A day in the life of a school bus driver.

Well, no school today, but I still had to call my boss to see what he called me for and left a voicemail to call him back. Those calls always make me nervous! Well, turns out I had my 3rd complaint phone call of the week. Seems I have had a target on my back lately. I was just telling the boss that I hadn't had to talk to him in so long that I almost forgot his name. Well, that didn't last long. First, I had a complaint because I asked a tall student to help me slap my windshield wiper to the window to get the ice off(on a back dirt road, with no traffic). I guess I can't ask for help even in a snow storm! Then some bimbo calls in to say I drive the bus with no heat on! Where do these people get these hair brain ideas? Do you think I like to freeze? Then, I could not get down one of my back roads yesterday because the snow plow was having a hard time coming through to even make one lane and I had to back the bus out! So of course, that one student who lives down there has to stand out and wait for a bus that can't arrive, instead of going in and making another arrangement to get to school. It's all my fault for 4ft snow drifts and impassable roads! Every bubble headed brat on the bus now a days has a cell phone and if I forget to turn on a turn signal, someone is calling the school! What has this society come to? If I were to give any one of them the chance, they would not drive a bus for a million dollars, but they will persecute me for how I drive it and for every little mistake that they think is outta line! Sometimes I am so ready to quit! If they only realized how much I care for their kids and their safety. They don't even think of that, they just want to complain to anyone who will listen. I say give me 5 minutes with them behind the wheel and see how far they get! It is so hard to find drivers. Then when we find someone crazy enough to drive, the parents berate them with complaints! So UNGRATEFUL! Maybe if they all had to take their brats to school they would appreciate public transportation a little more. I don't know if I can make it for another 13yrs to get my 30yrs in. It gets harder everyday! One more thought for those of you who are reading this: keep in mind, that if the bus were to ever get taken hostage with your student(s) on board, I would freely GIVE MY LIFE to defend those kids on there, under my care,without reservation. How many people do you know who are willing to drive in adverse conditions, with 70+ k-12 students in the vehicle, with your back turned on them the whole time your driving, and put up with complaining phone calls all week long? Next time you see a bus driver-take my advice and thank them for what they endure so you don't have to get out and take your kids to school everyday.