Bus drivers do a great but thankless job

Dear editor:

I am hoping that my "SHOUT" out to Mountain Home's First Student school bus drivers, managers and office help gets printed.

7:04 a.m. ... looking out through the window from inside my warm home, still in pajamas, I watch my kids board the big yellow bus. I sigh and realize what a relief it is that that bus arrives every morning. I wondered, "what do the driver's do before they get to our stop?"

Every morning my kids are picked up, taken to school and returned home safely. Same time, every day. When the weather is bad! There is the bus. I've found out that the drivers must arrive at "the shop" early enough to inspect the engine, tires, lights, wipers, emergency exits, gears, oil, signals and fuel (not gas because it is diesel!), before they even leave the bus lot!

When hearing this, I realized that while my kids and I are still asleep, their bus driver is out in the weather, cold, rain, snow, ice and dark checking out the bus my kids will ride on. And this is done EVERY DAY, and EVERY TIME the bus leaves the lot.

I'm sure there is much more that us "non-bus drivers" are unaware of that goes on. So...

I want the drivers of Mountain Home First Student to know how much I appreciate the service that I have been privileged to have and that I will be sure that MY children follow the bus rules and that they behave on your buses. I am thankful that people like you care enough to become school bus drivers.

Thanks again. Keep up the good work. Please!

-- Christine Ostberg