Geared up for another school year in West Clark Community Schools

West Clark bus driver starts 15th year behind the wheel

By TARA HETTINGER

This is the time of year Penny Brown looks forward to.

It’s not the impending fall season or the hope for cooler weather, but rather it’s back to school time and Brown is one of about 70 school bus drivers with West Clark Community Schools who headed back out on the roads Tuesday.

Fifteen years ago, Brown made the decision to drive a bus as a way to be with her children more by being off on the weekends, evenings, holidays and snow days.

However, it’s turned into a passion.

“I don’t think I’ve ever not liked driving. I’m very lucky,” the 47-year-old said. “You really miss the kids when you’re not here. It’s not like other jobs where you aren’t missed if you call in sick. Here, if you don’t show up and drive that bus the next day the kids will be in your face asking, ‘Where were you yesterday? We don’t want another driver!’”

The seasoned driver takes about 120 kids to school and back home five days a week, all in a school bus that isn’t air conditioned.

“You get used to it after a while,” Brown said, laughing. “You leave the windows down.”

The 5 a.m. wake-up call to get ready and watch the news for weather updates so that she starts her route on time is nothing compared to the perks of the job.

“Over the years, watching the kids grow up and seeing them out in the stores ...” Brown said, taking a moment to reminisce. “I’ve made a lot of friends and the hours are great.”

She said she also gets to know what’s in and out of style and hear all the gossip on what’s going on in school.

But the pay isn’t comparable to what other big-rig drivers are making, Brown said.

“The cargo they’re hauling is replaceable,” Brown said. “What we’re hauling is precious cargo — it can’t be replaced.”

She’s had one scary moment, which was during her second year driving for a neighboring corporation. That’s when the area had quite a bit of snow and no delay. Brown picked up some children and went to leave, but her turnaround area had not been cleared. Her back wheels then got stuck on railroad tracks.

“It wasn’t budging, so I said, ‘Guys, we have to get off these tracks.’” Brown said.

So, students rocked the bus back and forth while Brown played with the reverse and drive to free the wheels. It worked, but landed one back wheel in a ditch. Rocking couldn’t save it that time, so a spare bus was driven out and Brown and the students switched over.

“We were all safe, but a little late for school,” Brown said. “I think it taught that district a lesson that even though the roads are clean, you have to make sure the turnarounds are, too.”

Since, it’s been smooth sailing with kids on the bus, even though a few might cause problems of their own.

Brown said that’s just kids being kids, though.

“I don’t ever want to kick them off the bus [unless I have to], because that only punishes their parents,” Brown said, laughing.

Instead, she requests the school take away their recess or require them to write sentences for acting up.

But usually when students start getting out of hand, Brown resorts to her quick fix — turn off the radio.

She said that causes them to quickly straighten up.

Even with the occasional trouble, Brown loves her job.

“I do it for the satisfaction of seeing the kids,” Brown said. “When I park that bus I know I had a good day. They got to school and home safely. That’s my main objective.”

The kids love her, too.

“She’s nice and she’s a cool woman,” 11-year-old Bailey Miller said.

“She’s like really nice and she makes us laugh,” 11-year-old Katie Grider said.

Those two are part of Brown’s first route in the afternoon, which involves picking up children from St. Paul’s Catholic School and taking them to Silver Creek Elementary School, where they load the bus that goes to where they live.

Brown then takes a load of elementary students home. Lastly, she returns to the campus to get middle- and high-school students to take home.

With the first day done, Brown is already looking forward to day two.

“I’m ready. I’m ready,” she said, grinning.