Theodis as his rap alter-ego, "Juice G" in a music video for the song, "SKOL."
Lives: South St. Paul
Job: Bus Operator
Years of Service: 6
How did you come to work at Metro Transit and what do you do?
Growing up, I split my time between Minneapolis, where my father lived, and Marianna, Ark., a small town where my aunt lived. I hoped to get a scholarship and play college basketball but that didn’t work out so I moved back to Minnesota. I knew about Metro Transit but had heard stories and wasn’t sure it was for me. About ten years later, I decided to apply. The pay and benefits are good, especially for a father of five. It didn’t take long to see that my fears were overblown.
What are your favorite activities when you’re working or “On the Clock”?
I enjoy my role as an extraboard operator. It’s great because not having a specific route makes every day different. That variety, I find, helps keep the job fresh and interesting. There’s never a dull moment when you clock into work.
Of course, your co-workers are a great part of this job. Without them the good days wouldn’t be as good, and the bad days would be worse. Even if you think you’re the first person to experience something, you find out by talking to other operators someone’s been there already and can help you work through it.
What are your favorite activities when you’re not working or “Off the Clock”?
I’ve been rapping since high school and am still recording. My first stage name was “OJ” which was short for “Otis Jr.,” after my father. That nickname morphed into “Juice,” which I thought sounded better with a “G” at the end. I’ve recorded one album and have a second on the way.
Recently, with a little encouragement from my daughter, I made a splash with my song “SKOL.” To my surprise, the video got picked up by KFAN and KDWB. I wrote “SKOL” because I’m a Vikings superfan and wanted to help fire up fans before a game. I hope this song does just that and inspires fans and the Vikings to take home the championship ring this year.