Let's jog our memories for a moment.

Remember when summer meant nothing to do but having fun? As a kid, the only bad thing about that never-quite-long-enough break was the end. As September approached, back-to-school sales were nagging reminders of imminent doom in the form of early alarms, sack lunches and loads of homework.

Nowadays, we're lucky to take a week off in the summer. School bus operators may have fewer vehicles on the road, but there's plenty to do at the bus yard. Catching up on paperwork. Planning routes for next year. Recruiting new drivers. And so forth.

While we may not find enough time for rest and relaxation in the summer months, there are things we can do all year long to soften stress and maintain the energy to carry on. As a transportation manager, you're in luck. Our own Albert Neal has compiled an ambitious guide to surviving the school year (click here for his article). But what is a school bus magazine editor to do?

My own survival guide
Everyone has deadlines of some sort. We editors have "edit close" dates, which warn us that we really need to turn in any articles we're working on. Have I ever missed an edit close, you ask? Well ... there may be a company policy on disclosing that.

What's important is that I keep these dates in my field of vision and plan ahead. A month before each edit close, we hold a meeting to map out the coming issue. That done, I can budget my time and gauge what info I need to track down, who I need to call, which stories I need to assign to someone else, etc.

I don't like to use that expression about having a lot on my plate. Makes me think it's time for lunch. But often it seems like there are so many things to do that I don't know where to start. What keeps my head attached is having a schedule — knowing what I need to do and when I need to do it.

My sincere thanks to whoever invented the calendar. Seriously — I have at least four of these incredible devices in my workspace (a cubicle, in case you're wondering). This may seem like overkill, but each calendar has its own essential purpose.

One lists monthly edit closes and other deadlines.

One displays story ideas for each issue of the year.

One shows meetings, conferences and other appointments (ah, yes — 7 a.m. "teeth" time at the dentist's office on Thursday).

One provides a daily word that I've probably never heard so I can become a more sagacious writer (now you wish you had one of these, too).

I trust that you're taking full advantage of your calendar or calendars. And, of course, we hope that one of them says "SCHOOL BUS FLEET" on the front.

What is stress?
I do know what it means, but sometimes it helps to have a precise definition. There are several for the word in my dictionary, but I find this one to be quite appropriate to our situation: "An applied force or system of forces that tends to strain or deform a body."

How many examples of that can you think of for yourself and your transportation operation? Does it feel like you're up against a whole "system of forces"?

The yellow school bus is a shining example of enduring stress. Throughout the 4.2 billion miles the United States' fleet travels each year, these noble vehicles endure some heavy fire. Winter road cinders eat at the paint and chassis. Vandals slice and stab the seats (see pg. 50 for help on that one). Bumps and potholes play tug-of-war with the alignment.

But with regular preventive maintenance, our school buses get right back out there each morning and do their venerable duty.

Let's not forgot to do our own preventive maintenance as well. If you can't find time to exercise after work, try taking a brisk walk on your lunch break.

I'll try to remain faithful to my running shoes.

And remember: When the going gets tough ... it's only September.

thomas.mcmahon@bobit.com