Bus driver Stuart Bailey drives route eight, transporting students to and from school each day. Born in Alaska, he moved to Santa Cruz in 1987 where he soon met his wife. Work drove him up the coast of California and eventually to Roseville. He tries his best to balance personal, family and his work. He previously spent a year in the Marine Corps and ran a pool maintenance business. He enjoys driving and interacting with young people, but is ultimately grateful that he can spend time with his kids and views bus driving as a retirement gig.

-Rachel Barber

“A lot of times [this] generation is the entitlement generation, I call it. I always tell my kids it’s all about the choices you make. If you make a bad choice you can fix it, and make a good choice.
Before I left Alaska, I was headed down the wrong road. When I got to Santa Cruz, I made a choice to change my life. I try and wake up happy and I try to go to bed happy – sometimes it doesn’t happen.
But life, you only have one. It’s not a dress rehearsal. You only get one. I have friends that Facebook message me from when we were younger who told me ‘You talked me out of suicide, I was depressed’ and I completely didn’t realize it.
You make an impact on people sometimes and you don’t even know it. So I try and be positive around everyone. Even at work, people are always like ‘God you’re always so happy’ and you know what? Life is great. Friends of mine used to say ‘Things always work out for you’ and I go, ‘You know, those were all choices that I made.’ Everything is your choice.”