Favorite bus driver steers education

LAKEWOOD RANCH — Mike McCarter commands the attention of more than 60 children as if he were Mary Poppins.

As McCarter maneuvered Manatee County school bus No. 599 under the back canopy of McNeal Elementary Oct. 29, the more than 60 children he has transported for the last four years greeted him with cheers, signs and a binder full of letters they’d written to him as a gift on his last day.

Although on a tight schedule, McCarter waved his arm.

“Come on, we’re going to take a picture,” he said, sending a crowd of cheering children toward the school’s pavilion.

McCarter is leaving to take a position with FedEx.

“It took a lot to come to this decision,” McCarter said, noting he’s declined other job opportunities over the years. “I’ve got to provide for my family. This was too good to turn down.”

Teacher Sheryl Tadelman said McCarter is unique, taking a special interest in the wellbeing of the children he transported.

“He has them reading on the bus. He goes to their ABC awards,” she said. “I’ve never seen any other bus driver, in my years, do that. He comes into the cafeteria in the morning to make sure the kids walk, not run. He helps teachers. The kids love him.”

While serving as their bus driver, McCarter checked the children’s quarterly progress reports, helped them with homework and made sure they knew gaining a good education was important.

“Mr. Mike is sweet and nice. We’re all going to miss him, mostly me. I’ve been with him since kindergarten,” 11-year-old Juanita Garcia said.

Wendy Aquino agreed.

“He’s the best bus driver you could ever have,” she said. “He makes you be safe on the bus. He tries to help you.”

McCarter said he considers the children under his care like his own.

“Their parents are all off working,” McCarter said. “They give them to me. They give them to the bus drivers. We fill in. When I first met these children, I was going to write a referral on half of them, but it all worked out.
“They’re beautiful kids,” he said, his voice lowered. “Beautiful kids.”

After the photo, McCarter waved the children back toward the bus. He paused to lift one in crutches up the bus steps and into his seat before sending the rest inside single file.

As children said their goodbyes, McCarter waved off their sorrows: He’ll be back as a volunteer, he says.
“They’re still my kids,” he said. “Somebody’s got to push them. They’ve got to get educated.”

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].