle rule violations like standing in the front of the bus, and they have to do it in such a way that does not escalate a possibly dangerous situation.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Bus Drivers Do It All With a Smile<\/strong><\/p>\n Even on less eventful days, bus drivers have to deal with hundreds of people in a polite and professional manner.\u00a0 They say “hello” and “good morning” and “have a nice day” dozens of times.\u00a0 They patiently help an elderly passenger up the steps, give a lollypop to an upset child, and listen to that one passenger’s story about his cats for the 300th time.\u00a0 They remember the names and the faces and the usual stops of their regular passengers, and they help new passengers figure out the transit map.\u00a0 And they do it all with a smile!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n On this Transit Driver Appreciation Day, AddTransit wants to say THANK YOU to all the bus drivers around the world for doing their job well, keeping their passengers safe, and providing excellent customer service!<\/p>\n If you’d like a special way to say thank you to your bus driver, check out the Transit Driver Appreciation Day website<\/a>.\u00a0 They have thank you cards you can print.\u00a0 You can also use the #tdad hashtag on social media and tag your bus or public transit company.<\/p>\n
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