Kennesaw State Big Owl Bus drivers have been a vital piece of the school’s operation for more than a decade.
These drivers ferry students around the Kennesaw and Marietta area, getting to know them and making sure they have a comfortable and safe journey.
They come from a variety of backgrounds, tolerate negative behavior and enjoy the positives of the profession.
Scott Holcomb has been a bus driver at KSU for seven years. He was previously a delivery driver who transported products, including newspapers and wine. After delivery driving, Holcomb drove at the Baltimore/Washington International Airport, rushing people to and from terminals and cars.
In order to drive a bus or delivery truck, a commercial driver’s license with a passenger endorsement is needed. Holcomb ultimately decided that passenger vehicles were better for him and got his passenger endorsement to drive a bus.
Through a friend, he acquired an interview with First Transit, the company responsible for the bus system at KSU.
“I never dreamed I would be driving a bus at KSU but here I am, happy seven years later,” Holcomb said.
Sheila Woodberry has been a bus driver for over 25 years, during most of which she was driving for the public school system. She is a mother who cites her son as her primary motivation to become a driver.
In 2014, she applied for the KSU transit service and has been a driver at the university since.
“I needed a change from the public school system and KSU has been a breath of fresh air,” Woodberry said.
The positives of the profession are largely shared by the two drivers, as they both enjoy meeting the different people who step foot on their bus.
Holcomb said that he has met people from Pakistan, Nepal, Germany, Scotland, Japan, China and more while on the job. Woodberry remarked that it is always interesting talking to professors and human resources members.
Holcomb and Woodberry both live close to KSU and agreed that convenience is a solid bonus.
To the drivers, First Transit is regarded as an understanding management team. The company will work with drivers in the event of a circumstance, such as sickness.
Above all, the drivers value the appreciation of the passengers they drive for.
“These students really appreciate us,” Holcomb said. “They are polite and courteous. I’ve even had people buy me food and drinks at Chick-fil-A before.”
Though the negatives are minute, they are shared among both drivers as well.
Holcomb said that aggressive drivers are a major pain. Bus drivers have to pay close attention to keep their passengers safe because of unpredictable people on the road.
“One lady didn’t want to wait for me and turned in front of the bus. She didn’t see a car coming up alongside me and she got hit,” Holcomb said.
Though it is tempting to try to pass the sometimes slow moving buses, the bus drivers recommend caution to those in smaller vehicles.
“These buses weigh thousands of pounds. A lot of drivers need to give us more space,” Holcomb said.
While they agree that being a B.O.B. driver is a good job and they are treated as well as can be expected, a wage increase would always be appreciated.
“More money is always nice,” Woodberry said. “Regardless, KSU is a great school for people of any background or age. It’s a pleasure to work here.”
