A young man in a black, hooded jacket boards the bus by the credit union, takes his seat, and slips on headphones. On an iPod, he clicks on some of his favorite Ozzy Osbourne songs. But the rock can wait as he tells his story.
Garth is in his early 20s, and the Snoqualmie Valley Transportation bus is his link between Transitional Learning Classes at Mount Si and home in North Bend. For a buck, he’s got a lift that’s safer than a walk in the rain or hitchhiking across town.
Garth got grief on the school bus. Riding the SVT for more than two years, he’s never looked back.
I had the chance last week to ride along with Garth, and the driver, Steve, on the shuttle route.