Hey, Bentdahl’s Drivin’ That Bus!

By Keaton Beltmann, Current Staff

West Bend teacher Michael Bentdahl has spent his career guiding students, but this year he’s doing it on wheels.

Bentdahl teaches multiple digital media classes at East High School, but over the summer he decided to add another skill in the form of bus driving. His first ride with students happened Oct. 6, when he was tasked with getting band students to the start of the homecoming parade route.

“The entire band was ecstatic to see him,” West senior Zach Church said. “He greeted all of us with a smile and a quick ‘hello!’ Once we started moving, Mr. Bentdahl let us know that we were his first route ever.”

Bentdahl learned how to drive a bus over the last two weeks of August. One of the reasons he was interested in becoming licensed was so that SkillsUSA, the club that he advises, would always have a reliable, affordable bus driver when they travel to competitions related to the skilled trades.

There were minor struggles as Bentdahl tried to get his permit.

“The hardest part, honestly, was the test at the DMV, because there’s four of them that you have to take, but then there’s everyone doing everything all at once and your tests are right there by the desk, and it’s just so hard to focus on the tests,” he said.

Bentdahl really appreciated his trainers at GO Riteway Transportation Group that helped teach him.

“They were super awesome,” Bentdahl said. “They take you out and show you all the safety checks, all of the parts of the bus and then how to drive it and keep it on the road and do it safely.”

“The entire band was ecstatic to see him.”

Zach Church, West senior

East sophomore Cassie Jerich, like Zach Church, was on Bentdahl’s homecoming shuttle and reports that he’s a good driver.

“He likes to listen to Taylor Swift and called us all band nerds, but now he is a band nerd, too,” Jerich said.

Church says that Bentdahl’s first drive was very smooth, except for one small hiccup.

“When turning left onto Main Street from Decorah Road, Mr. Bentdahl bumped into a median, and the entire bus jostled,” Church said. “All the drumline equipment was perfectly fine.”

In a newsletter sent home to district families on Thursday, Superintendent Jennifer Wimmer explained that the West Bend School District has been affected by the nationwide bus driver shortage and GO Riteway is currently recruiting new drivers. Wimmer also thanked the current drivers and substitutes as the district navigates problems related to the shortage.

“The fact that (Bentdahl) was willing to become a bus driver to help with events like (the parade) is amazing,” Church said. “When nobody was there, Mr. Bentdahl stepped in, and I’m very thankful for that.”

Bentdahl will next drive WBHS students to the SkillsUSA event in Madison on Wednesday.

(Top image: Michael Bentdahl poses Sept. 1 at the Go Riteway terminal in Germantown, right after he passed his bus driving test. Photo courtesy of Bentdahl.)

The West Bend Current