Meet Jhoenard – driving connoisseur by day, chef by night
This Bus Driver Appreciation Day, Metlink is celebrating the drivers who pull out all the stops for its network.
For Kinetic bus driver Jhoe, driving is not just a job. Since he was 12 years old, riding with his dad in the cab of his dump truck, he’s loved being behind the wheel of large vehicles.
There are no favourites with Jhoe; whether it’s double deckers, articulated buses or forty-foot trucks, he loves to drive “anything that’s got wheels!”
Jhoe has been working for Kinetic for nearly two years since he moved to Wellington from his home of Cagayan Valley province, in the Philippines.
Although the Wellington weather doesn’t always compare to the tropical climate he grew up with, he loves being able to travel around the city as a part of his job and “experience the beautiful scenes of this city”.
He also enjoys the human interactions the job provides. “I appreciate the opportunity to make a positive impact on people’s daily commutes.” It doesn’t take much for passengers to return that impression either.
My favourite thing is passengers saying, "Thank you!" when they get off. That really is the best thing. It puts a smile on your face and boosts your day.
When asked if he has any favourite passengers, he says “everyone is my favourite passenger”, flashing a cheeky grin.
Outside of the job, Jhoe’s talents extend to the kitchen. “Cooking is my hobby. My speciality dish is sweet sticky rice.” His flatmates are lucky enough to reap the rewards of that hobby and if they have a day off together, they jump in the car for a road trip. They sometimes go as far as Auckland, speakers blasting music and the boys all singing along.
As an expert on handling large vehicles, Jhoe knows the little things that other road users can do to help make bus journeys smoother for everyone.
“Buses are significantly larger and heavier than cars, so it helps to maintain a larger following distance and be patient when a bus is stopping to pick up or drop off passengers.”
Jhoe’s philosophy in life goes hand in hand with his job.
“The best advice I have ever received is: “Just keep moving forward, don’t focus on the past.”
“If you keep looking forward to your goals, even if you don’t quite get there, you’ll still be moving forwards.”