Commuters all around the world are being encouraged to pay their respects to their drivers by celebrating Bus Driver Appreciation Day on Saturday and thanking their local drivers.

The day is held on March 18, which is when it is believed that bus services debuted in Paris way back in 1662.

The concept of Bus Driver Appreciation Day was conceived in 2009 by some bus passengers in Seattle.

The day encourages communities to thank their bus driver every day.

New South Wales based operator Busways is one of many operators celebrating the day by recognising its diverse bunch of bus drivers.

Busways says its bus drivers are very responsible and all deserve appreciation every day, especially on March 18 as it celebrates Bus Driver Appreciation Day.

One of Busways’ many drivers is Balbir Singh, who has been driving for four years and currently drives at Busways’ Ryde depot after previously being a chef.

"I love the customer service aspect of bus driving – the direct contact and being able to help," Singh says.

Photo:  Balbir Singh at the wheel
 

Another Busways drivers is Rin Prasad, who worked in business administration and is now a Blacktown driver for the operator.

Prasad started driving buses five years ago after seeing a female driver in Western Sydney.

"My old job just had so much pressure and I felt the boss was always on my back. I wanted to do something with responsibility but where I can be my own boss as well," Prasad says.

Prasad says she has loved being able to engage with people and serve the community, as she loves being outdoors and interacting with people in the area.

Both Prasad and Singh applied without heavy vehicle experience.

"The Busways trainers were great and I felt confident right from the start," Singh says.

Prasad says: "When I first sat behind the big wheel, it came to me really naturally, almost like driving a car!"

Both value other factors of their jobs outside of just being on the road. As a mum, Prasad says being an operator fits perfectly into her lifestyle by allowing her to spend time with her kids, while Singh says the great team at his depot makes him feel like he’s "working with family".

Next up in Busways’ bunch is Willoughby driver Ji Wang, who originally came from China to study after losing his tourism business during COVID-19 before finding a fulfilling job as a bus driver.

He loves bus driving and is in it for the long haul – he focuses on great customer service and memorising his routes to give customers a smooth and on-time ride.

"You really need to do your homework and learn all the routes, remembering where you turn and which streets are narrow," Wang says.

Ross Ivory is also a Busways driver at the Ryde depot and just celebrated 50 years of driving buses. Busways says to keep an eye out for his story soon.

Busways thanks all bus drivers across Australia that work diligently every day to safely deliver millions of customers on their journey.

Have a great Bus Driver Appreciation Day!

 

Story courtesy Australasian Bus and Coach Magazine