After working as a teacher at Auburn High School for 24 years, Rusty Logan retired. Logan then decided to shift his gears to a new profession and become a University Tiger Transit driver.
How long have you been driving for Tiger Transit?
This is my first year. I was a high school band director for 33 years, and I retired in July.
What inspired this change?
I retired after 33 years. I was at Auburn High School, so I know Auburn, and I know the transit system. For the last two years I was working, I thought about what I wanted to do, and I knew I wanted to be around young people.
What made being around young people so important to you?
I spent 33 years around them, and I thought I could maybe make a difference in their day. I'm the type of personality that says hello to everyone. I want to be the first person students see in the morning, and I want to make their day brighter.
Do students generally return your kindness?
One hundred percent, I have never had a student not speak to me.
After 24 years at Auburn High School, l have you driven former students?
Yeah. The very first day, I drove some of my former students. I would say that I have driven about 10 or 12 of them in total.
Which routes do you normally drive?
I have three that I normally drive during the week. On Tuesdays, I do the North College route, on Wednesdays I do the Long Leaf Route and Thursday and Friday I do the Opelika Road route.
Do you have a favorite route?
No, not really. The Longleaf Route is the only route that doesn't have to cross a railroad crossing, but that's no big deal. You just hope you aren't making people mad at you for having to stop at the railroad crossing.
How long is the average work day for a Tiger Transit Driver?
Most of the full-time drivers work 40-hour weeks, but that's over a three and a half-day work week. We have an eight-hour day and three 12-hour days.
How do you help pass the time of a 12-hour shift?
It's no big deal. Every time you pull out, it's different. The traffic is different, the students are different, everything is different. We get a break in the morning, we get lunch and we get a break in the afternoon.
What is a normal day like for you?
You get to the bus barn at 6 a.m. You do what we call a pre-check to make sure everything is safe. Around 6:45 a.m. or 7 a.m., we get the call to start rolling. Then you just run the routes. The final route of the day is at 6 p.m. Then you go through a post-trip, and you check your bus again.
What's been the strangest thing you have encountered during your time on the job?
How people can leave stuff on the bus. I understand that you can put your phone down and forget it, but how can someone load a bike down on the front of the bus and forget about it.
What's the best part of your job?
Being around the students.
When you aren't driving a bus, what type of vehicle are you driving?
I have an old Chevy 5-10 pickup. The bus is just a little bit bigger.
During your teaching career did you take a lot of road trips or do a lot of driving?
Yeah, I drive all the time with my wife. If we go a long distance, I drive. My son lives in San Antonio, and I like to drive that 14 hours. I just enjoy driving.
When you drive 14 hours, what music makes up your road trip soundtrack?
We have XM radio, and we listen to a lot of '70s on the seven and the Broadway channel. When I went through school at Auburn, I played in a few shows, and I really enjoyed it.
Aside from driving and music, what do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Golf. I'm not very good at it, but I really enjoy it.
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