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Long before classes begin, Paula Langhorne and Pam Mitchell are already working to make students feel safe, welcome, and ready for the day.

The Fairfax County Public Schools bus driver and attendant transport students with special needs to Westfield High School and Deer Park, Bull Run, and Virginia Run elementary schools. Their routes begin around 6:30 a.m. and often keep them working until nearly 5 p.m.

Langhorne joined FCPS in 1985, while Mitchell began in 1992. They have worked together for 16 years and known each other for more than three decades, building the trust and friendship that anchor their partnership.

“I call us two grandmas and a bus,” Langhorne said. Their grandchildren once rode the bus at the same time, and the women would take them to playgrounds during breaks.

Mitchell followed her mother into the profession. Her mother had also been an FCPS bus attendant, and Mitchell said the role always seemed like a natural choice.

Family circumstances led Langhorne to bus driving. She was a new mother with a 9-month-old daughter when she started with the school system. A friend who drove a bus showed her that the job could fit family life because her children could travel with her to school.

The students on Langhorne and Mitchell’s bus range in age from 2½ to 23. Langhorne said their distinct personalities are among the most rewarding parts of the work.

For Mitchell, the constant activity is familiar and enjoyable. “I’m surrounded by kids, and I know what to expect,” she said. “It’s a busy job.”

Jokes, conversation, cheerful greetings, and encouragement fill their daily rides. Mitchell said their goal is simple: “We want the students to go to school happy.”

Transportation Manager Jeremy Doxer said the pair’s smiles and kindness help students feel recognized and celebrated. Whether they are offering a joke or a few encouraging words, he said, Langhorne and Mitchell lift the spirits of those who board their bus.

The work also gives them a chance to watch former riders mature. Langhorne said seeing how much students have grown after they leave the bus is especially meaningful.

Their bond extends beyond the route. The two can sense when the other is struggling and support each other through difficult days.

“Life gets heavy, and we’re there for each other,” Langhorne said. She described Mitchell as fun, witty, devoted to the children, and an excellent attendant.

Mitchell said students respond when they understand that the adults around them genuinely care. After 16 years together, she and Langhorne continue to provide a dependable ride where students can feel safe, valued, and understood.