Observation: Bus Driver Camaraderie
One thing I’ve noticed during my bus-riding career is that bus drivers have a really strong sense of camaraderie. Like, if a bus passes another bus, the bus driver might honk or wave at the other driver. During my days at UNM, this was pretty common since the busses took a circular route, and so it would make sense for a bus driver to say hi versus ignoring his/her co-worker. It was even pretty common for drivers to open up their windows, stop the bus, and start a little chat. This was kind of annoying since I was usually late for class.
I think the camaraderie doesn’t end by just affiliating with the same university. I was riding the blue Michigan bus to work the other day and I noticed a cross-bus encounter! The school bus driver was talking to the city bus driver across busses! So this must be a really strong link between bus drivers of all types, regardless of employer or bus model.
Is there some kind of strange connection being made between these bus drivers? Is bus driving school a really uniting experience, like boot camp? Do bus drivers stick together and maybe have bus driving school reunions? Is there a bus driver’s guild!?
If anyone can shed light on this phenomenon I would greatly appreciate it.
P.S. I spell the plural of bus “busses.” Technically, it’s correct. It’s like the British version or something.
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Lol, I’ve always wondered about that. I figured they were part of some sort of ultra-exclusive bus driver clique, and those little honks and hand waves were their secret code signs. Realistically, I think bus drivers are just really bored out of their mind, and seeing someone else that shares their pain makes them feel as if they are BFF.
Aren’t bus drivers all unionized? That would probably explain it, too.
No, no no no! No. The unionization stems from something deeper. It is a by-product of this bus driver je ne sais quoi. I think Ender also might be on to something. But I fear the only way to truly know is to become a bus driver myself. Doing so might sever my ties with the rest of the world and swear fealty to the bus driver empire. To hell with it, I’ll just keep riding the bus and keep wondering what the heck they’ve got going.
Terrorists.
Bus drivers are not terrorists, Ben. Bus drivers are our friends. And I don’t know about you, but I don’t have any terrorist friends!
I was a campus and public transit bus driver while in school and I’ll tell you it IS the shared experiences – just like military folks, police officers, and firefighters – they all have this camaderie because they know what the others have been through and are going through. It IS kinda like a clique, because no one knows what it’s like to be in that position except other drivers (officers, soldiers, etc.) and that creates a little “secret” society. We are brothers/sisters!!!