Young passengers make driver's birthday special

(posted 03.03.10)

John Faunt’s 68th birthday meant just another number that he would rather not think about, until he went to work.

The school bus driver’s day became a happy one when a colleague left some balloons waiting for him on his bus.

The surprise was doubled when the kids on run No. 5777, alerted by the balloons, wished him a happy birthday as they alighted at their schools.

It tripled again on the way home that afternoon when he received two handmade cards, one signed by many of the kids and the other from one little girl.

Their birthday wishes made Mr Faunt, or John, as he is simply known to the kids, proud.

While horror stories abound of unruly kids on school bus runs, John, who has been driving buses for 34 years, said he could not ask for a better bunch of passengers every day.

“I’ve had plenty that have been no good in the past but these ones are different,” he said. “They are just really good kids.”

John knows all of the 40-odd primary and high school kids who travel the route from Pelican Waters to Sunshine Coast Grammar School, Siena Catholic College and Matthew Flinders Anglican College by name.

He said the secret to earning the respect of his charges was to treat them with respect.

“I don’t treat them like children. I treat them like adults,” he said.

- story Janine Hill, Sunshine Coast Daily
- photo Warren Lynam, Sunshine Coast Daily

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