Healthy Communities • Y Stories • YMCA Camps and Outdoor Education
A (bus) driving passion: Francis’s story with Y Day Camps
08 May 2018 - by Alex Te
Francis Martinez has always had a passion for driving. A school bus driver for over nine years, this summer Francis will once again be responsible for driving Y Day Camp campers to locations across the GTA.
Francis says he’s passionate about three things: driving; making sure children are safe; and ensuring that campers have a great ride on their camp bus. Being a camp bus driver allows Francis to combine these passions, and create great memories while he’s at it. “One afternoon late August, when camp was almost finished, the children were singing [camp songs] on the bus,” he remembers. “Before I knew it, half of them were sound asleep. The counsellor had to wake them up at their stop.”
This is typical of the daily bus ride home on many of our buses. Although Bus Marshals [Y Camp Staff responsible for campers during their bus ride to and from Camp on the bus] are prepared with backpacks full of activities, often Campers are tired after a full-day of Camp!
While it’s important to make sure campers are comfortable on the bus and having fun, safety is Francis’s top priority. He says that he does not start the bus unless all the campers are sitting down. In addition, with the help of the bus marshals, Francis ensures that no campers are eating on the bus as it is a choking hazard to do so.
Day Camps is excited to have Francis back this upcoming summer, along with the many passionate bus drivers driving campers to various camp locations in the GTA. Check out our online Y Day Camps Guide for a complete list of the camp locations that offer bussing and the respective stops for each location.
Francis says he’s passionate about three things: driving; making sure children are safe; and ensuring that campers have a great ride on their camp bus. Being a camp bus driver allows Francis to combine these passions, and create great memories while he’s at it. “One afternoon late August, when camp was almost finished, the children were singing [camp songs] on the bus,” he remembers. “Before I knew it, half of them were sound asleep. The counsellor had to wake them up at their stop.”
This is typical of the daily bus ride home on many of our buses. Although Bus Marshals [Y Camp Staff responsible for campers during their bus ride to and from Camp on the bus] are prepared with backpacks full of activities, often Campers are tired after a full-day of Camp!
While it’s important to make sure campers are comfortable on the bus and having fun, safety is Francis’s top priority. He says that he does not start the bus unless all the campers are sitting down. In addition, with the help of the bus marshals, Francis ensures that no campers are eating on the bus as it is a choking hazard to do so.
Day Camps is excited to have Francis back this upcoming summer, along with the many passionate bus drivers driving campers to various camp locations in the GTA. Check out our online Y Day Camps Guide for a complete list of the camp locations that offer bussing and the respective stops for each location.
