“I’ve spent two-thirds of my life on the road”: A female tour bus driver speaks about working away from home and being a minority in a male-dominated field
My name is Xin Xiuhong. I am 49 years old, and I’ve spent about two-thirds of my life on the road.
After graduating from middle school, I started selling tickets for my father who was a long-distance bus driver in Gansu province. In 2001, at my father’s suggestion, I became a taxi driver in Baiyin, Gansu, for eight years. Twelve years ago, in 2009, I started driving this 17-seat tour bus on the Qinghai-Gansu loop line, a popular route that goes from Lanzhou in Gansu to Qinghai province and back. I had to obtain the A1 driving license to drive the tour bus, which was easy if you studied hard.
It feels good to drive tourists on the road, because I can enjoy the views. I drive seven or eight hours per day if our schedule is tight, and we only stop at the gas stations once or twice if the tourists or I need to use the restrooms or buy some snacks. This can be exhausting, but I’ve become used to it over the years. Life just passes by.
I divorced in 2012 and I have a 20-year-old son, who I barely spent time with when he was a child. My parents took care of him most of the time. Sometimes I feel regret for not being there to see him grow up, but I had no choice. My job took up all my time. Normally I would be on the road for eight days, rest for two or three days, and then get ready to drive again. My son is grown up now, and works away from home. Now I live with my 80-year-old father in Baiyin, and hired a nanny to take care of him when I’m on the road. Both my father and my son are very supportive of my job.
Anita is a researcher at The World of Chinese. She is interested in stories that involve gender inequality, social issues, as well as current affairs. She is also passionate about the development of subcultures in Chinese society.
