‘I went back, and I love it’: This new grandmother came out of retirement to work at Zum

“Tomorrow is my birthday, and guess what I get to do?”

Lisa McDonough has had a challenging few weeks, but things are about to turn around. Last month the Zūm school bus driver was diagnosed with shingles within days of the birth of her granddaughter. But now she’s healthy again, just in time for the best birthday present ever. 

“I’ll get to hold my first grandchild,” she says excitedly.

McDonough has worked in student transportation for more than 30 years. Though she retired in 2023, she decided to reenter the workforce when she heard Zum had partnered with Santa Barbara Unified School District in Santa Barbara, CA. 

“I thought, “OK, I’ll just come back out of retirement for one school year,” she says. “As it turns out, I realized I just love the kids, so I’m sticking with it.”

McDonough started driving a bus in 1984, then took a break to raise her son. When she returned, she worked as a dispatcher and a transportation supervisor. 

“I had a lot of responsibility. I never, ever was without my two-way radio,” she says. “After 26 years of (doing that) from 6 a.m. until 5 p.m., it was time to retire.” 

Now in her second year at Zum, McDonough transports special needs children to and from school.

“It’s nice to have new buses and good equipment,” she says. “I think (Zum) has treated people pretty well, so that’s why I went out of retirement. The technology was a learning curve when I started, but all in all, I think it’s a great thing, especially for the families that can track the bus.”

McDonough also appreciates the bond she develops with the families she serves.

“I always take my sunglasses off and greet the family and wish them a great day,” she says. “I try to be active and not just sit there and open the door. I’m enjoying it immensely.”

“Lisa is a dedicated driver who takes her job 100% seriously and with the utmost passion,” says Eddie Romero, Senior Manager at Zum. “She treats her bus like her office, keeping it very clean and presentable for her students each and every day. We appreciate drivers like Lisa at Zum because her passion really drives home what Zum is all about: student safety!”

Outside of work, McDonough spends a lot of time with her son’s family, her sister, her 89-year-old mother and everyone’s dogs, including her own. 

“The dogs keep you busy and healthy,” she says. “They’re a handful. They’re messy. On  my break time, I come home and make sure the dogs are let out.”

McDonough’s dogs include an Irish Jack Russell Terrier and a hound that was rescued by her son.

“My son used to be a firefighter, and the firefighters found him in the Sierra Mountains,” she says. “He was skin and bones when my son brought him to me. Within a few days, I was like, ‘OK, I now have two dogs.’” Because the hound was missing an ear, she named him Vince, after Vincent Van Gogh.

McDonough also likes to travel, go to comedy shows, and spend time with friends. But for the foreseeable future, she plans to spend her weekdays on the school bus.

“I went back after retirement to what I started doing 40 years ago,” she says. “And I love it.”