The safety of children is placed in the hands of their bus drivers every school day.  It's an important responsibility.  Not everyone has the personality and patience to do the job.

One driver, in Panama, New York, has been doing it for almost four decades.  Donna Vistrand made her final ride last week.   She has retired after 38 years.   Donna has transported students ranging from kindergarten age to 12th grade.  All of them knew one thing.  Her bus was not a place to misbehave.

"My kids know I don't tolerate a lot but they respect me for it,” she said.  “I've had kids that have graduated, come up and give me hugs and say 'You were mean but we loved you anyway because, at least, you treated everybody fair."

Donna ran a tight ship when behind the wheel, but she's all about the safety of the school kids. Once on the bus, you must obey the rules.

"I've told the kids over the years, ‘When you become the bus driver, you can tell the kids what to do. Until then, sit down and be quiet because I'm running the bus now.’  They all know that's the way I am." 

There's no exception to the rules.  Several years ago when Donna was six months pregnant, she refused to let an older male student out of the bus before his stop.  It was the worst day of her career.

"He came back up the aisle and pulled me out of the seat with the seat belt on,” recalled Donna.  “I grabbed the air brake, put the parking brake on.  He was going to… He said he was going to kill me and he tried."

Donna ended up with three laser surgeries on her throat due to the attack, but she kept on driving, still not bending the rules.  Now she's ready to retire.  She has advice for future drivers about dealing with children on the bus.

"Don't play special offers and don't think you're their buddy,” Donna says.  “You're not their buddy.  You are the boss."