Back to School: Inside the Life of a Bus Driver

20 Sep 2021

 

 

With the new term starting, and all the children going back to school, we thought it would be a nice opportunity to speak to one of our drivers about life as a bus driver at Dews Coaches. We had the pleasure of speaking with Kath Hodson, who took the time to speak with us about her personal experience here at Dews.

 

 

 

Kath has been working with us for over 16 years, and has been driving buses for 20 years, so she has a lot of experience! 

 

It’s a big responsibility transporting all these children to and from school everyday, being the first and last person of authority they see. Kath and the team safely deliver nearly two and a half thousand students every day to local schools and colleges!

 

When asked how she first got into driving buses, Kath had this to say: “I’ve always had an interest in driving large vehicles, and I suppose that’s passed down from my family. My Great Grandfather, Charlie Fiske, was a train driver, in fact he was the royal train driver for the royal family! And my father was a long distance lorry driver, and also a bus driver before that. He even converted an old bus into a shop! So I guess you could say it's always been in the family!”

 

What does a day in the life of a bus driver look like?

Kath’s day normally starts at 7:00, when she has to check over the bus as a legal requirement to make sure that everything is running smoothly. She then starts her routes that are usually school and college drop off routes followed by the pickups in the afternoon. 

 

What do you enjoy about working at Dews Coaches?

For Kath, it is important to work locally, so being in Pidley, Dews is perfect for that! Her own children used to get the Dews bus to school, and now her grandchildren do too, so Dews has been a part of her life for generations! “I enjoy getting to know the local children who always keep me entertained, and it makes me feel like an important part of the community.”

 

We are so grateful to have Kath working with us, and we want to thank her and all our amazing drivers for the important work they do.