Ronald Usher:
Uno bus driver You’ve been working for the University for quite some time now. Does it get tedious? I have been in the bus industry since I was about 20 as a conductor, crew driver and opo (one-person operated)! Sometimes you do get down but fortunately I do a job I really love – what’s not to love about meeting people and driving? I’ve never really thought about why I am a bus driver.
How has your role changed since you’ve been here? Do you feel like you’ve made a difference?
I have worked for UniversityBus/Uno for about thirteen years and this is my third garage with the company. I have seen two campuses close and a third will disappear soon. I also watched the building of the de Havilland campus and the new Forum. Within this time, our company has expanded from about four routes with twenty-six drivers to well over twenty, with nearly 200 drivers. I do not think I have made very much difference but I have just become Union Chairperson so I am trying to get more involved.
What else does your title of ‘Bus Driver’ entail? On a student’s first day we are the face of the University, hopefully giving them directions to the right places. Although I do same duty every day they are never the same. You may get a child choking on a sweet one day; have an elderly person who is lost another day, or even getting lost yourself due to road closures. I try to bring a little humour to people’s day but at 3am in the morning I am looking to get the students home safely and sometimes they are the worse for wear.
What are the perks of the job? As I drive what we affectionately call ‘The Boozy Bus’, there aren’t that many perks. Although, I consider it a perk to get students on my bus in a better frame of mind! There may be a few that ruin my evening but on the whole the students have a sense of humour! Oh.... and because I don’t go to work until the afternoon, I can get some valuable, quality time on the Xbox or PS3!
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