First of all, let me emphasize that anyone doing a service should be treated with respect. You are not any better (or worse) than them. You, a college student, have no entitlement above these people. Besides the basic humanistic approach that no person is inherently better or worse than any human being, many are more educated than you. One of them has a masters.

In my opinion, the majority of the drivers are very good at their job, which by the way entails navigating a bus with as many as fifty people, weaving around the minefield of bad drivers and construction sites. It’s a largely thankless job, that involves sitting in the same place all day without a lot of room for zoning out. So if they want to play the Christian rock station, or even the Rush Limbaugh, I’m not going to complain. They are entitled to their radio station because they spend their entire shift on a freaking bus.

Also be communicative. I see people complain when the bus doesn’t stop at their stop when they haven’t pulled the cord. Fun fact: none of the bus drivers have publicly come out as psychic, and if they were, they would not want to work here and all of your minds, I promise.

Bus drivers are people, not extensions of the machine. I personally endeavour to say “good morning” or “hello” or “thank you” when I get on and off the bus. I like having conversations with them. And this isn’t why I do it, but they are more likely to stop directly in front of me or let me on the bus when I’m running to the stop. You know why? Because I’m nice to them.