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Communities at Work, March 15 March 15, 2008
They work a wide variety of jobs. Some are cleaners, some work in administration, one works in the emergency room, another for Horizon's and some are retired. But each of the current 21 drivers for the Moffat County School Transportation Department take time out of his or her day to shuffle about 662 students to and from school. Their day begins about 6 a.m., checking the buses to make sure everything is in working order, then set off, covering the vast landscape that is Moffat County. Last year, they covered an average of 4,836 square miles, traveling about 1,400 miles a day. And each year brings more kids in need of travel on their quest for education.
Casey Fawcett, right, greets passengers on her bus with the help of Jami Viramontes, an East Elementary School student, Thursday. Fawcett has been a driver for Moffat County for about 20 years.
Different newspaper clippings, pictures and projects that students have given Casey Fawcett adorn the inside of her bus. She calls it "The Wall of Fame," something she started a few years ago.
Bus drivers Casey Fawcett, left, and Joy Portenier step out of the transportation office for their afternoon routes.
As Felizardo Yanez steps onto the bus Thursday in front of East Elementary School, Casey Fawcett hands him his lunch pail he forgot on the bus earlier.
Buses warm up Thursday in front of the transportation office before their afternoon route.
Giving the students a thumbs up, Casey Fawcett signals to the children that it is OK for them to pass in front of the bus.
