At 6:45 a.m., when the pre-dawn darkness still covers the empty campus, shuttle bus drivers clean their buses and start their engines outside the Student Union Building where the three shuttle buses are parked.
Jeon Hyo-seuk, a shuttle bus driver who has worked over the past three years at Ewha, unveils the behind-the-scenes of early morning on campus.
“Mornings at Ewha are always peaceful, making it difficult to picture the bustling atmosphere in the afternoon,” Jeon said.
Gazing at students waiting for the first bus, the driver confessed that he always feels sorry whenever he sees students squeezing themselves into shuttle buses every morning.
“The dilemma of whether to take just one more student or not always agonizes me,” Jeon said. “When I return home from work, I often regret not taking just one more student.”
Seeing every inch of the campus and students as a shuttle bus driver, Jeon has met diverse students. Last winter, Jeon received several letters written by students, where these students conveyed their heartfelt appreciation to shuttle bus drivers.
“Students and bus drivers meet every day from early morning to evening, but these encounters are too short to have a word with each other,” Jeon said. “Therefore, I thought neither students nor bus drivers know a lot about each other. However, the letters made me realize that there are some students who think and care a lot about us.”
However, Jeon realizes that there are some inconveniences students feel, especially after the changes in shuttle bus routes were applied. While students expect that the buses would leave soon at the main gate, the buses should wait awhile to leave on the exact time. Therefore, there are some students who get off the buses, complaining about the inconvenience.
“I hope students let us know about the complaints directly,” Jeon said. “We will try to find a point where both students and we are satisfied. I am sure this will be the best way to ensure both safety and convenience.”
Jeon’s efforts to shuttle students safely continue every day from early morning till 7:40 p.m., the time when his work for the day ends.
Ewha Voice
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