Looking for work that fits your life? Consider the driver’s seat

This is a paid post contributed by a Patch Community Partner. The views expressed in this post are the author's own, and the information presented has not been verified by Patch.

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A lot of jobs come with an unspoken expectation: your life needs to fit around your work schedule.

But what if you’re looking for the opposite?

Maybe you’re retired and miss having somewhere to be, people who count on you, and a reason to get out into your community each day. Or maybe you’re raising school-aged children and trying to find work that doesn’t create a daily puzzle of school drop-offs, pickups, holidays, and summer schedules.

For both groups, driving a school bus or van can offer an appealing combination of meaningful work and a schedule that leaves room for life outside the job.

For retirees, a job with purpose without going back to the grind

Retirement can be wonderful. But after years of working, some people discover they miss parts of having a job: the routine, the relationships, being part of a team and knowing somebody is counting on them.

Driving a school bus or van can be the answer.

Drivers typically have morning and afternoon routes, leaving a significant portion of the middle of the day open. Evenings, weekends and summers are free, and the school calendar provides built-in breaks throughout the year.

There’s also a social side to the work that can’t be overlooked. Drivers become part of a transportation team, get to know school staff and families, and, most importantly, see many of the same students every day.

Lance Frederick, Krise Transportation Van Driver

“I worked for a company for 36 ½ years and then retired. I was looking to work part-time, and so I applied. I work a couple of hours in the morning and a couple of hours in the afternoon. That works great for me as far as flexibility. As a driver, I’m not just picking up kids and bringing them to school. I’m interacting with the kids and trying to make a difference in their lives.”

For many students, their driver is one of the first adults they see at the beginning of the school day and one of the last before they get home. Knowing they are an important part of a student’s day gives the job a purpose that goes well beyond getting students from Point A to Point B.

For parents, a schedule built around the school calendar

Parents of school-aged children face a different challenge.

Finding a job is one thing. Finding a job that works around school can be much harder.

School transportation is one of the rare jobs built around many of those same rhythms.

Because the work follows the school calendar, drivers are generally off when students are out of school for holidays, breaks, and summer vacation. For parents, that can mean fewer conflicts on the very days when finding childcare or rearranging a work schedule is often the most difficult.

Randi Krebs, Krise Bus Driver and Trainer

I’m a mom of two, and I’ve had jobs where I’d be scrambling around for a babysitter in the morning because the daycare wasn’t open yet. Working for Krise allows me to bring my kids here in the morning, and they can get on their bus to school. I’m off when they’re off. That includes holidays, Act 80 days, and summers. I get to spend so much more time with my kids. I have more time to do their activities at the end of the day. And the days aren’t too shabby either.”

There is often flexibility within the job as well. Someone looking for more hours may be able to take on additional routes or transportation assignments, while someone primarily interested in a part-time schedule can find the morning-and-afternoon structure appealing.

The result is something many working parents spend years searching for: a job that can fit alongside family life rather than constantly competing with it.

You don't have to think of yourself as a “bus driver”

For some potential applicants, the biggest barrier may simply be imagining themselves doing the job.

Driving a school bus can look intimidating from the outside. There's a large vehicle. There are licensing requirements. And there is the significant responsibility of transporting children safely.

But transportation companies train people specifically for that responsibility.

Krise Transportation, which provides student transportation in the Phoenixville area and communities throughout Pennsylvania, offers training for new drivers. For school bus positions, Krise provides CDL training, while its school van driver positions do not require a CDL. Comprehensive training is provided for van drivers as well. No previous professional driving experience is necessary for its driver opportunities. Van and bus driving positions are accessible to people coming from all kinds of careers and backgrounds.

Krise Transportation is currently hiring school bus and van drivers, along with other transportation positions in Phoenixville. To learn more about available positions or apply, visit Krise Transportation's current job listings.

Sometimes the right job isn't the one that asks for more of your life. It's the one that leaves room to enjoy it.

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