A Chat with Raymond Quitumba Jr., a Harvard Shuttle Driver

Have you ever had the urge to take the shuttle around campus and talk with the people who get a glimpse into the very best and worst of Harvard student life? We know that life gets real on the shuttle, so we caught up with Raymond Quitumba Jr., a Harvard shuttle driver. We’ve always wanted to get the inside scoop from those who are the literal movers and shakers of Harvard.

How long have you been driving the Harvard Shuttle?

I have been driving for 16 years. And I love driving. It’s my passion.

Do you have a favorite day of driving?

The weekends. The reason why is because I see the Harvard students going out together, going to different events. There are a lot of activities going on at the Quad, and I see a lot of students when they are a little bit drunk, easygoing. I have a lot of opportunities to interact with them on weekends, so I think [those] are the busiest days when I like to drive the shuttle.

Have you had any crazy experiences?

Crazy experiences as a bus driver … When I see some students randomly trying to stop the bus in the middle of the road. That is dangerous. It is not safe. Our priority here is the safety of the students. Safety is the key issue for us as Harvard bus drivers.

What has been your worst experience on the shuttle?

Worst experience is when there is a snow storm, where there are a lot of snow banks, particularly on DeWolfe street which is my route on Mather B. And during the snowstorm you face a lot of challenges because you have to swing through cars to get to the bus stop.

What’s your favorite route?

My favorite route to drive is the Allston. I started doing Allston before, and then I shifted to doing Mather. The reason I like Allston is because I get to deal with the grad students. The attitude of the grad students is different than undergrad students. Grad students are more easygoing, very straightforward. A lot of times the undergrads are busy and don’t want to be bothered.

What’s been the most fun experience?

When I see parents [and] they come with the kids on the shuttle, and I see how the kids like to ask questions regarding how we are doing driving the shuttles, and sometimes we see parents greeting us with so much passion and are so grateful for what we are providing for their children — this gives me a good feeling.

It’s easy to get caught up in busy Harvard life, but next time you board the shuttle, be sure to thank your driver!