Parents and a Cochrane business joined forces to recognize the hard work and often-thankless dedication of Cochrane school bus drivers recently.
John and Kathy Doell in partnership with Ink’d Graphics donated a thank-you banner to Cochrane’s Southland Transportation Ltd. on April 25 in advance of a barbecue the company held to thank its drivers on May 2.
“We are very grateful for the service of Southland Transportation, their bus drivers, and the entire organization. We have been using the service for over 15 years as a family,” John explained.
He explained he came up with the idea because he wanted to give the company something more meaningful than a thank-you card or box of chocolates.
“I hope the banner is a constant reminder to them that they are deeply appreciated,” John said.
“We’ve basically never had a complaint – our kids have always been safe on their buses. They’ve had a really good time riding the bus and I feel like we often have good intentions but we don’t often deliver on those.”
John believes school bus drivers have a lasting impact on children as they see them so frequently throughout their years in school. He also realizes it can be a tough job at times.
“The gesture comes from a deep gratitude … Buses are a very basic form of transportation so the drivers don’t live in luxury – they don’t have air conditioning and from my point of view there’s inadequate heat on the cold days. And they drive in all weather and they’re not in four-wheel drive vehicles,” John said.
Sandra McKinnon, a driver for Southland Transportation Ltd., said her job is rewarding.
“It works great with my family and I love children and I like driving,” McKinnon said with a laugh.
“Over the years I’ve seen the children develop and grow and be receptive to us saying, ‘Good morning.’ and things like that … It’s a rewarding career and you’re making an impact,” McKinnon explained.
John and Kathy hope their donation will encourage others to thank their bus drivers for all the work they do.
“Since donating the banner, I’ve become aware that it is no accident that the whole organization is as safe as it is. A whole lot of time, effort, energy, and expense go into constant training of the drivers and the personnel. It’s very behind the scenes so it would be easy to take for granted what goes into the safety of our children.”
