Jim: a St. Michael’s father figure
As students pile in to the St. Michael’s shuttle, senior bus driver Jim Trombley greets each rider often by name. He has been driving the evening shift from Main Campus to North Campus at St. Michael’s since 1999, but began driving the morning and day shifts on Jan. 15.
Jim! Jim! Where’s Jim?
Bill Sorrell, the previous daytime driver at St. Michael's recently left, giving Trombley the opportunity to switch his shift from night to day in order to help out at home, Trombley says.
“I wouldn’t have worked the night shift for eight-and-half years if I didn’t love it,” he says. “It was always a lot of fun.”
Trombley was unaware that he would stop working the night shift, he says. It was an unusual occurrence that the daytime shift opened at the time when he felt his family would benefit from the switch. It has nothing to do with no longer enjoying driving at night, he says.
“I was young once, too, and I think the kids are respectful,” he says. “St. Mike’s students are the best in the world.”
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Jim Trombley smiles for the camera before shuttling students to North Campus on his new daytime shift. (Photo by Kelly Brooks) |
Trombley’s previous employment includes being a tour bus and limousine driver. These jobs often kept him away from home, but the St. Michael’s position provides regular hours, allowing more time for family, Trombley says.
Trombley says he is still glad to see his regular riders, some of whom he considers friends. When students graduate, it may be the last time he sees them, he says.
“It is sad to see them go, but I’m just happy I had the years with them,” he says.
The students have changed in the almost nine years he has been employed at St. Michael’s, Trombley says. He says he has never had a problem with students.
“Three to four years ago, kids partied twice as hard on the weekend nights,” he says.
As students ride the bus on weekend nights, there is no longer a “Jim” chant being yelled throughout the bus, he says. The chant has always been somewhat embarrassing, Trombley says.
“I was just being a normal bus driver, and they were being so nice,” he says.
To many students Trombley is more than just a bus driver; he even extends his hours to help out students in need, feeling that it is part of his job, he says.
“He pulled over the bus before Christmas break and told us to have a safe, happy holiday and that he would miss us,” sophomore Crystal Bissett says. “He even waited for me so I could run inside when I forgot something.”
Trombley makes an effort to engage in school activities on campus. He dressed up as Zorro for Halloween this year, and on nights with jersey-themed parties, he would wear a jersey, Bissett says.
“He is a dad figure for North Campus people,” sophomore Caitlin McGuinness says.
Trombley’s advice for the new night driver, Gary Baker, is to be patient and develop friendships with the students.
Fun for everyone
The turnover for bus drivers has been low in recent years. There are two part-time drivers who have been employed for at least three years. Trombley and the new nighttime driver, Baker, are the two full-time drivers, says Brian Biron, assistant director of Grounds and Special Services at St. Michael’s.
Trombley is a dependable driver who is well-liked by students and works all year. During school breaks, the drivers work as groundskeepers, movers, and help with the set-up of special events, Biron says.
“Jim will talk to you if you are in the mood and also knows when to back off,” Biron says. “He gets to know students.”
Students have already begun chanting “Gary,” who previously drove a Ben and Jerry’s delivery truck for five years before his father, a plumber on campus, helped him get this job, he says.
“The students are really fun to be around and no one gives me a hard time,” Baker says. “They sing songs, but I couldn’t tell you the name because they are pretty hard to understand.”
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Gary Baker and North Campus resident Jacqueline Cain stay warm aboard the St. Michael's shuttle. (Photo by Kelly Brooks) |
Baker was originally hired for the daytime shift that became open until Trombley decided he would rather have the position. Baker began the job on Jan. 2, before the semester was in session.
Baker's usual shift runs from 3:30 p.m. to midnight, but on Fridays he works until 2:30 a.m., he says.
When it comes to the rowdy behavior that can occur on weekend nights, he tends to be flexible. He has already experienced humorous situations which he would prefer not to mention, he says.
“I had to tell the kids that were trying to light up to get off,” he says. “There are fun and wild nights, but not really any problems.”
He would like students to know that he is the one that has to clean the bus, he says.
“It would be nice if kids could put their empties in the trash at the end of the night,” Baker says.
If students get too loud and make the driver feel uncomfortable, the driver usually pulls over and tries to quiet the students down, but has the right to ask Security to escort the passengers off, Biron says.
“We don’t call Security often, we want students to have fun, while respecting the drivers,” he says.
Taxi?
Pete Soons, Director of Safety and Security at St. Michael’s, says Security may give rides to students with extenuating circumstances, but missing the shuttle is not a valid reason.
“We just don’t want to be abused,” Soons says. “We are not a taxi.”
Sophomore Jeremy Devine says he missed the last shuttle on a weeknight on North Campus and was sitting at Sullivan when Security offered him a ride.
“It was nice of them, but weird because we didn’t really talk,” Devine says.
Soons advises students to plan accordingly. If a student is intoxicated and does not want to drive he suggests calling a taxi. If someone is intoxicated and does not feel safe getting to their destination alone, Security does have the responsibility to escort them. But this does not mean a ride; security also walks students to their destinations, he says
As with any encounter with Security, if a student is intoxicated to a point that in the officer’s judgment the student cannot care for themselves, measures will be taken to insure their safety, which may include referral to ACT-1, Soons says.
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Students patiently wait for the shuttle at the bus stop to head over to North Campus. (Photo by Kelly Brooks) |
“I would rather walk than get a ride from security,” junior Meg O’Connor says.
McGuinness has called security on weekend nights when the shuttle is no longer running as means of transportation to North Campus, she says.
“They are nicer when girls call, and they did not ask if I was drinking,” she says. “I’ve heard they aren’t as helpful for guys.”
Security, however, is not obligated to provide rides. They started the service about two or three years ago. Unfortunately, it becomes a liability issue and could interfere with other calls, Officer David Simays says.
“If you start encouraging it, then we will have to stop doing it,” he says.
Security may receive up to three calls a night or none at all. If a student is intoxicated it may not be in their best interest to call because they have taken students to ACT-1, he says.
“A person mistook us as the bus once, and we had to send her to ACT-1,” Simays says.
When it comes to giving female students preference, security tries not to discriminate, he says.
“Security is not in business of doing shuttle,” Soons says. “We wouldn’t hesitate late at night, but just because you are running late and miss the shuttle, you can’t call security and expect they are giving you a ride.”