Frances West was just 25 years old when two friends from her church suggested she try driving a bus for Gloucester County Public Schools. At the time, the application process was entirely informal, requiring no written paperwork, background checks, or fingerprinting. “I took the little test, and then got into the bus with the driver’s examiner,” West recalled. “The road test consisted of, we got in the bus, facing the court circle, drove that bus with him around the court circle, and that was it.” She passed her test on a Friday morning and was covering an afternoon route that very same day. “I started that afternoon and have never stopped 50 years later,” West said. Over those years on the road, West has worked under eight different transportation directors, navigating shifting administrative styles, and county growth. Her colleagues and supervisors note that she rarely misses a day on the job and has earned a reputation for her direct attitude. Her strict enforcement of bus rules occ...