Students, parents: have you hugged your school bus driver lately?
Monday, May 7 is School Bus Driver Appreciation Day across the province.
And they do deserve appreciation. Being a bus driver is not easy.
Not only are school bus drivers forced to contend with the noise of excited students, but at the same time, they must also watch carefully at what's going on in traffic and be prepared to react accordingly, plus watch what's going on behind them in the bus.
All the while, the safety of the students they transport and all those in vehicles around them is constantly on their minds.
That's a lot to think about and contend with. And through most of the year, they get little thanks for it.
Red Deer Catholic Regional School Division's Shevon Medicraft, assistant transportation manager, notes there's a plaque on their office wall that reads, "everyone is in awe of the lion tamer in a cage with wild lions; everyone but a school bus driver."
When Monday, May 7 rolls around, wave to a school bus driver; show how much you appreciate what they do.
