Know Your Operator: Jessica Kvanbeck

A career at Metro Transit transformed Jessica Kvanbeck’s life. Today, she’s hoping to attract others who want a life-changing career when they see her on billboards around the metro. 

“I bought my first house and I owe it all to Metro Transit,” Kvanbeck said. I went from a 700 square foot apartment to a 1,700 square foot home.”

It took about 16 years of looking for a career that balanced her love of helping people with good pay and benefits. After experiencing burnout as a nursing assistant, she moved to school bus driving. While she enjoyed the job, the mother of two had difficulty with inconsistent work, sometimes going months without any.

“It’s hard to pay your bills without a paycheck,” she said. 

So, she applied for a role as a bus operator at Metro Transit, where she heard the work was consistent, and that it offered good pay and benefits.

“I still take care of people, but on a bus and at the garage,” she said.

And Kvanbeck has shown she cares: Her wellness journey inspired a longtime customer, and she serves both as a mentor and peer support member. 

“I wish they had these programs when I started,” she said. “Those first six months to a year are important.” 

After 8 years of service, she looks forward to a long career here, and hopes to take a leadership class and eventually move into other positions. “You’ll never find another job that pays as well as this with no education,” Kvanbeck said. “If you hang in there, every year your prospects improve.”