JUST DRIVE: Life in the Bus Lane

by Deke N Blue

“JUST DRIVE – Life in the Bus Lane” provides a rare look at life from the driver’s seat. Spanning five years, this book is a collection of posts from a Portland, Oregon bus operator’s blog about his job. From the unique perspective of a “writer who drives a bus for a living,” this book chronicles Deke’s career from trainee to seasoned operator. Sharing his adventures from the tragic to the wondrous or hilarious, he adds color to one of the world’s most stressful occupations. Deke's blog, fromthedriverside.blogspot.com, covers a wide-range of thoughts and feelings as he maneuvers his bus along the quirky and often unforgiving streets of this Northwestern metropolis. Readers have described his writing as riveting, engaging and vividly descriptive. His writing has also been compared to the art of Mark Twain, given the juicy humor tidbits he offers.Join the legions of Deke’s readers who enjoy his free-flowing style describing a realistic view ‘From the Driver Side.’ Deke's sketches of daily life as a bus driver are amusing and heart-warming." (Review from The Portland Tribune, by Michaela Bancud.)

Genres: Nonfiction

310 pages, Paperback

Published October 30, 2017

Reviews

[Mary · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn’t finish this book. Every time I picked it up to read, it seemed like a whine fest about his management. The constant overly repetitive schtick about how safe drivers are and how stupid EVERYONE else is got old and insulting. I thought this book would be a funny, light hearted story of different passengers etc but it was more a public argument that should’ve been saved for his union’s fight for their contact. Spent way too much time trying to read this book when there are so many better options out there.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were some true nuggets in this memoir of an Oregon city bus driver. I live in an area that has very limited public transportation, so there were lots of things I wasn’t aware about the day-to-day operation of city bus. Blue shared this knowledge usually through little amusing anecdotes.

I was very surprised by how often bus drivers are accosted, physically or verbally. I was sad to hear how their management gave them so little support in these instances, and in some cases even dealt out punishments to the drivers. I was horrified and amused by how often people physically challenged a bus! Hello! That’s not a fight you can win!

The book does ramble a bit. Originally, it was a series of blog posts and that’s openly talked about in the book. However, I think this was the main drag about the book too. A good edit could have condensed this down in to half the book, allowing the more amusing or insightful moments to really shine. As it was, I had to slog through the boring bits for the good stuff.

Also, I wanted a bit more fire. I feel the author has some great things to say, but I also feel he held back because he doesn’t want to be reprimanded by his management for using strong language or being disparaging. As the reader, I find books that try to please everyone to usually be boring.

Over all, there’s some few moments that made me laugh out loud, or gasp in surprise. I want more of this and I think the author can deliver. I especially loved those flirtatious scenes with his wife. 3.5/5 stars.

The Narration: Kevin Meyer did a great job narrating this story. He sounded like a natural Pacific Northwesterner. He was upbeat, always sounding engaged with the story. I loved how he managed the unique voices for all the various characters. There were no issues with this recording. 5/5 stars.

I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Deke N. Blue. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I definitely enjoyed this book. When I started reading it I was in the same place as the writer. Learning a new job and how to be safe while performing nessicary tasks. I learned a lot from what he wrote when I could apply it. While I'm not a bus driver I could relate to him and that is helpful.

To some there might be some parts that talk on about things that might not interest them. Such as the entries about unions. You can always skim over those and still enjoy the rest of the book. Sometimes I feel the author is a little too all or nothing about praising bus drivers but I think that comes from not being represented. We rarely see or think about bus drivers in a positive light so I'm willing to over look this.

I enjoyed a lot of the stories about things that happened with passengers. Slice of life things are fun and help me think on my toes in social situations. I'm growing and learning as a person and its always good to have a real life example.

[joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unique and interesting

I have always been in awe of anyone who has the courage and steely nerves to drive anything for a living. Especially those who have to do it while dealing with the public at the same time. "Deke" , gives a usually humorous, and sometimes frightening view of life in the driver's seat of a city bus driver...MAN are they brave, and under appreciated. If you enjoy the occasional view of the world from another's eyes, you'll like this book, and you'll like Deke N. (Decon) Blue...he's one of the good guys.

[Christine Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Fascinating Read

I love memoirs. What really made this one interesting was how eye opening it was. I have never ridden a transit bus or train. I've ridden a school bus but that's nowhere near the same. I've never thought about what it would take to be a bus driver, the danger they face each day, or the things that they have to consistently aware of. I salute each and every one of you. As for your book, you made me laugh, you made me think, you even made me raise my eyebrows and shake my head but you kept my interest. I can only say "You are a 'writer' who drives a bus."

[Janet Beldman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many people think the bus driver has it pretty easy - you just sit all day and drive....not true at all. Just Drive really opens the world up to life as a transit operator and the daily task to please management and customer while keeping everyone safe, staying on schedule and interacting with every personality around. It's a tough job and not for the delicate. Deke N Blue tells it like it is and all the emotions attached with trying to do a good job. An easy read - short blog chapters and perfect to read while taking transit! Highly recommend!

[Bill Buckley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting stories from a transit bus driver in Portland OR. Alot of the situations he describes are the same as driving a bus in Everett WA or anywhere else in the world. I've been a bus driver for 20 years out of my 42 years of work history.

I subscribe to a YouTube channel called Bus Driver Life. The creator of this channel is a transit operator out of Sacramento CA. His stories are interesting and funny also.

[Karl · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a city transit bus operator myself I found the book factual and accurate in the way that tells what it is like from a city bus driver's perspective.

[Paulina · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't know what have I done to end up reading this 9hours books about bus driver. Definitely is too long and so boring -couldnt manage to finish it

[Jessica Harvey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazingly accurate to life in the drivers seat and incredibly funny