"Come, come faster!" My mother will take us to school by bus!" - this is how the children of Jelena Staniulienė from Vilnius call their friends. Their mother has been working as a driver for the company for four years.Vilnius public transport", and often the route of the bus she drives passes the school attended by the children.
"My kids keep waiting for me to drive the 48 bus. That day is a real celebration for us: I'm driving and I already see my children waving at me at the bus stop. They really like to ride together. Buna calls all her friends and I'm happy to see how much pride they have in their eyes," says Jelena. She has repeatedly asked her children what they think about the job she has chosen and has always received nothing but words of admiration from them: "They always support me, even though they themselves say that they would not dare to drive such a large vehicle and carry so many passengers."
Jelena to work public transport the driver started four years ago and although she previously worked in the trade sector for a long time, now she cannot imagine her life without driving a bus. "I was always drawn to the road. I may not remember names or faces, but the road I had to drive once - I remember perfectly! The first time I got behind the wheel, I didn't know anything, I didn't even know how to change gears, - Jelena smiles, remembering, - and now when I drive a bus, I feel like I'm driving a passenger car."
Jelena remembers her first impressions of driving a bus very well: "I got a small bus that I drove for two months. How much fear there was: the door opened to the side of the sidewalk, and the sidewalks are high. I remember thinking all the time that I wouldn't hook them. There was a lot of stress, but it was a good experience. Two months later, after I got behind the wheel of a bigger bus, I was already much braver." Jelena is happy that now that there are almost 300 new public vehicles in the capital - 250 buses and 41 trolleybuses - driving has become even more pleasant and comfortable. "I can hardly describe the feeling when I first sat behind the wheel of a new bus. The new buses are really modern: they run quietly, they are manoeuvrable, the air conditioning systems work perfectly, - Jelena mentions and appreciates that the wishes of the drivers were taken into account when buying the new buses, - in the old ones we didn't have a special platform for the left leg, so it started to melt during a longer ride, and in the new buses there is a special lift for the leg. It seems like a small thing, but now it's much more comfortable."
"I can't imagine myself doing another job. Apparently, in terms of career, this is the last stop on my route, - Jelena laughs, - my children are surprised that I chose such a difficult job, but I see meaning in it." Jelena emphasizes that there is never monotony in this work. "I don't drive the same route every day, I get a different one every day, which gives it dynamism." Routes change, passengers change. Some of them I already know very well, I know at which stop they will need my help getting on or off. It is not uncommon to have to be a psychologist as well: it happens, people sit in the first chairs and start sharing their worries or joys."
The woman admits that there are unpleasant situations in her work, but she adds that the most important thing is to react to them calmly and professionally: "It is very difficult to drive when other road users do not follow the rules: they do not show turns, block the road, do not let out at stops. After all, I carry so many passengers, so many life stories - they are in a hurry, late or just tired and want to go home faster - I feel the emotions of the passengers and try to be empathetic to everyone."
When talking about the upcoming Mother's Day, Jelena does not hide her disappointment that it is not uncommon to see passengers not giving way to pregnant women or mothers with strollers: "I would really like passengers to be more understanding towards each other, after all, we, the drivers, cannot always notice such situations and urge give way".
Jelena is happy that her work is perfectly compatible with her personal and family life. Although the woman starts work very early, when her children are still sleeping, she highly appreciates the opportunity to return from work at the same time as the children return from school: "I can help them prepare lessons and spend more time," Jelena is happy, adding that this Mother's Day, she will not work, so she will devote all her time to the children. Congratulating other mothers on Mother's Day, she says: “I wish I could find more time for my children and talk to them as much as possible. About everything. And about public transport as well: about safety measures and how to behave on the bus. "I am sure that if we give more love to our children, they will not regret it and those around them, they will be better to each other," says Jelena.
UAB "Vilniaus viešasis transportas" employs 1300 drivers, of whom 868 drive buses and 432 drive trolleybuses. The vast majority of drivers, as many as 1010, are men, 290 are women.
