Celebrating School Bus Driver Appreciation Day

Feb. 19 is Minnesota’s ninth annual School Bus Driver Appreciation Day. Throughout the district, bus drivers work tirelessly each day to deliver students to and from school safely and on time.

Matt

Matt works three routes in the district, transporting students to and from Brooklyn Middle STEAM School, Fernbrook Elementary and Weaver Lake: A Science, Math & Technology School. Matt has been a bus driver for eleven years, and enjoys being a bus driver because it always brings something new and he is never in the same spot. He has worked on the same routes for two years now and has enjoyed getting to foster the relationships with the students and their parents. 

“My favorite part is the kids. I enjoy being around them and seeing the smiles on their faces every morning and afternoon. It's a joy getting to see them grow up,” Matt said. 

He greets each and every student with a “good morning” when they get on his bus and a “have a wonderful day” when they get off. One highlight for Matt is when he got to drive a student that he had driven years ago as a preschooler while on a high school field trip. He keeps all of the cards that students have made him over the years in a scrapbook, which he says means a lot to him. 

In his free time, Matt enjoys going fishing, being outdoors and spending time with his family. 

Tyrone

Tyrone picks up and drops off students at Fernbrook Elementary, Rush Creek Elementary, Maple Grove Middle School and Maple Grove Senior High School. He likes working with students of different ages because they all behave differently when they get on the bus. This is his second year as a bus driver, and he says he is excited to get up each and every morning and go to work. 

“I love this job,” Tyrone said. “You really have to like children to do it. That’s the most important thing.”

Tyrone knows all of the students on his route. He knows whether some students need more time in the morning to get to the bus and if he should wait for them. He really enjoys building relationships with the students and their families. He works each day to make them comfortable and happy to get on the bus. He enjoys being a bus driver because of the schedule and the routine of the shifts. 

“In this job, you learn something new every day,” Tyrone said.

In his free time, Tyrone works as a DJ and enjoys spending time with his family and playing video games.