My View
What I Gain From Riding the Bus
BY LAURA NELSON/School Administrator, March 2021

IN OCTOBER 2019, newly appointed to the superintendency, I set the goal of riding our entire fleet of buses. News of this project spread quickly. Some called it a stunt. Others predicted I would give up before I made it through all 21 routes. Many questioned why I would invest the time just riding around the school district.

Several significant benefits quickly outstripped my initial intention of just learning about roads and boundaries.

First, bus riding provides an opportunity to build relationships with students and put their lives in context. I see the mansions, trailers, houses and tents they call home. As we lean into turns and bounce over gravel, they explain how iPads, block scheduling, sports and/or the learning management system impact them in real time. You haven’t really lived until you’ve had a kindergartener talk low and slow to you about “why our Canvas is good.”

Secondly, bus riding has built a strong bridge with a department that felt unseen and disenfranchised. At some point on each ride, I ask each driver what is working well and what we can improve. On one of my first rides, a veteran shared that “the biggest challenge we face is that we aren’t really appreciated.”

Over dozens of rides, I learned that many perceived their struggles to be invisible to the rest of the district and that “higher-ups” didn’t much care what they thought. Being in their space allows me to better understand, affirm and validate these important team members. Actions speak louder than words, especially if you are on a three-hour route.

Third, bus riding makes for formidable advocacy. Having first-hand knowledge of real estate, terrain and socioeconomic dynamics in our district provides powerful fuel for decision making. Time on the bus gave me a nuanced understanding of transportation strategy and clarified the mandate to ensure our budget reflects this. We’ve recently prioritized getting Wi-Fi and GPS fleetwide and to acquire a better system for tracking ridership in real-time.

A Replicable Experience

If any school system leaders now feel an urge to replicate my bus riding, I’ve created five guidelines to ensure a valuable experience.

»NO. 1: Create a bus route booklet to keep track of where you’ve been and what you’ve seen and heard.

»NO. 2: Coordinate ride times with your transportation director to prevent surprises and miscommunication.

»NO. 3: Send a follow-up thank you note to each driver. Citing details from the ride and/or recognizing shared interests builds relationships.

»NO. 4: Keep your phone stashed. Enjoy the ride and the fact it is highly unlikely someone will show up at the door of the bus and ask you to stop what you are doing to fix something.

»NO. 5: Be fearless. I learned I was the only one who felt awkward. The students and drivers happily share this important space.

Still Riding

More than a year after my experience, much has changed, but I am still riding, albeit masked and socially distanced. Yes, I met the goal and made it through all 21 routes. I am back for the second round.

It’s a privilege to see the world through bus windows. The chickens, weather vanes, sunrises and sunsets have given me a vast appreciation for the quirky beauty unique to my school district, which serves about 2,000 students, many of whom now recognize me. More than one rough day has turned positive through a fist bump from a bus buddy. Few experiences have been so transformative — a rare gift these days — and it’s wrapped and ready for any school leader who jumps on the bus.

LAURA NELSON is superintendent of the Osage School District in Lake Ozark, Mo. Twitter: @nelsonlaura