Say Thank You to Your Bus Driver

Photo: (Oscar Juarez)

I greet my bus driver each day with a simple “hi” or “good morning” when I get on the bus and a “thank you” when I get off the bus.

It takes me a second.  I’m usually the only one.

Although some bus drivers may barely acknowledge me with a simple head nod, most smile and say “you’re welcome.”

Maybe the situation is different for me.  This specific bus route takes us several miles down the I-90 expressway, at over 50 mph, from the train station to our office.  None of the passengers have seat belts, some passengers are standing and the wind tends to knock the bus around on the highway.  Not an easy drive for the bus driver and I definitely don’t take it for granted.

Then again, I greet the bus drivers on the city routes as well.

Why do I even bother?

Put yourself in the other person’s shoes.  How would you feel if hundreds of different people boarded your bus each day and only a few bothered to even say hello.  That’s sad, so I say hello.

It only takes a second, but the feeling of happiness lasts a lot longer.

Try it sometime.