Beloved Aggie bus driver makes the most of his job

By Coreena Payne

May 4, 2005 | Covered in Utah State attire, Lloyd Tanner stood on the corner of the hotel parking lot in Boise, Idaho, waving his big blue Aggie flag. He held the flag high above his head wearing his Aggie game day T-shirt, blue Aggie shorts and a blue Aggie baseball cap, as he fought against the wind, struggling to remain standing. "Go Aggies! Go Aggies!" Tanner yelled, as the bus full of students from the Pep Band and Spirit Squad, headed to the arena to see the Aggies take on Arizona in the first round of the NCAA.

Tanner has a passion for sports. He has followed Utah sports since he was 7. As he grew older he started to follow college sports and his favorite teams were the Utes, Cougars and the Aggies. It wasn't until last Thanksgiving that he developed a special love for Utah State.

As a bus driver, Tanner has the opportunity to meet several athletes from all over the United States. Since Tanner's boss knows he is such a sports nut, he is usually scheduled to pick up an athletic team each week. Tanner has driven teams from Utah, California, Colorado and even teams from Chicago. Last November, Tanner got his first request from Utah State to drive their women's basketball team.

When Utah State called to coordinate a trip for the women's team to go to Cedar City for a basketball tournament, Tanner's boss knew just who to ask. Even though this job would take time away from his family over Thanksgiving, Tanner was honored to drive the Aggies. He had fun getting to know all the athletes and couldn't believe it when they invited him to join them for Thanksgiving dinner. It was unheard of for bus drivers to participate in activities with their passengers, so Tanner was thrilled.

"No other teams have ever done this before, made me feel like a part of something when I am just their bus driver," Tanner said.

Often times, bus drivers don't get to know their passengers, they do their own thing on down time during a trip. For some drivers it is hard to concentrate on the road and hold long conversations with their passengers.

Driving a bus looks easier than it really is, Tanner said. It is like a big automobile, but doesn't stop as fast or turn as sharp. The only thing that makes bus drivers nervous, Tanner said, is the other cars driving around them on the road. People don't know that a bus needs extra space to stop, since its breaks are controlled by air and not fluid like a car, buses take longer to stop. Other drivers also don't realize that a bus does not turn on a dime. Bus drivers have to give themselves a lot more space than a car does to turn, a bus can only make wide turns.

"When a car cuts in front of me, I have to honk my horn. It doesn't make me mad, but it really makes me nervous," Tanner said.

The weather can also be a hazard for a bus driver. Especially before the winter months, the bus companies require inspections on all their vehicles to ensure they are safe. When it begins to snow, bus drivers must put chains on their wheels to help decrease the amount of sliding, even though they don't always work, Tanner said. Bus drivers tend to drive slower when it is raining or snowing because it makes them nervous. As hard as it is to handle a car when it goes out of control, Tanner said, try controlling a bus. A bus driver 's first concern is their passengers, so no matter what the circumstance is they are going to be cautious.

Knowledge of all the routes is another important thing a bus driver must have. If they haven't driven a route that is scheduled, they must study up on it, so they don't get lost. Drivers must always have a map on their bus just in case. Most drivers are familiar with the roads and don't have too much of a problem, until they approach construction. When Tanner drove Utah State's Spirit Squad to California for the Big West Tournament, construction made them an hour late.

All the detours for the construction didn't make it easy for Tanner to find the right roads. He worked hard with the help of some of the Spirit Squad members and they safely found their way.

The trip to California, Tanner said, was one of his best, besides getting lost, he got to witness the Aggies dominating the tournament and felt welcomed by the Spirit Squad. Whenever someone walked up to the front of the bus to get rid of some trash, during the bus ride, Tanner started in on his questions. "So, what's your major?" Tanner asked. Once the questions started rolling, the students knew they were in for a while, but didn't mind and sat down next to him on the stairs. Tanner was interested in the lives each of these students.

"To see all these students with so much talent working so hard. I am just in awe," Tanner said.

Tanner makes it a priority, while driving his bus, to take the time to get to know his passengers and said he gets inspiration from learning about their lives. He not only knows each player's name, he also knows many details of their lives. Each athlete he talks to impresses him more and more. Tanner said he couldn't believe the amount of things these students can juggle. One example that stuck in Tanner's mind is Jimmy Edwards on the basketball team. He is taking seventeen credits this semester, works in the Army, was recently married, practiced every day with the team during basketball season, got minimal if any playing time in the games and didn't even receive any scholarship money because he was a walk on.

"How can you not admire someone with that kind of dedication and motivation," Tanner said.

Spending long hours on a bus, hearing about these high achieving students, Tanner can't imagine what it's like doing what they do. He remembers being busy in college, but now the only thing that keeps him busy is his job.

A bus driver spends about 10 hours a day on the road, not counting all their stops. They are required by law to stop every two hours. For a busy day, drivers will go about 600 miles, which is about 60 miles an hour for a 10 hour day. Many companies give their drivers what is called the restart hours, which is a consecutive 34 hours off until they are available for another 74 hours to drive again.

A busy week can consist of numerous hours shuttling people around for conventions, birthday parties, anniversaries or driving long distances for high school teams, bowling leagues or university tournaments. Tanner remembers one of his hardest weeks, when it was snowing. He drove a Springville high school band from Reno to San Francisco the first night. The next day he drove the team around San Francisco to some famous sites, like the Golden Gate Bridge, a museum and the Fisherman's Wharf. Following the day of site seeing he drove the team to their practice in Sacramento and back to San Francisco. That same day he had to drive an extra 50 miles just to a Flying J for gas, since his company has a card there. The trip ended when he drove the team from San Francisco all the way back to Wendover. Tanner said it was a fun week filled with activities, but very long.

Training to become a bus driver can take even longer. Some companies require six weeks of training, with a written test and a driving test following the session to receive a commercial license. Other places only require a month of training and the two tests. Tanner said he has learned a lot from being in the industry for 42 years and by now he knows a bus inside and out.

As a parts manager, mechanic and driver for the UTA Bus system and a mechanic for Princess Tours in Alaska during the summers, Trailways was eager to hire Tanner last October. Since then Tanner has been busy with the Aggies, driving the women's and men's basketball teams to and from the airport during their regular seasons, the men's basketball team to Boise for the NCAA, the Spirit Squad to Anaheim for the Big West Tournament, the track team to a few of its meets and the gymnastics team to the airport for its meet in Alabama. Tanner sees his job as an opportunity to develop relationships with the Aggies. As a sports fanatic he feels lucky to drive students he admires from a school he has always loved.

In 1955, when Tanner graduated from West high school, he wanted to come to Utah State, but didn't get in. He claimed it was because he wasn't worthy of such a great school. Tanner ended up going into the Army, then went to school at Salt Lake Community College and transferred to the University of Utah. In 1959 he tried out for the Utes football team and didn't make it. He said it was Ok that he didn't make the cut, since he knew he gave it his all. Tanner began to focus on his degree in Accounting, but got too sick to finish.

He later married and had three children who grew up playing every sport. He was their coach for Junior Jazz basketball, Little League baseball and football. His wife said if he knew her as much as he knew his sports he would be OK.

Tanner thrived in his kids' success. His oldest son played football at Granger high school and took fifth in the state wrestling match. Tanner's daughter was like another son, she lettered in softball, basketball and tennis. His baby is still in high school and used to play everything until his grades finished his athletic career because they weren't high enough to be on a team.

"It sure is a shame because my son's got an arm that won't quit and can throw a football 60 yards no sweat," Tanner said.

With nothing but sports, Tanner has developed a passion and felt accepted by the athletes at Utah State. He said the gymnastics team personally invited him to join in their celebration when they won the meet in Boise and the cheerleaders asked him to join in their circle of prayer before they entered the arena in Anaheim. Tanner said small acts of kindness, such as the teams including him, have brought such joy in his life. He can't say it enough, how much he appreciates the Aggies and their welcoming hearts.

The teams request him for all their bus rides because no bus driver has ever cared enough to learn their names and ask about their lives. Tanner calls himself an "honorary Utah State Aggie" to be able to be in their presence. He says he is not worthy of a story because he is just a bus driver, but that's not what other people have said about him. Tanner is also admired by many people especially students who have ridden on his bus.

"He's always happy and positive every time I see him. You can tell by the way he acts that he has a great outlook on life," Stephanie Orme, a member of the Spirit Squad, said.

Spencer Nelson, USU basketball player, said, "Lloyd is one the kindest and most sincere supporters of the Aggies."

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