SAN ANTONIO – Hundreds of North East ISD school buses are hitting the streets Monday as students head back to class. Behind the wheel of one of those buses is the reigning State Bus Roadeo champion.

“We try to be cheerful. We try to make a little small difference in their life day-to-day,” said Phil Purvis, NEISD bus driver.

It all starts inside Phil Purvis’s school bus. He’s been bussing kids to school for 15 years with North East ISD.

“After a while, they become your kids. You get to know their names and build a rapport with them,” said Purvis.

Purvis said it’s a joy to be the first face kids see on their way to school. But the first day can be tough, not really for the kids, but for the parents.

“There’s mom standing right beside you and she has a tear rolling out her face, you realize she’s handing you the most valuable possession she has,” said Purvis.

It’s a job that Purvis takes seriously, and it’s the reason he’s a district trainer and won last year’s school bus roadeo competition.

Each year, the Texas Association for Pupil Transportation hosts the annual School Bus Safety Roadeo for both Regular and Special-Needs categories as an opportunity for drivers and attendants to showcase their skills in driving and working with students.

“It really pushes their talents and driving school bus to the limit,” said Purvis. “You’ve got to have reference points, and do their thing to the edge, so they come out of the whole process of better school bus driver.”

The competition includes obstacle courses, driving maneuvers and tests. Purvis beat hundreds of other school bus drivers from across Texas.

“As far as me getting lucky last year, well, I work hard and but sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good,” said Purvis.

While the start of school is not Purvis’s first rodeo, for many students, it will be the first time they’re riding the bus.

“The first day is an adventure for them if they’ve never been on a school bus before,” said Purvis. “Just have some patience if we’re transferring little guys. If it was your little guy on the bus, you’d have all the patience in the world.”

Purvis said he enjoys the work and responsibilities that come with it. He’s showing no signs of slowing down.

“The secret is we enjoy this job thoroughly, we enjoy working with youths and kids,” said Purvis.