Some might take for granted how important driving a school bus really is. They greet your children every day. The lives of your children are in their hands and they do it all with 50 plus students facing their backs. Some parents can’t even handle a trip to the store with two children in the back seat of their car, let alone 50.
But for Oxford School District bus drivers Pat Bliss and Bev Hill, their dedication and experience to their profession has not gone unoticed.
In April, Bliss and Hill, who have a combined 67 years of driving school buses in Oxford, were both awarded a plaque for excellence in transportation for Oakland County. They were nominated by their colleagues and supervisor and were selected to win the award.
Bliss and Hill, both Oxford residents, have spent most of their careers driving school buses for the special education students. They both graduated from Oxford schools, had kids who graduated from Oxford schools and are driving the grandkids of those who they went to school with.
‘They’re really driving three generations of kids,? said Oxford Transportation Deparment Supervisor Char Podzikowski.
As if being awarded for excellence in transportation wasn’t enough, on June 21, Bliss was awarded the School Bus Driver of the Year out of the whole state of Michigan by the Michigan Association for Pupil Transportation (MAPT). The awards ceremony was held in Hamilton, near Holland, and Bliss said she cried uncontrolably when it was announced she won this award.
‘I was really excited,? she said. ‘I just figured I didn’t have a chance.?
Most would, considering there are thousands and thousands of bus drivers are employed by the state and there were eight finalists.
Podzikowski said she was told of Bliss? award and had to keep it secret.
‘It was unbelievably hard,? she said laughing.
Bliss was nominated by Podzikowski, had to write a letter about why she loves being a bus driver and had to have her points as a bus driver totaled up. Bus drivers earn certain points for driving without accidents and community service.
After 37 years of dedicated service, Bliss will be retiring on June 30 and said the end of her bus driving career is going to be very hard on her.
‘I’m probably going to cry the whole day,? she said as she teared up.
Bliss and Hill both agree that they’ve seen a lot of changes in the bus driving field, like having to use manual shift buses and having to pump their own fuel, but there are four rules that have not changed.
‘Be fair, firm, friendly and consistant,? said Bliss of these rules taught to her by retired principal Larry Ferrigan. ‘I figure that’s one of the best rules you should follow.?
Bliss and Hill always reminisce about their bus driving days together and they laugh at funny memories from children past. They said they will never forget how important their job was and what it meant to those who needed it most–the students.