Antonia McCain spends her days driving around in circles and making sure students get to their classes.

For bus driver Antonia McCain, driving a bus around campus can be stressful, but the job also offers many benefits, including flexibility and the ability to obtain a commercial driver’s license.

McCain, a fourth year theater major and bus driver, says life as a bus driver provides rewarding opportunities.

“I like it because it’s extremely flexible, and they’ll really work with you, so it’s ideal if you have a busy class schedule like me,” McCain said. “I like being able to call ahead of time and see if someone else can pick up the shift for me.”

But driving a bus can also be stressful.

“You have to be extremely watchful at all times, because people will step right out in front of you, and bikes will come flying around you,” she said.

Though campus buses are often packed, McCain said crowding does not cause her to feel claustrophobic. The crowding, she said, does cause other problems, however.

“I more have to watch to make sure people aren’t acting crazy and that they’re behind the line and out of the stairwell,” she said. “That can be annoying because people want to stay where they are, and it’s like, ‘I don’t want to be mean, but you either have to stand behind the line, or get off my bus, and I’m not moving until you do.’”

McCain said pedestrians and class changes can be one of the most frustrating aspects of the job, requiring drivers to navigate through streets flooded with crossing students who aren’t paying attention.

“There’s so much you have to pay attention to. If someone steps out in front of you while texting and [they’re] not paying attention, it’s stressful because you have to make sure you can slow down in time, or, what’s worse, slam on brakes,” McCain said. “But that’s why we have horns. And we go slow enough so we don’t hit that one guy who doesn’t care and just wants to be a jerk and cross anyway. No matter what, you have to look out for that guy.”

Driving for Campus Transit also allows students to obtain commercial driver’s licenses.

“You can leave here and drive a bus somewhere else,” McCain said. “I love that I have the CDL and this skill.” 

And she said having the license would definitely be useful after college, especially with an uncertain future.

“Being a theater major, my life is unpredictable. I like that I have this very predictable aspect because then I have this skill outside theater that I can utilize,” she said. “Once I get my major I’d like to go work with a theater company, or some theater, but I like that I have options.”