Posted by Laura Baenen |
Thursday, December 17, 2020 7:02:00 PM
Lives: St. Paul
Job: Operator, South Garage
Years of Service: 7
How did you come to work at Metro Transit and what do you do?
After working jobs at the Mall of America as a young man, I decided I needed something more reliable and got a Commercial Driver's License (CDL). Twenty-six years later, I continue to drive buses. I started with school buses and worked for a few different companies in the region but always had an eye on Metro Transit. It took me four tries to become a bus operator here. The process is very stringent but worth it --the pay and benefits here are great.
What is your favorite part about working for Metro Transit?
I enjoy working a split shift and extra board. It's very similar to working for a school district with morning and afternoon shifts with a break between. As an extra board operator, my routes change often, so I'm able to see different parts of the city and interact with different people. What I like most about the customers here is that I can reason with them a little better than children on a school bus.
What are your favorite activities when you’re not working or “Off the Clock”?
During the shutdown in April, I was on COVID leave due to my pre-existing conditions. With nothing much to do, I figured I could do something to help people out with the mask mandate. Even though I hadn't touched a sewing machine since home economics in high school, I decided to start making masks. So from sunup to sundown, I studied and tested out different methods and materials until I found out what worked. Today, I have 42 mask variations and have made over 1,200 masks, including masks made out of operator uniforms with their employee number on the front.