LPOSD bus driver claims state, national honors

SANDPOINT — Mike Crabb knows a lot about school buses. From distinguishing between different models to reciting niche regulations, his enthusiasm for the elongated, bright yellow vehicles is unmistakable. 

But that knowledge is nothing new. Crabb has been a school bus driver for 19 years, with this upcoming school year marking his third year driving for the Lake Pend Oreille School District. 

In June, Crabb won first place in the Idaho State Bus Safety Competition and took home tenth overall at the National School Bus Safety Competition, making him one of the top 10 school bus drivers in the nation and the first bus driver from the district to compete at the national level. 

Crabb's connection to school buses began long before he ever sat behind the wheel.  

“I’m a second-generation bus driver. My mom and my dad were both school bus drivers,” said Crabb. 

He often accompanied his parents at work, spending time in the breakroom while his parents prepared for their routes.

"School bus driving is the best job ever," said Crabb. "You always have guaranteed weekends, holidays, and summer off." 

Before becoming a school bus driver for LPOSD, Crabb spent 16 years as a school bus driver in Washington. Then, he decided to move to Idaho. 

“I just felt like this is where I was supposed to come,” said Crabb. “I had enough of where I was.” 

After moving, Crabb and his wife found a piece of property and built a house. 

“Then I ran out of money,” said Crabb 

In search of another job, Crabb knew he wanted to be a bus driver again. That's when he applied to work for LPOSD. 

“Here I am, I now drive Route 19,” said Crabb, gesturing toward the bold No. 19 printed in large across his T-shirt. 

From morning to noon, Crabb drives local elementary, middle and high school students to and from school. 

When Crabb learned that the district held bus safety rodeos, he didn’t hesitate to sign up. 

Crabb, along with 15 other drivers from four North Idaho districts, participated in10 scored events, including railroad crossings, backing maneuvers, curb approach accuracy, parallel parking, and precision turns. 

After placing second at the regional Bus Safety Competition, Crabb advanced to the state competition, taking first. At the end of June, Crabb was off to Austin, Texas, to compete nationally. 

The pressure was on. 

"You want to represent your route. You want to represent the district and you want to have fun," said Crabb. 

But the competition proved to be a true test of his knowledge and skills, said Crabb, adding that he felt stressed. 

First, Crabb took a written exam, covering everything from basic road rules to managing students in loading and unloading procedures. 

"They pulled from all kinds of different places that you would have to study to be a school bus driver in one of the states, you don't know which one," said Crabb. 

"I would go through as much of the material I could get a hold of and study it again and again," Crabb recalled. 

Then, Crabb competed in a driving test. Judges with clipboards scrutinized his every move, checking to see if he looked at his mirrors or turned his signals on. 

"It's just a whole bunch of things that a bus driver has to do to make it as safe as possible for the kids that they're testing you on," Crabb said. 

When he finished, Crabb recalled his anxiety fleeing as realization set in. 

"I was quite excited that I had finished tenth," said Crabb. "I think it's pretty cool going down there. First time [in] a new state." 

A shiny plague hangs in Crabb's home office, evidence of his national accomplishment. 

For Crabb, the kids are his favorite part of the job. 

“They call me ‘Mr. Krabs,’” Crabb said, noting that the nickname was a reference to the SpongeBob SquarePants character. “I didn’t know what it meant when they started calling me that.” 

Crabb said that he enjoys interacting and talking with the students as he watches them grow up. 

"I get to spend time with what's most important to everyone in this county, which is their kids," said Crabb.