Photos courtesy of Colleen D'Angelo
At 6:30 a.m. on a cold, stormy Friday in October, I met up with Dublin City Schools bus driver Koree Rich at the Transportation Department on Shier Rings Road. I was joining her on a bus ride-along and, unfortunately, it was one of those rainy, sideways-umbrella kind of days, but the show must go on.
Koree did the daily pre-trip check of her bus, “Big Bertha,” fondly named by a group of St. Brigid eighth-grade boys. After Koree inspected the interior and exterior including the engine, exhaust, fluids and lights, we were ready to go.
We rounded a foggy corner on the early St. Brigid route and saw a sea of umbrellas in festive colors. The children climbed up the bus stairs and were immediately followed by a large black dog named Mike. He sat on command, staring and panting in anticipation of the bone in Koree’s hand. One gulp and the dog biscuit disappeared. Mike quickly hoisted his paw onto Koree’s lap in hopes of treat No. 2, which she gave him gladly.
Koree has been driving a bus for 16 years, the last 11 in Dublin. She has always been an animal lover and has handed out treats to our canine friends since day one. The pups anticipate the arrival of the bus and look forward to their delicious bones.
“If the dogs aren’t at the bus stop, I’ll give the treats to the children to take home for them,” says Koree.
She also pet-sits, house-sits and hands her cards out to parents on her routes.
“I love my job and I want the parents to feel free to call me and to trust that I’ll keep their children safe,” she says.
On the Bailey Elementary School run, we encountered a lot of regulars. First up was a handsome German Shepherd named Drac. He sat obediently next to his owner in Coventry Woods and waited for the bus to stop.
Koree called out, “Catch, Drac!” as she tossed a bone out the door and into Drac’s mouth. A black lab named Carmen and a Schnauzer named Smokey were around the next bend. Heidi King says Smokey hears the bus coming from far away and plants himself in the grass, facing the road. He won’t budge until Koree stops and acknowledges him properly. “He’s so disappointed if it’s the wrong bus,” says Heidi.
Because of Smokey’s reaction and so many other pups, Koree instructs her subs to follow her lead and hand out the treats.
Drac the dog catching a bone
“I also train Dublin drivers and encourage my trainees to adopt this tradition,” Koree says.
On Chaddington Road, we saw a black lab named Buck, patiently waiting, drooling and staring in our direction. Koree threw him the biscuit and Buck gulped it down, leaving behind a puddle of drool on the driveway. Owner Jill Guth says that Buck repositions himself so that he is directly in front of the open bus door, giving Koree a wide-open path to him.
Our last client of the day was Buddy the Golden doodle. Though he’s just a puppy, he already had the system figured out and climbed halfway up the bus stairs.
The children riding the bus are used to the daily canine cuisine customs and take it in stride. They are clearly very fond of Koree as well, judging by the passing conversations.
One little girl would not leave the bus until Koree saw her new shoes. Another boy wanted Koree to pull his wriggly tooth. A surprised second-grader said he couldn’t imagine living when you didn’t have a cell phone to take ‘selfies.’
“How did you see how you looked?” he asked.
“We used mirrors,” laughed Koree.
Dublin parents all adore Koree and are so thankful that she keeps their children safe every day. “She is so much more than a bus driver: She’s our friend,” says Dublin resident Jane Doyle.
“I get gift cards, thank you notes and boxes of dog treats from families on my routes,” says Koree. “I also get asked regularly to attend soccer and baseball games, and have gone to several. I don’t have kids of my own, so these are my kids, and it’s a good way to show positive support to the community.”
Colleen D’Angelo is a freelance writer who lives in Dublin with her husband, three children and several small animals. She enjoys playing tennis, walking the Dublin bike paths and traveling.
