Before school buses had radios and automatic transmissions, Kathy Davis got to spend about six hours stuck in the snow on Big Lake Road.
It’s one of many stories she could share from her 34-plus years experience as a bus driver for Clarkston Community Schools.
‘There was the year we had the big snow,? she said, not remembering the exact year. She was driving a route for Andersonville Elementary School, and the administration dismissed classes at around 11:30 a.m. in an attempt to get students home before the blizzard hit.
They didn’t make it.
‘It wasn’t just me stuck, it was all the people,? Davis said. ‘The wreckers couldn’t get through. Back then, it was considered way out there.?
Fortunately, local residents allowed the kids to come in to stay warm and use the bathroom, but it is a sign of how it used to be without radios.
‘If you got stuck, you had to appoint the most reliable kid on your bus to go for a walk to get help,? she said. ‘Nowadays it would be a lawsuit if you did that.?
June 10 was her last day on the job. Her seniority topped the list of Clarkston bus drivers.
Before she became a driver, she was working at Wonder Drugs for 50 cents an hour. Her husband was working a night shift and her second child was in kindergarten.
‘Ron was always missing the bus, so I’d have to go get him,? she said. One of her sisters was a Lake Orion bus driver and suggested she look into the job. She hired in at 90 cents an hour, ‘which was a big deal back then,? and she was pleased she could take her children to work with her ‘back then.?
In addition to differences in bus equipment and procedures, the territory was different, especially for the Andersonville Elementary route. She actually preferred to stay on the back roads.
‘Back then it was desolate, but it was nice,? she said, noting the only initial training was a road test with a mechanic. ‘You learned fast, but you ground a lot of gears back then. As long as you could shift, you were on your own.?
Bus drivers know the roads better than almost anyone, but Davis said it is hard to tell which is the worst in the Clarkston area. From a traffic standpoint, she believes M-15 may be the worst, especially in the morning when having to make a left turn off Oakhill Road.
About 20 years ago, she traded in a ‘big bus? for a smaller vehicle used to transport special education students. It’s been a labor of love since, especially when she sees how families survive and thrive in the face of special needs.
On her last day of work, the mother of two special needs students brought Davis a gift with a card signed by both boys.
‘It’s really nice to see. When you see how they develop, it’s really gratifying,? she said. ‘If these kids on these big buses could just see what some of these [special ed.] kids are going through.?
It’s impossible to guess how many children she has driven over the years, but Davis said she occasionally meets former passengers whose children were on her bus.
With those good memories have been some frustration with reckless drivers, especially those with four-wheel drive vehicles and cell phones.
‘Everybody just drives like they’re the only ones on the road. Years ago you didn’t have anyone finger you or swear at you, but now…people are just nasty.?
She decided to retire this year when the district offered a financial incentive package. It was a tough decision, because she really enjoyed the job. Her husband, who is on medical retirement from General Motors, had offered guidance which proved to be true.
‘He said, ‘Kathy, you’ll know when the time is right,?? she said. ‘I woke up one morning [in April] and thought, ‘This is it.??
Although she thinks, ‘I don’t lead a very exciting life,? Davis has lots to keep her busy in retirement. She looks forward to spending time with family, including her husband, three grown children and eight grandchildren.
‘They’re great. I tell everyone who doesn’t have grandchildren that this is what being a parent is all about. It’s having grandkids.?
She also enjoys crocheting, knitting and travel to the couple’s place in northern Michigan. She recently got her first computer, and enjoys reaching her family ancestry.
‘It frustrates my kids, because they think I need to take a computer class,? she said with a smile.
After more than 34 years on the road, Davis knows what she will miss and what she won’t miss.
‘I guess I’m going to miss the kids and the parents,? she said. ‘What I’m not going to miss is getting up at 4:30 a.m.?