GRAND LEDGE - Not everyone can drive a 35,000 pound, 40-foot-long vehicle designed to carry 71 passengers and have the wheels go within one inch of where they are supposed to go.
But those who can take a lot of pride in their skills.
Thousands of school bus drivers in Michigan do that, along with many other tasks, every day. And they do it while carrying 70 or so rowdy students and maintaining order at the same time.
The top 38 school bus drivers in Michigan assembled at Grand Ledge Hayes Middle School in Delta Township on Tuesday, June 22 to show off their skills at the 33rd annual state school bus driving championship.
The top drivers, winners of nine regional meets, competed in written and performance tests designed to identify the best school bus driver in Michigan.
"It is nice to bring the best of the best to Lansing and honor them as individuals," said Karen Losch, Executive Director of the Michigan Association for Pupil Transportation.
"We like to give them a chance to show off their skills," Drivers were measured on their ability to perform a number of tests of their skills, including driving within one inch of a straight line without crossing it, making a right or left turn and coming within three inches of, but not hitting, a marker on the inside of the turn while not forgetting to signal properly or bringing a bus to a stop within three inches of a line. Fifty volunteer judges watched as the drivers went through the various tests, counting and measuring and assessing penalty points for the inches by which they missed the marks.
One of the judges, former bus driver Dick Sheren of Grand Ledge, said he enjoyed all of the time he spent on the job, and still misses it.
"I drove bus for 18 years. I wish I could have for 35 years," he said.
The winner, a driver from Grandville, will go to the national championships in St. Louis in July.
Losch said Dean Transportation will sponsor his trip to compete for the national title.
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