I Drive It: Meet Donald, Community Transit Coach Operator

When your job goes from handling small pieces of machinery to handling machinery that is nearly 50,000 lbs, that's a big change! After years of trouble shooting photoelectric sensors as an electric bench technician, we are happy that Donald decided to stretch his legs and give driving the bus a go. In almost 12 years (and getting close to his Million Mile Driver Award goal), Donald has expanded not only his view out the window, but his view inside the window as well.

It was the excitement at the responsibility of driving a large passenger vehicle that initially inspired Donald to drive for us. While he had driven a semi-trailer truck before, the thought of a vehicle with space inside and people as its precious cargo was a little intimidating. Our nine-week comprehensive training program soon set his mind at ease. "I appreciated how in-depth the training program was. Our training department is really top-of-the-line. I was given such a sense of confidence because I didn't have to worry too much about what might happen on the road. As long as I followed my training, I was fully prepared."

Along with confidence came the connection with passengers inside the bus. "Right away I started understanding service is about people helping people. I like that part. The people I serve is life; it's why I'm here. One morning I was driving the 116 from Silver Firs and a woman up front was acting a bit edgy like she was running late. She said to me, 'I know you don't care, but I really need to catch the 113 at Ash Way. I don't want to miss my bus.' That really affected me. In her experience drivers are robots, just driving the bus. I looked at her and said, 'Don't worry, you'll catch your bus. And by the way, I really do care.' Her whole demeanor changed and she relaxed."

Donald said this commitment to service makes him proud to work for Community Transit. "Because the company as a whole values service, it really sets us apart from other agencies. The higher-ups respect and listen to all employees. This helps the demeanor of the drivers and creates a wonderful camaraderie here."

What do you value in a workplace? Do you feel valued by your workplace in return? If making a difference in people's lives is important to you, we're hiring Coach Operators: www.communitytransit.org/drive4us