Wylie ISD superintendent takes the wheel as bus driver

ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – Being a school district superintendent comes with many responsibilities, including working with the school board, keeping students safe, managing budgets, and more. But some of those tasks aren’t just in the office; they are on campus in the parking lot, picking up students on a school bus.

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Wylie ISD Superintendent Joey Light can often be seen behind the wheel of a school bus, picking up students on various routes. He has been driving buses since 1981 when he obtained a chauffeur license, which he converted into a commercial driver’s license in 1987.

“When I first started, it was needed because we were transporting teams and had to be able to get all around West Texas. Since then, the motto is if we’re a man down, somebody’s got to step up. So that’s as our administrators, our coaches, our teachers who are certified, that’s what they do for us,” added Light.

“Oh, I enjoy it tremendously. I’ve been in the last couple of weeks. I took a group of the Texas Association of Future Educators to Galveston. We were on the road for four days and got to be around a great group of kids and got to know them better,” explained Light.

What is better for Light is seeing the reactions on students’ faces when they see who is taking them home.

“I think sometimes they look at me and like, What? Who is this old guy? What they’re thinking, and I hope he can drive. So, I did have somebody ask me the other day, when did you first drive and start driving a bus, and I said 1981,” said Light.

Wylie ISD currently has 45 bus drivers and is in need of about 10 more. Light encourages those who love spending time helping out our future leaders to apply. The job is part-time but with full-time benefits.

“The truth of the matter is, is that we’re always trying to encourage teachers and custodians and grounds workers and maintenance people to help us out as a bus driver. Sometimes they can, sometimes they can’t. I think if we had ten more bus drivers, we’d really be doing well,” added Light.

Those interested in applying can visit here: Human Resources / Application for Employment

“It has been something that I’ve been doing, again, for almost 45 years, and I still look forward to it,” shared Light.

As for Superintendent Light, he explains he doesn’t plan on stopping being a bus driver anytime soon.