The smell of engine exhaust and the sound of a dying beached whale. I think we all know what those are characteristics of: the bus. The bus may be more convenient for traffic or for your parents to get that extra 20 minutes of sleep, but are buses really all they are cracked up to be?

I agree that buses can be convenient at times, but for most teens, they are more of a hassle. Teens have jobs that often require them to be there almost right after school and the bus ride home can sometimes exceed 20-30 minutes. This gives them little time to do all of the necessary things after school like: getting into their uniform, eating, doing chores, doing homework, etc.

Missing the bus. One of the most dreaded things a teen has to tell their parents. School’s give you times that you’re supposed to go down to your bus stop but sometimes the bus drivers come way too early. Freshman student Jordyn Read said, “My bus is supposed to come at 6:30 but I always have to leave my house 10 minutes early so that I don’t miss it.” This can be quite the hassle not only for teens but for their parents also.

Buses are gross! Most of the time they smell like engine exhaust and people’s feet. We share buses with all different grade levels and I can guarantee you that most of the younger kids wipe their boogers on the seat. There is always gum under and around the seats.