April 2017 Newsletter: Employee Spotlight — Gerald Stewart, Bus Driver

Gerald Stewart may be a new face for the Onaway and Woodbury students he's driven to and from school this year, but he's no stranger to Shaker.

In fact, each day Stewart takes a trip down memory lane as he weaves Shaker's neighborhoods on Bus 64. The Shaker graduate (SHHS '81) can't help but recall a week-long field trip to the Nature Center when he was in elementary school and picnics at Horseshoe Lake Park. "I feel at home here," says Stewart, who grew up on Menlo Road and attended the former Moreland and Malvern Elementary schools and Byron Middle School. "It's where I grew up."

But like many Shaker grads, Stewart spent time away from home, gaining life and professional experience, before coming back. After graduation, Stewart headed west to join the US Navy and was stationed in San Francisco and aboard the USS Enterprise, where he worked as an ordnanceman, maintaining aircraft weapons. After leaving the Navy, he moved to Chicago for 18 years and drove a city bus for the Chicago Transit Authority. Nearly 10 years ago, Stewart moved back to Cleveland with his wife and settled in Cleveland Heights. He continued his career in transportation and drove for the GCRTA and private transportation companies. Then last fall, he decided to call the District to see about driving a bus in his hometown. He started as a substitute driver (and a Lomond lunch aide) last August and then in March, he was assigned to his own route on Bus 64.

While his passengers these days are younger and more energetic than what he's used to, Stewart enjoys the change. "I'm happy with what I'm doing and I'm glad to be back in Shaker," Stewart says.