CHATHAM COUNTY, Ga. () — As students get ready to return to school, bus drivers in the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS) are completing their final checks to ensure they are prepared as well.

The district says drivers cover more than 15,000 miles a day, transporting over 27,000 students across 212 different routes.

For many, the school day starts on the school bus. joined one out of the 208 drivers, Betty Brown, in west Chatham County.

“I’m delighted to see them return to school,” Brown stated. “It gives me joy knowing they are eager to continue their education.”

For her, safety comes first. She said it is a job that’s more than just driving.

Brown mentioned, “I typically don’t take days off unless I’m unwell. It brings me a sense of fulfillment to be here and do something meaningful, as I consider the children to be the future. So, I feel it’s important for me to be present, not just for myself, but for them too.”

She said it is also about what is built beyond the bus routes.

“It’s just a different feeling, you know,” Brown said. “Not saying it is just a job but just bonding with the student. It means so much to me.”

Make sure to help your children depart on time and plan to be at the bus stop 10 minutes before the scheduled pickup. The “Here Comes the Bus” app allows parents to track the location of their child’s school bus along its route every day.

The first day of school for Savannah-Chatham County Public School students is Aug. 4.