EPHRATA — Brenda Wurl has become a beloved fixture within the Ephrata School District as a bus driver, where her enthusiasm for children and dedication to safety have set a high standard within the community, according to Transportation Director Adam Roduner.

“Brenda, our longest-serving driver, is a wonderful example of the heart and dedication our entire team brings to their work,” Superintendent Ken Murray said. “We are deeply grateful for Brenda and for every member of our transportation staff who shows up, rain or shine, to serve our students and families.”

With over 15 years of experience under her belt, Wurl said she has established a unique rapport with her young passengers and their families, making her not just a driver but also a trusted role model.

Wurl’s journey began in 2007 when she started as a substitute bus driver.

“I was inspired to get back into a position where I could work with kids,” Wurl said.

Encouragement from her supervisors and her sister, who had also driven for the district, led her to pursue this career, she said. Soon after her initial training, she was contracted as a full-time driver and has not looked back since.

As a bus driver, Wurl’s day starts early, often rising around 6 a.m. to prepare for her routes.

“I’ve always been a morning person,” she said. “Growing up on a farm, that routine was ingrained in me.”

Her role includes transporting children to various schools, including the high school, the middle school and several elementary schools in the district. As each student climbs onto her bus in the morning, they get a cheerful “Good morning.” As she drops them off at their respective schools, she offers her hand for fist bumps and tells each student, “Have a great day at school.”

Wurl manages three separate routes daily, including picking students up, taking students to Moses Lake’s Columbia Basin Technical Skills Center and taking students home after school. She said she will take on extra responsibilities sometimes, such as driving athletic teams to games.

Wurl said she has a love for her passenger,s including joyful moments spent with students.

“My favorite part is definitely the kids,” she said. “I frequently hear them say, ‘I missed you, Miss Brenda,’ after summer break, or they’ll come on the bus and give me a hug.”

Such interactions, she said, affirm her belief that forming connections with students is vital, as they often turn to her for advice.

“It feels good when they trust me,” she said. “I advise them to talk to their parents, counselors, or teachers, but when it’s something simple like math problems, I’m happy to help. I help with a lot of math.”

To maintain order and safety on her bus, Wurl has established clear rules that her passengers are expected to follow.

“They know they need to stay seated, no fighting, no foul language, and no screaming unless they’re hurt,” she said.

These rules are crucial in ensuring a positive environment, especially since she said that safety is her top priority.

“If they scream, I think someone is hurt, and that’s why I set those rules,” Wurl said. “It’s essential for the children’s safety, especially when we’re on the road.”

Wurl also ensures that students are sitting back to their seats. Wurl reminded one of the passengers who kept moving forward in her seat to sit back. After the third reminder, she asked the student, “Do you know why I am asking you to sit back?”

The student moved backwards in her seat and said, “So I stay safe?”

Wurl said the student, if not sitting back, could fly through the windshield if Wurl had to make an emergency stop.

The student, wide-eyed, moved further back into her seat and didn’t require any further reminders for the remainder of her ride.

Driving a bus is not merely a matter of steering a vehicle; it requires a heightened level of vigilance, Wurl said.

“I’m constantly watching out for other cars and keeping an eye on the kids,” she said. “When you’re managing up to 50 children at a time, it’s much different than just driving a car with two or four passengers.”

Wurl emphasized that part of her responsibility includes ensuring that cars stop when children are getting on or off the bus – an issue she takes very seriously. She said she keeps an air horn on her bus to catch the attention of drivers who are trying to pass her stop sign.

“I have only had to use it a couple of times, but it has stopped drivers in their tracks,” she said. “I will do everything I can to make sure all of my kids are safe loading, riding and exiting my bus.”

During her time with the Ephrata School District, Wurl said she has witnessed myriad changes within the transportation department, particularly the upgrade of older buses to newer models that have been designed with drivers’ input.

“I actually like the new buses,” she said. “They’re designed better, which makes my job easier.”

Roduner said the district has gotten four new buses from levy dollars in the past two years. The district also purchased two surplus buses from the Walla Walla School District to transport preschoolers. The district will be getting three new buses from transportation depreciation dollars, which will arrive in the district around January 2026.

Wurl noted the importance of listening to drivers when introducing new vehicles, as their experience helps shape safer and more efficient designs.

Furthermore, Wurl’s long tenure in the district has cultivated a sense of community, she said. She has developed relationships with the families of her students, often recognizing parents of her past pupils and witnessing the growth of their children.

“It’s fun to see the children of former students riding my bus now,” she said.

She said watching the kids grow from kindergarten to graduation is one of the many rewarding aspects of her job.

“I’ve cried at graduation ceremonies; it’s like a testament to the time spent together,” she said.

    Ephrata School District Bus Driver Brenda Wurl pops out her stop sign for students to safely walk across the street and enter her bus. She said she has had issues with drivers trying to pass her while her stop sign is out – which she said is why she now keeps an air horn handy for just such an occasion.
  

    Brenda Wurl, Ephrata School District bus driver, greets a kindergartner and his mother Tuesday morning. Wurl said this was the first time he was riding without his older sister, so she had him sit in the front next to other boys his age and reminded him which stop he needed to get off at.
  

    Students on Brenda Wurl’s bus talk and stare out the window Tuesday morning on their ride to school. Wurl lets the girls exit the bus first, followed by the boys saying she is “old-fashioned.”
  

    Brenda Wurl, an Ephrata School District bus driver said she feels more comfortable on the road in a bus than in a car. She said there are some challenges with driving a bus, such as navigating turns and watching students; however, she said that she feels safer within the bus.
  

    Ephrata School District Bus Driver Brenda Wurl greets every student who enters her bus, most by name. As they leave the bus for school, she will offer her fist for bumps and a cheery “Have a great day at school.”
  

    Brenda Wurl, a bus driver at Ephrata School District drove 43 students during her first route of the day on Tuesday. Wurl takes students to school, drives Ephrata students to CBTECH and takes students home from school daily.
  

    Brenda Wurl leaves the bus Tuesday morning after dropping students off at various Ephrata schools. She has been with the district for around 18 years transporting students.