When Phyllis Wade-Myers began her career at Metro Transit, the buses didn't have power steering, drivers wore heavy suits to stay warm and the profession was dominated by males.
The challenges didn't deter her from applying. In 1985, she joined Metro Transit as a part-time operator. Shortly after, she left her office job and began driving full-time. Nearly three decades later, Wade-Myers reflected on her experience in an interview with the Star Tribune.
"I kept seeing buses with women driving," Wade-Myers told the newspaper. "I thought, 'I wonder if I could do that.'"
Now one of the most senior drivers at East Metro Garage, Wade-Myers is currently driving Route 74. The bus runs between Sun Ray Transit Center and 46th Street Station on the METRO Blue Line. Wade-Myers said the hilly route poses challenges in winter, but that she tries to maintain a sense of humor and poise regardless of the challenges she faces on the road.
"In the beginning, my supervisor told me, 'You're going to have to learn to have a tough skin,'" she said.
> On the Job with Phyllis Wade-Myers
> Route 74: Easy riding from East to West
> Know Your Operator
> Taylor named Minnesota Bus Operator of the Year
> Metro Transit hiring bus operators
Photo by Tom Witta, used by permission of the Star Tribune