On 11 October 2020, a ceremony recognising the 2019 “Most Beautiful Bus Drivers”, jointly sponsored by China’s Ministry of Transport and the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, was held in Changsha City, Hunan Province. Wang Yan, a Qingdao-branch student, was placed among the top 100 in the country.
She spoke at the ceremony.
Wang Yan graduated from the Qingdao Branch junior ollege and undergraduate programmes 2012 and 2016 respectively. Her performance was outstanding, and she was named an “excellent student” of the Open University of China (OUC). In 2019, she was named an “Outstanding Alumnus of the Open University of China” at the 40th anniversary celebration of the founding of the university, and placed on the list of the “Outstanding Alumni of the Open University of China”.
“National May 1 Women’s Model”, “Shandong Province Labour Medal for Enriching the People and Developing Shandong”, “Shandong Province Labour Model”, and so on - Wang Yan has received over 30 honours in her 30-plus years of work. Of these, her favourite is “Most Beautiful Bus Driver”, chosen by citizens. For about 30 years, Wang Yan has dedicated her precious youth to a 10-meter bus, and has been highly praised for her benevolence and warmth on it, and enthusiasm for public welfare off it.
Dedicated to providing warm service
Wang Yan is devoted to bus safety, and has drawn on her experience to develop four approaches to it that have become standard on bus routes. In her 27 years of work, she has driven nearly 10 types of buses and around 700,000 kilometers without an accident, leading to recognition as “a safety expert” several times.
After the outbreak of Covid-19, Wang Yan took steps to help as a Party member and model worker. She began coming to work an hour early every day to disinfect the bus thoroughly, produced leaflets to teach passengers how to prevent infection, and equipped the bus with disposable hand sanitizer, disinfectant, an electronic thermometer, and masks. She was the first to set up the“three steps on the bus” procedure to give passengers all-round protection, and was serious and meticulous as an “inspector”, strictly controlling who was allowed on the bus based on registration information, and giving advice to those who could not provide it.
As a Party member for more than 20 years, Wang Yan took the initiative of establishing“a Party-member commando”, and persuaded over 30 other members in the branch to sign a pledge. They volunteered to drive the first and last buses each day, and to remain on duty throughout the Spring Festival. Wang Yan also brought together family, colleagues and friends into a temporary volunteer "anti-epidemic team" to keep order on the bus, ensure passengers were wearing masks, and publicise measures to control infection.
Along with collecting donations for Wuhan from within the company, she contacted the Qingdao Branch for the same purpose, and helped purchase supplies there to assist the Wuhan and Hubei Branches at the temporary treatment centres they had set up, showing her love for the university and selfless dedication.
A “star volunteer”outside of work
Outside of work, Wang Yan is a star volunteer of the Qingdao Bus Group, and has gathered like-minded volunteers around her. Since 2012, they have used the bus to serve communities, nursing homes, and orphanages under her leadership, and have been named an “Excellent Voluntary-service Team” of Qingdao.
Speaking on behalf of students at the 40th anniversary celebrations of the founding of the Qingdao Branch, she said: “If I am asked the most important thing I learned here, I will say it was not only classroom knowledge but also the concept of lifelong education, the basis of the progress and development of society. This concept may not lead to wealth or material comforts, but gives me peace and tranquility amid the noise of society. Books soothe my fatigue, grow my understanding, and allow me to lead my fellow citizens.”
She will never forget her five years of intense but orderly studies here, making time for them after a day of hard work. The summer sun and winter snows were her companions as she grew in knowledge and changed her ideas and ways of thinking.
She believes success means hard work and the willingness to persevere despite ups and downs. Only those who believe in their goals and forge ahead steadily can finally achieve them.
To her classmates she says: embrace life in all its glory through your efforts!
By Qingdao Branch