Hi, We just finished an amazing cruise to Alaska. Great weather and great
port of calls. To top it off we took the train from Seattle to Portland.
This has to be one of the most beautiful train rides in the states. Dad

Random Thoughts of a New Bus Driver

 

                                             By Errol Bagley Seniority # 562 *

 

At the end of 2007 I entered semi retirement. It was kind of interesting for about five weeks and then I abruptly realized I needed something to do each day and someone to report to. For some years I had noticed the signs on school buses parked at schools advertising for new drivers and they even pay you to train.

 

As I looked into it I found that this was a job with low pay, high turnover, and a chance to drive an unairconditioned  forty-foot bus full of kids twice a day in rush hour traffic.  I'm thinking, this could be the job for me . I began training. Had I known all the things you would be expected to know and how long the training was I might have reconsidered? I thought several times that I should have tried being an airline pilot instead. They after all don't even have to sit with their passengers and they get in-flight meals.

 

As I began ride alongs at the "Broadway yard" it was still dark in the mornings. It was quite a revelation to see all the red and amber lights flashing in the dark as the drivers were pre-checking dozens of buses at a time. At the time I didn't even know what the strange "woofing" sound the brake test was. The sound of big diesel engines has always been music to my ears. It was even cold outside. This is something I will try to remember this August as school starts again.

 

A "drivers lounge" might bring to mind images that would be different than what one sees at the Broadway yard. This lounge I can only guess began its life as a doublewide classroom. Perhaps after it was deemed unsafe for children or otherwise condemned it was turned into a bus driver's lounge. I try to time my check-ins and outs as to spend the minimum amount of time there.  I have  enjoyed getting to know more of the drivers each week and that is the only thing that persuades me to linger in this place.

 

The "dispatchers" are amazing. They sit barely visible inside two small windows like friendly pit bosses that know everything. They seem to know all the drivers, all the buses, all the schools and all the roads. During the day they choreograph a delicate dance of drivers moving thousands of students on hundreds of buses through out the city never knowing what challenge is just seconds away on the radio.

 

"The Start Up". In days of yesterfar* the bringing to life of a big diesel engine in the morning used to be a well-guarded male ritual so powerful it has been known to raise testosterone levels right on the spot. It meant that you were about to ascend to your seat behind a twenty-inch steering wheel. You will look down on most other drivers. They will not harm you in this forty-foot fortress. You will stop traffic in both directions with the flip of a switch. You will protect your young passengers against all comers . No one will enter your bus without your permission. You are the captain of your yellow and black ship. You are…………… Suddenly this male fantasy is interrupted as you notice the captain of the ship next to you has just boarded her vessel. She is a twenty two year old who took time to do her make up before reporting to her battle station this morning. O the bastions of male superiority. How many more will fall??

 

* Mr. "B" is a 64  year old mostly retired painting contractor , father of five sons, three daughters, grandfather of twenty two grandchildren and married to his dear wife Elaine for  forty  two years. 
* Yesterfar is a word invented by a local boy Randy LeSueur to be used in a national advertising campaign for Old Spice featuring Will Ferrell and produced by my son Jason Bagley.

Re: locked cuboards

The vending machine is a brilliant concept. The money you give your kids would come back to the family instead of whoever else has a vending machine.  Reuse, recycle.  Really I am not a big fan of vending machines.  I think it is a crime to have them in schools, especially filled with caffeinated sodas.  But I am certainly not opposed to bribes for children.  Despite the abundance of unhealthy foods readily available in our pantry, we do have a stash of candy kept high in my closet for bribing purposes.  The old "you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar" really works.  Going to Eugene's must have been like when Camrey goes to Jessie's house.  She raids their pantry for pop tarts, lipton soup and ego waffles.  Why in the world would you like that when you can have delicious homemade treats?  Oh well, there was a time in my young life when I would have traded a dozen homemade cookies for a bite of a twinkie.

Jean

On Thu, May 15, 2008 at 10:04 PM, Errol Bagley <eebagley@hotmail.com> wrote:

There is a long history of locked cuboards in our family. Mom told me that her mother had one and the kids learned to take the hinges off when she was gone and get into the treats without unlocking it. "Treats "were real special in those days as they were scarce.

 

My cousin Eugene was an only child. In their home there were candy dishes out with candy in them all the time. This was amazing to me when I went to visit.

 

I think the answer is a home vending machine where the kids could put in there allowance money to get treats. Extra money could be earned for extra chores to get more treats. The kids might then start a new business by puting vending machines into their friends houses and servicing them.  Dad

RE: locked cuboards

so i've been thinking about this dilemma and at first thought i sided with Jarom, but then Heidi brought up a valid point. I was then at a loss...thankfully we have in ingenious father who, i must say, hit the nail on the head. Not only is it cool to have a vending machine, but it also solves all the problems you and all your hoodlum children seem to be encountering. At Sam's club you can get a gatorade/water/pop vending machine for less than $3,000, and a snack/candy machine for a little less than $2,000. Think of the future, it's worth it.
best of luck to you all. i'm not having children,
ashley

Heidi-if you're about to write me and tell me that your kids would only learn to break into the machine, then it's probably time to bring back the arabian nights style of government...tell them that you love them, but you're going to have to cut off their hands.

________________________________
> From: eebagley@hotmail.com
> To: andrewtbagley@gmail.com; ashleybagley@hotmail.com; beckycbagley@gmail.com; reachelbagley@gmail.com; richbag@gmail.com; robbagley@gmail.com; eebagley.starvalleycowboy@blogger.com; jhd3978@yahoo.com; jane.heidi@gmail.com; jarombagley@gmail.com; jasonbagley@mac.com; jeanbagley@gmail.com; jillbagley@mac.com; karabagley@gmail.com
> Subject: locked cuboards
> Date: Thu, 15 May 2008 21:04:48 -0700
>
> There is a long history of locked cuboards in our family. Mom told me that her mother had one and the kids learned to take the hinges off when she was gone and get into the treats without unlocking it. "Treats "were real special in those days as they were scarce.
>
> My cousin Eugene was an only child. In their home there were candy dishes out with candy in them all the time. This was amazing to me when I went to visit.
>
> I think the answer is a home vending machine where the kids could put in there allowance money to get treats. Extra money could be earned for extra chores to get more treats. The kids might then start a new business by puting vending machines into their friends houses and servicing them. Dad

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