Gloria Rangel: Steering Lives from the Steering Wheel

Gloria Rangel does much more than drive a bus for Putnam City Schools. She is known by students from kindergarten through high school as a mentor, teacher and friend of everyone who rides her bus route. And when Gloria was honored with the Golden Apple Award for outstanding service to the district, she presented it to students on her bus, telling them they won it with her.

“The reason I was given the Golden Apple was because of the kids and the great job they do on my bus,” says Rangel of the honor given annually by the Putnam City Public Schools Foundation.

Driving three shifts a day, Rangel transports and helps transform students on her route who attend Central Elementary, Central Intermediate, Capps Middle School, Putnam City West High School and the STRIVE alternative education program.

It’s obvious Rangel enjoys being involved in the lives of her riders. She sings the chicken birthday song on each child's birthday and dresses up in costumes on special occasions, including being Batman on Halloween and an elf during the holidays.

Rangel's coworkers and supervisors agree she puts her heart into her job.

“I wish I had 110 drivers just like Gloria. She is a great person and a terrific bus driver,” says John Crafton, director of the district’s Transportation Department. “She loves and respects her kids, and the atmosphere she creates on the bus reflects that. Gloria is dependable, punctual, willing to help when needed and always has a smile on her face.”

Rangel has driven for Putnam City Schools for the past four years. Every morning she greets each student by name as they board her bus. In the afternoon, she gives them the same warm smile and asks them about their day. She knows every student by name and most of their parents, where they work and if the child has someone waiting for him at home.

“I want every parent to know if you give me your bundle of joy in the morning, I'm going to bring them home safely to you in the afternoon,” Rangel says.

Working to help each student feel special, Rangel offers positive words of encouragement and praise.

“It's very important to have an open heart when you work with kids. I wouldn't want to change them a bit. Each child is a different individual, and I want to recognize them for being good citizens and being who they are,” she says.

Rangel tells the children to share their minds and their thoughts. Using a microphone so everyone can hear her, she teaches the students the names of continents, states and their capitals and many other lessons. And when a student is struggling in a certain area of study, Rangel asks for a student volunteer to work with that student on the drive home. As they go along their route, it’s clear to see that lessons in academics and life are being learned.

“I want to do what I can to be a part of their lives and make their ride to and from school fun and interesting,” she says. “The kids want to sit up front near me and love it when I quiz them with trivia questions.”

Besides teaching the children, Rangel is an excellent driver with a perfect driving and safety record. She is a trainer who helps instruct new drivers not only about driving a school bus but also how to work well with kids.

“She is a very precise and professional person and has written only two referrals for student misbehavior in her career as a driver, which shows she is in complete control of her bus at all times,” says Joe Shirley, assistant director of Transportation.

The enthusiastic bus driver has pictures of her riders taped on the wall where they sit, and she decorates her bus with the students' work. She believes that communication with the students, parents and teachers, as well as organization, are key in her job.

“I encourage them to sit with a buddy at the first of the year, and I take a picture of each pair of kids. They know that is where they sit all year, which helps me know immediately if anyone is absent or still in the school,” says Rangel.

She has safety on her mind even when the kids aren't with her, teaching them how to call 911, memorize a family member's telephone number and do basic safety skills.

Good manners and kindness are also on the list of Rangel's lessons for the kids.

“At first, when I would say 'Good morning' or 'Have a nice afternoon' or 'Thank you' the kids wouldn't say a word. We've practiced a lot, and they have heard me say these things to them. Now they know how give and respond to common courtesy, which tells me I've done something right,” she says.

When Rangel was given a new bus, she explained to the kids that they were being honored for the great care they gave their older bus, which had no graffiti or damage done to it.

Rangel says that there is no gossip or discrimination of any kind on her bus and that everyone is treated equally.

“I tell the kids that the world is full of mixed races, and we are all family. I explain that I'm Hispanic and multi-racial and the only thing I see when I look at them is the beauty in their eyes,” she says.

When asked about working for Putnam City Schools, Rangel says she wouldn't want to work anywhere else.

“This is the greatest group of people!” she says.