From passing out kindness bracelets to listening to people share their grief, transporting students to class is only half the job for BruinBus drivers.
Last year, BruinBus operators provided 294,339 rides to students, faculty and the general public. For many UCLA bus drivers, the job requires patience, awareness and a love for talking to people.
Alexis Powell said she has been driving at UCLA for five months. She added that she looked for a new job after driving a bus from LAX to Downtown Long Beach for LA Metro, working six days a week and over 12 hour shifts because passengers would frequently remain on the bus after her last stop.
“My final straw was when a man hit me on the bus,” Powell added. “I just felt stuck.”
But driving at UCLA could not be more different, with students open to conversation and most just wanting to get to class, she said. She added that the job at UCLA also came with a higher salary, $23.92/hour – a $4 raise from Metro – and weekends off. After receiving her first check from UCLA, she said she went shopping.
