ALICE, Texas — More people are getting back to work, some may even be eager to start training for their new jobs, and if becoming a bus driver has ever been on your radar: now may be a great time to learn.
Here in the Coastal Bend, one of the places now certified to offer that training is the Alice Independent School District. Just this week, they learned that they were approved by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to become an authorized training facility.
Plus, if you get really good at it, you could even become 'Bus Driver of the Year.' Currently, that title now belongs to Yvette Gonzalez.
The Laredo native has been with the district for 9 years, and says the community and district quickly became home. She shared she was surprised to hear she won this year's honor of 'Bus Driver of the Year,' explaining that the job, like so many, was greatly impacted by the pandemic.
"We had to sanitize our busses every time. If I do a double-route around town and pick up another set of children, we would sanitize before every group gets in."
When asked as to what job she thinks she would be doing if it were not being a bus driver:
"I haven’t been able to think about that because right now I've been here for 9 years and I believe this is for me. So, I haven't really thought about doing anything else. I would feel really sad about not seeing the children and everyone who’s been so good to me here!"
She said an award that recognizes district employees like bus drivers is great, but that it's the children she serves that make the win even greater, as well as the fact that she was nominated and voted for by her colleagues.
"My favorite part is really working with the children, it warms my heart," said Gonzalez. "It also represents them, they're gonna see that a lot of it is because of them, because we work for them."
Like practically any profession and job over the last year and a half, the pandemic came in and changed how everyone does just about everything.
That was certainly the case for Daniel Galvan, Director of Transportation for the district. From spacing to sanitizing, he says his bus drivers had to learn a lot in little time to ensure that safety always remained priority from the moment students hop on the bus to when they get out.
"These kids are the most precious cargo anyone can carry," said Galvan. "We're hoping this year's gonna start out a little better. We're prepared, all of our units are ready to go."
However, he does say when you have people like Yvette on your team, it makes the bumpiest of rides, a little smoother.
"She is an awesome driver. I can’t say anymore for her other than she cares for the kids. She does her job, she does it well. It's one of those things where I feel good about myself when I have someone I train to become 'Bus Driver of the Year.'"
Though the students are still off for summer break, the department is staying busy. Galvan said bus drivers have been transporting supplies to different campuses ahead of the new school year, and that while the seats may not have students in them right now, they are still filled with the promise of a new, and hopefully 'more normal' school year.
If you or someone you know is interested in a career with the Alice ISD as a bus driver, he encourages you to apply.
"We're always looking for bus drivers. We’re always short-handed, and because we’re a training facility now, they’re welcome to come in and apply with us."
For contact information and to be directed to the district's website to learn more, click here.
For the latest updates on coronavirus in the Coastal Bend, click here.
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