Albert Lea Bus Co.’s Sheryl Olson is proud to be a school bus driver.

A 10-year driver, Olson takes her job seriously.

“To me, it’s a real important job,” she said. “It’s not one you take lightly. It’s all about safety.”

Clad in her bus company coat, the petite, blond-haired woman usually leaves the parking lot, off of St. John Ave., around 6:30 a.m. — some drivers leave as early as 5:45 a.m., depending on their routes.

Before she and the other drivers leave, however, they are required to fill out a vehicle inspection report, checking on things such as brakes, steering, tires, fans and defrosters and mirrors to name a few.

If something is wrong, then it gets fixed.

Periodically, she has to record mileage for the state, she said.

Then, she takes off, headed toward Emmons to pick up her first students.

The bus company has a detailed schedule of where she’s supposed to be, what stops she makes and which students ride, she said. Drivers always have contact with a dispatcher on a CB radio to see who’s riding, and who’s not.

While driving the route, she explained that if people want to be a bus driver, they have to take a series of three tests to get their Class C commercial driver’s license.

Every two years, they have to have a physical conducted, which includes checks on hearing, vision and blood pressure, to name a few tests, Olson said. Every four years, they have to retake the written test that allows them to be bus drivers.

Drivers are randomly selected for drug tests as well.

Then each year, there are three mandatory meetings at the bus company to review safety rules.

“It’s something I never thought I’d be doing when I was younger, that I’d be driving a bus,” she said.

Some thought she couldn’t do it.

“Everybody thinks I’m little and how could I drive a big bus?” she said.

She’s learned all the rules a step at a time.

Olson said drivers have to be aware of many things when driving a school bus, especially when the children start getting on the bus. They also have to not be scared to drive in bad weather and need to be able to think ahead for what to do if their normal route is blocked by snow.

“They say it’s better to drive slow and drive carefully so you can get where you need to go,” she said. “It’s better to be late and get there.”

Approaching a railroad crossing, Olson explained that it is mandatory for drivers to stop at railroad crossings and to check both ways before proceeding.

She’s had the same route for several years, so she’s gotten to know the route and the kids who ride on it well.

In her first round in the morning, she picks up elementary and middle school students.

For each stop, she first puts on the flashing amber lights so cars in front and behind her know she’s going to stop. Then the flashing red lights come on and the stop arm comes out until the students are safely in the bus.

Then, she goes to Southwest Middle School, where there is a transfer station for students to switch buses if they are to go to another school.

She drops off a few students there, and then drops off a majority of her students at Sibley Elementary School.

Afterward, she begins picking up high school students in Albert Lea.

The whole time she has the radio — 106.9 FM — playing lightly in the background. She said it keeps her students quieter — plus they enjoy listening to it, too.

She drops the students off at Albert Lea High School around 8 a.m.

In the afternoon she drives a special needs bus, which has a different dynamic.

She said with the children on that bus she’s able to talk to them more and get to know more about them.

She enjoys being able to help them and answer questions they have.

But no matter who she drives for, she said she feels the importance of her role.

“We’re the first person the kids see before they get to school,” Olson said. “For me to get them there safely without any turmoil, that’s kind of a goal.”

She gets satisfaction from completing her route each day.

After her morning route, Olson works with food service at the high school. And in the summer she drives students to summer school and sometimes transports for the Big Island Rendezvous and Festival.

Olson said someday she would like to learn how to drive a Charter bus.

“It wouldn’t be too much different,” she said.

There are 50 bus drivers and 35 buses with the Albert Lea Bus Co.