City Bus Driver

What started as a standard shift quickly spiralled into a multi-agency operation, a mechanical standoff, and an unexpected moral dilemma. From a medical emergency to a bus that refused to reverse, and a final, fateful encounter with a wounded deer, the road had one last test before letting me go home. Some nights, driving a bus is about more than just the journey. When a Routine Shift Becomes Anything But It started as a routine shift, one of those days where you hope the most dramatic thing you'll encounter is a passenger asking if you go somewhere you very obviously don’t. But fate had other plans. The outgoing driver mentioned a passenger who needed medical assistance but assured me everything was in hand. I nodded along, blissfully unaware that my shift was about to turn into a multi-agency operation featuring medical drama, mechanical failures, and an unexpected plot twist. Shortly after setting off, I noticed a concerned expression from a boarding passenger, an expression tha...

A 95-year-old’s quick thinking and a shiny walking stick turned into an unmissable signal, stopping a bus in the most unexpected way! The Walking Stick That Stopped a Bus I’d just turned left at the lights, making steady progress towards the next stop, a bus shelter usually teeming with shoppers. I was a minute early, cruising comfortably between timing points, when suddenly, FLASH! A blinding light struck my eyes from the left. One of those where-the-hell-did-that-come-from moments. My first thought? Some kid with a laser pen having a laugh. But no, there was no one there. Just the quiet pavement, behaving itself. Then, FLASH! Again! Square in the eyes. “What the…?” And then I saw her. A proper veteran of life, standing in the distance, furiously waving a polished metal walking stick above her head. Not just waving, wielding. The thing caught the sun at the perfect angle, firing off warning shots like a distress beacon. Her walking aid was stretched out full length in front of her, as...

On an ordinary bus ride, a strange observation sparks an unexpected mystery. One passenger's fingers, inexplicably smelling of roast beef, leave everyone questioning reality.  The Roast Beef Conundrum The rain was falling in that half-hearted, miserly way that suggests it couldn’t care less about its task. The streets were slick, the passengers bored, and the bus trundled along with the sort of rhythm that mirrors the tired minds inside. It was one of those afternoons where time drips, like the raindrops running down the windows, slow, steady, almost imperceptible. Nothing to disturb the usual hum. Until the voice broke through. Your fingers,” it said, clear and deliberate, “smell like roast beef. The words hung in the air like the first odd drop of a rainstorm, causing ripples across the bus. For a moment, there was silence, a collective pause, as if the universe itself had been thrown off course by the mere suggestion. I glanced up in the mirror. The scene in front of me was one ...

Ever find yourself wondering if there's a "right" way to get that baby buggy off the bus? Whether you're a parent manoeuvring through your morning routine or a bus driver who’s seen it all, the debate between pulling the buggy off in reverse and pushing it forward is more entertaining (and important) than you might think! Baby Buggy Ballet The Techniques at a Glance Pulling Off in Reverse: Smooth Moves: Some say pulling the buggy in reverse allows the force to align nicely with the buggy's centre of gravity, think of it as a gentle, controlled exit. Steady as She Goes: With a more upright posture, this method might reduce those “oops, I almost tripped” moments. Buggy Ballet : Does pulling feel like leading a graceful dance, or is it just a cautious shuffle? We’re curious! Pushing Off Forward: Forward Momentum: Pushing gives the buggy a little forward thrust, almost like launching a mini chariot, though, of course, safety comes first. Unexpected Dance Moves: Ev...

Some moments at work stick with you, not because they’re dramatic, but because they shift your perspective in a way you didn’t expect. A routine chat in the depot led to a revelation that caught me off guard, not in a bad way, just in a how did I miss that? kind of way. But as the moment settled, so did something else: a quiet happiness, not just for my colleague, but for the kind of workplace where being yourself isn’t a big deal, it’s just normal. Note: In this job, we’re trained to see things coming, anticipate the unexpected, spot trouble before it happens, always keep our eyes open. And yet, somehow, I completely missed this one. No hazards, no warning signs, just a colleague casually dropping news that had apparently been sitting at the bus stop for ages while I drove right past it.  A Workplace Where Being Yourself Is Normal There’s a rhythm to our mornings as bus drivers. A nod here, a raised coffee cup there, a language of silent camaraderie before the first passengers of...

A sudden bang shatters the calm of a packed bus, jolting me into a past I thought I'd left behind. For a split second, I’m not just a driver, I’m somewhere else entirely. And all because of one unsuspecting walking stick. When a Walking Stick Sounds Like the End of the World Picture this, a packed bus, mid-afternoon, teetering at a busy junction, my foot delicately feathering the brake like a concert pianist caressing the keys. Every passenger, blissfully unaware of the precarious ballet I’m performing with traffic, just wants to get where they’re going. Then, it happens. A sharp BANG!, a noise so loud, so sudden, that my heart attempts an unauthorised departure through my ribcage. It’s the kind of sound you don’t want to hear while threading through lanes of impatient motorists, not unless you enjoy adrenaline-fuelled existential crises. For a split second, time freezes. My hands grip the wheel a little tighter. A dozen heads jerk up in synchrony, wide-eyed, scanning for the impen...

Valentine’s Day meets bus driver humour in a playful twist on classic love poems. From traffic jams to unexpected romance, these verses prove that even the longest routes can be filled with laughter. Hop on and enjoy the ride! Love, Laughter, and a Busload of Banter So, why not take a few well-known love poems and give them a little twist from behind the wheel? These bus-themed versions prove that even when you're stuck in traffic, a good laugh can still keep things rolling. Hop on, sit back, and enjoy these playful reimagining's of classic rhymes – because who says romance can’t have a bit of bus driver humour? Valentine’s Day is all about celebrating unique relationships with personalised messages and meaningful gestures of love. Roses are red, the bus is on time, I never knew love until I saw you in line! Roses are red, the seats are askew, coffee’s gone cold, and so are you. Roses are red, the route’s a disaster, if you’re late again, I’ll make you walk faster. Roses are re...

A forgotten bus pass, a firm policy, and a split-second decision, sometimes, the right call isn’t about rules but recognising potential. When a determined teenager sprinted off instead of arguing, I saw more than just a fare dodger. And that changed everything. When the Right Decision Isn’t in the Rulebook It’s that feeling of uncertainty when you have to make a call, unsure whether the outcome will benefit the bottom line or cause more problems down the road. For us on the buses, it’s often about protecting the revenue, standing firm on policies, and not letting a chancer slip through the cracks. But let’s be honest, sometimes the line between being firm and being reasonable is thinner than you think. There are days when a decision feels like a loss. You know, the kind where you stick to the rulebook, yet something doesn’t sit right after the fact. It’s a hard call to make, knowing when to enforce the policy and when to offer a bit of leeway. A free ride here and there might not seem ...

A long, shallow mark that vanished with a simple rub, yet it sparked a mountain of paperwork. In the world of bus driving, even the most insignificant marks demand a bureaucratic response. And yes, every detail gets documented. A Mark That Left No Trace, but Plenty of Paperwork It’s funny how, in the grand scheme of things, the universe measures impact. Some collisions shake the ground, alter history, and leave a mark for generations. Others? Well, they barely leave a mark at all, except on paperwork. It’s not so funny how the thinnest layer of paint can turn a non-event into an administrative saga. A near-invisible touch, yet a mountain of paperwork follows. There are moments in this job when the world slows down, and you become hyper-aware of the difference a few microns of paint can make. A brush, a whisper, a meeting of surfaces so gentle it might not have even been noticed in another time, another place. And yet, in this world, such moments demand theatre. Reports must be written,...

A colleague’s plea. A dog tied to a post in the cold night. A fleeting moment where help was possible, but uncertainty and silence leave the real question: Did I miss my chance to make a difference? When a Missing Dog Becomes a Burden of Unanswered Questions As I stepped on the bus for my changeover, I caught my colleague’s gaze. There was something in his eyes, a quiet urgency that spoke volumes. It wasn’t just a glance; it was a plea wrapped in a question. The kind of look that said, I need your help, and not just any help, but the kind that feels like a turning point.      " Can you do me a favour?” he asked, his voice low, almost apologetic.  I nodded, though the knot in my stomach had already tightened. “What’s up?” “There’s a dog,” he said quickly, almost too quickly. “I saw it on my way back here. Tied to a post, shivering. Looks bad. Really bad.” The words hit me like a punch, sharp and immediate. My thoughts raced, scrambling for meaning. Was he asking me t...

A bus ride transformed into a pre-show adventure, where enchiladas, nostalgia, and electric dreams collide. From the restaurant to the concert, public transport proved the ultimate ticket to an unforgettable night. From Salsa to Symphonies: A Bus Ride to ELO’s Electric Night ELO Again: The night hummed with an electric pulse as ELO Again descended upon the city, their tribute to the Electric Light Orchestra luring in droves of eager fans. The streets were alive with chatter, the air rich with nostalgia, and my bus became the vessel carrying them towards an evening of symphonic splendour. Among them, a quintet stood out, three men and two women, all wrapped in the warm glow of pre-show excitement. They stumbled onto my bus, already in full flight about their earlier escapades, having indulged in a feast at a nearby Mexican restaurant. Their enthusiasm was boundless, their energy infectious. A tribute to ELO, as their iconic spaceship glides through space, approaching Earth with the sun...

A fur-coated lady and a mince-soaked man collide in the aftermath of a Six Nations showdown, where rugby fans, awkward encounters, and bus rides blur the lines between class and chaos. Sometimes, public transport is the real game-changer. Rugby Fans, Odd Encounters, and a Bus Ride Like No Other The Six Nations had the city in a grip tighter than a front-row scrum. Every street, every pub, every half-sensible surface had been draped in flags, Scottish, Welsh, Irish, French, English, and Italian. The air was thick with a heady mix of lager fumes, competitive banter, and the unmistakable scent of match-day excitement. And, as always, the bus bore witness to it all. Saturday evening, post-match. The streets teemed with fans spilling out of bars, high on the thrill of victory or numbed by the sting of defeat. The bus was doing what it does best, bringing together a collection of souls who, in any other setting, might never share the same air. She boarded first. A vision of wealth, draped in...