Bus 22, we loved you

By HEIDI DESCH / Hungry Horse News

For 30 years it was Charlie Hanson s job was to make sure School District 6 students got to and from school safely.

It s a job he took seriously, but now after retiring last month he s given up the driver s seat on Bus No. 22.

Once the kids were on the bus it was my responsibility to make sure they got to school safe and got home again safely, he said in an interview last week.

Hanson, 63, said during the 30 years he never had any major accidents. A deer ran into his bus once and he got stuck a few times.

My main concern was the safety of the kids. I thank the good Lord that I had no major accidents, he said. I m not perfect in any way, but I try to do my best.

That near-spotless record held up through 10 years of driving on the North Fork Road route. A route which was known to have its fair share of wildlife along the way, and hazardous roads. At times the route included driving through the Canyon and to Blankenship before heading into Columbia Falls.

Often in the early morning I d be out there before the snowplows, he said. Most of the time the bus driver was making the route for the snowplow.

It was an interesting drive. Sometimes you d meet a logging truck and there d be three tracks in the road. You re thinking, Who s going to move over? he added.

Hanson started driving bus and working as garage helper in 1977.

He had graduated from high school in Browning. After ending a stint in the military he went back to Browning and drove school bus there for two years. Then he went to work for the Anaconda Co. in Butte.

After he was laid off in Butte he moved to Whitefish. He got a job offer at Big Mountain and for driving bus on the same day. He chose the bus driving because it was year round.

But he never expected that to be the beginning of a career.

I didn t think I d stay this long. I thought I d move on in five or 10 years, he said. The next thing you know 20 years has gone by and you ve gotten attached to the kids.

Times were different when he first started driving.

The District had three bus routes. Today there are 25 routes. The buses were different, too. They didn t have many of the safety features of today s buses.

Newer buses have more mirrors, automatic sensors and automatic chains for the tires.

But one thing hasn t changed: Hanson s love of the children and the duty he feels to get them safely to school.

They ll push you and see how far they can go, but if you set the rules then they see what they can and can t do. Then you ll get along great, he said. The kids are great. I love them all.

He s driven bus through three generations of children.

I ve attended a lot of graduations, he said.

That ever-changing population of riders is another reason he stayed on driving bus. The last six to eight years he drove for the Kokanee Bend route.

When I told them I was retiring they were a little disappointed. They said I couldn t retire until they graduated, he said. That was nice to hear.

Hanson also drove activity buses during his career. Those were some of the most enjoyable trips.

He said former high school girls basketball coach Larry Schmautz would often tease him.

He d take roll call then he d ask, Charlie, are you asleep yet? I d say, Be quiet so I can get to sleep. That s when I do my best driving, Hanson said.

Hanson also noted that some of his best experiences came from driving the special education students.

They are the best bunch of kids, he said. They gave me cards, notes and drew me pictures. It makes you feel so good to get them there and safely home.

Hanson said he decided to retire now because of some health problems.

I decide it was best for myself, the families and the safety of the kids that I step down and let somebody else take over, he said. It s time for me to sit back, relax and let somebody else enjoy the kids.

Hanson and his wife, Sharon, plan to spend retirement traveling to see their daughters in Florida and Texas. Also spending some time with their six grandchildren.