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Every weekday morning before sunrise, Esther Zezulka of Clarks Grove wakes up at 5:30 a.m. to begin her day. She has to get to work before 6:45.

Zezulka is a school bus driver employed by Albert Lea Bus Co. She has worked in this role for 37 years.

After a pre-trip checklist to ensure the bus is functioning properly, Zezulka takes off. Her route begins in the country, picking up students in rural areas. She then moves on to a gas station where a few students transfer buses.

The bulk of her route takes place in Albert Lea, stopping at school bus stops all over the city. While it varies depending on the time of the year, Zezulka’s bus is typically filled to its capacity of 77 passengers.

Zezulka’s morning route brings students to Southwest Middle School and Sibley Elementary School. However, between transfers and shuffling students to different buses, she also carries students from Lakeview, Hawthorne and Halverson elementary schools.

Once elementary and middle school students have been dropped off for the day, Zezulka moves on to picking up older students and bringing them to the high school. She said the high schoolers are always a lot quieter than the younger students.

Zezulka returns to Clarks Grove at about 8:45 a.m. She said she tries to take advantage of the time between her morning and afternoon routes by running errands, doing housework and sometimes sneaking in a nap.

Then, at 1:45 p.m., it’s back on the road. Zezulka’s afternoon route begins at Hollandale Christian School when classes get out at 2:15 p.m.

After dropping off Hollandale students at their homes, she picks up students from Southwest Middle School and brings them to the high school for sports. Her day wraps up at around 3:45 p.m.

Zezulka said she used to drive for field trips and other school activities but now prefers to stick to her regular routes.

At this point in her career, some of the students Zezulka used to take to school now have children of their own that she drives.

“I really enjoy it,” Zezulka said. “People tell me, ‘Why are you still driving?’ — you know, after all these years — and I tell them ‘I enjoy it. I enjoy the kids, especially the young ones coming on.’”

Getting into school bus driving, Zezulka said, was largely an accident.

“I never thought I would drive a bus,” she said.

After moving from Indiana to Clarks Grove, Zezulka and her husband were having lunch with friends, including the people who owned Albert Lea Bus Co. at the time. Her

husband joked Zezulka would soon need to look for a job as their daughter was ready to go to kindergarten.

The owner of the bus company encouraged her to apply to be a bus driver. He brought her an application and even trained her. After Zezulka had gotten the appropriate driver’s license, she took a job at the bus company.

“And then I hauled my baby to school,” she said.

Zezulka said she knows the way a student’s morning starts out can determine their outlook for the rest of the day. Because of this, she tries to make getting on and off the school bus an encouraging experience.

“It’s very important, I have found, that if I tell them ‘good morning’ and am pleasant to them … Sometimes I’m the first one that shows them respect in the morning, you know, especially if they’re coming from a sad household,” Zezulka said.

She always tries to make an effort to listen to what the students tell her. Sometimes it’s as simple as acknowledging a student who lost a tooth and asking them if the tooth fairy paid them a visit.

“I totally enjoy my job.” Zezulka said. “It probably isn’t for everybody.”

Having to maintain discipline on the bus, she explained, really sets school bus driving apart from the typical office job.

“It’s a challenge sometimes,” she said.

One thing that helps her is cameras installed on the bus for the safety of her as well as the students.

Albert Lea Bus Co. takes care of fueling the bus and all maintenance.

“I just drive,” Zezulka said.

Zezulka’s husband, William “Bill” Zezulka, passed away in December. He also worked as a school bus driver. Zezulka said she enjoys having her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren living in the area.