Mom Quits Her Job for ‘Undervalued’ but Fulfilling Career as Bus Driver (Exclusive)

In 2023, Jackeline Ezrre found herself stuck as a mail carrier – a job that left her drained and unfulfilled. 

“It was a very demanding job. My schedule was all over the place,” Ezrre tells PEOPLE exclusively. “I was spending more time at work than with my kids.” 

Frustrated and uncertain about her next move, she quit and decided to apply for jobs in her Arizona neighborhood that matched her skills — but rejection after rejection poured in. 

Then one morning, while dropping her daughter off at school, a “We’re Hiring” sign caught her eye. 

On a whim, the 30-year-old applied for several school positions — from cafeteria worker to custodian — including one for a substitute bus driver, despite having zero experience behind the wheel of a bus. 

To her surprise, the only call she received was for the bus driver role, and within just a few days, she was offered the job.

After earning her Commercial Driver’s License (CDL), Ezrre was given her route, which was 45 minutes from her bus barn and required her to drive on the freeway. 

“I remember being so tense and stressed – I gripped onto that steering wheel,” she recalls. “I remember my arms being so sore at the end of the day. I finished the day with a migraine, got home and went to bed around 5 p.m. and didn’t wake up until the next day to do it again.”

Nevertheless, two years later, Ezrre says she feels “very confident behind the wheel,” which she attributes to the freeway driving experience she received in her first year on the job.

As a substitute bus driver, Ezrre’s schedule is constantly changing, as each day brings a new route, depending on which drivers are out and what areas need coverage.

For this reason, one of the most challenging parts of the job, especially at the start of the school year, is ensuring that each student gets off at the correct stop.

“Being on a different route every single day, it is hard to remember hundreds of different student names and their stops – especially kindergarteners because they’re brand new to the district,” Ezrre explains. “Students also tend to forget their stop, so just to avoid any lost students, I always communicate with dispatch.”

She says one of the most surprising moments in her time as a bus driver came during a long-term substitute assignment that lasted about six months. 

At first, the route was a challenge, as the middle school students were rowdy.

“I had so much trouble with these kids,” she says. “They were middle schoolers. I dreaded driving this route.” But over time, something unexpected happened. 

The students began to greet her with enthusiasm, often shouting to their friends, “Ms. Jackie! She’s my bus driver — she’s the best bus driver ever!” she says.

They’d board the bus eager to share stories from their day, even asking how her day was going. 

“Honestly, I really didn’t know I could have such a soft spot for other children that I didn’t birth,” Ezrre tells PEOPLE.

When the time came to give up the route, she admits she “cried.” Even now, those same students still stop by her bus just to say hello and tell her how much they miss her.

What started as a last-ditch effort to find a job, quickly turned into a career Ezrre never expected — and now, one she genuinely enjoys.

“At our office, it is mostly women driving, which I love,” she shares. “As a mom myself, this role just fits great with me. I feel women are more nurturing and also we know how to multitask, like driving a bus and tending to kids, if needed.”

Each morning, Ezrre starts her day with care and intention by prepping her bus and ensuring that everything is safe, clean and ready to go. 

Keeping the bus spotless isn’t always easy, especially with so many students riding every day, but she takes pride in the effort. 

“I like doing the extra sacrifice and making it clean for my students,” Ezrre says. “I want my students to like riding in my bus…Our bus is a representation of us as drivers.”

Unfortunately, Ezrre reveals that one of the greatest obstacles facing school transportation is the ongoing shortage of bus drivers — a problem she believes is rooted in how the job is perceived. 

“I have noticed that it is a very undervalued job, but at the same time it is a very essential job,” Ezrre highlights. Yet, many people underestimate the role’s importance altogether, thinking it carries too much responsibility for too little pay. 

The seasonal nature of the job doesn’t help either, with long summer breaks making it difficult to find part-time work to fill the gap. 

Ezrre believes that increased funding for public school districts could help tackle several ongoing challenges — from addressing driver shortages to ensuring buses are safer and more reliable for daily routes.

Nevertheless, despite the demands of the job, she encourages her colleagues to take great pride in what they do. 

“You’re not just ‘a bus driver.’ You’re the first hello and last goodbye for kids every day,” Ezrre emphasizes. “You’re more than transportation, you’re part of kids’ daily lives.”