Park County School District No. 1’s bus drivers are possibly some of the most overlooked modern-day heroes.

Without these men and women, a mass number of Powell High School students would not be able to attend school or go to sporting events. Most students have a daily routine of getting on and off the bus with no acknowledgement to the people who make student safety their first priority, bus drivers.

Bill Greathouse. The man who greets students when it is still dark out. The man who drives through the harsh Wyoming weather day in and day out. The man who puts up with all the crazy antics of loud, angsty teenagers. The man who picks up children’s messes with no thanks. But most importantly, the man who holds the weight of a child’s life on their shoulders.

“It’s our job to transport students to and from school safely,” Greathouse said.

Some bus drivers have been around since student’s first learned their ABCs, others have had their commercial driving license for over a decade.

“I have been driving for about 14 years, all of which have been in Powell,” Greathouse said. “I drive activity [buses] as of right now, but when I was on route, I transported 27 students 57 miles a day.”

Grant Dillivan, a junior at Powell High School, has known Greathouse almost his entire life.

“I’ve known Bill as the activities bus driver all through high school, but I’ve been familiar with his family since I first moved here,” Dillivan stated.

According to Dillivan, Greathouse at first can come of as “rough,” but when you really get to know him, he is a “teddy bear.”

Aside from keeping almost an entire classroom of students safe, Greathouse must also deal with reckless drivers and Wyoming road conditions.

“The worst part [of being a bus driver] is other drivers on the road make our job very difficult,” Greathouse said.

He explains that there is more behind being a bus driver than just driving the vehicle.

“I probably get in at least 30 hours a week,” Greathouse said. “Lots of students don’t know the hours put in by the drivers and the buses to ensure that every student has a chance to get to school in all types of weather.”

Although the job of a bus driver can oftentimes be overlooked, the kids and community make it all worth it.

“The best part [of being a bus driver] is the students that we transport from Powell,” Greathouse said. “After winning a state competition, all the fire engines meet us in Ralston and escort us all the way to the school; that is another plus.”

Greathouse is not just a bus driver to these students, but a friend.

“My sophomore year, I was an alternate at state [for tennis],” Dillivan said. “During a match, one of the scorekeepers made a mistake. And Bill, from the back of the stadium yells, ‘What are you doing ball boy?’ He is just someone who can always make you laugh.”

Students wanted to reach out and say thank you to Greathouse.

“Thank you for everything you do Bill; we don’t say that enough,” sophomore Sophe Morrow said.

Dillivan also added, “Thank you Bill. We all appreciate and love you. You are an exceptional human.”

Greathouse has made a lasting impression on the students of Powell High School, and the students have made an enduring impact on him as well.

“The greatest lesson [I’ve learned as a bus driver] is not to take life for granted; enjoy each day and enjoy the people you’re around,” Greathouse said. “Yeah sometimes a bus driver might get upset, but I love you guys no matter what. Otherwise, they would not do the job that they do and take on the responsibility that they do if it wasn’t for you students.”