After a long hiatus, the Behind the Wheel series is back, telling the individual stories of PSTA employees and riders. And for this entry, we wanted to focus on the people whose jobs are at the very heart of PSTA’s services: our bus operators.

While your instinct might be to call them “bus drivers,” the truth is that driving is only one part of the job. PSTA’s bus operators are the face of our agency, often referred to as “customer service on wheels,” providing essential transportation to millions of residents and tourists every year with a smile and a can-do attitude. It’s not always an easy career, but it is tremendously rewarding.

In order to get a nuanced look at the job, we spoke with four of our incredible operators—two long-time veterans and two newer additions—to hear the different perspectives these groups have to share. Let’s hear from the pros what operating a bus is all about!

Vanessa Litzenberger—Newer Bus Operator

Vanessa first joined PSTA in December 2023, giving her around a year and a half of experience with us. However, this is not her first rodeo working as a bus operator. She first drove for our friends across the pond at Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART), where she worked for two and a half years and was promoted to a supervisor. So, when she applied to PSTA, she already brought a wealth of experience serving the public with her. Although there were some differences between the two agencies, the biggest learning curve was learning PSTA’s routes and the quirks of a county that was new to her.

Between her experience at HART and PSTA, Vanessa has a few stand-out memories from her time as a bus operator. While working for HART, two customers with mobility needs once gave her an artificial rose so it “would never die,” a heartfelt thank-you for Vanessa’s vigilance in helping them board safely each time. Even during her time at PSTA thus far, she has received many compliments from her passengers who are grateful for her careful driving and diligent attention to detail.

When asked about her favorite memory with a coworker, she mentioned the time a fellow operator named Sam made sure her and her passengers wouldn’t get stuck with a bus that had no working air conditioning.

“I was called to relieve him on a Saturday, but he told me to bring a different bus with me so they could be swapped out, as his bus didn’t have any working AC,” Vanessa recalled. “By giving me a heads up, he also made sure I didn’t start late. I really appreciated him looking out for me and my riders like that.”

For Vanessa, the role of bus operator is essential to the community.

“This job allows us to help those who need transit for many different reasons—maybe they don’t have a car, maybe they rely on a mobility aid, or maybe they’re young adults or older adults without a license,” she said. “The bus allows these people to get where they need to go and enjoy their life just like anyone else with a car.”

Brian Luna—Newer Bus Operator

Brian joined PSTA in May 2022, just three years ago. While newer to PSTA, Brian is also no stranger to providing transportation to those who need it. With nearly twenty years of driving school buses and for Super Shuttle, PSTA was an obvious avenue for him to continue his transportation career.

“I had done very well with my previous driving jobs, getting experience with all different sizes of vehicles,” Brian said. “I knew driving for PSTA was a good option.”

His favorite routes include Route 60 for its simplicity and the SunRunner, allowing him to see the beautiful homes of the Historic Kenwood district and the peaceful views over the Corey Causeway in Pasadena.

Operating a bus can come with its challenges, especially on busier routes like our Route 52—a route on which Brian is no stranger. In fact, it’s on this high-traffic route that Brian recalls some of his favorite memories while working.

“There were two occasions where I was seriously multitasking by trying to help a passenger with a wheelchair on board my very crowded bus. The riders could see I was working my behind off and were very complimentary of how attentive I was to their needs,” Brian recalled. “One customer even voiced his doubt that I could manage to get everyone packed in, but was impressed and complimentary when I proved him wrong.”

Brian takes great pride in his work, noting that he isn’t just a bus “driver,” but a bus “operator.”

“Driving is just one part of the job. I’m also providing customer service, giving directions, and solving problems. That’s why we’re more than just drivers.”

Liz Cator—Veteran Bus Operator

Liz has been with PSTA for nearly 21 years, having started with the agency in August 2004. When she first applied, it was not her first experience working in public transit—she had driven school buses for three years in Miami, and had enjoyed the work. When she and her daughter moved to Pinellas County, she had intended to continue driving school buses. However, she saw PSTA was hiring bus operators, and it seemed like a good opportunity to continue the work she loved and learn the area.

Over the years, Liz would become a vital operator to PSTA by exclusively working the “extra board.” The extra board comprises a group of operators on standby to cover vacations, call-outs, or any short-staffed routes on a given day. These operators possess the best knowledge of PSTA’s entire system, as they constantly drive different routes from day to day as needed. Because of the extra board’s unpredictability, operators must be very flexible with their schedules and familiar with all PSTA routes to fill staffing gaps. While that might sound chaotic, Liz says she enjoys the extra money and variety that being on the extra board provides her.

Like Brian, one of Liz’s favorite routes is the SunRunner for the beach views, as well as Route 65: “I love riding through Bellair and looking at all the fancy houses none of us can afford.”

When asked about her favorite memory while driving, Liz had a beautiful story to share.

“Every year, I would see the same couple come down to visit from Canada, and I got to know them over the years. One year, the wife came alone because her husband had passed away. She had brought me a Canadian plaque with my name on it, saying her husband had wanted me to have it as a way to thank me for always taking care of them during their visit.” Recalling the story brought emotion to Liz’s voice, which speaks volumes of the connections and friendships she’s formed with her passengers. “I’ve received many gifts from riders over the years, but that one is by far the most meaningful,” Liz added.

In addition to friendships with riders, Liz is also very close with her fellow operators and goes on vacations with them—in fact, this year she’ll be visiting Tennessee with one of her work besties. PSTA has provided a long career full of love and camaraderie, a career she said she’s “gonna ride til all the wheels fall,” as she draws closer to retirement. And thanks to PSTA’s retirement plan, she’s fully vested for a comfortable future.

Milan Rakovic—Veteran Bus Operator

Milan’s transit story is a unique one. Unlike many who fall into public transit as adults, Milan’s transit career began in former Yugoslavia in the 80s, where he attended a special high school that would enable him to obtain his CDL license and become a professional driver. His education provided him with experience in all forms of transportation, from buses to semi-trucks to military tanks. After graduating, he would serve as a professional military driver during his 14-month mandatory military service. Once his military service was complete, he drove buses and had his own mechanic shop in the city of Zagreb (now the capital of Croatia).

But then the Yugoslav Wars broke out in 1991, and Milan worked desperately to take his family away from the devastation that had taken his father’s life. He drove from city to city, eventually bringing his daughter and pregnant wife to Serbia, where he began applying to different countries as a refugee.

“I was lucky I was driving the bus. That’s how I saved our lives,” he remarked.

It took years, but he eventually received an offer to move to the United States. In 1997, he and his family arrived in the Tampa Bay area, ready to start their new, peaceful life. Although he wanted to resume his career as a bus operator, the language barrier prevented him from becoming one right away. He was instead hired to work as a mechanic at PSTA in 1998 with the assistance of a translator. However, his ultimate goal was to return to the driver's seat as a bus operator, his true passion. After years of hard work and language learning, Milan finally became a PSTA bus operator in 2005.

For 27 years now, Milan has been working at PSTA and doing what he loves. He takes great pride in his job, even doing extra cleaning of his own buses to ensure his passengers have a spotless, comfortable ride.

“I have a really good relationship with my passengers,” Milan said. “I see them as my friends and my family, because we see each other every day.” 

In 2019, Milan was named PSTA Driver of the Year and shared his story in a heartfelt video. For Milan, PSTA represented a fresh start in a new country full of opportunities, and he is incredibly grateful to all the people who helped him along the way.

Milan with fellow bus operator and friend, Thomas Maghran.

Starting Your Career as a Bus Operator

As you can see, operating a bus is a dynamic, challenging, but rewarding vocation. At its core, bus operators provide sorely-needed transportation to the community and help everyday people enjoy full, fruitful lives. The relationships operators build with their riders can be deeply enriching, and the camaraderie between operators can form close-knit, long-lasting friendships.

Think you might want to start your public transit career as a bus operator? PSTA is always hiring new bus operators! No prior driving experience or commercial driver's license (CDL) is required—PSTA will provide all the training you need, as well as covering the cost of your CDL (typically around $6,000). You can learn more about the training process in our blog about the training we provide to our operators and technicians!

Ready to apply? PSTA hires for each class every two months. Click here to see job postings for our next hiring round.