Transit Driver Appreciation Day March 18

Transit Driver Appreciation Day is an annual event which began in 2009 as “Bus Driver Appreciation Day” and is celebrated every March 18th. Topeka Metro is one of many national public transportation providers recognizing all public transportation operators. 

If you ride regularly, you know that your Topeka Metro bus operator wears many hats:

  • Our bus operators have to show up exactly on time to work every day and be ready to go. They inspect their bus, both for mechanical-related reasons and to ensure it’s clean. They operate a large bus in traffic and have to keep an eye on the road as well as their passengers.
  • Operators work early and late hours, on weekends and holidays. Sometimes, they miss out on family events because of their schedule, but their job is to get people where they need to go, so they put our passengers first, no matter what day it is.
  • Operators work on a rigid schedule to keep passengers moving, and they drive in all kinds of weather such as rain, snow, sleet, and excessive heat.
  • Operators provide not only directions how to get to a location, but they are the eyes and ears of our city, reporting light poles that are out, downed signs, accidents, and even people who are in distress and in need of assistance.
  • Operators support disabled and elderly riders when they need some assistance. They aid customers with using the ramp when they’re wheelchair-assisted and can help secure them in place. And operators wait and watch for passengers to make it safely across the road even after they’re off the bus.

For these reasons and many more, we acknowledge the efforts of our Topeka Metro bus operators to transport the citizens of our city every day! We hope you’ll join us in thanking your bus operator. While we know they’d appreciate the sentiment, please no gifts due to COVID-19 and they need to focus on their important job. If you ride the bus on Thursday, March 18th let your bus operators know you appreciate them.

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