Show Life of women In earlier days men were the only ones seen driving buses With the chang chang- changing ing times women are seen more and more as bus drivers In the Uintah School District there are 13 women bus drivers at the present time said Ted Taylor supervisor of oC transportation Three of oC the drivers are in the Todd Elementary and West Junior High School area The rest are in the Ver Ver- Vernal nal area Taking a ride with one of oC the bus drivers helps give you an understanding of oC what being a bus driver is all about Our ride was with Darline Ufford This is her third year driving bus When asked why she decided to become a bus driver Mrs Ufford responded I did need a job and the benefits that the school of offered and the fact that I like kids is what made up her mind that this is what she wanted to do After deciding to do this she went in inand inand and applied She completed complete the training required and worked as a substitute bus driver She said the training is like drivers driver's education very similar to your very first drivers driver's training As part of oC oCher her training she spent three days in Pro Pro- Provo Provo vo getting her defensive driving training there When asked how she felt Celt about her job she responded I love it I love the kids She said the most fun part of it is the kids I think they like me I get along well with them said Mrs Ufford when ask ed how she feels about working with the themen themen men I dont don't know how the men feel Ceel about us but I dont don't think they mind us I figure I 1 should do my job the best I can We are workers co-workers stated Mrs Ufford It is a lot of oC responsibility said Mrs Ufford She says each bus driver is responsible for Cor the maintenance of oC their bus daily cleaning of their bus th the bus in the mornings to tomake tomake make sure everything works and the bus busIs busis Is safe They are responsible for Cor transporting students to and from school schon safely run of the day Is a real challenge said Mrs Ufford Also the kids are the biggest challenge With all the different scheduled this year the buses are running on various schedules and routes throughout the day I It happens that I drive my own children Mrs Ufford said You get to know your children away from Crom home and their friends When asked about the double sessions Mrs Ufford said If people want to they can make It work One oC the bIg problems the bus drivers are facing Is people not stopping for the thebus thebus bus when they have their flashing lights on The cars and trucks arent aren't stopping 4 like they should The yellow flashing lights are caution lights When they change to red flashing ing lights all the traC fie fic Is to stop When the vehicles dont don't stop for the flashing lights the bus driver will honk their horn to remind them that they are areto areto to stop Also If the bus driver can get the license plate number they turn it In so soa soa a call can be made to the driver telling them they were seen passing a bus that had Its flashing Clashing lights on Noise is one of the things a bus driver must handle II I stop the bus and say this Is it guys said Mrs Ufford when they get too loud When problems arise with a student on the bus Mrs Ufford said Ted Taylor supervisor of transportation is really good to help them He is really a sup sup- support port to us drivers In Naples new street lights have been installed at many of oC the intersections which help those going to school and coming home from school In the dark A Alot lot of oC kids are picked up on street cor cor- corners ners The lighting at corners and In- In Intersections Intersections is a big he help p The Lights on Program has been established to help those going to school and coming home in the dark People In Inthis inthis this area should turn on their lights in the mornings from and at night from 6 to 7 pm I believe I should call everyone by byname byname name That's one of my main goals said Mrs Ufford I hate yelling Hey You bus drivers With so many students for the bus drivers to transport learning all of their names becomes a real challenge Mrs Ufford transports an average of 54 high school students to school 74 elementary students to and about 80 from school about 58 from the junior high in the evenings and about 18 1618 kindergarten students during the day The hardest thing was In learning to cope with what you are hauling said Mrs Ufford Her best run of oC the day is the I It is like hauling a bus load of adults I really admire them The average time spent at a stop is isi isia a minute to a minute and a half The students should be beat at the bus stop before the bus arrives so they dont don't have to wait longer When they have to wait longer It puts them behind and makes the other students waiting have to wait just that much longer In order for a student to get on or off at another stop that student must have havea a note from his parents or principal tell tell- telling telling ing the bus driver that they have permission permission sion to do so Without a note the bus driver will not let the student off some someplace someplace place else When asked how she handles handIes fighting on the bus Mrs Ufford said I stop and go get in the middle Those f fighting are suspended from the bus for a period of oC time Busing Is a privilege Those who abuse this privilege arent aren't allowed to ride Lori Lorl Mott age 23 is the youngest bus driver the school district has at the pre pre- present present sent time She said she had been driving bus for about three to four weeks I love loveit loveit it she said Miss Mott said some of the routes were overfilled thus making a need for another person to help with some of oC those routes At the present time she transports the junior high and high school and Naples Elementary students in the morning At Atthe Atthe the end of November she will wUl also have another route added to those she has now She is also employed as supervisor at the City Park Miss Mott said her biggest challenge is getting up that early in the morning She said I have really good kids The driving is pretty easy I feel if we can do it to do lt It said Miss Mott when asked how she feels about be- be being being ing a woman bus driver All of the guys here are so fun to work with Learning everybody's name is another challenge Miss Mott said she faces as a bus driver Margie Mott said the reason she became a bus driver Is because it is a better paying position than what I was doing Mrs Mott said I like the prestige and being able to operate a vehicle that large and feeling competent This is her fourth year driving and she feels her biggest challenge is getting the sixth and seventh graders 84 of them on her 84 passenger bus wit without out losing her sanity I like the way people look up at you from cars and say a lady bus driver I like it said Mrs Mott Linda Batty had substituted Cor a year and has been driving for two full years Her husband was driving and she began substituting for Cor him From there she became a regular bus driver Mrs Batty said her biggest challenge Is the high school students If IC they ever get into a fight I have to stop it It depends on the situation as to how she said she would handle it The most fun part for Mrs Batty is just the association with the kids She transports a group of elementary students in the mornings and the high school and elementary students In the afternoons Mrs Batty is also the mother of four This is Jo Alice Lorimor's first year as asa asa a regular bus driver here however she was a bus driver in Washington Mrs Lorimor said her biggest challenge Is being a disciplinarian I put on about miles per eta day s said lid Mrs Lorimor She has routes that take her out of town to transport those students living far away I Sharon Bills has been driving for Cor six years My law brother brother law ln-law talked me In- In Into In to it it He was a driver at the time I drove a year as a substitute and really enjoyed It t I think maintaining discipline and control and yet making sure the kids know how I really feel about them Is the biggest challenge Mrs Bills said she faces Mrs Bills feels the most fun part of her job is just working with the kids She told of a little girl who gave her a picture she drew a puzzle and a special note She told of other instances where the other bus drivers have received little notes and things from their students These are some of the special rewards or of the job I enjoy taking the field trips said Mrs Dills Bills Ted Taylor stated The gals are good conscientious safe saCe drivers According to Mr Taylor there is a hour 10 training program As they graduate te from the training course they are hired according to the grading they receive from the training program and andon andon on the present need for Cor drivers I think we got into the woman situa situa- situa situation tion when jobs were plentiful said Mr Taylor It became a second job for a family I Taking a ride with one of oC the bus you to understand what they do the responsibilities they have and what it is like to be a bus driver |