We talk a lot about safety. We call these gatherings “safety meetings”, but how much of the real safety issues do we carry back to our bus? Safety as a word or message is great, but we need to go beyond the words and slogans and make safety practices part of our life, part of our persona, our DNA. A concert musician plays his symphony over and over in his mind until he has internalized the moves and moods intended by the composer. Back in Sarasota Florida you can find high flying circus performers practicing in back yards and side lots with wires strung from pole to pole. Over and over they practice the same daring stunts until they get it right. Why do they do that? They cannot afford to get it wrong, even with a safety net. Bus drivers do not have that safety net!
Ok, so we don’t have a safety net, or do we? We have our brain as a support pole our judgement as a net, and our skills as our support wire. Are we a high wire act? You bet your sweet bippi we are. It’s great, we even have 40 to 50 people watching our performance. In the background is our support group, checking the tires, maintaining the brakes, fixing the broken and tightening the rattles. We have Wi-Fi, GPS, audio, visual, seats that recline and a toilet in the rear. It’s like a picture puzzle with one piece missing.
So what is missing? The driver? Not just any driver, not a semi driver, no dump truck driver, Uber guys are out too. Of course, YOU are missing! Well trained, well rested, friendly as a puppy, dressed like a captain and with a specialty in good judgement. Not that same judgement that tells you how close you are to the curb, but that finely honed set of internal traits that make you an exceptional person. A stand out. A person with compassion, pride, and honor. The US Marines may be looking for “a few good men”, well, so are we. When you close the door and release the brake you are our safety slogan, our poster child for, safety, skill, compassion, and pride in what we do and who we are.
You are BUCKHEAD COACH !
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