Medina school bus driver retires after 41 years
‘I loved my kids. All of these kids become like nieces and nephews to me.’
Provided photo: Susan Brabon drove a school bus for Medina for the past four decades.
MEDINA – Susan Brabon never liked working in an office. She preferred to be outside and on the go.
For 41 years she drove a bus for Medina Central School. She has retired from the job.
“People say, ‘How can you stand that job with the screaming kids?’” Brabon said. “I loved my kids. All of these kids become like nieces and nephews to me.”
Brabon majored in business in high school. She was 18 and working a 9-to-5 job in an office when the mother of one of her co-workers would stop in between bus runs. Brabon liked to drive and the schedule appealed to her. The breaks between runs would give her a chance to do errands.
She went to the Medina bus garage at 18 to inquire about being a bus driver. She was told to come back at 21.
She returned and started a career that lasted more than four decades.
She also met her husband through the job.
Wayne Brabon worked as a mechanic in the bus garage and also did a bus run for Medina students to the Orleans-Niagara BOCES. He is retired after 31 years.
He sent in this note of celebration on his wife’s retirement:
“Congratulations to Susan Brabon
June 30, 2020 she retired after 41 years of service as a bus driver with Medina Central School.
She started in October of 1979. She never had an accident or a driving violation in all of those years.
She had had perfect attendance for over 30 of those years.
She will truly miss her kids the most, having been on the same run for over 35 years.
In some cases she was taking the grandchildren of the kids she started with to school.
She loved her job and her kids. That’s what kept her there for so long.
Finally, with the amount of time served (and the impact of the virus), it’s time to stay home.
She says goodbye to her friends and many beloved kids.
From her proud husband, Wayne Brabon”
Mrs. Brabon for 35 years had the same bus run on Maple Ridge Road (Route 31A) going to Millville and the Albion town line. She also did a prekindergarten bus run, and drove numerous Medina sports teams to their games and also took the marching band to many competitions. The marching band trips were often a 15-hour day for the bus driver.
She said there are more rules and regulations these days for bus drivers. She said it is a great job with a chance to connect with many children.
“On my bus there weren’t any discipline problems, we all got along,” she said. “I wasn’t too strict or too easy.”
