Robinson Rivera was nervous the first time he drove a bus 35 years ago when he joined Georgetown. In those days, Rivera had to navigate 15-passenger buses through tight turns on Q and P Street. He learned the ins and outs of the streets in the Washington, DC, area, driving all of the bus routes Georgetown offers to its community.
Now, as the lead driver for the Georgetown University Transportation Shuttle (GUTS), Rivera handles the tight corners in the neighborhood like a pro. When he’s not driving, he manages the bus schedules and coordinates between the drivers and bus maintenance staff. 
He’s stayed here all these years because he loves to drive.
“You do what you’re supposed to be doing, and I just like to drive and have so much fun here,” Rivera said. “Just take people where they got to go. You got to just enjoy yourself, just drive and have fun and meet people every day.”
In 2024, Rivera won the award “Dependable as the Sunrise” from Planning and Facilities Management. He was nominated by his peers for his positive attitude and thorough and reliable work.
One of his favorite parts of the job is interacting with passengers, especially students. He says he loves talking and joking with passengers and does everything he can to put a smile on their faces.
“They’re so happy when I’m driving,” he said. “They say, ‘I’m glad you’re the driver for this route.’ When they see me, they feel joy.”
Learn more about Rivera’s day-to-day, his perspective on life and how he spends his time outside of work.
My first time behind the wheel of a bus: I was nervous. You have to handle how you turn in the neighborhood because the streets are too tight to turn those buses left and right. It was a hard experience.
My morning routine: I wake up at 3:45 in the morning, get myself ready. I walk the dog for a block or two. I have a little brown pomeranian named Carnelo. From there, I leave my house. I get here by 5:30.
My favorite routes: I love all the routes, but the favorite ones that I loved when I started here were the Arlington Loop and the Law Center [because] they are longer routes. Especially the Law Center, it takes you straight to downtown. That’s why I like them, because it’s a long stretch.
As lead driver: I’m the one who deals with the schedule of all the routes. I take care of all the drivers. I always take care of the passengers, the students to see that everything goes well. I’m always in the bus turnaround to see that everything is running like it’s supposed to and that it’s safe for the drivers when they go in and out.
What I carry with me on the GUTS bus: I always have faith, and I always have a cross on my chest so that everything goes well on the road and to protect me and everything. This one is from my sister. It’s been with me all the time, even before I started at Georgetown. You never know what’s going on on the road. It’s a lot of responsibility, driving a bus with so many students and employees, people who are coming to visit the hospital. You have a lot of responsibility, and you always have to be careful. The man up top will always take care of us and protect us.
On winning the “Dependable as a Sunrise” award: I’ll be honest with you, I was surprised too. I didn’t expect that. It feels good. I’m the kind of person to just do the job. Whatever my boss tells me to do, I take care of it and make everybody happy.
My favorite part of the job: I love to drive. I like to meet a lot of students and passengers and talk to them, running around and trying to take care of everything. You meet a lot of friends on the bus. When everybody is laughing in the background and having fun on the road, time goes so fast. You’re not looking at the clock, and it’s time to go home.
Outside of work, you’ll find me: Dancing. I love to go out to dance. I do a little merengue and salsa. When I came here, I was going out dancing so much. I was going out Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. You meet so many people who know how to dance and have a great time. It’s good exercise too. It relieves the stress that you have from work.
My favorite dancing venue: Bravo Bravo down on Connecticut Avenue. There are a few other places too that I like to go to, but I love dancing more instead of going to a bar. Wherever the dance floor is, I’ll be right there.
My philosophy on life: I’m the kind of person who is just happy. Life is good. You just gotta keep on going. I like to be myself. I’ve never changed since I started working here. I’m the same Robinson.
What I wish everyone knew about me: I’m just a wonderful person. I love everyone. Whatever they need or anything they want, I try my best to take care of it. That’s why I love my job. I try to take care of everyone and make them happy. I just like to see smiling faces.
