Slice of Good Ol Boy Life

“If you hit the curb, it’s an automatic fail.”

And with those words in mind, we started bus training.

It was late April and the rain was socked in. There were eight of us in training class. We did classroom stuff for a few days, learning the basic parts of a bus and watched some badly acted HR videos.

I still had the TSA experience lingering inside my head. Would I fail another certification process? I tried to keep doubt at bay with every ounce of focus and discipline one could muster.

A great deal of gratitude goes to our onboarding supervisor, Danny. A Pacific Islander, Danny had worked at the transit agency for close to 30 years, starting as a service worker just like us.

He was broadly built, bald with a warm smile and cheerful disposition. I’ll never forget the words of wisdom he gave me inside the bus after I stumbled through a pre-trip inspection quiz.

“John,” he said, taking off his yellow high visibility vest before plopping down in the front row of the bus. “I can tell you’ve got a little anxiety there.”

He then leaned forward and lifted his eye lids slightly higher to deliver his diagnosis. “That’s natural…but once you settle down, you got this.”

That was the validation I needed. Danny knew I was trying too hard. He could see the fear inside my eyes. That fear came from our contract, which clearly stated that anyone who fails after two attempts at certification is automatically terminated.

Ramping up the tension was that it would be a month before I would get the first paycheck and my savings were rapidly dwindling with rent coming due soon. The stakes couldn’t be any higher.

So after two weeks, we ventured out of the yard behind the wheel of a 40-foot, Gillig bus. We practiced taking wide turns, traveled down narrow residential roads and up winding hills. We contended with all kinds of obstacles in busy downtown areas and congested Interstate traffic.

Learning to “borrow” enough space from the opposite lane at times is important and the ol’ bob and weave / rock and roll technique is critical to a smooth operation.

Keep your head constantly moving, scanning for whatever comes your way. Pay attention to changing red and green lights and God forbid, don’t hit the curb.

On testing day we had to correctly identify all of the critical components on the bus — from the brakes and engine to lights and tires. After that, we were to successfully complete three backing exercises and then take the road course with a state examiner riding along to give directions.

I had done a lot of praying that week and even went to church with David on the Sunday before the final exam. I remember becoming overwhelmed with emotions during one of the hymns. It was as if I was releasing months of pressure. They were joyful tears.

And then, with Danny’s encouragement nestled in my subconscious, I climbed into that bus and passed my driving exam — in the Portland rain no less. Our entire class passed. No curbs were hit. The job was now officially mine.

A long three-month hiring process had concluded and a new career path was unlocked. Going forward, I would be keeping both hands firmly on the wheel.