Why No One Wants To Be A School Bus Driver Anymore (And How To Fix It)

We dive into why bus driver roles are hard to fill and what actually keeps wheels turning: pay, hours, culture, and care. A Detroit “free rides” controversy tests the line between good intent and safe policy while we share ideas that make recruiting and retention real.

• lost recording and light banter that leads to shortage theme
• statewide shortage context and post‑COVID pressures
• cross‑training and flexible scheduling to build full‑time hours
• hiring for heart as well as a CDL
• pay versus benefits trade‑offs and living on split shifts
• behavior management, parent expectations, and driver temperament
• low‑cost appreciation perks and pride in well‑maintained buses
• using CDL staff across departments to avoid route cancellations
• Detroit livestream “free ride” incident and safety lessons
• routine, fit, and who thrives in the role
• teaser for future “from the road” story

You can text or call us at 757-529-1574
Send a middle finger emoji to that number so we’ll know you’re one of the crew

“These are our stories from the driver’s seat—our opinions only, not our  employer’s or school district’s. Student safety and privacy always come first, so no names, faces, routes, or ‘you know that kid’ details ever make it on the podcast.

Email us at schoolbusbanter@gmail.com

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Transcript

Cold Open And Lost Recording

SPEAKER_02 0:25

Welcome back. You're listening to School Bus Banter episode eight or something like that.

SPEAKER_00 0:31

Something like that. I'm oh hi Jerry. I'm Joe. That didn't sound you were like, hi Jerry. Like, are you annoyed with me? Hi, Jerry.

SPEAKER_02 0:42

No.

Prank Idea Sparks Route Talk

SPEAKER_00 0:43

We're continuing. We're continuing. So just behind the scenes, y'all, we fucking just did like No, we? Sorry. No, no, no. Let me let me say, we we bantered for six minutes roughly, and I just realized I wasn't recording like a frickin' noob. And I hate my life.

SPEAKER_02 1:03

Well, yeah, Mr. I have done 300 podcasts.

SPEAKER_00 1:06

Yeah, I've done a lot. I bet I have recorded 700 podcasts.

SPEAKER_02 1:13

Oh.

SPEAKER_00 1:14

And I'm I'm telling you, on one job.

SPEAKER_02 1:19

Go ahead. I'm playing.

SPEAKER_00 1:22

I know. I know. Uh, what what were we talking about? I want to go back to that. We were talking about okay. We were talking about what we're talking about the Chinese fire drill, and then we were talking about is that politically correct? We didn't figure that out, but how did we get on that topic? I we need to preface it.

SPEAKER_02 1:41

Um, you wanted to see, well, first of all, it would be funny if we just one morning all got on someone else's bus for the kids, like a prank.

SPEAKER_00 1:53

And then we talked about you and I should just do it, but then we would get in trouble. And then I was gonna say, you always ask for forgiveness, you never ask for permission. Oh, and then I was saying, oh my gosh, it's coming back to me now, that they wouldn't care because the kids would get there, right? The kids would get there, and and you know, there's it's it's I know I'm so fucking mad I didn't record that. And there's a shortage of bus drivers, and we're gonna be talking about that today.

SPEAKER_02 2:17

There you go, we got to the point.

SPEAKER_00 2:19

Barely. I would wish I had the first thing. We were I was rocking, I was rolling.

SPEAKER_02 2:25

You still did good because let's go back to um where you're right. We I don't think we get in trouble because we just okay. First, they'd be like, Why'd you do that? And we're like, Oh, we just want to see if we had any mistakes in our routes, and we do it so automatically every day that maybe there's something that you know we could catch on other other people's routes and make it right. But two, we picked up all the kids, right?

SPEAKER_00 2:46

So you shouldn't care because honestly, other than another driver seeing us, I don't think it no one no one would say anything, right? I don't think they would. I mean, it's not like the kid the kid knows it's a a a grand, like they don't know that I am. I'm like, oh, I guess we got a sub today. Miss Miss Joe is gone or Mr. Jerry's gone. I guess we have a sub. So I don't think the kids would report it. I think the other drivers would be like, what the fuck?

SPEAKER_02 3:12

Why it would be so funny. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_00 3:15

It would be so funny. Um real quick before we jump into business, I think I think it's time for a guest.

SPEAKER_02 3:22

Oh, yeah, that would be fun.

SPEAKER_00 3:25

Yes, and don't be shy about it. You are on camera, but like we don't record that part. We just record the audio if I hit record correctly.

SPEAKER_02 3:33

If if you can wear a face mask if you're getting ready for bed, you can have PJs on. No, there's no um judgment here for sure.

SPEAKER_00 3:43

I mean, we're beautiful, but that you know, you're just gonna have to deal with that when you come on.

Inviting Listeners And Community

SPEAKER_02 3:48

I mean, I get really tired of people staring at me, but I get it.

SPEAKER_00 3:54

I mean, yes.

SPEAKER_02 3:56

I get it.

SPEAKER_00 3:57

All right. So this is the news edition, real quick. Business email schoolbusbanter at gmail.com to tell us you want to be on the show. Uh, Facebook group link is in the description. It's all fixed. Yay, yay, yay. And then we have a phone number. You can text or call us.

SPEAKER_02 4:10

Our phone number.

SPEAKER_00 4:11

Our phone number is 757-529-1574. You can text us. Uh, you can you can be you can be part of the joke, the middle finger joke that someone allegedly didn't do. And you can send us a middle finger emoji at that number, and we'll be like, oh, it's one of the crew. I love it. It's a new crew.

SPEAKER_02 4:29

We'll know. We'll know what they're talking about.

SPEAKER_00 4:31

We'll know. Yeah, that's all.

SPEAKER_02 4:32

We don't even you don't even have to put any explanation by that that person is no longer here.

SPEAKER_00 4:40

That person's gone.

SPEAKER_02 4:41

They're like big reality, big reality check.

School Bus Shortage Headline

Cross-Training And Flexible Schedules

SPEAKER_00 4:44

Yeah, they're like, these, these, these people are crazy. So all right, school bus in the news. Uh, yeah, one of the things we want to talk about is the statewide school bus shortage. Um, so it was an article uh out of Michigan, and they just talked about like it's just really hard since COVID. Everything since COVID, right? Like that's that's my new timestamp of stuff. Did it happen pre-COVID or post-COVID? Um, this district says they have uh serves about 9,000 students, of those between 4 and 5K rely on transportation daily, but it's it's man, they're they're struggling with it. Um, this district said that they have implemented several innovative approaches to try to get you know drivers on the bus. They're gonna cross-train cross-training opportunities. Bus drivers can work in the food service department during midday hours, uh, helping in kitchen and cafeterias. Paraprofessional roles, drivers can serve as classroom assistants during school hours to create full-time positions and flexible scheduling. I mean, okay. The district accommodates drivers who can only work mornings or afternoon routes. I mean, if you're desperate, you're gonna take somebody that can only do mornings. Um, and I thought this was a really cool statement. While commercials driver license and safety training are required, they emphasize that the most important qualification is harder to measure, a genuine care for children. Oh, and I thought that was a hard. I thought that was a great like line. Like, yes, it's it's important that we have you know good drivers that have CDLs, but you gotta be that's the saying where it looks good on paper, yes, it comes in because it's the whole 90% other of the circle that you're looking for, yeah. And also he says, you know, they play a crucial role beyond transportation because we've talked about this. Bus drivers are extremely important. They're the first face that many of our children see, he noted, but we need somebody that's gonna start their day with a shining light and then finish the day off with a little bit of empowerment. So this director is saying the right things, but let's talk about that a little bit. Like, why are why is there such a shortage? I know in our little world we're always running on a razor's edge, right? Like, I feel like we have all our routes filled with full-time drivers, but like not a lot in the wings. I mean, we didn't we're not privy to that information, right? But I feel like we don't have people knocking down our door.

More Than A CDL: Caring Counts

SPEAKER_02 7:15

Correct. Yeah. It's the the first, and I I don't know if maybe part of my survey that I did for our group, but is wages. I mean, that's the first thing people are gonna say is is we're we're behind on what the drivers need to be at for which especially in our state. But again, this job is not going to be the husband or wife, you're not gonna be the breadwinner. This uh I think I'm fortunate that my partner is the breadwinner. So um, as far as I I'm allowed to do the more relaxed hours. Now, that being said, I try and get as many hours as I can, and I usually round out between 35 and 40. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:00

But what asshole.

SPEAKER_02 8:04

Me? Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 8:06

Well, who's number six in line?

SPEAKER_00 8:09

Uh Joe's got a lot more seniority than me, so aka she gets a lot of field trips.

SPEAKER_02 8:14

Maybe I'm five in line now. Anyway, it's for the money for me. I I it's good. It's good money. It's okay. I like it for what I do. It's good. Yeah. Sure, we're gonna bargain for more. I mean, we're always just gonna do that. But I believe it's the don't you think it's like the hours are equally important that just drivers are gonna work like 20 hours, and that's just not enough for household income.

Pay, Hours, And Benefits Reality

SPEAKER_00 8:41

I mean, God, I mean, it's the amount of like, you know, we're not gonna talk about the economy on this show, but like just in the last five years, like shit's so expensive. And again, I'm in the same boat. Uh, my partner has a great job, and so I'm able to do this uh because I wanted to do it, right? I went from a pretty high-paying job that I love, same, and and but I wanted to give back, and I'm like, when am I gonna have the opportunity? Because you know, my my my wife makes decent money and I can do this. I mean, it's it we don't make shit money, but it's not, you know, we could. I mean, you and I you could not live on this money. No, no, I don't think you could live on it even at 40 hours.

SPEAKER_02 9:27

I mean, singly, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:28

Kids, no, I mean barely on singly, just you know, so so so yeah, we're we're talking about why it's tough to get people in. I think a lot of it is money now. Our district, our contract, I think is amazing, but we are on the lower end of our hourly, but we get a lot of benefits that make up for that.

SPEAKER_02 9:48

So which I So if you if oops, I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_00 9:51

No, I'm just saying, so I'm happy with it, but a new person that comes in and says, Oh, I'm only gonna make this an hour, but I can go to this district and make three dollars or more an hour, they're probably gonna go there.

SPEAKER_02 10:02

That's that was exactly what I was gonna say is they're looking at that bottom line, that bottom line per hour, but not realizing, oh my god, our benefit package is amazing.

SPEAKER_00 10:12

Yeah, yeah. And it's not just that, it's you know, our level of when we hit benefit benefits are different than a lot of districts. So, but yeah, I think it's it's it's it comes down to money, and honestly, is it could it also be like the temperament of like parents and how things are as far as like just everything behavior, yeah. That's that's what I'm talking about.

Why Many Can’t Live On The Wages

SPEAKER_02 10:39

Yeah, you gotta have some tough skin, definitely for sure. I mean, you can't I think the people that see like, okay, you know, bus drivers make decent amount of money. I only want to work 20 hours a week because you know, I'm allowed to do that. I want to work when my kids are in school and I want the summers off, um, which again can go swing either way. Right. People don't want a job where they have the summers off because now you gotta look for a summer job. Right. Um, but those again that want to stay home or can stay home with their kids, they get the summers off. This this is great. This is a great gig. Um, but driving the bus is the easy part. That's the easy part. It's it's the 42 you know choir concert people that are behind you that you gotta pay attention to and really recognize and build relationships because it will be easier, not easy, but it will be easier.

SPEAKER_00 11:29

I do like that it doesn't, you know, we're not making$40 an hour because guess what? Then we're not gonna have a problem getting in, but people are coming in for the wrong reasons.

SPEAKER_02 11:38

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:38

They're coming in for the 40 an hour, they're not coming in, you know, to and I'm not we're not sitting back in our chairs and our high horses say we're some fucking heroes or anything, but it, you know, I I do I have I what am I trying to say? I feel like it's a respectable job and I'm proud to do it. And and I tell people, like, yeah, no, it's not easy, but I enjoy doing it, and it's like me giving back. I always say they're like, Oh, why did you decide to drive bus? I'm like, Well, I want to give back the community, but I wanted to get paid for it. Like, basically, like yeah, I do I already do volunteer stuff that I don't get paid for and I enjoy it, but like I wanted to do a job where like I can get paid for it, but still give it back because it's truly giving back. I mean, even teachers, I mean, it's you know, you're again not heroes, but you're like you're really kind of giving up some sanity to to kind of like help the kids along.

SPEAKER_02 12:36

It's time. I know I have a lot of teachers in my family, and and you are doing so you are doing that job, if not double, almost double of the type of what you get paid because so much time and prep has to go into it.

SPEAKER_00 12:50

Well, especially the teacher part.

Behavior, Parents, And Tough Skin

SPEAKER_02 12:52

Yeah, yeah. And and with bus driving, I think it's just just pay attention to just pay attention to everything, not not just you know, the bus and the traffic and that. I think it's that this job is good for people with I don't want to speculate and say, you know, OCD or anything, but we're very routine.

SPEAKER_00 13:13

Right.

SPEAKER_02 13:14

It's the same thing day after day, the same kids, the same stop. You know when a kid is absent, especially if you know when that kid is absent. Right. Um, it's it's very good for people like that. And I'm I'm that people because I love knowing what I'm going into the next day. Okay, whether we don't know about the weather, you know, if it's gonna be snowy or whatnot, there are but those challenges I can handle. Right.

SPEAKER_00 13:40

Well, that's a good conversation for recruiting, but getting back to the reason, you know, the article is like what would like if it was Joe like going to admin saying, gosh, you know, or they come to you and say, Hey Joe, we gotta, we gotta get more drivers in the door. I mean, is it as simple as money? Which is it's not simple because you know, you got 40 drivers, you give them a five dollar raise. I mean, that's a lot of money over the course of the year.

SPEAKER_02 14:06

I think I did ask another bus driver, and they've done uh be a bus driver for a day. Come in the bus lot and drive a bus.

Routine, Fit, And Recruiting Ideas

SPEAKER_00 14:14

You know what I would yeah, that would be fun. I just thought of something, and and we've talked about this on my other podcast, the Gig Economy podcast. Um nice plug. I love when companies and the school is a company treat their employees better by simple things. So that might be hey, we're gonna provide bags of chips in the lounge. Like, you know, like not unlimited, but we're gonna provide some snacks just for you guys to be like, thanks for doing this. I mean, no, would I want five dollars an hour? Of course, I would want more money over a bag of fucking chips. But my point is when a company kind of like rubs your back a little bit and is like, thank you. I'm like, I I know I wish I could give you more money, but like we're giving free coffee or whatever, you know, just something something recognizing, yeah. Just recognizing or looking forward to like, oh my god, I forgot my my snack this morning, but I know there's granola bars at the you know, at the at the lounge. I don't know what you think about that, but I mean, like, did you ever hear about like Google? Their offices are like just amazing, like they eat for free. Now, this is Google, I mean they have unlimited money, but like they have you know child care for the the parents, and I'm not asking that. I'm just throwing things out there. They have just amazing things for the employees. Like what I would love that if I was looking at to change a bus uh company or a bus um district, I would be like, Oh wow, they got that's super cool that that maybe they really think about their drivers. So that would be one thing I would like to add.

Low-Cost Perks And Equipment Pride

SPEAKER_02 15:56

I think um how the district takes care of the equipment, and I think our our our district shows they do that's a good selling code. Our mechanics are top line. They I know the one mechanic in in particular, um, and you always said this too like when you get into a conversation, it's hard to get away because he's so excited about teaching you about your bus. I know. So without going more into that, I think uh looking at the district buses, I compare our buses all the time when we pass another district and just kind of seeing you know what shape they're in, and and um do they get new ones every year or every couple years? And it it's it is it is a tough sell. It's a tough sell, obviously, because we're in this situation right now. I also want to ask if other districts have other staff departments with a CDL. So if they are short, they tell the parents or they put it out there on Facebook, hey, we're not gonna be picking up in this neighborhood today because I'm so sorry.

SPEAKER_00 17:04

Who's calling you? Oh, I almost said the name.

SPEAKER_02 17:08

Just a second.

SPEAKER_00 17:09

Is it our friend? You know you can mute that.

SPEAKER_02 17:12

Just touch your no, it's my watch that's on the other side of the room. And I I can't oh I can't, it's right here.

SPEAKER_00 17:23

Sure, it's your watch.

SPEAKER_02 17:26

Um, what are we talking about?

SPEAKER_00 17:28

You all flustered now. Um you were talking about calling on the community that had a CDL.

CDL Across Departments For Coverage

SPEAKER_02 17:35

Okay. So with our district, other departments have a CDL, so we can call in the um mechanic, we can call in our dispatcher, we can call in um grounds, I think it uh they work for, but and we have a couple of options there where other districts they they just get on Facebook and tell the neighborhood, you know, hey, we're not cut, we're not picking up in this neighborhood anymore because we don't have a driver for it. And I think our options go a little bit wider.

SPEAKER_00 18:07

Yeah, I mean it it's all how you set it up. Like they they said, you know, if you get hired in this department, you have to get your CDL, you know what I mean? It's part of it. Um, I yes, I like that. No, I would kind of hate it if I want to come into a grounds department, work on the grounds, and they're like, Oh no, I gotta drive a bus. Like, yeah, you know, and and I know I know their new contract, they get paid a little bit more now, and so I'm glad for that. So it makes them more like, yes, I will do this. And I don't know if they get a choice on it or right. I don't I don't know, but I know they get paid a little bit more for doing it, and I'm happy for that. So they're a little bit happier.

SPEAKER_02 18:46

Yeah, we we haven't been able or we haven't had the need to cancel business. No, because we can pull in some people. I just wonder if other districts did that too.

SPEAKER_00 18:55

Yeah, I'd be curious. So well, let us know what your district does, uh, that you know keeps you there or you know what would make you go to another district. So, you know, like I said, we're just we're just trying to figure it out. I mean, it's not that we're packed with drivers, but we always seem to have enough to not cancel a route. And and that's important. And I'm that's and that's you know, I'm proud to drive for my district because we have that. We're you know, like we can say that we're we're taking care of business. So anything else to add for that, Joe?

SPEAKER_02 19:25

Uh no, I'm just making note. Sorry.

Community Policies And Route Cancellations

SPEAKER_00 19:27

Gotcha. Um, all right. The second story we want to touch on is um this was Joe and I, before we started recording, we swear we didn't talk about this, but if we did, I mean who cares? I don't think that's all right. I don't think we did, but are you done writing notes?

SPEAKER_02 19:50

I'm done. I'm done. If if we talked about this, we're very sorry, move along.

Detroit Free Rides Controversy

SPEAKER_00 19:55

I don't think we did because I I don't remember reading this article. So uh this is in Detroit, a driver facing backlash. He I have a I have a highlighter thing, and and I'm chuckling because what I'm gonna read next. Community backlash after live streaming himself offering free rides to students walking to school during frigid weather. So I don't know if he did it. I hope he didn't do it while he was driving. Um, so he owns a uh transportation company and he advertised on his Facebook page that he was offering impromptu free rides um because it was it was so cold. Um he said, I'll be on the east side this morning finding kids to that walk to school and giving them a free ride. Let your kids know if a yellow bus with you know his name's transportation on it, it's safe to get on. Please share and drop um some location. So obviously, you know, some parents were like freaking out, like why there's so many red flags. There's so many red flags. Um, he's not affiliated with this uh Detroit schools at all. Um, he is only contracted to operate a plan route with uh I think it's a child child development center.

SPEAKER_02 21:06

So I guess he just yeah, I mean unless his big heart is trying to do the right thing.

SPEAKER_00 21:14

Well, is it the right thing?

SPEAKER_02 21:15

Or is it the moral trying to do a right thing, trying to do? Uh, you can't do that nowadays. I mean, no, I mean it's so it wasn't a school bus driver, it wasn't a school bus.

SPEAKER_00 21:29

I believe it was a school bus, but it probably was like I call them short buses. It was a smaller one. You know, you know the ones that run around town by us that do like the daycares or whatever. It was probably one of those. It didn't really show a picture of it. Um they're not charging them with anything. They sat down with them. Obviously, he said he apologized. He didn't, you know, I was just, you know, he goes, I was a I was he goes, it was just so cold, it was freezing. I was in my own bus for over an hour, my feet were frozen. I felt so bad to see these kids walking. Um it's heartbreaking. Yeah, he says he he added that offering rides to random students is not something that he typically does, and he said he did not make any money from any of the additional passengers. So I mean, obviously he has a CDL, I mean he has his own bus company.

SPEAKER_02 22:17

I am so glad. Glad that they just sat down and talked to him because there are so many people that just be like, You're fired, give me your CDL.

SPEAKER_00 22:23

Right. You know, or you're it would have been just a quick or you're you're well, he owns his own company, he would lose that contract. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_02 22:31

So he he all that or his CDL, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:33

Yeah, I mean, I yeah, I'd be interested on how they would get rid of his CDL. I mean, if he owns his own business, that would have to be done by the state. It wouldn't know, but I mean no, I like his I like his thought. I like he that he's caring for the kids. Um, honestly, if it's that freaking cold, then why are you having school? Like he said it was like that day, it was negative 15 degree wind chill. Then I think our district is negative 20 before they cancel school.

SPEAKER_02 23:02

Yeah.

Safety, Intent, And Modern Rules

SPEAKER_00 23:02

I don't quite know. I should know that because I'm always praying for a snow day.

SPEAKER_02 23:08

Oh, he just wanted to do the right thing.

SPEAKER_00 23:11

He did.

SPEAKER_02 23:12

I I'm I think it was handled appropriately. They sat down, they talked to him. Everything's gonna be okay. You know, hopefully he doesn't do it again. Um, guy, you just you try so hard to do good things and and it backfires, and that's what sucks because back when our parents they would have gotten the back of a tractor wagon and hauled their ass to school, you know, something it's just that's how you did it back then. But now you can't jump into a car with strangers.

SPEAKER_00 23:39

But yeah, you if you do Uber again and if you do Uber and Lyft, that's what you're doing.

SPEAKER_02 23:44

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 23:45

Um exactly. I was talking to my friend about that. Like, he is fifty. I think he's 59, maybe he's 58, I'm not sure.

SPEAKER_02 23:56

But we talked about 52.

SPEAKER_00 23:58

What's that?

SPEAKER_02 23:59

He's probably 52.

SPEAKER_00 24:01

No, I think he's more like 55. Uh, we talked about how back in the 70s, and I remember some of it, I was born mid-70s. Like, I don't even think my parents put a seat belt on me. Like in the back seat. And I we wrote on the console. Or or or I don't think I was ever in a car seat. I don't remember my sisters ever being like I'm the oldest. My sisters ever being in a car seat. So when you say, you know, this isn't back in the day, you're right. I mean, we you can you imagine putting a kid in a car without putting him in a seat, like a child's seat. So I mean, I don't know. I know you're pretty old. I don't know if you remember any of that.

SPEAKER_02 24:42

Yeah, I just said I rolled in the I wrote it like I straddled the console. Oh, in the middle, yeah, front seat. Just straddled it while we went to grandma and grandpa's.

SPEAKER_00 24:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 24:51

Yep.

Then Vs Now: Safety Culture Shift

SPEAKER_00 24:52

Um, so no charges are reported for this guy. He agreed to stop offering rides of students who are not on his authorized route. Well, sounds like you need to be a regular bus driver. He just made an error um of judgment. I mean, I don't know why he would have thought that was okay, but um, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 25:09

Well, he probably didn't have time to think. He saw the kids walking and just well, I guess you did say he did post on Facebook.

SPEAKER_00 25:17

Well, yeah, he premeditatedly did it. He did, yeah. In in premeditated, like sound like he committed murder. So they were all gone. But I but I agree with you. I'm so glad that they didn't press charges and be like, just sit him down, like, hey, bro, what are you doing? Like, don't freaking take like this. Is this 2026, dude? Like, I my phones were ringing off the hook. Like, you can't be doing that shit. This is like shit.

SPEAKER_02 25:45

You want to especially especially in that city.

SPEAKER_00 25:48

Well, I I think it would have been worse here.

SPEAKER_02 25:52

Oh, well, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 25:53

You know, I think it would have been worse.

SPEAKER_02 25:54

He wouldn't have even made it like probably two blocks.

SPEAKER_00 25:57

They probably would have shot out his tires.

SPEAKER_02 26:02

It's coming down, get the tires. And then there goes our radio chatter.

No Charges And Lessons Learned

SPEAKER_00 26:07

Yeah, oh gosh. Can you imagine? Can you imagine? Yeah, we we we're pretty fortunate where we are. We haven't had any two major things, except that one time I had that teeth. Remember that that kid's brother try to get on my bus? Do you remember that a couple years ago? No, no, you don't remember that?

SPEAKER_02 26:24

Uh-uh.

SPEAKER_00 26:25

Okay, we'll save that for another episode because I'm writing it down. Okay, it's a good story from the road, even though it happened years ago. And I don't, I can't believe you don't remember that, but uh, it was it was pretty scary. It was pretty scary.

SPEAKER_02 26:39

Oh good. That's a good plug. That's a good tease. Liz, yeah, listen next time for that.

SPEAKER_01 26:46

Listen next time for episode nine. Episode nine. Jason almost dies by a student's brother. Dun dun dun. All right. Are we done?

SPEAKER_00 27:02

We're like slapping.

SPEAKER_02 27:03

Did you have a nap today? Because I sound like speaking of that.

Teaser: Scary Story From The Road

SPEAKER_00 27:07

No, I didn't. I don't know where my energy's coming from because last night at 140, I go, I hear, I know this isn't about bossing, but I hear beep. And I like kind of open my eyes. And I'm a heavy sleeper. I look over my wife's minute later, beep, and I was like, oh fuck, there's a smoke alarm or a carbon monoxide. So I stumble out. Now we have a security system, and with that, it's it's fire and smoke, but it's not carbon monoxide. So then I figure out it's upstairs by the kids' room. So it's 140 in the morning. I'm in my underwear. It's it's freaking cold in the house. So then I hear it goes off again. So then I take the carbon monoxide off, go in the bathroom, wait, because it's like you it's hard to tell when there's two things next to each other what's actually beeping. It was the carbon monoxide. So I go downstairs, turn the alarm on, oh off, open the garage door, chuck it outside. Didn't even take the battery out because I was worried it was gonna like do something to wake the whole fam up. So it beeped all night. So this morning when I was drinking my coffee, I heard it beep, and then I finally went out. But I'm like, that being said, I don't know where my energy's coming from because I've been tired all day because that fucking thing woke me up.

SPEAKER_02 28:18

You didn't get a nap then.

SPEAKER_00 28:19

No, no, I don't have time for a nap.

Late-Night Alarm And Fatigue

SPEAKER_02 28:21

Oh, I thought you had a little bit of time.

SPEAKER_00 28:22

I mean, I got 90 minutes, but I gotta eat breakfast during that time. Like, that's the only time I'm home, is pretty much that. And then I get a little bit of time after my midday, but not enough to like tuck in.

SPEAKER_02 28:33

Let's have we have we gone over bus drivers that do other things in the district? No, like middays and stuff? Okay, I'm writing that down.

SPEAKER_00 28:41

Okay, all right, we're done.

SPEAKER_02 28:43

If people have listened this long, thank you. You are invested because we are just rambling around.

SPEAKER_00 28:50

Yeah, well, I might cut some of this rambling out, so we'll see.

SPEAKER_02 28:53

Gotcha.

SPEAKER_00 28:54

End it, sucker.

SPEAKER_02 28:56

Oh, I'm sorry. What am I supposed to say? Um, same bus. What?

SPEAKER_00 29:03

It's episode eight. How do you not know what to say?

SPEAKER_02 29:06

I don't know because okay, just just be done. Same bus. Same kids, different stories.

SPEAKER_00 29:13

Good night.

SPEAKER_02 29:14

Did I get it?

SPEAKER_00 29:15

Yeah, you did. I'm leaving you.