Buses

Ever since I was a kid, I've always loved buses - school buses, city buses, motorcoaches. I just really like them. While I couldn't really tell you anything about the engine or transmission, I've enjoyed the other parts of buses - the design, doors, lights, seating, signage, etc. When I was a kid, one of my pre-schools was at the high school as they had a childhood education program. One day when my dad was picking me up, there was a bus parked out front. The door was open and the driver was sitting inside, but I went in and just sat in one of the front seats. So when I started going to kindergarten, being able to ride the bus was exciting and really fun.

As an adult, I still love buses. The best part of being an adult is that I have adult money and I was able to buy a bus! However, that also meant that my wife had to agree on it and the only way she'd let me was if I could make money with it. Starting a transportation business isn't something I was familar with, but I learned a lot along the way! This meant that I had to get a small bus - not a 40' full size bus. But, it still counts as a bus! I kept what I could to keep the school bus charm (like the 8-way lights) but keeping it legal.

In 2015, I got a part-time job with a major entertainment company as a bus driver. They walked me through the process of getting my CDL permit (which reminded me of back when I was 15 and getting my driver's permit), medical card, and CDL training. It was great that they did the CDL school in-house because it meant I got paid to learn versus shelling out thousands of dollars to a truck driving school. After a month or so, I passed my CDL test, went to the DMV and got my CDL license. I was now a bus driver!

I absolutely loved driving Gillig and Nova buses. I really found a love for Gillig buses. It was fun learning the ins and outs of them. Like when I was a kid, I always noticed the bus door handle was different than on a school bus. So it was interesting to learn the multipositions of the door handle and finally understanding how it all worked. As one of my trainers said, once you get diesel in your blood, you never get it out.

This section is going to be developed over time as I share my bus experiences, photos, and other bus-related content. Stay tuned!