I had a busy weekend.
I've already blogged about the craziness of Friday and Saturday; at least what had happened up until that point. Saturday night I drove the trip that was actually scheduled to me. Myself and another driver (L) were scheduled to take a specific team home (1 of 4). Before we had arrived at the stadium in Seattle, we got a call that the "guy in charge" (a coach for the high school in our district - NOT our boss) wanted us to take another team home and have the two drivers already there take home a team that wanted to leave right then.
When L and I arrived at the stadium, the other team had not yet come out to the buses so L and I dialogued with the two other drivers, both of whom were above us in seniority. Lynn and I abstained to their decision since they were above us. From what L and I both saw, they elected to drive our team back to the hotel, leaving us to stay for the other team. L and I ended up getting another hour of work since the team we had now been given stayed until the end of the game (they were watching, not playing).
Then on Sunday I got a call around 10:10am that a second bus had been added at the last minute and I was offered the job. Since I live across the street from work I was able to get to the hotel with a bus within 20 minutes. As I drove the trip, I knew that an issue would come of this because there are 34 people ahead of me in seniority who would have loved those two hours of overtime pay. I was more than grateful to get that work!
This morning I went in to work and talked with J in dispatch about the weekends events. I particularly told her about the errand I ran when the guy called me on Saturday. She agreed with me that I should get paid for that since I was doing work for the district. Now our contract has a policy that any work you do, no matter what the length is, will be paid no less than 2 hours.
After driving my route, I went back in and talked with her more about what was going to happen. The first thing I discovered is that those two drivers who elected to go back on Saturday with the team belonging to L and me were complaining that we got more hours. I told her exactly what happened in the conversation from the perspective of L and me. We both made it clear that we had lower seniority and left the decision up to them. They elected to leave. According to J in dispatch, this was not the story she had gotten.
I also talked to my boss about my little unscheduled Saturday errand. He doesn't want to pay me for it!! According to him, what I should have done was called someone and told them what was going on. Apparently, they don't want me to try and fix a situation like that (and potentially save the district some embarrassment) unless I have been authorized to do that. Can you believe that shit? He said he was going to talk to dispatch and the coach in charge of this whole mess (the one who screwed up!) to see if I should be paid. I have a sneaky suspicion what the coach's feelings on that will be. He won't want to get charged for my help!
Thankfully, my union rep has a much different take on this situation. "Tough shit!" her words. I was trying to help the district and I should get paid. Granted, I thought I had screwed up and that's why I ran to base, but once there, I continued to try and fix the problem by running down to my bus, turning it on and getting on the radio to make sure the drivers responsible for that trip had actually shown up. The lesson I am getting for the district now is that when they want my help I should tell them to shove off and not offer to help them. That's complete bullshit.
Another issue I am dealing with involves my Friday schedule. I have an out-of-district route and one of my schools is not going on Friday. However, one of them is and I have one student from that school. But rather than pay me as they should, the district would rather put her on another bus and pay that driver since he's above me in seniority. Again with the bullshit! I don't think it's right that I get shorted hours just because they don't want to pay me.
Though I am a worker who always shows up on time, do what I am supposed to do and have students and parents who think I am a really good driver (and, I would think, a value to the district), I'm getting the impression that the district really doesn't care about me at all.
Showing posts with label Bus driving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bus driving. Show all posts
Monday, September 21, 2009
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Unbearable Doubt
Last Sunday, I was actually excited. I was taking a chance on a new aspect of my job, believing that I would be able to rise to the challenge.
Four days later I am laying around my apartment feeling sorry for myself.
The past two days have brought more challenges to me than the past six years total. I have faced hectic traffic conditions into schools, a school bus full of excited children, parents who think they know better than me how their child should behave on my bus, even an accident or two.
Today, I saw something that shoved all of those experiences into a file marked: Whatever.
But first, here's what happened yesterday.
The morning portion of my route doesn't start until next week, so I have been subbing another driver's morning route. The children on this route are in a program called "Cascade" which is designed for children who have behavior issues that make it hard for them to ride a larger school bus full of children. I have actually been able to handle those kids, though there was some drama on my bus yesterday.
One of the boys was having a difficult time staying in his seat. He would lean into the aisle to talk to another student. I found myself constantly reminding him what he should be doing to safely ride the bus, but my recommendations went ignored. About half-way through the route, as I was driving on slightly curving road, I heard the boy cry out as he fell out of his seat and onto the floor. He just lay there crying. I was finally able to find a place to pull over and go back to see what happened. He had decided to put his feet up on his seat and his knees inside his shirt. The bumping of the bus caused him to lose his balance and he fell out of the seat and onto his head.
The only good thing to come out of this was that he stayed in his seat for the rest of the ride. It was the ultimate object lesson! I had to keep calling back to him to make sure he was awake - fearing the whole time that the boy had a concussion. At school I told the teacher what happened and she promised to make sure he was okay. I had to fill out an incident report once I got back to base.
And yet, that was the easiest part of my day. That afternoon I met, for the first time, the female high school student about which I have been so heavily warned. She's a heavily autistic girl who had a reputation for being physically violent toward staff. Another driver told me how she came at him with a broom. She rode my bus for the first time yesterday and though I was completely scared the whole time, it went well. She stayed in her seat, buckled in. The entire time she yelled out questions. Apparently, her only voice level is ultra loud. Several times she saw a house and asked me who lived there. She yelled about every bus we passed. She yelled about every car we passed. She yelled about how the others on the bus were being too loud for her taste.
My ears were ringing by the time we got to her stop, but at least she had stayed in her seat. I had been warned that if I didn't answer her questions then it would make her angry and unpredictable, so by the time we got to her stop I was mentally exhausted. Oh, and of course her mom wasn't at the stop to pick her up. I called to base and was told that they had, in fact, been trying to call me since I left the school. I couldn't hear them because I had a very loud passenger on my bus whose mom was back at the school. Fortunately, her mom pulled up about thirty seconds after we arrived, which was great because we were blocking a lane on one of the busiest streets in town. Of course, this woman was in NO hurry! She drove up to her parking spot, parked her car and calmly walked back to the street where I had, by then, been waiting almost three minutes - blocking a lane of traffic. She barely thanked me as her daughter got off the bus.
Today, I was told that this girl REALLY needs to have a safety vest that literally buckles her to the seat. Without it, she has the potential to jump out of her seat and attack the driver or another student. When I arrived for my route this afternoon, they asked me if I had a safety vest and I told them I did. I had gotten one yesterday and knew that it was still in my bus.
When I arrived at the school, I went back to the pocket where I had put the vest and it was gone. I then had the embarrassing task of calling into base and telling them that I was, in fact, without a safety vest, even though they had asked me before leaving. I KNOW that I put one in my bus yesterday. The only explanation I could come up with was that someone had gone into my bus and taken it because they needed it. It's happened before.
Another driver at the school had an extra one, but it was a medium, not a large. Unfortunately, the girl is a very largely built black girl. The moment she saw the vest she started screaming. She hit the teachers and began running up and down the aisle of the bus screaming at the top of her lungs. The other kids on the bus had such a look of horror on the bus. I did as well. Five school employees were on my bus trying to get the vest onto this girl. They finally got it on but it was too small for her and the more she struggled, the more it came off. She screamed, she hit the staff, she hit the window. She almost hit another student.
I called into base and was told that obviously she couldn't ride if she is acting violent like that. The head of the special needs program at the school came onto the bus and offered to ride with her if I could bring him back after my run. Somehow the staff was able to get her calmed down and actually into the vest. Don't ask me how. With a blessing from dispatch, we left the school.
Thankfully there were no more incidences. However, I got a call from dispatch asking me to remind the girls mother that she still has two safety vests that belong to the district that she doesn't seem to want to return. It was my task to remind her to bring them both of them to school tomorrow.
I should probably mention some of the horror stories I have heard about the mother. She usually takes the girl to school in the morning without a vest and then blames the school bus driver in the afternoon. She often is not at the girl's stop to meet her daughter as she is supposed to be. When she finally shows up and is reminded of the bus stop time, she gets angry, hits the side of the bus and yells curses at the bus driver. Everything that happens is the staff's fault, not hers. She has been like this ever since the girl started riding buses in our district.
So now I was worried about how I was going to confront this woman about the two district vests we needed returned. Fortunately, the mother was not at the stop. Instead, it was her boyfriend who knew nothing of the vests but promised to take it up with the girl's mother. Frankly, I am not holding out much hope.
For the first time in my career as a bus driver I am scared to death to go to work. I keep having visions of an angry autistic girl coming at me while I'm driving and our bus rolling over into a ditch as a result. What the HELL have I gotten myself into? Four days into the school year and I am already wishing it was June! I have never dreaded going into work and now I am wondering if I should suddenly develop a cold tomorrow - and have it last the next 176 working days.
I don't know if I can handle this!
Oh, now about the mystery of the disappearing safety vest. Apparently yesterday afternoon, after I had gone home, the woman in charge of issuing them went down to everyone's bus and took out vests that were still in bags. Mine was because I hadn't yet used it. When I got back to base today, I was told that I should have "double checked for the vest" before leaving the lot. Okay, maybe I should have, but frankly I had no reason to think it wouldn't be there! I had put it in there yesterday and I am the only one who uses my bus. Why the hell would it NOT be there?? I ended up going and getting another one and it is currently in my backpack. I don't even want to let the thing out of my sight. I am mentally trying to think of hiding places on my bus...
I hate this feeling of helplessness. I hate that I am now dreading my job. I have always loved my job! In fact, I did get a bit of good news today. The kids on the routes I have had the past couple years were told by their current drivers that I said "hi" and they literally cheered when they heard my name! One of the routes actually called me legendary! Whatever, right?
So can a guy who loves his job one day, suddenly go to being a chickenshit, dreading it? Can one violent high school girl really have that much power? Right now, I feel this crushing weight of unbearable doubt pressing down on me. The thought of going into work tomorrow afternoon gives me the kind of heartburn I usually get after eating really bad junk food.
All the stress I had about last year's route now seems so laughable. Hell, I wish I could laugh about this year's stress, but right now, all I can do is worry. I have no idea how I am going to get through this year. I'm starting to worry that the stress of my route will cause me to drop out of yet another concert with the Seattle Men's Chorus. How can I face the stress this girl brings to my life and then go and rehearse for a show, get home late that night and then face an extremely early clock in - and the knowledge that I might have to face a violent girl once again.
I am not in a good place right now. Not at all...
I have even lost the excitement I've had about seeing the musical Wicked on Saturday. I have been looking forward to that all summer long, and now I'm worried that I won't even be able to enjoy it.
I HATE THIS!
Four days later I am laying around my apartment feeling sorry for myself.
The past two days have brought more challenges to me than the past six years total. I have faced hectic traffic conditions into schools, a school bus full of excited children, parents who think they know better than me how their child should behave on my bus, even an accident or two.
Today, I saw something that shoved all of those experiences into a file marked: Whatever.
But first, here's what happened yesterday.
The morning portion of my route doesn't start until next week, so I have been subbing another driver's morning route. The children on this route are in a program called "Cascade" which is designed for children who have behavior issues that make it hard for them to ride a larger school bus full of children. I have actually been able to handle those kids, though there was some drama on my bus yesterday.
One of the boys was having a difficult time staying in his seat. He would lean into the aisle to talk to another student. I found myself constantly reminding him what he should be doing to safely ride the bus, but my recommendations went ignored. About half-way through the route, as I was driving on slightly curving road, I heard the boy cry out as he fell out of his seat and onto the floor. He just lay there crying. I was finally able to find a place to pull over and go back to see what happened. He had decided to put his feet up on his seat and his knees inside his shirt. The bumping of the bus caused him to lose his balance and he fell out of the seat and onto his head.
The only good thing to come out of this was that he stayed in his seat for the rest of the ride. It was the ultimate object lesson! I had to keep calling back to him to make sure he was awake - fearing the whole time that the boy had a concussion. At school I told the teacher what happened and she promised to make sure he was okay. I had to fill out an incident report once I got back to base.
And yet, that was the easiest part of my day. That afternoon I met, for the first time, the female high school student about which I have been so heavily warned. She's a heavily autistic girl who had a reputation for being physically violent toward staff. Another driver told me how she came at him with a broom. She rode my bus for the first time yesterday and though I was completely scared the whole time, it went well. She stayed in her seat, buckled in. The entire time she yelled out questions. Apparently, her only voice level is ultra loud. Several times she saw a house and asked me who lived there. She yelled about every bus we passed. She yelled about every car we passed. She yelled about how the others on the bus were being too loud for her taste.
My ears were ringing by the time we got to her stop, but at least she had stayed in her seat. I had been warned that if I didn't answer her questions then it would make her angry and unpredictable, so by the time we got to her stop I was mentally exhausted. Oh, and of course her mom wasn't at the stop to pick her up. I called to base and was told that they had, in fact, been trying to call me since I left the school. I couldn't hear them because I had a very loud passenger on my bus whose mom was back at the school. Fortunately, her mom pulled up about thirty seconds after we arrived, which was great because we were blocking a lane on one of the busiest streets in town. Of course, this woman was in NO hurry! She drove up to her parking spot, parked her car and calmly walked back to the street where I had, by then, been waiting almost three minutes - blocking a lane of traffic. She barely thanked me as her daughter got off the bus.
Today, I was told that this girl REALLY needs to have a safety vest that literally buckles her to the seat. Without it, she has the potential to jump out of her seat and attack the driver or another student. When I arrived for my route this afternoon, they asked me if I had a safety vest and I told them I did. I had gotten one yesterday and knew that it was still in my bus.
When I arrived at the school, I went back to the pocket where I had put the vest and it was gone. I then had the embarrassing task of calling into base and telling them that I was, in fact, without a safety vest, even though they had asked me before leaving. I KNOW that I put one in my bus yesterday. The only explanation I could come up with was that someone had gone into my bus and taken it because they needed it. It's happened before.
Another driver at the school had an extra one, but it was a medium, not a large. Unfortunately, the girl is a very largely built black girl. The moment she saw the vest she started screaming. She hit the teachers and began running up and down the aisle of the bus screaming at the top of her lungs. The other kids on the bus had such a look of horror on the bus. I did as well. Five school employees were on my bus trying to get the vest onto this girl. They finally got it on but it was too small for her and the more she struggled, the more it came off. She screamed, she hit the staff, she hit the window. She almost hit another student.
I called into base and was told that obviously she couldn't ride if she is acting violent like that. The head of the special needs program at the school came onto the bus and offered to ride with her if I could bring him back after my run. Somehow the staff was able to get her calmed down and actually into the vest. Don't ask me how. With a blessing from dispatch, we left the school.
Thankfully there were no more incidences. However, I got a call from dispatch asking me to remind the girls mother that she still has two safety vests that belong to the district that she doesn't seem to want to return. It was my task to remind her to bring them both of them to school tomorrow.
I should probably mention some of the horror stories I have heard about the mother. She usually takes the girl to school in the morning without a vest and then blames the school bus driver in the afternoon. She often is not at the girl's stop to meet her daughter as she is supposed to be. When she finally shows up and is reminded of the bus stop time, she gets angry, hits the side of the bus and yells curses at the bus driver. Everything that happens is the staff's fault, not hers. She has been like this ever since the girl started riding buses in our district.
So now I was worried about how I was going to confront this woman about the two district vests we needed returned. Fortunately, the mother was not at the stop. Instead, it was her boyfriend who knew nothing of the vests but promised to take it up with the girl's mother. Frankly, I am not holding out much hope.
For the first time in my career as a bus driver I am scared to death to go to work. I keep having visions of an angry autistic girl coming at me while I'm driving and our bus rolling over into a ditch as a result. What the HELL have I gotten myself into? Four days into the school year and I am already wishing it was June! I have never dreaded going into work and now I am wondering if I should suddenly develop a cold tomorrow - and have it last the next 176 working days.
I don't know if I can handle this!
Oh, now about the mystery of the disappearing safety vest. Apparently yesterday afternoon, after I had gone home, the woman in charge of issuing them went down to everyone's bus and took out vests that were still in bags. Mine was because I hadn't yet used it. When I got back to base today, I was told that I should have "double checked for the vest" before leaving the lot. Okay, maybe I should have, but frankly I had no reason to think it wouldn't be there! I had put it in there yesterday and I am the only one who uses my bus. Why the hell would it NOT be there?? I ended up going and getting another one and it is currently in my backpack. I don't even want to let the thing out of my sight. I am mentally trying to think of hiding places on my bus...
I hate this feeling of helplessness. I hate that I am now dreading my job. I have always loved my job! In fact, I did get a bit of good news today. The kids on the routes I have had the past couple years were told by their current drivers that I said "hi" and they literally cheered when they heard my name! One of the routes actually called me legendary! Whatever, right?
So can a guy who loves his job one day, suddenly go to being a chickenshit, dreading it? Can one violent high school girl really have that much power? Right now, I feel this crushing weight of unbearable doubt pressing down on me. The thought of going into work tomorrow afternoon gives me the kind of heartburn I usually get after eating really bad junk food.
All the stress I had about last year's route now seems so laughable. Hell, I wish I could laugh about this year's stress, but right now, all I can do is worry. I have no idea how I am going to get through this year. I'm starting to worry that the stress of my route will cause me to drop out of yet another concert with the Seattle Men's Chorus. How can I face the stress this girl brings to my life and then go and rehearse for a show, get home late that night and then face an extremely early clock in - and the knowledge that I might have to face a violent girl once again.
I am not in a good place right now. Not at all...
I have even lost the excitement I've had about seeing the musical Wicked on Saturday. I have been looking forward to that all summer long, and now I'm worried that I won't even be able to enjoy it.
I HATE THIS!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
It starts...
Tomorrow is the big day. I purposely set my alarm this morning to wake me up at 7:00. I figure now is as good a time as any to get back into the schedule of bus driving. Thankfully, my early-morning 5:45 clock in does not start this week. My whole morning run consists of picking up those three hard of hearing students and driving them to Edmonds Woodway High school north of Seattle. Since that school district doesn't start until after labor day, my morning run doesn't go next week.
I had been assured that I would get morning work for the week anyway. Sure enough, I got a call on Friday with some options. Since I have a route and seniority number, I get first pick ahead of all the on call drivers. Initially I chose a job as an overfill bus which consisted of sitting around in the lower lot waiting to be called if drivers need help on their morning runs. Joan, one of our faithful dispatchers, told me that I'd definitely do that on Monday and Tuesday, but most likely be driving a route the last three days of the week.
In the end, I decided to just take the route the entire week for consistency. If I'm going to have to learn it anyway, I might as well struggle through it the first couple days and be a pro at it the rest of the week. Besides, I figure being an overfill bus would be challenging anyway because they'd call me and tell me where to go and I would just have to know exactly where that stop is they need covered. To me, even though I know the area fairly well, it sounded a little stressful.
Anyway, thanks to the morning work, I'll get a little closer to my usual hours this week; probably around 36 1/2 hours. Getting as much work these first two weeks is crucial! Our September 30th check tends to be terribly light due to only getting a couple weeks of work on it. This is why they offer us an attendance bonus at the end of August for the previous year. Once again I got the full $1000 bonus this year. I only missed the full bonus once my second year when my alarm clock failed to go off the last week of school one morning. $500 down the drain!
This year, I figure I'll get around $1200 on that low check so if I can save $600 of my bonus, I should be sitting nicely on financial stability for the month of October. A lot of people hate the concept of the bonus because it encourages people to come in sick when they might not be at their best for driving. Frankly, I have come to depend on the bonus to get me through the months of September and October every year and I'd definitely miss it. My only problem with the bonus is that it is put into our check before taxes. Who ever heard of getting taxed on a bonus?
I had been hearing rumors of a new driver being gay. I finally met him last Thursday at the special needs training class. All the new drivers were required to be at it, in case they are called to sub for a special needs route. I was sad to hear that all the newly hired drivers didn't get routes this year. All of them were placed in on-call positions. In fact, two drivers who had routes last year were told that they wouldn't be given routes this year! Can you imagine having a steady job and benefits one year and have them taken away the next? I'm glad I'm high enough in seniority that I don't have to worry about that!
I technically didn't need to go to the special needs training since I did a lot of those routes as midday work last year, including wheelchair tie downs. I went anyway because I wanted to get some advice on how to best to deal with autistic high schoolers. And to finally meet the new gay driver! Oh...and I got paid for the two hours...
The new guy seems to be a real ham! All the other new drivers would roll their eyes when he made a comment as though they had heard all his shenanigans before. To me, he comes across as a bitchy queen. He was definitely an attention whore! I doubt I could ever date the guy, though isn't that when you're most likely to date someone? At least that's how it seems to work in those romantic comedies. The pair most likely to hate each other at the beginning end up falling in love. Not that I hate the new guy at all! He's funny most of the time. He just isn't the kind of guy I'd see myself dating.
Plus, isn't there a VERY important rule about NOT dating co-workers? They tell me that about dating guys in the Seattle Men's Chorus, too. Should there be a terrible breakup, you have to see that person all the time. The thing that sucks about this is that it's just so stinking hard to meet other gay guys outside of work and the chorus! How am I supposed to meet the future love of my life? Of course, I could very well be blogging about a future date with that new driver in a couple months. Who knows...?
I still haven't gotten any news about the Wicked contest! I guess they are still reading entries. That means that they got a fair amount. Ugh, more competition! I am confident that my entry was really good. Those who read it liked it and declared it a good shot for a winner. I'm hoping I find out this next week. In any case, I still have the ticket that I bought and will be seeing the show on Saturday! I can't wait!
I had been assured that I would get morning work for the week anyway. Sure enough, I got a call on Friday with some options. Since I have a route and seniority number, I get first pick ahead of all the on call drivers. Initially I chose a job as an overfill bus which consisted of sitting around in the lower lot waiting to be called if drivers need help on their morning runs. Joan, one of our faithful dispatchers, told me that I'd definitely do that on Monday and Tuesday, but most likely be driving a route the last three days of the week.
In the end, I decided to just take the route the entire week for consistency. If I'm going to have to learn it anyway, I might as well struggle through it the first couple days and be a pro at it the rest of the week. Besides, I figure being an overfill bus would be challenging anyway because they'd call me and tell me where to go and I would just have to know exactly where that stop is they need covered. To me, even though I know the area fairly well, it sounded a little stressful.
Anyway, thanks to the morning work, I'll get a little closer to my usual hours this week; probably around 36 1/2 hours. Getting as much work these first two weeks is crucial! Our September 30th check tends to be terribly light due to only getting a couple weeks of work on it. This is why they offer us an attendance bonus at the end of August for the previous year. Once again I got the full $1000 bonus this year. I only missed the full bonus once my second year when my alarm clock failed to go off the last week of school one morning. $500 down the drain!
This year, I figure I'll get around $1200 on that low check so if I can save $600 of my bonus, I should be sitting nicely on financial stability for the month of October. A lot of people hate the concept of the bonus because it encourages people to come in sick when they might not be at their best for driving. Frankly, I have come to depend on the bonus to get me through the months of September and October every year and I'd definitely miss it. My only problem with the bonus is that it is put into our check before taxes. Who ever heard of getting taxed on a bonus?
I had been hearing rumors of a new driver being gay. I finally met him last Thursday at the special needs training class. All the new drivers were required to be at it, in case they are called to sub for a special needs route. I was sad to hear that all the newly hired drivers didn't get routes this year. All of them were placed in on-call positions. In fact, two drivers who had routes last year were told that they wouldn't be given routes this year! Can you imagine having a steady job and benefits one year and have them taken away the next? I'm glad I'm high enough in seniority that I don't have to worry about that!
I technically didn't need to go to the special needs training since I did a lot of those routes as midday work last year, including wheelchair tie downs. I went anyway because I wanted to get some advice on how to best to deal with autistic high schoolers. And to finally meet the new gay driver! Oh...and I got paid for the two hours...
The new guy seems to be a real ham! All the other new drivers would roll their eyes when he made a comment as though they had heard all his shenanigans before. To me, he comes across as a bitchy queen. He was definitely an attention whore! I doubt I could ever date the guy, though isn't that when you're most likely to date someone? At least that's how it seems to work in those romantic comedies. The pair most likely to hate each other at the beginning end up falling in love. Not that I hate the new guy at all! He's funny most of the time. He just isn't the kind of guy I'd see myself dating.
Plus, isn't there a VERY important rule about NOT dating co-workers? They tell me that about dating guys in the Seattle Men's Chorus, too. Should there be a terrible breakup, you have to see that person all the time. The thing that sucks about this is that it's just so stinking hard to meet other gay guys outside of work and the chorus! How am I supposed to meet the future love of my life? Of course, I could very well be blogging about a future date with that new driver in a couple months. Who knows...?
I still haven't gotten any news about the Wicked contest! I guess they are still reading entries. That means that they got a fair amount. Ugh, more competition! I am confident that my entry was really good. Those who read it liked it and declared it a good shot for a winner. I'm hoping I find out this next week. In any case, I still have the ticket that I bought and will be seeing the show on Saturday! I can't wait!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Ch-ch-ch-changes
Today was the big day when I bid on my route for the year. Every year all the drivers go in based on seniority and choose what routes they want to drive for the year. I went in knowing that I would not take my route from last year. While the children on it were really great kids, it was a very stressful route. I often found myself having to hurry just to make it to my second school in the afternoon and it just wasn't a good feeling.
Two years ago I had a route that I really enjoyed, but that was a bit long to drive. There was a little bit of a hurry factor on that one, too, but the chances of getting to the second school on time were a little better. I also very much liked the kids on that route, so when I heard that the guy who outbid me on it last year wouldn't be taking it this year, I figured I would.
When I got to work, I discovered that route 39 had already been taken! I have blogged about the Bible thumping, closed-minded bigot before and she is the same woman who took the route. Interesting side note: later, after I had already chosen and signed for my route, I learned that she had called in to ask if her route from last year was still open because she doesn't like 39 and wanted to change. She was told "nope!"
So, I spent a good deal of time trying to figure out which route I would choose. For a brief moment, I contemplated taking my route from last year. I already know that route and they added a late activity run on it which gave it a little more hours than before. But that late activity run would have kept me on the clock until around 5:30 which would have really cut into my time needed to get to Seattle for SMC rehearsals on Mondays.
During the summer I had been toying with the idea of driving a special needs route. There are much fewer children on those routes and I'd drive a short bus (okay, go ahead, make your jokes!). I ended up taking a route that worked with a midday route as well. Between the two routes I will get almost 39 hours every week! Trust me, that is a great thing! Last year I had to worry about if there would be trips or if there would be midday work I could do. This year, I don't even have to do field trips! Frankly, that will feel really odd. I'm really used to bidding on field trips.
This will be my first year driving a special needs route, too. I've driven special needs children when I subbed for midday routes in the past, but this will be the first time I haven't driven a large bus with more than 35 kids on it. It's going to feel like such a weird year for me at the beginning, but as the paychecks start coming in, I really think I'm going to be financially stable...more so than in years past!
Okay, so now the bad part. I had chosen my route and was in my manager's office signing all the paperwork and that is when I noticed the morning clock in time for the route. For some reason, I hadn't thought to check that... Every morning, I will need to be at work at 5:45 am! That is SOOO early! Last year, my morning time was 6:40! Thankfully I live right across the street so it wouldn't be impossible to get up at 5:00 am and still be at work by 5:45.
Still, the route I took isn't going to be all that challenging. There is one girl I've been warned about who is autistic and sometimes throws temper tantrums when she doesn't get her way. We're talking kicking, screaming and sometimes spitting temper tantrums. Thankfully I only drive her in the afternoon out of a high school with seven or eight other students. The morning portion of the route consists of picking three deaf students up (all of which I have driven before) and taking them to a high school in Edmonds - maybe a 30 minute drive. That's it! Talk about an easy morning... aside from the clock in...
In the afternoon, after the portion with the autistic child, I drive to a park in the downtown area of my school district and wait for the route that picks up the out of district children. I don't even have to drive to Edmonds in the afternoon! I get to sit at a park reading a book until the other bus arrives and then take three students home. I'll be done by 4:30 every day which gives me plenty of time to get to Seattle for SMC on Mondays.
The only other negative thing that will take some getting used to is that I no longer get short Wednesdays. In our district, Wednesdays are early release days. But since those three students go to school in another district, they are on a different schedule. Also, because of the different schedule, I won't offically get a mid-winter break in February or a spring break in April like the other drivers will. Typically, though, I've been working those weeks anyway to get extra money, so I don't really think it'll be that big of a deal. Should I want to take those weeks off, I have the option to not work them and other drivers can bid to get that extra work. Most likely, though, I'm going to work them - I could use the money!
The more I think about it, the happier I am with my route. It'll be different, but I think I'll enjoy the variety. I know I am going to love the guaranteed hours. No more hoping I get a trip. No more wondering if my next paycheck will be big enough to cover my bills AND get me groceries. I'll actually be able to save at least $500/ month and still have a little left over for fun. I have never had that before and I am thrilled!
I may be a walking zombie, at least at the start (did I mention that I'll be the first driver clocking in every morning?) but I'm going to be a slightly less poor zombie.
Oh! Did I mention that the bus I'll be driving has a CD player? SCORE!
Two years ago I had a route that I really enjoyed, but that was a bit long to drive. There was a little bit of a hurry factor on that one, too, but the chances of getting to the second school on time were a little better. I also very much liked the kids on that route, so when I heard that the guy who outbid me on it last year wouldn't be taking it this year, I figured I would.
When I got to work, I discovered that route 39 had already been taken! I have blogged about the Bible thumping, closed-minded bigot before and she is the same woman who took the route. Interesting side note: later, after I had already chosen and signed for my route, I learned that she had called in to ask if her route from last year was still open because she doesn't like 39 and wanted to change. She was told "nope!"
So, I spent a good deal of time trying to figure out which route I would choose. For a brief moment, I contemplated taking my route from last year. I already know that route and they added a late activity run on it which gave it a little more hours than before. But that late activity run would have kept me on the clock until around 5:30 which would have really cut into my time needed to get to Seattle for SMC rehearsals on Mondays.
During the summer I had been toying with the idea of driving a special needs route. There are much fewer children on those routes and I'd drive a short bus (okay, go ahead, make your jokes!). I ended up taking a route that worked with a midday route as well. Between the two routes I will get almost 39 hours every week! Trust me, that is a great thing! Last year I had to worry about if there would be trips or if there would be midday work I could do. This year, I don't even have to do field trips! Frankly, that will feel really odd. I'm really used to bidding on field trips.
This will be my first year driving a special needs route, too. I've driven special needs children when I subbed for midday routes in the past, but this will be the first time I haven't driven a large bus with more than 35 kids on it. It's going to feel like such a weird year for me at the beginning, but as the paychecks start coming in, I really think I'm going to be financially stable...more so than in years past!
Okay, so now the bad part. I had chosen my route and was in my manager's office signing all the paperwork and that is when I noticed the morning clock in time for the route. For some reason, I hadn't thought to check that... Every morning, I will need to be at work at 5:45 am! That is SOOO early! Last year, my morning time was 6:40! Thankfully I live right across the street so it wouldn't be impossible to get up at 5:00 am and still be at work by 5:45.
Still, the route I took isn't going to be all that challenging. There is one girl I've been warned about who is autistic and sometimes throws temper tantrums when she doesn't get her way. We're talking kicking, screaming and sometimes spitting temper tantrums. Thankfully I only drive her in the afternoon out of a high school with seven or eight other students. The morning portion of the route consists of picking three deaf students up (all of which I have driven before) and taking them to a high school in Edmonds - maybe a 30 minute drive. That's it! Talk about an easy morning... aside from the clock in...
In the afternoon, after the portion with the autistic child, I drive to a park in the downtown area of my school district and wait for the route that picks up the out of district children. I don't even have to drive to Edmonds in the afternoon! I get to sit at a park reading a book until the other bus arrives and then take three students home. I'll be done by 4:30 every day which gives me plenty of time to get to Seattle for SMC on Mondays.
The only other negative thing that will take some getting used to is that I no longer get short Wednesdays. In our district, Wednesdays are early release days. But since those three students go to school in another district, they are on a different schedule. Also, because of the different schedule, I won't offically get a mid-winter break in February or a spring break in April like the other drivers will. Typically, though, I've been working those weeks anyway to get extra money, so I don't really think it'll be that big of a deal. Should I want to take those weeks off, I have the option to not work them and other drivers can bid to get that extra work. Most likely, though, I'm going to work them - I could use the money!
The more I think about it, the happier I am with my route. It'll be different, but I think I'll enjoy the variety. I know I am going to love the guaranteed hours. No more hoping I get a trip. No more wondering if my next paycheck will be big enough to cover my bills AND get me groceries. I'll actually be able to save at least $500/ month and still have a little left over for fun. I have never had that before and I am thrilled!
I may be a walking zombie, at least at the start (did I mention that I'll be the first driver clocking in every morning?) but I'm going to be a slightly less poor zombie.
Oh! Did I mention that the bus I'll be driving has a CD player? SCORE!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
All Shook Up
Yesterday was quite an adventure. I was driving kids home from my second and final school of the afternoon and, for once, actually driving the route on time. I had already dropped off at two stops and was heading to the third. As I approached a driveway, I noticed a car backing out. You know how you have the moment when you are pretty sure the driver will see you and stop, but you start to slow down anyway, just in case? Well, the car didn't slow down. As soon as I noticed that, I slammed on my brakes and watched as the car continued scraping along the front of my bus. I turned to scowl at the driver of the car and that's when I noticed that there wasn't one in it! The car continued on its path across the street and over an embankment where it came to rest along a couple thin trees - the only things preventing it from toppling the rest of the way down the forest hill.
Immediately I heard crying. Remember, my bus was still pretty fairly loaded with children. There was a kindergartner on the floor. I helped him up and back to his seat, making sure that he was okay. Next came the embarrassing task of calling the accident into base. The next several minutes were hectic. I was required to write down the names of all the children on the bus, while listening to the two-way radio in case base was calling me, dealing with excited children and trying to figure out if the owner of the car was anywhere around. Also, there was a young man who had been on a bike and he was walking around trying to see if there was anything he could do to help.
Here is what happened (at least I think this is what happened - the woman didn't speak English very well). The owner of the car had backed her car out of the garage, then gotten out to go back into her house and get a cell phone. She didn't put the car in park or engage the parking brake, so it rolled down the driveway and in front of my bus.
Finally the police and my managers arrived. One manager started filling out an accident report, taking down everyone's information. The women who owned the car didn't really want to talk - she kept saying that she had called her husband and he was on the way. I was still trying to deal with all those excited children on my bus!
Eventually, their principal showed up and helped me with student management. Another driver also showed up, ready to offer up her bus so we could get the children home. Finally, they decided to move the kids to the other bus. Three children said that had been injured, but the police and principal looked at them and they weren't seriously injured. My biggest concert was the little kinder who had fallen forward. I used this as an opportunity to explain to the children that I'm not just being mean when I harp on them to sit in their seats the correct way - I'm not just being a mean old bus driver!
About fifteen minutes after the other bus left with the children, parents started showing up. Apparently someone called them and told them to pick up their children at the accident site. We then had to deal with scared parents on top of everything else. I rushed back to my bus and called the other driver on our two-way radio, asking her to stay with the kids at the last stop until their parents could get back there.
The police officer made it clear that I was 100% not at fault in the accident. Still, I couldn't help but run through the "what-ifs" in my head. What if I had stopped sooner? What if I hadn't assumed the car was going to stop? What if I had been going a little bit slower? What if I had called in sick and not been driving at all?! I was worried that they might find me partially at fault. Maybe they would tell me that I should have been better prepared to stop or something.
Eventually the bus and I were released to go back to base. The bus was completely drivable. The only major damage to it was the front crossing arm had been ripped off by the passing car. My manager asked if I felt okay driving and I told him that I'd probably be one of the safeest drivers on the road because I would be overly cautious about everything! I didn't get done with filling out paperwork until around 6pm (an extra 1 1/2 hours of paid work!) at which time I walked to Taco Del Mar and bought a nice taco talad for lunch!
This morning when I went into work I was a bit of a celebrity. Everyone wanted to know what happened. Our manager in routing actually paid me a HUGE compliment. She said that I actually did better at reacting to the situation that I felt I had. It could have been a lot worse. Rather than running along the front of my bus, the car could have hit the service door on the side of the bus and caused a LOT more damage and injury. By stopping when I did, I prevented that from happening. Also, she said that I sounded very calm and collected over the radio. That surprised me because I was a NERVOUS WRECK!
Later, as kids for a morning shuttle got on my bus, I heard a girl talking in great detail about the accident. This surprised me because she hadn't been there. Remember that young biker that had been walking around? Turns out he had a camera and video taped a lot of the police interviews of me and the owner of the car. He had been showing the video to the girl's brother last night.
After driving the shuttle, once safely at the school, I called my manager and told him about the video. Maybe the guy caught the accident on tape! My manager assured me that it wouldn't be needed even if he did. The police officer declared me 100% not at fault. As far as they were concerned I did everything I could to avoid the accident. He had looked at the recently installed GPS on my bus and determined that I had been going 23.7 miles before slamming on my brakes, so I wasn't speeding.
He also noted that at the scene, I had been actually trying to find fault with myself for the accident. I guess I had been voicing some of my what-ifs. He commended me for thinking about my defensive driving and assured me that I have nothing to worry about. I did nothing wrong. If anything, I probably made the situation a little better.
That really made me feel SO much better!
In other news, I received a couple checks in the mail on Monday. Apparently, back in 1999 I had been the victim of credit card fraud. A company and wrongfully charged me for access to a porn site. I SWEAR, the charges were fraudulent! Anyway, ten years later the two checks for $27.63 are my portion from the class action suit against the company.
At first I thought this might be some kind of scam. Once I deposited the checks and signed the back of them, then someone would have my signature and bank account number. I did some research and found a couple websites where other people around the nation had been talking about also receiving the checks.
Between us all, we were able to dig up enough evidence that this was legitimate, so I am going to deposit the checks today after work! WOO HOO, I am $55 richer.
What am I going to do with that money? NOT SAVE IT!! I've saved $1100 in the past three months and I am feeling good about that. No, I'm going to use that money to buy tickets to see the musical Wicked, coming to Seattle in September. I have been dying to see that show and I missed it the last time it was here. I am NOT going to miss it again!
Immediately I heard crying. Remember, my bus was still pretty fairly loaded with children. There was a kindergartner on the floor. I helped him up and back to his seat, making sure that he was okay. Next came the embarrassing task of calling the accident into base. The next several minutes were hectic. I was required to write down the names of all the children on the bus, while listening to the two-way radio in case base was calling me, dealing with excited children and trying to figure out if the owner of the car was anywhere around. Also, there was a young man who had been on a bike and he was walking around trying to see if there was anything he could do to help.
Here is what happened (at least I think this is what happened - the woman didn't speak English very well). The owner of the car had backed her car out of the garage, then gotten out to go back into her house and get a cell phone. She didn't put the car in park or engage the parking brake, so it rolled down the driveway and in front of my bus.
Finally the police and my managers arrived. One manager started filling out an accident report, taking down everyone's information. The women who owned the car didn't really want to talk - she kept saying that she had called her husband and he was on the way. I was still trying to deal with all those excited children on my bus!
Eventually, their principal showed up and helped me with student management. Another driver also showed up, ready to offer up her bus so we could get the children home. Finally, they decided to move the kids to the other bus. Three children said that had been injured, but the police and principal looked at them and they weren't seriously injured. My biggest concert was the little kinder who had fallen forward. I used this as an opportunity to explain to the children that I'm not just being mean when I harp on them to sit in their seats the correct way - I'm not just being a mean old bus driver!
About fifteen minutes after the other bus left with the children, parents started showing up. Apparently someone called them and told them to pick up their children at the accident site. We then had to deal with scared parents on top of everything else. I rushed back to my bus and called the other driver on our two-way radio, asking her to stay with the kids at the last stop until their parents could get back there.
The police officer made it clear that I was 100% not at fault in the accident. Still, I couldn't help but run through the "what-ifs" in my head. What if I had stopped sooner? What if I hadn't assumed the car was going to stop? What if I had been going a little bit slower? What if I had called in sick and not been driving at all?! I was worried that they might find me partially at fault. Maybe they would tell me that I should have been better prepared to stop or something.
Eventually the bus and I were released to go back to base. The bus was completely drivable. The only major damage to it was the front crossing arm had been ripped off by the passing car. My manager asked if I felt okay driving and I told him that I'd probably be one of the safeest drivers on the road because I would be overly cautious about everything! I didn't get done with filling out paperwork until around 6pm (an extra 1 1/2 hours of paid work!) at which time I walked to Taco Del Mar and bought a nice taco talad for lunch!
This morning when I went into work I was a bit of a celebrity. Everyone wanted to know what happened. Our manager in routing actually paid me a HUGE compliment. She said that I actually did better at reacting to the situation that I felt I had. It could have been a lot worse. Rather than running along the front of my bus, the car could have hit the service door on the side of the bus and caused a LOT more damage and injury. By stopping when I did, I prevented that from happening. Also, she said that I sounded very calm and collected over the radio. That surprised me because I was a NERVOUS WRECK!
Later, as kids for a morning shuttle got on my bus, I heard a girl talking in great detail about the accident. This surprised me because she hadn't been there. Remember that young biker that had been walking around? Turns out he had a camera and video taped a lot of the police interviews of me and the owner of the car. He had been showing the video to the girl's brother last night.
After driving the shuttle, once safely at the school, I called my manager and told him about the video. Maybe the guy caught the accident on tape! My manager assured me that it wouldn't be needed even if he did. The police officer declared me 100% not at fault. As far as they were concerned I did everything I could to avoid the accident. He had looked at the recently installed GPS on my bus and determined that I had been going 23.7 miles before slamming on my brakes, so I wasn't speeding.
He also noted that at the scene, I had been actually trying to find fault with myself for the accident. I guess I had been voicing some of my what-ifs. He commended me for thinking about my defensive driving and assured me that I have nothing to worry about. I did nothing wrong. If anything, I probably made the situation a little better.
That really made me feel SO much better!
In other news, I received a couple checks in the mail on Monday. Apparently, back in 1999 I had been the victim of credit card fraud. A company and wrongfully charged me for access to a porn site. I SWEAR, the charges were fraudulent! Anyway, ten years later the two checks for $27.63 are my portion from the class action suit against the company.
At first I thought this might be some kind of scam. Once I deposited the checks and signed the back of them, then someone would have my signature and bank account number. I did some research and found a couple websites where other people around the nation had been talking about also receiving the checks.
Between us all, we were able to dig up enough evidence that this was legitimate, so I am going to deposit the checks today after work! WOO HOO, I am $55 richer.
What am I going to do with that money? NOT SAVE IT!! I've saved $1100 in the past three months and I am feeling good about that. No, I'm going to use that money to buy tickets to see the musical Wicked, coming to Seattle in September. I have been dying to see that show and I missed it the last time it was here. I am NOT going to miss it again!
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