PASSING TRAINING

Driving a 40 foot transit bus here at the Grand Canyon National Park is a little more involved than just the driving. If it were simply getting behind the wheel, and motoring down the road, there would be no question about most C.D.L. Drivers ability to do the job.

Yesterday evening marked the completion of my week of training, and I have been released on an unsuspecting public, beginning this morning. With very little trepidation, I'm anxious to start driving on my own, without someone looking over my shoulder. It's been an extremely educational week, not to mention a very challenging week. After the third day of training, it was beginning to look like one of my fellow trainees wasn't going to make it. When Gary, our trainer, took her aside at the end of the day, and basically said that "if you want this job, you better step it up a notch, or you're going to fail". With that sober warning, she did exactly that, and all 3 of us made it through the training process.

The company that I am working for, Paul Revere Transportation, is on their 3rd 5 year contract, with the Park Service. The Paul Revere manager, and the supervisors, have the transit system operating like a finely tuned race engine. Each individual bus route is so precise, the drivers have to stay on their toes when it comes to maintaining the schedule. In addition to the errorless driving required, we have a multitude of announcements that have to be made concerning safety, route information, and a host of other things. As I stated previously, the learning curve has been quite sharp, but once everything, or most everything was absorbed, I feel very well prepared to do the job.

This past week has been both fun, and quite challenging. I feel a sense of accomplishment, having made it through this week of bus driver boot camp, with I'm quite sure, a few more challenges on the horizon.