The Driving Force

Driver Johnna Craven chats with co-workers before starting her morning school bus route, at the Excelsior Springs bus barn. A cup of coffee and a cigarette are Craven’s usual morning routine before she boards the bus.

Maddox Craven, 5, looks at his grandmother, Johnna Craven, as she does her routine morning checks over the “Dino” route school bus. Kindergartener Maddox rides the bus with her every day to school.

Johnna Craven performs routine checks of the tires and flashing lights to ensure they are ready for the morning route. Craven wakes up every day at 4:30 a.m. and arrives at the bus barn before the sun rises to perform these safety and maintenance checks.

The “Dino” route bus, driven by Johnna Craven, rolls through residential neighborhoods in the afternoon. Craven has been a school bus driver for 10 years in the Excelsior Springs district. Prior to her bus driving career, Craven worked in healthcare as a housekeeper and certified nursing assistant.

Each day after she finishes driving her school routes, she drives bus for the city. Johnna Craven operates the lift of the city bus, assisting a commuter, Linda, at the bus stop in front of Saratoga Towers. “The people are never angry,” Craven said about the bus riders she meets, “It’s the same people, just at different times.”

Bus riders Linda, at left, and Diane head to their destinations on the city bus. Diane said she enjoys using city transportation to the senior center, especially on Thursdays when there is live music.

Johnna Craven returns the passenger lift to riding position after stopping outside the doctor’s office at Excelsior Springs Hospital. Riders going to and from the hospital can receive a voucher stamped with the day’s date which allows them to ride the route for free.

Johnna Craven waits for passengers to board the bus at Walmart in Excelsior Springs. Walmart and Price Chopper are the two grocery stores on the main bus route.

After stopping at the Ruey Ann High Rise, Johnna Craven heads toward the third stop of her route at the Colony Plaza in Excelsior Springs. Craven drives five of the six city bus loops around town each day before returning to her afternoon school bus routes.

Maddox, 5, at right, leaps from grandmother Johnna Craven’s minivan while his aunt Kelly Craven, at left, watches at the family’s home. When Craven is not providing transportation for the school district or the city, she’s the main source of transportation for her grandson, Maddox whom she has been raising for much of his life. “There are lots of us grandparents raising our grandchildren in this town,” Craven said, explaining her son’s struggle with addiction.