Feature -- by Mark Sproxton

Jumping behind the wheel of the awaiting bus, today's shift begins in darkness. The passenger doors are closed, rear-view mirror checked, side mirror checked, signal light turned on, the bus in gear and it's off. The next stop? That depends who's driving.

Bus drivers are in constant contact with people, traffic and weather

Charter motor coach operator Les Clothier, who drives for Accent Lines, has only two stops to make before returning to the city from a day trip to Banff with a group of tourists from around the globe. Debbie Van Ham, a transit operator (bus driver) for Calgary Transit, has innumerable stops on today's route that sees her wind from one end of the city to the other taking people to work, school and most anywhere else imaginable.

Today is a typical day for Clothier seeing him arrive at work about 8 a.m., checking the paperwork so he knows where to pick people up and where they're going before driving to the designated starting spot. Once there he'll open the doors, load the luggage and help people climb on board all the while being kind and courteous.

"And you find out from the person in charge where they want to stop and for how long," he said. "And you ask them to help with cleanliness." This trip, composed entirely of adults, will have him back at home by 5 p.m. the same evening. Another trip, however, could be for a minor hockey team and require an overnight stop. "It doesn't matter how old or young the people are, you don't treat any group any different than another," Clothier said.

Van Ham's typical day, for now, includes getting up at 4:30 a.m., being to work by 6 a.m. driving until 9 a.m. having an extended break, returning behind the wheel at 1:30 p.m. and driving until 6 p.m. As transit operators get to choose their routes based on the number of years they've been with the operator's union, her next route could be completely different, but it will be a split-shift for sure.

Her trips involve hundreds of stops, hundreds of different people and staunch alertness. "You're not just looking straight ahead of you," she said. "You're peripheral vision is constantly being used. And people skills are very important. You have to have a lot of patience. You deal with unruly passengers regularly, but you have way more nice people than miserable people."

While the operators' days and environments may be different, they share the same goal: getting people where they need to go safely. And they also have similar licensing qualifications. Both drivers have a Class 2 provincial licence and air brake certification, Clothier's earned at a truck driving school and Van Ham's through the required Calgary Transit training program.

Clothier, who has spent his entire six-year driving career with Accent Lines, joined the company after being encouraged by some friends who worked there and believed he too would enjoy the business. Van Ham has driven with Calgary Transit for 11 years after working for years in retail and wanting a change. Both have been around long enough to see the good and bad sides of the work.

"The part I like about this work is you get to meet new people all the time and the comradery with the drivers is great," Clothier said. "It's nice to have somebody to talk to because you are away for seven to 10 days sometimes. What I don't like is cleaning the bus at the end of the day."

Van Ham added: "I like that you're your own boss. You don't have an overseer as long as you do your job. And it's a good wage for what you do. What I don't like is the hours. Split (shifts) take a toll on you. You spend a lot of time killing time." Working in a unionized environment, she said new drivers will spend the first while on a "spare board" meaning they will be called to fill in any and all shifts as needed.

The drivers share three other elements of the job. Both must wear a uniform, they must drive in all kinds of weather conditions and both are paid by the hour. Clothier said some other bussing companies will pay per mile driven and others pay a day rate.

For those looking to get into tourism motor coach driving, Clothier offers the following advice: "Look at the equipment they have. If (it's) well maintained, and you can tell from the outside, it makes a big difference. And in this industry you have to get along. If somebody's angry with you, take it and let it go. Make it the best trip possible."

Anyone looking to work as a bus driver in public transit should be prepared to spend a lot of time alone, Van Ham said. "Even though you're with the public, it's not the same because you don't develop any kind of intimacy." People should also be ready to be uncomfortable from time to time as there are few places, and little time for bathroom breaks, she said.