Meet Middletown's Longest Serving Bus Driver

Terry Moreau, one of Ocean State Transit's longest serving school bus drivers, began by saying that it was her experience at the that opened her up to working with children and adults with physical and developmental disabilities. She attributed where she is today to her work there more than 30 years ago.

The Maher Center is an organization in Middletown that strives to develop “community alternatives for people with disabilities."

Moreau turned around to point behind us. “Right down the street here is the Maher Center where I worked. I was the bookkeeper there for five years. At that time the school children and workshop clients were all in the same building. The current Maher Center workshop and Horticulture Center were being constructed. You cannot work in that environment and not get involved with the students and clients that were there. They are just so personable. They’re just wonderful people that are a lot of times misunderstood. I really enjoyed the involvement with them. I started driving a Special Ed bus that became available and I have been enjoying it ever since.”

Moreau said she has been driving her route in Middletown “since day one.” Her lineage in the system has brought her through Town and Country Transportation, Galloway School Bus Lines, Laidlaw Transit, First Student and now with Ocean State Transit, which serves the Middletown Public Schools District.

Each day, she drives about a two-hour route, leaving at 6:22 a.m. and arriving back at the yard at 8:35 a.m. She takes students to the and a few to Portsmouth Middle School. She also makes an 11 a.m. trip for preschoolers at the . These routes can be more time-consuming since there are many pick-up and drop-off points. “The children don’t always go to a school in the town in which they live, so you are basically driving all over town.”

Taking this extra time, however, has not deterred Moreau from doing what she loves. Driving the special education students has allowed Moreau to develop a unique relationship with her students, and it is those kids that keep her coming back each year. “I have had children that have started out when they were three, and I’ve had them when they’re graduating at 18 and it’s really cool to watch how they have grown in size and ability.”

Moreau said she doesn’t like to have favorites, but takes a moment to reflect on one boy in particular who made a strong impact on her. She gets a wide smile and her eyes light up.

“There was a boy that started Linden School at age three with physical challenges. His mother used to transport him in her vehicle and then she slowly got the idea of having him on the bus. She actually rode on the bus with him just to see what it would be like. Then she let him ride on the bus and she would follow in her car."

She continued, "Then it came to the day when he was riding solo with no one behind him. When I got to his house to bring him home, his family and his neighbors across the street were all there cheering him when he got off the bus. It was just an amazing thing.”

She went on to say, “This little boy had such a wonderful personality and I had him throughout his whole school years. I remember when he was so excited when he was able to get his license, and he was so excited when he was getting his car. It was just wonderful to see that face light up. I was invited to his graduation and to his home after. I think just that one case scenario, starting with this child from the beginning to end was such a wonderful thing. That’s just one of my favorite things. He used to dance and sing on the bus. It’s just fun interacting with the kids and getting to know them.”

In regards to her relationship with the students, she added, “You’ve got a little more of a longer ride, on a daily basis and year after year, you do get that one-on-one.”

Simply put, Moreau is looking forward to “just more of the same.”

She added, “Parents can be wonderful to work with. I try to keep the communication open with the teachers, school aides and the parents to make sure we are all on the same page and consistent. When you have parents work with you, that is the key.”