Local Heroes: Meet a St. Louis driver spending her first year on the job

Nyeshea Jackson has only been driving a school bus since January — but so far, she’s enjoying the ride.

Jackson drives a Zūm bus for Saint Louis Public Schools. Previously, she spent two years working as a bus monitor but recently decided to go through training to work behind the wheel. 

“Both jobs are really good, but I like driving better,” she admits.

Each morning Jackson wakes up well before dawn, gets her 5-year-old son ready for school, and then heads to the bus yard to begin the workday.

“I get to work at like 5 o’clock, grab a tablet, get on my bus, and pre-trip to make sure everything is working and we’ll be good to go to hit the road,” she says. Each Zum driver is equipped with a tablet that includes information about routing and students and is designed to enhance everyone’s safety. 

Jackson loves her passengers, which include children with special needs ranging in age from elementary to high school. “These kids are just so laid back,” she says. “And if there’s something that we need to know, it’s also on our tablet by their name.” 

When she isn’t behind the wheel of a school bus, you can often find Jackson behind the wheel of her car, taking her son to visit family or play at Sky Zone. She says he’s impressed by her job, too.

“He thinks it’s so cool — he rides the bus home from school on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and he just loves it,” she says. “And (with all) transportation, cars and trucks and buses … he’s just obsessed. He’s like, “Mommy, you are driving the bus? Oh, my gosh!”

“Ms. Jackson is a great example of the opportunities available to employees at Zum,” says Richard Lindell, Regional Manager at Zum in St. Louis. “We take pride in developing our team members and supporting their growth and advancement in their careers. Ms. Jackson is a dedicated employee who shows up every day with a positive attitude and has been a pleasure to work with. We hope to see more employees follow in her footsteps.”  

For anyone who might be considering becoming a school bus driver, Jackson says they shouldn’t hesitate. Though it took training and hard work, she’s happy she decided to make a change.

“Study for sure, don’t be nervous … and take your time,” she says.