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Here's what a few of the 2,800 members of our School Transpor-
tation News LinkedIn group had to say about female bus mechanics. Find more comments, and leave your own, at
stnonline.com/go/14.
As a former tech and female, let me just say it is difficult to work with the good, old boys. I was not respected by the older men as a mechanic or a supervisor. Te younger men, while they would take direction and often feel the need to defend me, would eventually relent to the older men that bullied them. I would not be discour- aged, but the working conditions were not pleasant. Due to injuries, I had to leave the profession, but now I’m a driver. Some of the mechanics appreciate when I can tell them exactly what’s wrong with my vehicle, while the older ones just blow it off until they figure out I was actually right. For the most part, I’m not hassled, but I’m still a female and still deal with inappropriate behavior at times.
Robyn Meyers, professional school bus driver First Student, Mastic, N.Y.
After spending 38 years in truck shops, I can see everything Robyn
is saying. I would be hard pressed to recall any shop I ever worked in where a woman would be treated equally. Guys would either be over-protective or try to prove that the woman doesn’t belong there (yes, we are he-men; make fire, fire good, cook mammoth). I always held the belief that if someone can do a job, you shouldn’t get in their way, you might be surprised at what they can accomplish. I had several female supervisors, but I would be interested in working with a female tech just from the standpoint that women tend to look at things differently, and would probably have a different perspective and direction when it came to creative problem-solving.
Rich Skibitski, fleet manager Wayne (N.J.) Board of Education
I have employed female techs, both here in the U.K. and the U.S.,
and they are equally as good as the males, if not better in some skills. In some circumstances they have to be pretty thick skinned to cope, but it is up to management to be ‘on the ball’ and tuned into potential issues, and make sure they do not drive a good employee out, male or female.
John Ashmore West Sussex, England Over the years I have found that women can excel in the trade. If
given the opportunity. Not all are given the chance, and some don’t take the chance, some are driven from the field. Te women I have met in the trade are just like the men, except many see it as an avenue to out- perform men, and quite often, they do. If a woman has stuck with this for very long at all, they have my respect, if only for that one reason.
BJ Henderson, ASE triple certified technician assistant fleet manager, ACHR Inc. Auburn, Ala.
10 School Transportation News March 2014
The views and opinions in School Transportation News are those of the editorial staff. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the members of the Editorial Advisory Board or their organizations. Individuals serving on the board are advisors only and are not responsible for the editorial content.
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Editor Ryan Gray
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EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD:
Denny Coughlin, Consultant; Judith Dupille, Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles; Dick Fischer, Trans-Consult; Ron Love, Delaware DOE; Randy McLerran, National Bus Sales; Pete Meslin, Newport-Mesa Unified; Nancy Netherland, Migrant- Seasonal Head Start; Marshall Casey, Consultant; Alexandra Robinson, NAPT; Launi Schmutz, Washington County
Schools
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