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'Our Job Is To Transport The Most Precious Cargo': School Bus Drivers Compete At Safety Competition

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PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- When Doug Smith steps onto a 30,000-pound yellow school bus, it's not the only weight he's pulling.

"Our job is to transport the most precious cargo there is," he said. "I take that responsibility very, very seriously."

It's part of what drove him to be the best he could be when he first took the wheel eighteen years ago and why he joins dozens of other bus drivers in a ten-point obstacle course each year.

"It makes good drivers better and makes great drivers amazing," he said.

Sixty-nine bus drivers hailing from 30 U.S. states and Canada took part in the 48th annual School Bus Driver International Safety Competition.

The National School Transportation Association hosted the competition in the parking lot of the Wells Fargo Center on Sunday morning.

To get here, drivers had to first qualify in their respective states, and three-peat champion Shanon O'Brien recently took home the Pennsylvania title.

"Parallel parking, school bus stop, typical everyday things you do, straight line, backing up, a written test, bug buses where you have to find five things wrong with the bus," she said.

After nineteen years, she's showing no signs of slowing down.

"I like to challenge myself and it's fun," she added.

These bus drivers hold fast to their duty – not only safely bring students from point A to B but to steer them in the right direction in life, too.

"We're not in it to be millionaires. We're in it because we love what we do," said Smith.

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