School bus driver retires after 31 years

Rachel Hentila Rachel Hentila is retiring after 31 years driving bus for the Stanwood-Camano School District.

A mother of three who loved quilting, she never thought that driving bus would become her calling in life, but such is the case. according to Sabrina Smith, a fellow driver.

Hentila saw many changes in the industry through the years. When she was hired in 1979, there was no CDL B license required, training lasted only two days, there was no first aid training, no random drug testing and drivers parked their buses at home.

In those days, a driver could boot an unruly kid off the bus and tell him to walk home.

You could smoke while driving the bus with kids on board, there were only four schools in Stanwood, and there were no traffic lights in town, among other things.

Hentila started driving a T4 Kenworth standard shift, which required double clutching to change gears.

Between shifts she drove a dump or septic truck for the business she and her husband owned together.

Now, all 70 current drivers refer to her as the No. 1 driver, a.k.a., “Mom of the bus garage.”

A retirement party will be held in Hentila’s honor and former drivers and students who loved Hentila are encouraged to attend on Saturday, June 12, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the transportation building, 9005 272nd Street, across from the vacated Thrifty Foods building and behind the Stanwood/ Camano NEWS.