Put a smile on your face and take it one bus stop at a time.

That is exactly how Glenn Crosswait deals with the stress of being one of 70 Cy-Ride bus drivers.

“You’ve just got to try to get to the next bus stop and take it one step at a time,” Crosswait said.

With the winter now in full swing, it becomes a stressful time for the Cy-Ride bus drivers on their daily routes. One of the biggest problems drivers must face is coping with ice.

“There are certain days that are stressful. On days with ice storms, it can get bad,” said Tom Davenport, administrations assistant for Cy-Ride.

Pedestrians or cars cutting drivers off also causes tension, especially on ice when it is very difficult to stop.

“A lot of people don’t even look when they cross streets,” said Charles Haberly, a Cy-Ride bus driver. “Stress is just something that you have to accept, though.”

Accepting and dealing with the stress, along with moving around on breaks are some ways the drivers try to relax. Each route also has a recovery time that varies for the drivers to get out of the bus to move around, and each driver changes routes at North Grand Mall.

“Cy-Ride helps us out, too, with putting out extra drivers in times that are especially busy to reduce stress,” said Crosswait. “I don’t feel alone with other buses out there helping me out.”

Twenty-nine buses are used in the morning, and 19 in the afternoon. The drivers are also limited to the amount of time that they can spend behind the wheel of a bus. Too much time can cause the driver a lot of stress.

They can drive no more than six hours without lunch, and no more than ten hours in one day.

Being a Cy-Ride bus driver can also be fun.

“It’s exciting. It makes me feel useful in bad weather because so many people ride then. It’s a good feeling,” Crosswait said.

Haberly, 61, said he drives just to keep busy and have something to do.

Crosswait also explained one particularly funny incident that stood out in his mind as a driver. “I remember one guy that left his engagement ring on the bus, but we got the ring back to him, though,” he said.

Crosswait, who has been driving buses for five years, is also an alumnus of Iowa State and said he also drives because of the people.

“The people in this town are wonderful. They always say good morning. I really mean that, this is a great place,” Crosswait said.