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She starts work before most Virginia Beach locals finish sipping their morning coffee. Just after 6 a.m., Bianca Patterson begins inspecting her office on wheels:

Lights? Check. Brakes? Double check.

Pop the hood — no oil leaks or loose wires? All in good order.

Each tire. Check.

Traversing the waterfront city, neighborhood by neighborhood, sometimes takes all day and can last well into the night. Her first stop is scheduled for 6:35 a.m. Bleary-eyed high schoolers slouched in the morning dew stand up straight as the vehicle arrives, pop out an earbud and say good morning to “Ms. B.,” eager to share a few moments with their always-friendly bus driver.

The next three routes in Patterson’s day are to a pair of elementary schools and one middle school, after which she’ll pause for a half-hour break.

She’s already called her dispatcher to offer extra help if needed elsewhere that morning. If not, her shift continues with a midday preschool run for students with special needs. For that trip, she assists a driver on another bus, where most of the young passengers are in car seats and some are nonverbal.

Then, it’s back to her bus that afternoon on the same four routes she started her day with, just in reverse. She often drives for after-school activities and field trips, too.

“There’s a lot of days where I stay running,” Patterson says.

She wishes more people appreciated just how much school bus drivers are managing at once. Still, when she encounters impatient drivers on the road, she keeps her positive attitude to set an example and create a safe space for her kids.

Driving the same routes for the past six years, she’s watched many students grow up while becoming friends with their parents.

“It’s kind of like a family,” Patterson says.

That sense of connection came full circle one afternoon this past May, when she stepped off her bus and found a crowd of students and parents waiting in the parking lot, holding handmade signs and thank-you notes. A local TV reporter was there to present Patterson with an “Everyday Hero” award for her tireless work and commitment to the community.

“It was so overwhelming,” Patterson recalls, “in a great way.”

For the kids, she’s a trusted adult who listens. She also supports parents whenever she can, whether it’s circling back to a stop if they’re running late with drop-offs or baking a loaf of bread for a mother undergoing breast cancer treatments.

“I get it,” the U.S. Navy veteran and former bakery manager says. “I've been a single mom — it's not easy.”

After serving in the military, Patterson attended the French Pastry School of Chicago and ran a Virginia Beach bakery for a time. Along with her husband, she is raising two teenagers. After years of encouragement from her older child’s school bus driver, Patterson took on the bus routes when her husband retired.

“In my 20s, it was about having fun and enjoying life,” Patterson reflects. “In my 30s, it was being a mom and making sure my kids had what they needed.”

She’s now building a nest egg for her own retirement, tracking her progress with myVRS and calling VRS when she has questions. Patterson advises fellow members not to wait before putting away even a small amount for their future.

“It's just a little peace of mind helping me make sure I have what I need when I'm ready,” she says.

Focused on being a positive influence, Patterson teaches her own children and her daily passengers to always look for the bright side. She encourages other adults to show generosity, too, especially when driving.

“Please, be mindful of the big yellow school bus,” she says. “Our cargo is very precious.”