Nothing intimidates Barry, LC elder
n The Road With Lanny Springer
by Kate PhamUpon entering Lewis & Clark's new Pioneer Express shuttle, I'm greeted by Dixieland jazz and a cheery hello from the driver Lanny Springer ("as in the springer spaniel," says Lanny. "I don't know if they named the dogs after my family or my family after the dogs. Hope it was the dogs after my family.")
Lanny has been driving buses and shuttles for almost 30 years. He began driving schoolbuses in 1968 and has been driving on and off while working other jobs ever since. "I've been working my entire life," says Lanny. "Even when I was 15 years old, I found a job with a printing business, working 25-30 hours a week after school and have been working ever since then.
After high school, Lanny joined the Navy, where he thought he could be a lithographer. But at the time the Naby needed boilertenders, and so they sent him to boilertender school. (Boilertenders took care of ships' boilers in the days before diesel engines powered the ships.)
He thought he might pursue a career in the military, but at 25 years old, he was too old to get into the officers' program.
Returning home, he stayed at Mother Logan's room and board house. There, he met his wife Rita, which he says is the greatest thing to happen in his life. He recently retired 3 years ago at age 55 from his job as a fireman in Vancouver, Washington. He enjoyed the variety of activities involved with being a fireman. "It's more than just fighting fires, we also deal with hazardous metals, stranded cats, and emergency medical services.
His favorite part of being a fireman, however, was going to schools to talk to kids about firefighting and to teach them to "Stop, Drop, and Roll."
Even today, he loves kids. The great thing about his job, he says, is that even though he works seven nights a week, he can spend his days with his granddaughter Danica,who is 18 months old and already know almost 70 words. "Her favorite word is 'uh-oh.' Lenny tells me. "Every time anyone drops anything she always says 'uh-oh.'"
On one ride with Lanny, a car abruptly pulled in front of us and slammed on his breaks in the freeway. Quick thinking and years of experience as a driver helped Lanny avoid an accident, but the incident prompted him to commend on the phenomenon of Road Rage which he sees so much of these days. Modern society is so fast-paced, he says, that we lack patience and get easily frustrated with things beyond our control. People often feel powerless in their jobs and in society but in a car, they gain instant power, he explains. Many of the frustrations repressed from work and home life are vent out, unfortunately, in our driving.
As we approached Lewis & Clark, I realized my ride with Lanny was coming to a close. But in our short time together, we managed to talk about topics ranging from the Gutenberg Bible to how diesel engines work, and I look forward to many more rides with Lanny in the future.
