By Jolene Farley
When Bob Metzger heard his part-time employer, Jackrabbit Bus Lines, Sioux Falls, S.D., was asking for drivers to drive buses at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, he jumped at the chance.
More than 800 buses were needed to transport athletes and media to and from sporting events.
By September Metzger, who drives bus when he isnÕt working as a cattle buyer, knew he would be driving one of eight buses, leased from Jackrabbit Lines to Lewis Brother Bus Lines, to Salt Lake City.
Metzger, who is a Lester, Iowa, resident, had to submit a resume and a picture and pass a background check to get the job.
Metzger's group left for Salt Lake City on Thursday, Jan. 24, with empty buses. When they arrived at their destination, drivers attended two days of schooling and started driving on Monday, Jan. 28.
Metzger learned procedures on how to deal with protesters. "Usually they are there," he said. "but I think they were so scared of security they stayed away."
Metzger's route, which ran from 2 p.m. to midnight, was from the media center to the speed skating oval (auditorium) and back.
At the media center, giant screens projected each event as it happened, and reporters broadcast coverage to countries around the world.
Metzger said he was honored when he was chosen to transport athletes to the opening and closing ceremonies at the Olympics.
He was disappointed when he realized after arriving home that bus drivers were provided with passes, worth around $800, for opening ceremonies.
The drivers were not told the passes were behind their security badges. "We didn't find out until two weeks later," said Metzger.
Metzger said he sometimes didn't recognize the athletes as he transported them, but when he saw them on TV he recognized them.
"When they performed on TV we knew we hauled them," said Metzger.
Security was an issue at the Olympics. Those attending sporting events waited about 20 minutes to work their way through security lines.
"It was tight, very tight," said Metzger. Bus drivers were issued security passes so they didn't have to stand in security lines.
After the buses were full, sticker seals were placed on the closed doors of the bus. If a seal was broken when it arrived at its destination the bus had to be reinspected by security.
Police escorts were sandwiched between each bus when Metzger transported athletes for closing ceremonies.
Metzger said many people collected pins at the Olympics. Sponsoring companies and others offered pins for visiting tourists to purchase.
"People would buy pins, trade pins. There were pins going for $100," he said.
Metzger arrived home with a pin collection himself, including a "Driving for the Gold" pin he received from the bus company.
Salt Lake City is a very nice town, according to Metzger. Mornings he wasn't working he toured the city and appreciated the "easy driving" on the very wide and parallel streets.
"Brigham Young made the streets so you could turn an oxen and cart around in them," he said.